Xi stresses powering high-quality development with Party discipline education
Xinhua) 08:58, August 31, 2024
BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has stressed powering China's high-quality development with the achievements of a Party-wide campaign on discipline education.
Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a recent instruction, which was read out at Friday's meeting of the Central Leading Group for Party Building.
Noting that the Party discipline education campaign has achieved positive results, Xi urged greater efforts to eradicate breeding grounds for corruption and more effectively curb and eliminate corruption.
Party members and officials should be guided to work diligently and actively while adhering to regulations and discipline, Xi said.
Friday's meeting reviewed a set of guidelines for advancing regular and long-term Party discipline education.
The meeting was presided over by Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, who also heads the Central Leading Group for Party Building.
Li Xi, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and deputy head of the Central Leading Group for Party Building, attended the meeting.
This round of Party discipline education campaign, which started in April, has come to an end, according to the meeting. It stressed further efforts to integrate Party discipline education into daily education, management and supervision of Party members and officials.
(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Hongyu)
Chinese VP meets attendees at legislators forum in Beijing
Xinhua) 10:33, August 31, 2024
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with representatives attending the 2024 Legislators Forum for Friendly Exchanges in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 30, 2024. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)
BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with representatives attending the 2024 Legislators Forum for Friendly Exchanges in Beijing on Friday.
Han said that China is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the legislative bodies of other countries, jointly exploring modernization paths suited to their national conditions.
The third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee has sent a clear signal that China will further comprehensively deepen reform and open up at a higher level, and China will provide more cooperation and development opportunities for countries around the world, Han said.
He further noted that China will, as always, support exchanges and cooperation between the National People's Congress and parliaments of other countries and international and regional parliamentary organizations to create a sound legal environment for deepening bilateral and multilateral friendly cooperation in various fields and consolidate popular support.
Representatives of the participating countries expressed great appreciation for the ideas and initiatives put forward by the Chinese side, saying that they are optimistic about the prospect of Chinese modernization and are willing to work with China to safeguard world peace and promote common development.
(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Hongyu)
Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday skewered former President Donald Trump for filming at the Arlington National Cemetery, accusing him of exploiting his visit for political purposes, which is prohibited.
"Let me be clear: the former president disrespected sacred ground, all for the sake of a political stunt," Harris wrote in a lengthy X post. "This is a man who is unable to comprehend anything other than service to himself."
A half-hour later, Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, fired back at Harris in his own social media post: "President trump was there at the invitation of families whose loved ones died because of your incompetence."
"Why don't you get off social media and go launch an investigation into their unnecessary deaths?" Vance added.
The Trump campaign echoed that line of defense in its own social media post, responding to Harris: "You've never ONCE taken responsibility for the 13 heroes killed on your watch while you bragged about being the last person in the room."
Over the past week, Trump has faced heat for his Monday visit to Arlington Cemetery, during which his campaign staffers "abruptly pushed aside" a cemetery worker trying to enforce federal laws that prohibit conducting "political activities" on military cemetery grounds, according to a U.S. Army spokesperson.
Trump made the trip to the cemetery to commemorate the three-year anniversary of the killing of 13 U.S. service members in a bombing at Kabul Airport during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, which he has repeatedly blamed on President Joe Biden and Harris.
While Trump met with families of the victims, his campaign staff took various photos and videos, several of which were posted to his social media platforms.
The Arlington Cemetery issued a statement confirming the incident between the campaign and the cemetery staff member, which NPR was first to 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 candidate's campaign," the cemetery said.
The Trump campaign has repeatedly denied any physical altercation and said it had approval to have a photographer and videographer on the premises. A Trump campaign spokesperson said the incident was the result of a cemetery staffer having a "mental health episode."
Trump on Friday said he only took pictures at the site because the victims' families wanted to.
"I stood with different people over different graves and took pictures. I didn't want to take pictures, but I wanted to take them if they wanted to take them," he said in a moderated conversation with Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice.
The Harris campaign has pounced on the controversy, scorning Trump for disrespecting U.S. troops and pointing to several other incidents where the former president has faced backlash for reportedly making disparaging comments about veterans, which he has denied.
"This is nothing new from Donald Trump," Harris wrote in her Saturday post. "It is my belief that someone who cannot meet this simple, sacred duty should never again stand behind the seal of the President of the United States of America."
Margaret Nyamumbo didn't have her first cup of coffee until she left for college. On the coffee farm she grew up on in Kenya, she says, the traditional morning drink is chai. The reasons are both cultural and economic. Kenya's tea culture has its roots in colonization, with the British bringing leaves to the country from India. What's more, coffee is more expensive than tea, making the decision easy for money-conscious farmers. "Growing up, we'd send off the coffee for export, and then we would drink the tea," Nyamumbo, 36, tells CNBC Make It. When flying to the U.S. to begin her undergraduate studies at Smith College, Nyamumbo says she asked her sister what to order when the flight attendant offered coffee or tea. "She said, 'Don't order coffee it's too bitter,'" Nyamumbo says. "But I still ordered it. I was going to America. I felt like I had to fit in." Her sister was right: It was bitter. But as Nyamumbo grew into life in the U.S., she acquired more than just a taste for, but a fascination with coffee and the culture surrounding it. "It was an acquired taste that I started to love," she says. "And as I went deeper into the culture of coffee, I became really interested in it. Tracing the supply chain was one of the reasons I got very fascinated by [the idea of starting] a coffee company." That company is Kahawa 1893, which Nyamumbo launched in 2018. The brand name combines the Swahili word for coffee and the year coffee was first commercially grown in Kenya.
Margaret Nyamumbo, 36, is the founder of Kahawa 1893, a coffee company that imports its beans from Africa. CNBC Make It
"With Kahawa 1893, we celebrate the rich origins of coffee in Africa," Nyamumbo says. "Even though coffee's originally from East Africa, it traveled around the world to Europe, Latin America and eventually came back to Africa in 1893." It's a trajectory that shouldn't feel unfamiliar to Nyamumbo herself. Despite being a child of coffee farmers, it took a trip to America, an MBA at Harvard and a short stint in investment banking to realize she could build a coffee business while giving back to the sort of farms that raised her. Kahawa sources its beans from growers in Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Each bag contains a QR code that allows customers to tip women farmers, who Nyamumbo estimates perform 90% of the labor in the coffee industry, but own none of the land. Kahawa matches customer tips, which so far have totaled $45,000. All told, the company has delivered $90,000 to some 500 African farmers. It's a mission that has resonated with customers. In 2023, Kahawa sold more than $3 million worth of coffee. "It is a dream job," Nyamumbo says. "I wouldn't have predicted it, but it's something that I love doing. I don't know what else I would be doing if I wasn't doing this."
Changing careers: 'I wanted to build something from the ground up'
After graduating with her MBA in 2016, Nyamumbo took a job in investment banking a gig that was not only lucrative, but intellectually stimulating. "I really enjoyed the work. I really enjoyed being able to perform at that level. It was very, very exciting, very competitive and cutthroat. It was a great skill set to be able to build on," she says. Nyamumbo had every intention of staying in banking and climbing the corporate ladder, but the work she was doing analyzing consumer goods companies seemed to be pulling her in another direction. "I learned how different brands had been started, and I realized that brands, even Fortune 500 companies that are household names, at one point, had very small, humble beginnings," she says. "As I learned more about the industry, I [realized I] wanted to build something from the ground up." Given her upbringing, coffee was a natural fit. She started to explore what it would take to start her own coffee brand slowly, at first.
Kahawa customers can 'tip' African farmers online. Since 2018, customer contributions, which Kahawa matches, have totaled $45,000. Courtesy of Kahawa 1893
"It started off as a side hustle. But it was really hard to balance out because my job was very demanding," Nyamumbo says. "I really couldn't do anything on the side except weekends. Even weekends was kind of pushing it." In 2018, Nyamumbo requested a sabbatical to give the fledgling Kahawa 1893 her full attention. She figured she would leave for about a year. If things didn't work out, she reasoned, she could go back to investment banking, albeit a little poorer. For the then-31-year-old Nyamumbo, it was a risk well worth taking. "It was something I wanted to do. I didn't want to be 60 years old and regret not ever having tried it."
Building the business: 'It was around the clock'
Nyamumbo says the startup was financially sustainable from the beginning, and she invested anything she earned back into the growth of the business. That isn't to say, however, that Kahawa didn't hit its share of roadblocks. Nyamumbo says she worked long hours thinking about everything from the big-picture problems, like how to market her brand and manage the supply chain from farmers in Africa, all the way down to the nitty gritty.
Nyamumbo and her brand went viral after a 2023 appearance on ABC's 'Shark Tank.' CNBC Make It
"I wake up, I'm thinking about it. I'm physically dropping off packages at the post office. I was roasting. I was doing tastings at night. I'm sending emails. I'm posting on social. It was around the clock." By 2019, she had moved her business from New York to San Francisco and was earning the majority of her revenue by selling her coffee to Bay Area tech companies, such as Facebook, Airbnb and Twitter, for consumption in their offices. "Then the pandemic hit, and that business went away overnight," Nyamumbo said. Until then, Kahawa hadn't received any outside investment or taken on any debt but Nyamumbo had. She'd funded startup costs from her ample savings and hadn't paid herself a salary while the business got off the ground. By 2021, she'd racked up $50,000 in credit card debt and was considering picking up a part-time gig to supplement the business.
A stroke of good fortune: 'We have something here'
But that year, the company received a stroke of good fortune. Trader Joe's expressed interest in bringing Kahawa into its stores a rare departure for a store that had traditionally stocked its own house brands. "That was a big break. But the scale of it was so big," says Nyamumbo. "That was the first time I felt, like, 'Oh my god. We have something here.'" Nyamumbo tapped her personal networks to find investors, who bought in for $285,000. It was enough to get the coffee paid for, roasted, packaged and shipped off to Trader Joe's shelves. Kahawa became the first Black- and woman-owned coffee brand on the grocer's shelves, launching Kahawa into the public eye. Soon, other major stores began picking up the brand, which these days derives the bulk of its revenue from wholesaling.
Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards
In 2022, Nyamumbo sought further investment, this time from the team of famous investors on ABC's "Shark Tank." In the episode, which aired in 2023, Nyamumbo accepted an offer from guest shark and Good American CEO Emma Grede, for $350,000 in exchange for 8% equity in the company. "It's been an amazing relationship, and it's been life-changing for the business," Nyamumbo says. "I think the amount of exposure that we were able to get from the show it went actually went viral in Kenya so that was that was kind of a surreal moment to have." Nyamumbo began paying herself a salary in 2021 and soon paid off her debt. She currently lives in New York City, and says her work has cooled some. She's still putting in roughly 50 hours a week. Nyamumbo says Kahawa has been profitable since it launched, but declined to share documentation for its profits or margins.
Looking ahead: 'We want to bring more of that value' to women farmers
Nyamumbo has big plans for getting Kahawa into more mugs around the globe. The brand recently struck a deal with Keurig, making Kahawa available to the more than 40 million households who use K-cups. "Being able to bring the brand in a more convenient way to more households is really cool for us to grow the distribution," Nyamumbo says. "Because when I started the brand, one of the things I realized was that specialty coffee was not approachable to a lot of people. And so I feel like our brand has been bridging that gap between specialty coffee and approachability."
Nyamumbo grew up on a coffee farm in Kenya. As her business expands, she hopes to continue to share the profits of the coffee trade with African farmers. Courtesy of Kahawa 1893
The search beganand the realizations piled up
Puerto Rico has many different cities, each with their own perks. I set my sights on the eastern, coastal city of Luquillo. It is a half hour drive to the capital, popular with surfers and beachgoers and it is close to El Yunque, the only rainforest in the U.S. Forest System. I knew I would be stressed by the prospect of a single-story home being affected by hurricanes and flooding, so I focused on condos and apartments instead, and stayed at several AirBnBs to get to know the area better. Since I was conducting the search from my home in Florida, my agent arranged viewings on my behalf, and I would call her on Facetime to tour the properties. I realized how difficult it would be to navigate the island's unique banking, legal and regulatory environment, especially not being able to use common U.S.-based lenders. Being a cash buyer would be a better option than trying to get a loan. So I put my search on hold in January 2022, and started looking again in November of that year, to give myself more time to save up enough cash to buy a property outright.
'It was the fastest I've ever spent almost $200,000'
When I was ready, I called my realtor. As luck would have it, she had been contacted by a seller who was ready to say goodbye to an oceanfront condo they had inherited from their parents. I saw it virtually before it went on the market, and I scheduled a trip to Puerto Rico. The moment I stepped inside, I fell in love. After that, everything moved quickly. I put in a verbal offer for $180,000 and the owners accepted.
The moment I stepped inside, I fell in love.
I filled out a formal offer letter, wired my deposit to the realty company, and worked with my agent to find a good inspector. After a successful inspection, and getting the deed and sworn documents notarized (a legal must in Puerto Rico) I worked with my bank to send the remaining funds to the realty office. I closed on the property within nine days. It was the fastest I've ever spent almost $200,000.
Take a look inside my ocean-front condo in Puerto Rico
My 760-square-feet, one bedroom, one bath condo was built in the 1970s. My balcony faces the ocean, the building has 24/7 security, a private pool, laundry area and assigned parking.
The condo actually came furnished, which was one of the things I liked about it originally. Photo: Jannese Torres
The balcony takes my breath away. I get a full unobstructed view of the ocean, and because zoning laws have changed, no properties can be built that close to the water anymore.
I wrote most of my book on the balcony. It's the most serene place on Earth for me. Photo: Jannese Torres
I pay $157 per month in HOA fees that cover maintenance, pool and beach access, garbage collection and security. For utilities, I pay $130 a month for cable, internet, electricity and water. I also pay about $1,800 a year for a property insurance policy that covers general liability, flood, theft and more.
Turning my place into an income stream
Since this isn't my primary residence, I've used the property as a short term rental on AirBnB and VRBO since May 2023. I never intended to use my condo as an AirBnB, but I decided to do a trial run and see how it went, and it has gone well.
The bathroom was original and in desperate need of a renovation, so I did that in the fall of 2023 with the help of local contractors. My parents designed the revamped space, and picked out all the tiles. Photo: Jannese Torres
I have a local cleaning crew that I provide my reservation schedule with. They let themselves in using the lockbox. Then they provide time-stamped photos after each cleaning and I pay them via PayPal. A local contractor I work with can do repairs and maintenance as needed, and sends me photos of the finished product.
The condo has become a gathering place for my family. My mom and dad even painted and decorated the place as a gift to me. Photo: Jannese Torres
My goal was to cover my annual expenses for the condo. If I made a profit, even better. I made over $7,500 in 2023, more than enough to cover my HOA fees, cleaning fees, maintenance, property taxes and utilities for the year. I'm on track to match or exceed those earnings in 2024.
Why this home means so much to me
Buying a property in Puerto Rico has been an incredible investment, not just financially, but emotionally. Now I have a little slice of paradise that I can call my own and share with my loved ones. My parents regularly schedule visits to the condo. It's become their favorite place to vacation. I've also welcomed friends and family as guests.
I never get tired of seeing the view from my place. Photo: Jannese Torres
Indian paramilitary troopers patrol along a road in Srinagar on December 11, 2023, ahead of Supreme Court's verdict on Article 370. Tauseef Mustafa | AFP | Getty Images
Residents of Indian-controlled Kashmir are gearing up for their first regional election in a decade that will allow them to have their own truncated government, also known as a local assembly, instead of remaining under New Delhi's direct rule. Muslim-majority Kashmir is divided between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan and claimed in its entirety by both. The Indian-administered part has been on edge since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government ended its special status in 2019 and also scrapped its statehood. The three-phased polls will take place amid a sharp rise in rebel attacks on government forces in parts of Hindu-dominated Jammu areas that have remained relatively peaceful in the three decades of armed rebellion against Indian rule. With campaigning picking up in the runup to the election, India's main opposition Congress party has formed an alliance to jointly seek the vote with the National Conference, the region's largest pro-India Kashmiri political party. Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party has a weak political base in the Kashmir Valley, the heartland of decades of anti-India rebellion, while it's strong in Jammu. Here is what you need to know about the coming election:
The history of disputed Kashmir
Kashmir's future was left unresolved at the end of British colonial rule in 1947 when the Indian subcontinent was divided into predominantly Hindu India and mainly Muslim Pakistan. Pakistan has long pushed for the right to self-determination under a U.N. resolution passed in 1948, which called for a referendum on whether Kashmiris wanted to merge with either country.
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Militants in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting New Delhi's rule since 1989, while India insists the Kashmir militancy is Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, a charge Islamabad denies. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict which most Kashmiri Muslims consider a legitimate struggle for freedom.
What is the current status of the region?
Indian-administered Kashmir has been without a local government since 2018 when India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party ended its support to the local Kashmiri People's Democratic Party, bringing down the coalition government and causing the assembly to dissolve. A year later, Modi's government revoked the region's semi-autonomy and downgraded it to a federally controlled territory. As a result, Indian-held Kashmir lost its flag, criminal code, constitution and inherited protections on land and jobs. It was also divided into two federal territories, Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir, ruled directly by New Delhi, allowing it to appoint an administrator to run it along unelected government officials.
Since then, a slew of legal and administrative changes have been installed without public input, much to the anger of the region's people whose civil liberties have also been curbed and media intimidated. Indian officials have repeatedly said that the move to shape what it calls "Naya Kashmir," or a "new Kashmir" was necessary to tackle separatism, foster greater economic development and fully integrate the region into the country.
Even after the election, India's federal government will still make the decisions
The election will take place between Sept. 18 and Oct. 1, and votes are set to be counted on Oct. 4. In theory, the polls will see a transition of power from New Delhi to a newly elected local assembly with a chief minister serving as the region's top elected official with a council of ministers, a similar setup to before 2018.
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But the new polls will hardly give the new government any legislative powers as Indian-controlled Kashmir will continue to be a "Union Territory" a region directly controlled by the federal government with India's parliament remaining as the region's legislator. The elected assembly will only have nominal control over education and culture. Kashmir's statehood status has to be restored for the new government to have power. Even Kashmiri pro-India parties, like the National Conference and the People's Democratic Party, have vowed to politically and legally fight for the return of Kashmir's semi-autonomy.
How do Kashmir residents view the upcoming election?
Norway's Princess Martha Louise and her American fiance Durek Verrett on their way to the gala dinner for Princess Ingrid Alexandra at the castle in Oslo on June 17, 2022.
A Norwegian princess marrying her Hollywood fiance it sounds like exactly the sort of fairy tale to charm a world beset by war and political strife.
But the wedding on Saturday of Princess Martha Louise to Durek Verrett, an American spiritual healer and self-professed shaman, is mired in controversy and criticism.
Martha Louise, 52, is the eldest daughter of Norway's long-reigning and widely popular King Harald, 87. She began dating California native Verrett in 2019 after the princess divorced her first husband two years earlier. The pair got engaged in 2022.
The nuptials will play out in Geiranger, a scenic town at the head of the Geirangerfjord, a majestic fjord flanked by snowcapped mountains that has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The king, Queen Sonja, heir to the throne Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit will all attend, the royal family says. They will be joined by reality stars, media influencers and TV personalities, with image rights exclusively sold to Netflix and Hello! magazine.
But away from this secluded spot, the picture is not so harmonious.
The wedding has intensified scrutiny and criticism of the views and associated businesses pedaled by the princess and the shaman. And it has added to a growing tone of dissatisfaction with the historically popular Norwegian royals.
Verrett describes himself as a "sixth-generation shaman" who has "studied extensively" to extract "the best from all the world philosophies, religions, spiritual teachings and theories."
In his 2019 book, "Spirit Hacking: Shamanic Keys to Reclaim Your Personal Power, Transform Yourself, and Light Up the World," he says that children get cancer because they "want" it and that doctors only administer chemotherapy to make a profit.
In another chapter, he writes that casual sex "attracts underworld entities" that are "the origin point for all sexually transmitted diseases." He also says that overpopulation is one of humanity's greatest threats and that women struggling to conceive is a sign that the "Earth is attempting to self-correct."
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Sarah Squirm, aka Saturday Night Lives Sarah Sherman, is making amends. Specifically, shes using her Instagram account to reach out to all the worms she may have kidnapped, harmed or even murdered in the name of comedy.
What drove Sherman to commit such crimes in the first place? To reveal her motive, she takes us back to her high school days when everyone called me Sarah Squirm whatever because I was disgusting.
Because of the Squirm in her new moniker, she soon learned about the 1976 horror movie of the same name. If you havent seen it, Squirm graphically depicts what happens when a storm causes some power lines to break and touch the ground, drawing millions of man-eating worms out of the earth.
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Horrifying! But what really drew in Sherman was Squirms poster, a monstrosity featuring a guys face infested with worms.
Squirm Company/Amazon
Squirms influence on Shermans marketing alone should be obvious, as echoes of the films movie poster reverberate in her own comedy promotion.
The production used hundreds of thousands of worms and like completely depleted the fishing industry of New England for the movie, she wrote. Fact or exaggeration? Her point remains: When you see the movie, youre like, Yeah, thats a lot of worms.
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All of this backstory was laying the groundwork for the comedians confession. I also have used live worms for comedy, she admitted. And I would like to come clean and say, in Chicago, I used to run a show called Hell Trap Nightmare, and we had a bucket of hundreds of worms. I blindfolded a guy and put his hands in the bucket, and I made him guess what it was. He thought it was cream cheese. It was hundreds of live worms.
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Looking back, Sarah Sherman regrets what Sarah Squirm did for gross-out laughs. Listen, I care about animals, she insisted. I care about living beings, and I want to love them, support all God's creatures.
Now she wants to atone for her sins. She does believe that those worms perished, despite the fact that Sherman did return them to the soil. That doesnt change the grim reality: Me and this movie have committed sins against living beings and I wanna repent for that.
While she cant reanimate the worms and dear god, lets hope she never tries Sherman at least extended a heartfelt mea culpa on her Instagram: to every worm i have ever hurt i am sorry and i love you and i am learning and growing every day.
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N'Djamena, Chad (PANA) - Spotlighting crises roiling parts of eastern Africa, the UN deputy chief concluded a regional visit in Adre, Chad, on Friday, calling for global solidarity to tackle famine in Sudan, flooding and mass displacement while ensuring free-flowing aid for millions trapped in war zones and those fleeing for their lives
Ahead of the release of her movie Maria at the Venice International Film Festival, playing the magnificent yet troubled opera queen Maria Callas, Angelina Jolie says her despair and pain over her split from husband Brad Pitt helped her channel the tormented diva.
Was that really what made her so unhappy or had she just read the dismal reviews of her film?
Callas is one of the most amazing women of the last century: a legendary soprano betrayed by her lover Aristotle Onassis, who married Jackie Kennedy without telling her, leaving her in Paris with a broken heart.
Angelina Jolie says her despair and pain over her split from husband Brad Pitt helped her channel the tormented diva
It hardly compares to the life of Jolie, the nepo-baby daughter of Oscar-winning actor Jon Voight, who has never been betrayed by the more talented Brad.
Jolie said: When you have felt a certain level of despair, of pain there are only certain sounds that can match that feeling. And to me the immensity of the feeling is encapsulated in opera theres nothing like it.
So says the woman who was a self-avowed punk fan and devotee of The Clash. No wonder film critics sitting through this turkey are asking themselves should I stay or should I go?
Lets look at the facts and what pain Ange really shares with Maria. Jolies box-office appeal never recovered after she stole Brad from his first wife, Hollywood sweetheart Jennifer Aniston.
They lived together for years, raising six children before marrying in 2014, separating two years later and warring ever since.
Seeing her in Venice, I was reminded me of those leaked emails in 2014, in which a Hollywood producer described Jolie as a minimally talented spoilt brat.
She should have learnt her lesson then. In the final aria of Puccinis masterpiece sung by Callas Madam Butterfly kills herself with her fathers knife, singing Con onor muore, which means to die with honour.
I hope, one day, we will see Anges career going the same way.
Is Prince plotting?
Despite Prince Harry insisting that hes no longer safe in the UK, he secretly flies in for the funeral of his uncle Robert Fellowes.
It has separately been confirmed that he will not add any more bile to the paperback edition of his memoir Spare nor give any more hurtful interviews.
So, was Harry really paying tribute to a beloved uncle or just trying to worm his way back into the Royal family
My moggie and Yuna? Not purrfect
My moggie Ted is overjoyed that lioness Yuna, three, who was trapped in a tiny concrete bunker in war-torn Ukraine, has been rescued by The Big Cat Sanctuary and now can feel the grass beneath her feet at her forever home in Kent. Ted would like to meet Yuna to chat about how he, too, recovered following his rescue after being badly treated as a kitten. But given his last romance was with a gay tomcat called Rocky, Im doubting it would be love at first sight.
Ahead of the launch of the remake of his hit 1988 cult horror Beetlejuice, imaginatively entitled Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, film-maker Tim Burton says he loved making it. Alas, some critics did not love watching it. One witheringly declaring: The long-awaited resurrection should have stayed dead.
Drivers deadly selfishness
The lawyer for 96-yearold June Mills who killed pedestrian Brenda Joyce, 76, after losing control of her car and mounting the pavement, said Mills was of previous good character. The sad truth is that anyone who gets behind the wheel of a car at 96 is not of good character theyre just thinking of themselves.
Having failed to turn up for a previous insolvency hearing, Katie Price who has a tax bill of 760,000 finally appears in the High Court only for the judge to decree that subjecting her to extreme public scrutiny would harm her mental health, giving her a delay for proceedings to be held in private.
I must try that the next time I cant pay my tax bill: Sorry, HMRC, after six facelifts and 17 boob jobs, Im just not mentally well enough to pay you.
BBC DirectorGeneral Tim Davie says he feels let down by the Huw Edwards scandal, reassuring staff we hold ourselves to the highest standards. Davie became DG in 2020 and in 2022 there were more than 40,000 convictions for TV licence evasion, with 74 per cent women, often older women. Some standards, Auntie.
Meanwhile Alex Williams, 25, who sent Edwards indecent images of children, was given just a 12-month suspended jail term. Some justice that his name and face are on social media, ensuring a lifetime sentence.
Influencer Molly-Mae Hague has broken her social media silence after kicking out fiance Tommy Fury over claims he cheated. She says shes lonely. Does she think her 8million Instagram followers have an appetite for Molly and Tommy: The Reunion
Strictly, Gio wins
Amanda Abbingtons claim that former Strictly pro dancer Giovanni Pernice sent her a sex related video clip has delayed the BBCs internal inquiry into her claims that he gave her PTSD. Theres some justice as the woman whose complaint will harm the Strictly brand is now appearing in a small play in a minor North London theatre. Meanwhile, tickets for Pernice
Some fans whine that Oasis are charging too much for their reunion gigs. Stop crying your heart out! They provided a magical soundtrack for many of us in the Nineties. Id rather pay a few hundred pounds to see Noel and Liam in their 50s than twice that to see the geriatric Rolling Stones giving very little Satisfaction.
Before crashing out in the first round of the US Open, Emma Raducanu deflected questions about Andy Murrays triple Grand Slam legacy, saying hes now old news. Not nice, Emma and not surprising that, given that you show such poor form on and off the court, your 10million sponsors are asking themselves if
++Westminster wars++
During his doom-laden speech to the country last week Keir Starmer declared 'things will get worse before they get better.'
But not, it seems for the second most-powerful person in the land. For her, things quickly got a whole lot better.
Angela Rayner has been filmed raving away wearing a scarlet dress in an Ibiza 'DJ booth' at 4am, smoke cannon and techno lights blaring around her, performing for the cheering crowds just days after her boss sombrely warned the country that there were 'painful' days to come in his tax-hiking Budget this autumn.
As Brits prepare to tighten their belts, the 44-year-old granny is living it up on one of Europe's most expensive party islands with actress Denise Van Outen, formerly the presenter of The Big Breakfast on Channel 4.
Angela Rayner seen raving in Ibiza nightclub at 4am
She was seen partying just days after her boss sombrely warned the country that there were 'painful' days to come
Rayner was seen embracing an Ibiza DJ in the booth at the rave
I'm not sure how many of Rayner's constituents in Ashton-under-Lyne could afford to spend their summer break 'going large' like her in a club where the water costs 11 a bottle and, more to the point, I'm not at all sure that's how they want their elected representative spending her time just weeks into the job.
Don't get me wrong: politicians are human beings and deserve a holiday as much as anyone else.
The role, especially the more senior you become and it hardly gets more senior than Ange's is demanding, the hours punishingly long.
No one would begrudge her a week or two away recharging her batteries after the election campaign so that she can better serve the country on her return.
Keir Starmer had also planned a summer holiday 'in Europe' this year but that was nixed by the riots. Instead he has spent several weekends at Chequers with his family.
I wouldn't have objected if he'd gone to Cornwall or the Outer Hebrides. (Some of us might have been happy if he'd chosen to stay there, in fact.)
But how ill-judged of Angela, how utterly adolescent of her to have thought it was a good idea to party like it's 1999 when she's the deputy prime minister and when, after Labour's announcements recently, many fear for the future.
The prisons are overflowing, crime is out of control, small boats are pouring across the Channel and further social unrest is only a terror attack away. Shouldn't she tone it down a bit?
Rayner can be seen with a smoke cannon and techno lights blaring around her, performing for the cheering crowds
She was filmed in a booth at the rave and was performing to cheering crowds
It's one thing to be a social media 'personality' when you're in Opposition, and quite another thing when you're purporting to be a stateswoman. Her behaviour demeans her office.
Remember if anything were to happen to Keir Starmer, Rayner is the woman who would take his place. It's clear to me that the UK doesn't have a serious deputy prime minister, ready to step in should a crisis occur.
Instead, we are stuck with a party animal who prefers house music to the House of Commons.
Grow up, Angela we expect better of you.
Inside Downing Street and the Home Office theyre hardly daring to whisper it. We saw it with the Tories, one senior Home Office adviser told me. They ran around saying, Weve finally got this under control! And then the numbers surged.
But two months after taking office, there are tentative signs Keir Starmer and Yvette Cooper may just be starting to get with grips with the Governments most significant and seemingly intractable problem. Stopping the small boats.
Recent headlines have been telling a very different story. Migrant crossings top 20,000 so far this year, announced the BBC on Thursday. Record number of people have crossed Channel in small boats since January, declared The Guardian. Neither headline was from a media outlet exactly famed for highlighting the perils of illegal migration.
But inside No 10 theyve been crunching the numbers, and they paint a different picture. The line Labours political opponents have been trying to peddle is of a new liberal administration losing control of the nations borders by axing the deterrent provided by the much-maligned Rwanda scheme.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper
Yet in reality the actual figures show Starmer performing slightly better than his predecessors. Our new Prime Minister hit the dubious milestone of 6,000 new arrivals on August 27, the 54th day of his premiership. Liz Truss reached it after just 29 days, Rishi Sunak after 38.
Similarly, the period between the start of the year and election day saw the highest number of small boat arrivals on record, with more than 13,000 people landing on Britains shores. But since then the rate of new arrivals has actually fallen it is currently 25 per cent lower than the 25,000 who had arrived by this stage in 2022. And thats despite the warm weather and calm seas of the past month.
Ministers believe there are several reasons for this positive turnaround. The first is a decision to redeploy the huge resources the Home Office was funnelling into trying and failing to get the Rwanda flights off the ground. One of Yvettes first acts was to move 300 officials off Rwanda, and on to ordinary deportations, a Home Office official explained.
With immediate results. Although it was done with little fanfare, on August 23 a flight left the UK with 220 illegal migrants on board. Though ministers wont reveal the destination for reasons of diplomatic protocol, it represented the biggest single-day deportation in British history, and was processed without the last-minute lawyerly wrangling and recrimination associated with previous removal efforts.
According to Home Office insiders, one of the reasons for this improved efficiency is the burgeoning working relationship between the Home Secretary and the Director General of Immigration Enforcement, Bas Javid.
Javid, a former police officer, impressed Cooper during the access talks that took place before Labour entered office although she was slightly taken aback after her first meeting with him. She came out and said, Is it me, or is he the spitting image of Sajid Javid? a minister revealed, referring to the Tory former Home Secretary. And an official said, Yes, hes his brother.
Javid made two important recommendations that Cooper has decided to implement. The first was to focus on the removal of illegal migrants from those countries with low grant rates. In other words, those nations where there is virtually no chance of an asylum request being approved and options for a successful legal challenge are much more limited.
The second was to align those removals with enhanced operational intelligence on where these particular illegal migrants are operating within the black economy. For example, we discovered a large number of those with low grant rates are working in car-washes, nail bars and some specific areas of the hospitality sector, a government official explained. So Yvette and Bas agreed to start prioritising raids on those sectors. And its working.
A third key component of the Governments strategy is what one No 10 adviser described to me as Keir Starmers own personal obsession with smashing the people-smuggling gangs.
Its one of those issues that takes him back to his time as Director of Public Prosecutions, an aide revealed. Hes obsessed with stopping the boats. Hes convinced we can take these gangs down, smash them and smash their business model.
As part of that, Labours Eliot Ness (the US lawman whose team of Untouchables brought down Al Capone) believes the key is not just preventing the smugglers from launching their boats from the beaches of France, but tackling their operation upstream.
In particular, he has demanded a new emphasis on targeting the corridor that operates between Germany and France and is used to transport the large dinghies that carry the migrants to the South Coast. When Starmer met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz last week, most of the focus was on a supposed post-Brexit reset. But according to No 10 sources, a significant part of the meeting centred on action to continue the crackdown on human-traffickers.
Analysis by the National Crime Agency indicates the clampdown is already having an impact. The larger dinghies operated by the smugglers carry an average of 50 people. Since 2018 there have been 32 instances of boats with higher occupancy rates, and a third of those have been intercepted since the election.
In addition UK and French border officers have noticed an increasing number of engine failures and dinghies failing to make it out of French waters.
All this shows the smugglers are finding it harder to secure the boats and equipment they need to facilitate the crossings, a Home Office official revealed, and thats because were having some success in shutting the German corridor. The fight with the profiteers in human misery is set to be a protracted one. And Starmer, Cooper and their Cabinet colleagues are a long, long way from declaring victory.
They are well aware that the traffickers will adapt their own tactics. And theres a recognition they are in part at the mercy of the elements, with a mild autumn and winter potentially reversing the successes of the summer.
Theres also a private acceptance within Downing Street that to really break the people-smugglers stranglehold some new major new deterrent policy may have to be unveiled.
Were not going back to the Rwanda scheme, one No 10 source told me. It was a costly shambles. But we might have to look at some sort of offshore processing model to send a firm signal.
Rishi Sunak famously pledged we will finally stop the boats. His failure to do so cost him his premiership.
Which is why you will not hear Keir Starmer make the same rash promise.
But inside Downing Street they believe they are in a war with the small-boat traffickers. And Keir Starmer and Yvette Cooper think they have drawn first blood.
While Angela Rayner was raving on the party island of Ibiza last week, back in London her powerbase was being stealthily dismantled by Sue Gray.
Ms Rayner glories in the title of Deputy Prime Minister but insiders suggest that the day-to-day reality is very different.
That scissoring sound you can hear is Sue clipping Angelas wings while she isnt looking, says one.
The most visible sign of this is the fact that two months after winning power, there is still no sign of Ms Rayner being granted the use of Dorneywood, the grace-and-favour 18th-century house in Buckinghamshire used by John Prescott and other deputy prime ministers in the past.
Ms Rayner likes to style herself as Prescott in a skirt, in emulation of her plain-speaking predecessor as Labour No 2. But when Lord Prescott was grappling with his mistress Tracey Temple in his palatial office in Admiralty House, he occupied a formal Office of the Deputy Prime Minister with its own dedicated staff.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner was raving on the party island of Ibiza last week
The Mail on Sunday understands that the Civil Services preparations for a Starmer government included a plan for Ms Rayner, who is also the Housing Secretary, to control a similar operation: the allocation of two private secretaries who had been security cleared to operate at the highest level of government.
That would reflect the complexity and sensitivity of the material which the ODPM would be expected to handle.
But sources say that Ms Gray, 66, has sent them to work instead for Starmers enforcer Pat McFadden, the increasingly powerful Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
While Ms Rayner has the use of a room in the Cabinet Office next to McFadden, her main base is the Housing Department, a 20-minute walk away, where her officials are cleared only to operate at a level consistent with planning reforms and workers rights.
In addition, a source says: It seems a purposeful act to strip away Angelas power and influence. She is a DPM without an ODPM. Pat is effectively going to do that job.
Ms Rayner angrily denied that she occupies her title in name only after Chancellor Rachel Reeves persuaded the Prime Minister that Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds should take a prominent role in Ms Rayners red revolution on new employment laws, which has horrified firms by promising French-style rights such as working from home, to avoid alienating the City.
Sue Gray has been accused of cronyism in recent weeks, as she found herself at the centre of a row over political appointments to the Civil Service
Ms Rayner insists that far from being frozen out she has been attending powerful quad meetings of Starmers top team and doing unsexy work on big policy areas.
Ms Gray has been engulfed by claims of power-hunger and cronyism since the MoS revealed earlier this summer that senior Whitehall sources had claimed that the Prime Minister was being denied vital security briefings because Ms Gray was restricting his intelligence briefings, with even Cabinet Secretary Simon Case forced to ask her permission to speak to the Prime Minister.
Since then, Ms Gray has also been at the centre of rows over political appointments to the Civil Service and of over-centralisation by blocking the appointments of MPs special advisers.
She was also embroiled in the furore over the issue of a Downing Street security pass for Lord Alli, who gave the Prime Minister almost 20,000 for new clothes and spectacles among 500,000 of donations to the party over several years.
There has been controversy too over her plans to replace Elizabeth Perelman, the PMs principal private secretary, with one of her former close colleagues, Daniel Gieve.
It has prompted Baroness Stuart, the head of the Civil Service Commission, to write to all departments ordering them to declare any exceptional hires made in the weeks after the election so that they can be reviewed by the watchdog.
And there seems to be little sign of any end to her power struggle with Morgan McSweeney, No 10s head of political strategy, who heads the third leg of No 10s tripartite power structure, the political strategy unit the other two being the Prime Minister's Office and Ms Grays office.
Sources claim that Ms Gray engineers the No 10 diary to ensure that the most important face-to-face meetings are held on Fridays, when Mr McSweeney is often away at his Scottish country house in Lanarkshire. Downing Street has already been forced to deny claims that McSweeney twice found his No 10 desk moved by Ms Gray each time further away from the Prime Ministers office. She is also said to be machinating against Matthew Doyle, the Blair-era Director of Communications.
The sources said that Ms Gray had angrily dismissed reports that it was Sue versus everyone in the Government, and was blaming Mr Case and Mr McSweeney for being behind the briefings against her.
They also talk of a sclerosis in the operation, with senior Rishi Sunak advisers such as security adviser Sir Tim Barrow and Foreign Policy adviser John Bew still sitting there, doing nothing and not being looped into anything, while their successors cant start because they havent been vetted.
The source said: This should all have been sorted out ages ago. The decision making remains very slow on appointments such as new ambassadors and is being savage on their salaries. She is not changing her ways.
A Downing Street spokesman denied that Ms Gray had moved officials from Ms Rayners team to Mr McFaddens operation.
No 10 has also denied the claims of feuding, power-hunger and cronyism.
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - A UN independent human rights expert on Friday condemned recent terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso, which resulted in approximately 200 deaths, and in Pakistan, where 28 civilians lost their lives
Dan Muir put his life savings and well-paying job on the line to chase his dream of owning his own business.
But just 18 months later, his wife, a new mum, was so strapped for cash she found herself counting groceries at the checkout.
Sometimes she would have to ask awkwardly to put things back and most bare necessities became instantly unaffordable despite Dan working 80-hour weeks.
The 40-year-old shop fitter's mental heath began to slip. Then he watched as his first business went into administration as he realised the big companies who had been promising to pay long overdue invoices were never going to cough up a cent.
Speaking to FEMAIL, he admitted losing his first business was 'crippling' and 'sent him down a dark path'.
'I had never suffered mental health issues before that. We had got through the first two years of business. Then we hit a hard six-month period and about three months after that we realised we weren't going to get paid. We were left with debt to the tune of $120,000 and had to go into voluntary administration,' he said.
And he's not the only tradie to go out on their own and suffer - not because of their quality of work or staff, but because people don't pay invoices on time - or at all. And chasing them up with lawyers is too costly an endeavour.
In fact, so many tradies struggle to get money out of clients that Shaun Jones, who has a business hiring out sub-contractors, started an invoicing business backed by a legal team to help.
Grunt Invoice Protection has only been going a few weeks but already signed on dozens of small business and helped them by providing a legal guardianship over their invoices in the form of an invoicing and accounts receivable platform.
San Muir, 40, headed down a dark road when his first business failed
His wife Larissa, pictured here with their daughter Matilda and son Hamish, remembers the hard times acutely - because she had to count the groceries at the checkout. This was when her daughter was a newborn
Shaun, 42, who lives on the Gold Coast was sick of dealing with bad debt. He would organise the tradies for jobs, get promised payment, get strung along and then realise the people he had been dealing with had sold up and left town without paying anyone.
'You would chase them, legally, spend thousands on lawyers then find out they have no money,' he said.
'They usually star by paying on time or catch up the first time they are overdue but once they have the relationship with you they stop.'
He now has his business set up on Grunt Invoice Protection which he says has easy to use invoicing functions and will act as accounts receivable, Grunt Invoice protection provides full legal protection against late and non-payment of invoices for just $4 per invoice.
Most businesses he's dealt with have started paying on time since he started using Grunt Invoice Protection for his invoicing
'At the end of the day I have a wife and three boys to support and we would be in a lot better position if we got paid on time, or at all,' he said.
'Lots of these guys never have any intention of paying up on time, or sometimes at all. Which leaves me having to juggle school fees and personal bills, because I pay everything else first.'
Shaun has known Dan for over a decade, and knew his story. So when he launched Grunt he was one of the first people who signed on.
Dan was earning $150k per year when he decided to roll the dice on his own business, and lost everything
When Dan decided to leave his job and go out on his own he was taking home $150,000 a year and had money in the bank. He was also about to become a dad.
After the collapse of his first business he was $120,000 behind, depressed and his relationship felt stretched.
He poured $250,000 into his business in the first two years, buying machinery, and was excited to be heading towards a lower-stress, ultra-flexible future.
Instead he was left with life-long what-ifs.
'It still affects me today. I think what if people don't pay and it all comes crashing down again.'
He's now running a successful business in Tasmania. The couple relocated to the southern state so that his wife could have the support of her family, the next time they went into business.
Shaun Jones, 42, started Grunt Invoice Protection because he was sick of making up for bad debt by cutting his own income
The 'bad debt' cycle is ongoing.
He revealed that he has spent $10,000 recently chasing a $40,000 account.
'Everything runs down hill, when you are at the bottom you don't get paid,' he said.
He's taken a safer approach on businesses who don't pay up on time and is using Grunt Invoice Protection for new or higher risk clients.
Full legal protection is just $4 regardless of the value of the invoice boasting that companies never have to chase an invoice again or pay legal fees if things go south.
Dan's finally able to provide a good life for his family, which has grown by one since his first disastrous attempt.
'I wont say I'm living the fairytale, business is just as hard as always been but I am in a much more stable position than ever,' he said.
'The majority of my clients are repeat - I think the fairy tale is exactly that a pipe dream sold to young entrepreneurs.
'But having this business succeed is definitely a bit of redemption.'
Shaun hopes businesses like his and Dan's will stop suffering with the help of his second venture.
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands looked radiant during an official outing today.
The Dutch queen, 53, ditched her usual colourful attired in Zundert, where the world's largest flower parade will get underway over the weekend.
The mother-of-three smiled and posed for the cameras, before inspecting arrangements for the Corso Zundert flower show that is traditionally held on the first Sunday in September.
The royal was the picture of understated elegance in a striped, white-and-navy top under a white blazer, with matching flared trousers.
She left her blonde, shoulder-length hair open and accessorised her outfit with a pair of pearl earrings shaped like flowers, in a nod to the upcoming annual Dutch event that attracts 50,000 visitors every year.
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands looked radiant during an official outing today. The Dutch queen, 53, ditched her usual colourful attired in Zundert, where the world's largest flower parade will get underway over the weekend
The mother-of-three smiled and posed for the cameras, before inspecting arrangements for the Corso Zundert flower show that is traditionally held on the first Sunday in September
The royal was the picture of understated elegance in a striped, white-and-navy top under a white blazer, with matching flared trousers
Queen Maxima during her visit to the preparations for flower parade Zundert
The mother-of-three kept her base makeup fresh and natural, while accentuating her eyes with a smoky eyeshadow look.
Maxima was photographed holding a bouquet of brightly-coloured flowers, before she joined a group of volunteers putting their final touches on the floats that will be on display at the parade.
The floats are constructed by the residents of 20 hamlets that comprise the southern Dutch town, best known as being the birthplace of legendary post-impressionist artist Vincent Van Gogh.
During her visit, the Queen reportedly toured the neighbourhoods of Helpt Elkander, De Berk and Klein Zundert and got a sneak-peek at the floats for what will be the 82nd edition of the Corso Zundert parade.
Over the years, some of the most unique floats on display have included larger-than-life milk cartons, pink helicopters, giant roosters, and bright orange Chinese dragons all made entirely out of dahlias.
The mother-of-three kept her base makeup fresh and natural, while accentuating her eyes with a smoky eyeshadow look
Maxima was photographed holding a bouquet of brightly-coloured flowers, before she joined a group of volunteers putting their final touches on the floats that will be on display at the parade
It is estimated that a staggering eight million flowers are used to fashion these creations some of which span over 20 metres (65 feet) for the Corso Zundert festival annually.
Queen Maxima's visit highlights the cultural significance of the parade that was ratified by the UNESCO Convention for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2012.
Her presence is expected to boost the morale of the volunteers, who painstakingly built the extravagant floats, with preparations for the parade typically beginning a year in advance.
The Corso Zundert, which was founded in 1936 to mark the birthday of then-Queen Wilhelmina, also includes a competition for the best float that is usually picked by an independent jury.
The Corso Zundert, which was founded in 1936 to mark the birthday of then-Queen Wilhelmina, also includes a competition for the best float that is usually picked by an independent jury
Mad Maxima! The Queen got involved building in the day
The Queen's visit to Zundert comes days after she joined her family to watch the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday, August 25.
Photos from the event showed Queen Maxima posing with her husband King WIllem-Alexander, their daughter Princess Alexia and Alexia's cousin Count Claus at the racing event at Circuit Park in Zandvoort in North Holland.
In another picture, the king of Netherlands can be seen enjoying a glass of bubbly while watching the nail-biting race that saw British F1 star Lando Norris zoom to first place.
Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander's daughter Princess Alexia, 19, was also in attendance at the annual sporting event.
She looked effortlessly stylish in a knitted black asymmetrical shoulder top and a pair of smart navy trousers.
The young princess finished her look off with a pair of white trainers.
While her sisters, Catharina-Amalina, Princess of Orange, and Princess Ariane are believed to have skipped the event, Princess Alexia was photographed alongside her cousin Count Claus.
The 20-year-old is the son of Princess Laurentien and Prince Constantijn,King Willem-Alexander's younger brother.
The young royal was dressed to impress in a light blue shirt, navy blazer, grey jeans and brown suede loafers.
Guests have been pictured at the wedding of Princess Martha Louise of Norway and Shaman Durek Verrett - but the bride avoided cameras, hiding behind sheets as she made her way to the aisle.
It comes after the couple allegedly banned phones from their wedding in Geiranger - and invited a top director who has worked with Netflix to cover their nuptials. It is thought that this alleged ban is linked to the exclusivity agreements the couple has with Hello Magazine and Netflix.
The publication claims that on Tuesday, a message was sent out to their invitees asking them not to share anything on their social media profiles.
'Please remember that mobile phones or cameras are not allowed at any of the events throughout the weekend. In addition, we ask that you do not post anything on social media,' it states, according to an email that the website obtained.
The couple's big day follows months of anticipation - and several days of pre-wedding festivities, which kicked off on Thursday. Members of the Norwegian family attended the event, including King Harald, Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus.
Guests were concealed behind walls of sheets as they left their hotel and got into cars taking them to the wedding tent
A makeshift white tent is set up outside the marquee before the wedding, so the bride could hide from cameras
Sweden's Prince Daniel and Crown Princess Victoria, along with Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia, arrive at the wedding
Princess Astrid of Belgium was also among the regal guests at the royal wedding today, and was snapped making her way to the service
Leah Isadora Behn and Emma Tallulah Behn, daughters of Norway's Princess Martha Louise, wait outside the marquee
Also at the event were Sweden's Prince Daniel and Crown Princess Victoria, along with Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia.
Meanwhile, Princess Martha Louise's daughters Leah Isadora Behn and Emma Tallulah Behn were photographed outside the wedding marquee, ahead of their mother's arrival.
A number of wedding guests posed for photographers on a specially placed red carpet, many wearing vibrant gowns in statement colours.
Those not in attendance included Queen Mary and King Frederik of Denmark, who confirmed ahead of the event that they would not be coming. Also absent was Marius Borg Hiby, stepson of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, who has been at the centre of a major controversy after issuing a grovelling apology earlier this month, for attacking his 'girlfriend' Rebecca Helberg Arntsen.
As she made her way up the aisle, the bride appeared to be wearing a full-length pale gown, with a long veil. The sleeveless frock had a v-neck, and shoulder straps.
According to local media, Princess Martha Louise wore the diamond and pearl tiara that her grandfather, King Olav V of Norway, presented to her as an eighteenth-birthday present.
Members of the media and local residents wait for the wedding guests to arrive on the red carpet outside the Hotel Union
ROYAL GUESTS: Norway's King Harald, Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Ingrid Alexandre and Prince Sverre Magnus pose for a photo the day before the wedding
Princess Martha Louise of Norway and Durek Verrett were photographed smiling the day before the wedding
King Harald V is snapped waving and smiling as he is driven to the wedding ceremony in Geiranger
Queen Sonja is photographed being driven to the wedding of Durek Verrett and Princess Martha Louis
Well-wishers, carrying Norwegian flags, packed the narrow lane from the fjords waterside up to the traditional Vinje Farm where a tent had been specially erected for nuptials.
They had a longer wait than they perhaps expected: the couple were running an hour late and the ceremony did not begin until 2.15pm local time.
After the ceremony, wedding guests left the marriage ceremony tent at around 3pm local time, walking along a red carpet to the nearby hotel reception.
Many were dressed in traditional Norwegian costume - black suits and white shirts for men and long black dresses, with embroidered blouses snd shawls for women.
Others wore dinner jackets with bow ties with women wearing cocktail dresses.
The newly weds are now expected to pose for their wedding pictures, while their guests enjoy refreshments.
Well-wishers came from across Norway to give their blessing to the controversial marriage of Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett.
Among them was Birger Kirkhus, his wife Hege and their friends.
Mr Kirkhus, 62, accountant from Kristiansund, explained: When we learned that the wedding was going to take place in Geiranger we booked a cabin nearby to make sure we were all here.
Like Princess Merte Marte, Crown Prince Hakons wife, we are from Kristiansund.
And so today we are all weather traditional sweaters in the design of southern Norway to celebrate this.
When the future queen went into the ceremony she recognised us and waved at us.
A red carpet was rolled out for guests (seen making their way to the reception at the Hotel Union in Geiranger following the wedding ceremony)
Wedding guests were treated to some stunning views as they made their way to the reception following the ceremony
On the red carpet was Senegalese-American singer-songwriter Marieme in a sparkling orange gown and a striking blue wig
Well-wishers came to support the couple on Saturday, posing for pictures outside Hotel Union in Geiranger
A van with the newlyweds face on in Geiranger as Princess Martha Louise of Norway and Durek Verrett tied the knot
Its a wonderful day. Were all so happy that we made the effort to come.
The wedding breakfast - and afternoon tea and coffee, as well as a party expected to run late into the night - will take place at the prestigious Union Hotel, which is renowned throughout Norway.
Wedding guests were bused up to the wedding venue from a water-front hotel.
King Harald and Queen Sonja are staying onboard their royal yacht which is anchored off shore of the village of Geiranger. A Norwegian naval vessel is also nearby to protect the monarch.
Dozens of uniformed and plain-clothed police officers have swarmed into this tiny Fjord-side village in western Norway that has a population of just 250.
Princess Martha Louise, 52, and her fiance Durek Verrett, 49, who announced their engagement in 2022, revealed they would tie the knot in a ceremony in Geiranger - a town at the head of the Geirangerfjord, that has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, via a post on the royal's Instagram page.
A number of guests at today's royal wedding in Norway posed on the red carpet for photographers (pictured: singer-songwriter Marieme)
Many of the attendees donned bright gowns in statement colours - the dress code for the three-day event was reportedly 'cool and sexy'
The guests had a long day, with breakfast at 8am, and the bar said to be open until 3am on Sunday morning
The wedding was held in a town called Geiranger - Princess Martha Louise described the area as 'the perfect place to embrace our love'
Blogger and model Margie Ashcroft poses in a purple gown as she attends the wedding with musical artist Harald Austad
Durek Verrett's nephew Lucas is pictured as he makes his way out of the hotel and towards the wedding marquee
Taking to the platform last year she wrote: 'We are incredibly happy to be able to celebrate our love in Geirangers beautiful surroundings. It means a lot to us to gather our loved ones in a place so rich in history and intense nature experiences. Geiranger is the perfect place to embrace our love.'
The ceremony was organised at Hotel Union in Geiranger village, a four-star hotel that has a spa, indoor and outdoor pools, its own nightclub and even a vintage car museum.
Well-wishers lined the streets ahead of the couple's arrival.
However, while many wished the couple well, some Norwegians are not fans of the union.
Halibut fisherman Roger Mr, 60 told MailOnline: Im not happy about the marriage of Princess Martha Louise to his American man, Durek. I think he is exploiting her and the royal family.
Carpenter Torkil Wullf, 34, said: Princess Martha Louise also a fantasist. It is well-known that she claims to be able to talk to angels. I think is just as crazy as her shaman Durek.
Most Norwegian people think this is whole marriage is a disgrace. The rest of the royal family are much more thoughtful about their actions.
Meanwhile, handyman Jon Juliebr, 46, wished the couple well.
Shortly after buying fresh fish at the Alesund quayside, he told MailOnline: I think its good from them.
Princess Martha Louise has always been eccentric.
'She is the oldest child of King Harald but she was never going to become the monarch because she was a girl.
Her brother, Prince Haakon, will become king, even though he is younger than her, so I think that has affected her.
Cafe waitress yvar Melsaeter, 18, saw the positives in the couple's marriage.
She claimed the wedding party which had taken sight-seeing tour along the Geirangerfjord from Alesund had put this remote coastal town on the map.
She said: I think its great that the princess came to Alesund and is getting married in Geirganer village.
'The wedding has really put us on the map.
I dont know too much about her shaman Durek, but I hope they will be happy together.
Its all very exciting for people who live around here.
The three-day celebrations started on Thursday, when the couple hosted a drinks reception at Hotel 1904 in Alesund.
On Friday, guests were taken aboard a boat to travel to enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Geiranger Fjord.
Shaman Durek announced in June that Parish Priest Margit Lovise Holte would be officiating their marriage.
Reverend Michael Beckwith, who has appeared on Oprah Winfrey's Super Soul podcast, was also reportedly involved in the nuptials.
Norwegian fisherman Roger Mor (pictured) said he is 'not happy' about the marriage between Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett
Handyman Jon Juliebor (pictured) said the princess has 'always been eccentric' and he wishes the couple well
Cafe waitress yvar Melsaeter (pictured) said the wedding had put the area on the map - which she said was exciting for locals
Martha, who describes herself as 'spiritual' and claims to be a clairvoyant, got into a relationship with Durek after overcoming the loss of her first husband, Ari Behn, who died by suicide in 2019. The couple claim to have already known each other from a 'past life', specifically from the days of ancient Egypt.
But things have not been easy for Martha, as she was forced to leave her role as a working member of the royal family because of her fiance's controversial views.
Durek stated that he believed that childhood cancer is caused by unhappiness in a book he wrote.
He published 'Spirit Hacking' in 2019 in the US, but publishers banned it in Norway over the unsubstantial claims.
After reading a translation of the book from its original English, the publishing house said at the time they were shocked by a number of unproven statements made by Durek in the book.
Well-wishers lined the streets of Geiranger today, ahead of the wedding of Princess Martha Louise of Norway and Shaman Durek Verrett.
A guest at the event, called Rus Olsen, shared a snap of people who'd come out to see the couple on their big day on his Instagram account.
He accompanied the image with a caption which read: 'All the people of Geiranger came out to meet @iam_marthalouise & @shamandurek Geiranger Fjord is as breathtaking as one could not imagine! ing Norway.'
Geiranger - a town at the head of the Geirangerfjord - has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Princess Martha Louise, 52, took to Instagram last year to reveal it would be the wedding location, describing it as 'rich in history'.
A snap shared by one of the wedding guests ahead of the big day showed well-wishers lining the streets
She wrote: 'We are incredibly happy to be able to celebrate our love in Geirangers beautiful surroundings. It means a lot to us to gather our loved ones in a place so rich in history and intense nature experiences. Geiranger is the perfect place to embrace our love.'
While the many locals lining the streets appeared to be excited about the nuptial do, some were critical of the couple, and so the arrival of the royal party was met with mixed feelings by members of this historic fishing community.
Halibut fisherman Roger Mr, 60 told MailOnline: Im not happy about the marriage of Princess Martha Louise to his American man, Durek.
I think he is exploiting her and the royal family.
Carpenter Torkil Wullf, 34, said: Princess Martha Louise also a fantasist.
It is well-known that she claims to be able to talk to angels.
I think is just as crazy as her shaman Durek.
Most Norwegian people think this is whole marriage is a disgrace.
Norwegians have shared mix views regarding the couple (pictured here on the day before their wedding)
The rest of the royal family are much more thoughtful about their actions.
However this morning handyman Jon Juliebr, 46, wished the unlikely couple well.
Shortly after buying fresh fish at the Alesund quayside, he told MailOnline: I think its good from them.
Princess Martha Louise has always been eccentric.
She is the oldest child of King Harald but she was never going to become the monarch because she was a girl.
Her brother, Prince Haakon, will become king, even though he is younger than her, so I think that has affected her.
Meanwhile, cafe waitress yvar Melsaeter, 18, claimed the wedding party which had taken sight-seeing tour along the Geirangerfjord from Alesund had put this remote coastal town on the map.
She said: I think its great that the princess came to Alesund and is getting married in Geirganer village. The wedding has really put us on the map.
I dont know too much about her shaman Durek, but I hope they will be happy together.
Its all very exciting for people who live around here.
The couple (seen the day before their wedding) have been described as 'controversial', due to some of their spiritual views
Martha, who describes herself as 'spiritual' and claims to be a clairvoyant, got into a relationship with Durek after overcoming the loss of her first husband, Ari Behn, who died by suicide in 2019.
But things have not been easy for Martha, as she was forced to leave her role as a working member of the royal family because of her fiance's controversial views.
Durek stated that he believed that childhood cancer is caused by unhappiness in a book he wrote.
He published 'Spirit Hacking' in 2019 in the US, but publishers banned it in Norway over the unsubstantial claims.
After reading a translation of the book from its original English, the publishing house said at the time they were shocked by a number of unproven statements made by Durek in the book.
Princess Martha Louise of Norway and Shaman Durek Verrett were met with a mixed reception from locals as the two arrived in a costal town ahead of their wedding today.
Princess Martha Louise and husband-to-be arrived to sceptical locals today in the picturesque town of Geirganger, as the couple kicked off on day three of their nuptial celebrations.
A halibut fisherman accused the 49-year-old American of exploiting the Norwegian royal family and a carpenter condemned the 52-year-old princess for being as crazy as her shaman.
However, not everyone was as negative, as one handyman welcomed todays ceremony while a cafe waitress claimed that the royal wedding had put the local area on the map.
King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway were the guests of honour at the pre-wedding drinks reception at Hotel 1904 in Alesund on the countrys west coast on Thursday, ahead of the marriage ceremony in the spectacular Fjord-side village of Geirganger later today.
Norwegian fisherman Roger Mor (pictured) said he is 'not happy' about the marriage between Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett
Cafe waitress yvar Melsaeter (pictured) said the wedding had put the area on the map - which she said was exciting for locals
Princess Martha Louise and husband-to-be Shaman Durek Verrett were met with a mixed reception from locals as the two arrived in a costal town ahead of their wedding today (the pair pictured yesterday)
Princess Martha Louise (pictured with Shaman Durek Verrett yesterday) is controversial with some Norwegians due to some of her spiritual views
But the arrival of the royal party was met with mixed feelings by members of this historic fishing community.
Halibut fisherman Roger Mr, 60 told MailOnline: Im not happy about the marriage of Princess Martha Louise to his American man, Durek.
I think he is exploiting her and the royal family.
Carpenter Torkil Wullf, 34, said: Princess Martha Louise also a fantasist.
It is well-known that she claims to be able to talk to angels. I think is just as crazy as her shaman Durek.
Most Norwegian people think this is whole marriage is a disgrace.
The rest of the royal family are much more thoughtful about their actions.
Meanwhile, handyman Jon Juliebr, 46, wished the unlikely couple well.
Handyman Jon Juliebor (pictured) said the princess has 'always been eccentric' and he wishes the couple well
Shortly after buying fresh fish at the Alesund quayside, he told MailOnline: I think its good from them.
Princess Martha Louise has always been eccentric.
'She is the oldest child of King Harald but she was never going to become the monarch because she was a girl.
Her brother, Prince Haakon, will become king, even though he is younger than her, so I think that has affected her.
Cafe waitress yvar Melsaeter, 18, saw the positives in the couple's marriage.
The couple (pictured the day before their wedding) sparked mixed views, with some criticising their union, and others wishing them well
She claimed the wedding party which had taken sight-seeing tour along the Geirangerfjord from Alesund had put this remote coastal town on the map.
She said: I think its great that the princess came to Alesund and is getting married in Geirganer village.
'The wedding has really put us on the map.
I dont know too much about her shaman Durek, but I hope they will be happy together.
Its all very exciting for people who live around here.
Princess Martha Louise of Norway and Durek Verrett tied the knot in a ceremony boasting traditional Norwegian elements as well as an 'American-style' service.
Guests left the marriage ceremony tent shortly after 3pm local time, walking along a red carpet to the nearby hotel reception in Geiranger.
Some spoke to Norwegian TV channel VGTV about the service, describing some elements of the ceremony - including the vows.
One of the American guests revealed that the wedding was 'absolutely beautiful', adding that he 'loved it'. According to the attendee, the event featured gospel music, as well as some hymns.
Durek announced in June that Parish Priest Margit Lovise Holte would be officiating their marriage. Reverend Michael Beckwith, who has appeared on Oprah Winfrey's Super Soul podcast was also involved, with the guest noting that the Los Angeles-based reverend had come to Norway to give an 'American style sermon'.
Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett (seen the day before their wedding) incorporated Norwegian and American elements into their ceremony, according to guests
The service, which was described as having some traditional Norwegian elements as well as an 'American-style' ceremony, was held in a marquee
Meanwhile another guest, called April, spoke to the network about the couple's vows, saying they were 'very sincere'.
'Sometimes you go to a wedding and [the vows are] sort of cliche or pre written. Their vows were so from the heart, and they were honest and truthful and realistic with how relationships can be. And that was really moving to hear. They were so genuine,' she added.
April noted that 'everyone was in tears', including the groom, who 'choked up when he said his vows, and needed a moment'.
She said what really stuck out to her during the vows was 'how Derek said he understands how important Martha's children are to her - her daughters - and how he would never stand in the way of that, and he's there to support her and to love them just as much as she does'.
'That was really moving, because I know they've been through so much, and now Derek is a part of the royal family in Norway,' April added.
As the guests filtered out of the ceremony, many were dressed in traditional Norwegian costume - black suits and white shirts for men and long black dresses, with embroidered blouses snd shawls for women.
Others wore dinner jackets with bow ties with women wearing cocktail dresses.
Well-wishers came from across Norway to give their blessing to the controversial marriage of Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett.
After the ceremony, it is believed that guests went to the Hotel Union (seen today during the nuptial do) where they attended the reception
The bride's wedding look was being kept strictly under wraps as security held up sheets to curb any potential peeps of her dress as she entered the venue
Among them was Birger Kirkhus, his wife Hege and their friends.
Mr Kirkhus, 62, accountant from Kristiansund, explained: When we learned that the wedding was going to take place in Geiranger we booked a cabin nearby to make sure we were all here.
Like Princess Merte Marte, Crown Prince Hakons wife, we are from Kristiansund.
And so today we are all weather traditional sweaters in the design of southern Norway to celebrate this.
When the future queen went into the ceremony she recognised us and waved at us.
Its a wonderful day. Were all so happy that we made the effort to come.
Princess Martha Louise took to Instagram last year to reveal the wedding location.
She wrote: 'We are incredibly happy to be able to celebrate our love in Geirangers beautiful surroundings. It means a lot to us to gather our loved ones in a place so rich in history and intense nature experiences. Geiranger is the perfect place to embrace our love.'
The wedding was held at Hotel Union in Geiranger village, a four-star hotel that has a spa, indoor and outdoor pools, its own nightclub and even a vintage car museum.
Tomorrow is the final day of Martha Louise and Durek's wedding as they wrap up the festivities starting with breakfast from 8am-10am.
After breakfast, guests will be taken on another shuttle from Grande Fjordhotel back to the Hotel Union for a brunch with warm and cold dishes until 1pm before checkout.
From there, the bride and groom have provided buses from guests respective hotels at Alesund airport.
Guests were concealed behind walls of sheets as they left their hotel and got into cars taking them to the wedding tent
A makeshift white tent is set up outside the marquee before the wedding, so the bride could hide from cameras
Martha, who describes herself as 'spiritual' and claims to be a clairvoyant, got into a relationship with Durek after overcoming the loss of her first husband, Ari Behn, who died by suicide in 2019.
But things have not been easy for the princess, as she was forced to leave her role as a working member of the royal family because of her fiance's controversial views.
Durek stated that he believed that childhood cancer is caused by unhappiness in a book he wrote.
He published 'Spirit Hacking' in 2019 in the US, but publishers banned it in Norway over the unsubstantial claims.
After reading a translation of the book from its original English, the publishing house said at the time they were shocked by a number of unproven statements made by Durek in the book.
Bridget Oyen is the ultimate foodie who had dreamed of culinary school since she was a teen.
But after more than a decade of suffering from a rare disease, she was forced to make the life-changing decision to have her esophagus removed.
Eating had become a traumatic event since she was little. The California native had developed excruciating pain when she swallowed and would throw up multiple times a day.
Ms Oyen, 31, said: It felt like swallowing glass. I love food. Ive been cooking and baking since I was little. But food does not like me.
For years doctors failed to diagnose her problem: I was told "just lose some weight and youll be better."' [Doctors] were never interested in looking deeper into anything.
But after nearly 10 years of searching, Ms Oyen was finally diagnosed with the rare disease achalasia, which prevents the esophagus from passing food properly.
Bridget Oyen had her esophagus removed during a nine-hour surgery after being diagnosed with the rare disease achalasia
During her nine-hour surgery, doctors cut out her esophagus and reconstructed it using part of her stomach
Because of the delay in treatment, though, her organ had already deteriorated beyond repair and at 30 years old, Ms Oyen decided to have her esophagus removed.
Ms Oyen was 15 when she first began experiencing symptoms that included extreme thirst, chest pain and excessive burping. These later developed into throwing up multiple times a day and intense pain when eating.
She began to experience anxiety and her fear of eating became so intense she developed Avoidant Food Intake Disorder, which causes a person to severely limit their food intake, and she found maintaining her weight difficult.
Ms Oyen, now a banker, told Dailymail.com: I was calling my mom in the middle of the night, crying. Saying to her... "What am I supposed to do? I can't live like this. How am I supposed to eat?"'
Achalasia is a rare disease that affects just one in 100,000 people. It causes the muscles in the esophagus - the tube connecting the mouth and stomach - to not contract properly, failing to send food down to the stomach.
The cause is unknown but may be due to a loss of nerve cells in the esophagus stemming from a viral infection or autoimmune response.
Symptoms include difficulty swallowing, a feeling of something in the throat, heartburn, burping, weight loss and chest pain.
Some may mistake achalasia as a reflux disease, but in patients with achalasia, food is being regurgitated from the esophagus, whereas reflux comes from the stomach.
There is no cure for the disease and once the esophageal muscles have been damaged, they cannot work properly again.
Typically, symptoms can be managed with minor surgeries that cut or widen the esophagus to allow food to more easily enter the stomach.
Multiple surgeries left her with several scars across her abdomen
Ms Oyens initial symptoms were mild and she experienced extreme thirst, chest pain and excessive burping, and she was dismissed or misdiagnosed several times and her long road to get an answer was frustrating.
She told DailyMail.com: Unfortunately that's so common with rare diseases, and it just takes that one doctor whos continuing their research and making sure they're up to date on all the diseases in their field, and not just the common diseases.
'You know, when you hear hoofbeats [you] look for horses. You don't look for a zebra, and unfortunately, I had a zebra.
At 25 she was referred to a neurogastroenterologist, someone who specializes in nerve diseases in the GI tract. It was this physician who finally diagnosed her achalasia.
My Oyen said: This was the first person to ask me what my pain actually felt like.
Ms Oyen was left with a large scar in her abdomen from surgery to remove her esophagus
'I didn't realize that when people called it heartburn it's because it felt like fire. I just thought it was a cute nickname because mine didn't feel like fire. It felt like I was being stabbed, and its because I never had heartburn.
In 2018, Ms Oyen went to a surgeon in San Francisco, where she had a Heller myotomy, a minimally invasive procedure in which doctors cut open the valve where her stomach and esophagus meet.
The surgery helped her keep eating for almost a year - but her symptoms returned and she was referred to a new team of doctors.
However, pandemic lockdowns led to canceled appointments and delays in care. For months she couldnt have the surgery that would let her eat and live pain free.
My Oyen told DailyMail.com: I forgot how to be in that much pain. I had almost a year of being in more mild pain, and the pain came back so bad. I was an insomniac for most of that time.'
Because of the prolonged damage done to her esophagus, she was no longer a candidate for the minimally invasive procedures and decided to have her esophagus removed in a surgery called an esophagectomy.
During the nine-hour surgery, doctors cut out the esophagus and reconstruct it using part of another organ, typically the stomach. The top of the stomach is then stretched upward and attached to the remaining bit of esophagus at the base of a person's throat.
Ms Oyen began experiencing symptoms at 15 years old and would have chest pain and pain in her throat when she ate
The 31-year-old said she found comfort in her dog, Canada, during her trying ordeal
Essentially my stomach now acted like a big slide,' My Oyen explained.
But the procedure left her with further complications and she developed inappropriate sinus tachycardia, causing a constant elevated heartrate, and her lungs filled with fluid, leading to permanent damage.
Ms Oyens recovery period was incredibly painful because her surgeons had to cut through a lot of muscle.
She told this website: The pain was the worst pain I've ever felt. Just everywhere. My whole torso felt like I had been hit by a truck... I felt battered and bruised. Even sitting up felt like I was using every bit of my strength, especially at the beginning.
She has been in physical therapy to rebuild her stamina and while eating is better, she sometimes struggles but is accepting that her life will always look this way.
Ms Oyen said: I know that when I eat, it's going to be uncomfortable. It might be painful, and it's going to cause a ripple effect of symptoms throughout my body. But you can't not eat.
Due to her stomachs new dual role, she has to monitor her food intake and can only have a quarter cup of food every 20 to 30 minutes, often finding a meal can take up to two hours to eat completely.
Ms Oyen added: It is hard to eat as many calories as my body needs when I'm eating in such small amounts. But I'm not rapidly losing weight anymore, which I was for a while, and that's scary.
From her ordeal, Ms Oyen developed post-traumatic stress disorder and said her psychiatrist and therapist are one of the main reasons she was able to get through the past year.
She has also found support amongst her friends and family and in online communities.
Ms Oyen added: I'm lucky enough to have a great group of friends. My friend group shifted from a couple close people to a little community of chronically ill people.
'We might not all have the same diagnoses, but we all kind of get it. The chronic illness and disabled community is thriving on TikTok. It's beautiful.
Im a 74-year-old woman and whenever I cough violently I feel like I need to go to the toilet.
It has got so bad that I rush to the bathroom every time I cough just in case.
Could this be a pelvic floor problem?
Dr Kaye says the pelvic floor can get weaker as you get older, particularly after the menopause
Dr Kaye replies: Leaking, be it stool or urine, is treated by many as a normal part of ageing but this is absolutely not the case. For women, the problem often stems from weakness in the pelvic floor the hammock of muscles which sit in the pelvis and support organs such as the bowel, womb and bladder.
The pelvic floor can get weaker as you get older, particularly after the menopause.
It can also be affected by a chronic cough or constipation, which put pressure on these muscles.
Thankfully, there are ways to combat the problem.
A womens health physiotherapist can provide exercises to strengthen the muscles, which helps reduce the leaks. If this doesnt work, there are medicines which can reduce the urges. In some cases patients may be offered surgery, for example to treat a organ prolapse if that is contributing to the problem. These are all options patients can speak to their GP about.
I have recently been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid and prescribed a drug called thyroxin. But now Im constantly too hot in bed which means I sweat and lose sleep. Is this a side effect of medication?
Dr Kaye replies: FEELING too hot or sweating is a common symptom of an underactive thyroid. Also known as hypothyroidism, it occurs when the body stops producing enough of the hormone thyroxine, which has functions including regulating body temperature.
Thyroxine is created in the thyroid gland found in the neck and the disorder is much more common in women. Alongside feeling too hot or too cold, people with an underactive thyroid may also experience fatigue and weight gain. The condition is normally treated with levothyroxine also known as thyroxin which replaces the lost hormone with an artifical version.
However, this medicine may cause patients to feel too hot in general, including at night.
The levothyroxine dose patients receive will fluctuate depending on how much their doctor believes they need. This can also change over time.
Someone who initially has only a mild form of hypothyroidism may see their condition get worse over a number of years, meaning they need a larger dose of levothyroxine.
For this reason, patients usually get a blood test every year to check their levels. If someone taking levothyroxine is still experiencing symptoms, they might need a larger dose, or they might need their dose reducing. This is something you can speak to your GP about.
Im 74 and have a severe pain the right side of my head which Ive had for more than two months. I was sent for an X-ray of my neck and spine and was told the results were not bad considering my age. Ive been offered no treatment and the pain is keeping me up all night. What should I do?
Dr Kaye replies: There are many causes of headaches but, among older people, changes in the neck are a surprisingly common trigger. Most severe headaches are linked to migraines or cluster headaches.
It is unknown what triggers these conditions, but they are thought to be brought on by stress and fatigue. Both can lead to one-sided head and neck pain. Patients often report other symptoms such as dizziness, sight problems and difficulty speaking.
In recent years there have been a number of new drugs rolled out on the NHS which can reduce the risk of migraines occurring or reduce the symptoms once one begins.
However, migraines usually come and go, meaning that anyone who has constant head pain is likely to have a different problem.
This is due to arthritis in the neck, which leads to pain and stiffness, and could also radiate up into the head.
For older people, this typically occurs due to wear and tear of the joints over time also known as osteoarthritis.
The condition can be both painful and restrict movement. Moreover, many patients say standard painkillers do little to help. However, there are other drugs to treat the pain of osteoarthritis.
These include the drug amitriptyline, which helps combat chronic pain and also makes it easier to sleep. Its important that patients with head pain get a diagnosis for example whether it is osteoarthritis so they can know what the next step should be.
Patients with long-lasting pain can also see an NHS pain specialist, who can provide techniques on managing the uncomfortable sensation.
Dr Ellie will be back next week. If you have a question for Dr Ellie Cannon, write to DrEllie@mailonsunday.co.uk
Dr Kaye cannot enter into personal correspondence and her replies should be taken in a general context.
Image that shows vaping epidemic must be tackled
Britain's biggest doctors union has demanded a total ban on all flavoured vapes in a bid to tackle the e-cigarette epidemic. I agree that action is needed urgently.
Figures show vaping among children rose almost six-fold in a decade with often devastating consequences.
An 18-year-old in the US was recently put on life support with lung damage and pneumonia. Juliet Roberts, above, became addicted to vaping having started aged just 14.
Vapes often come in flavours which appeal to children, but many adults who quit smoking and turn to vapes cite the enjoyable flavours as a reason they made the switch.
Banning flavoured vapes could ultimately lead to some returning to cigarettes which is vastly more dangerous.
Have vapes helped you quit smoking? Would you miss the flavours if theyre banned? Let me know your thoughts.
Weight-loss jabs could provide a fountain of youth after trials found they tackle the underlying cause behind a number of chronic diseases.
Landmark studies presented at the worlds largest cardiology conference showed the likes of Wegovy and Ozempic have far-reaching benefits beyond what we initially imagined.
Doctors say there is growing evidence the drugs which are popular with celebrities could slow biological ageing, helping people to live longer and better.
A raft of studies yesterday presented to 30,000 delegates show the weekly jabs can prevent heart failure, cut Covid deaths, reverse kidney disease and reduce once-untreatable high blood pressure.
Experts added that the incredibly exciting findings mean they stop being weight-loss drugs and become drugs that will target diseases.
Scientists also claim they are now confident the drug works by reducing inflammation, which is linked to cancer, diabetes, dementia and heart disease.
There is growing evidence to suggest that weight-loss drugs such as Wegovy and Oxempic could slow biological ageing, helping people to live longer and better, doctors say
Wegovy and Ozempic work by triggering the body to produce a hormone called GLP-1 that is released naturally from the intestines after meals
Dr Harlan Krumholz, Professor of Medicine at Yale University School of Medicine, said they must now be seen as a multi-purpose drug and health promoter, rather than just a weight-loss aid.
He added results suggest that the key ingredient in these drugs, semaglutide, may slow the biological clock of cells, effectively reducing a persons physical age.
Speaking at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in London, he said: Is it a fountain of youth... I would say if youre improving someones cardiometabolic health substantially, then you are putting them in a position to live longer and better.
It wouldnt surprise me that improving peoples health this way actually slows down the ageing process.
In the biggest presentation of global research on the impact of weight-loss jabs on heart health, results of 11 studies found it worked like a thermostat in cutting baseline inflammation.
Professor Subodh Verma, of Toronto University lead author of one of the studies said this was significant as there are no existing anti-inflammatory drugs for heart failure.
Semaglutide acts independently of changes in body weight to reduce inflammation, he added. Even people who lost 5, 10, 15 per cent of body weight, the degree of inflammation reduction was the same.
John Deanfield, professor of cardiology at University College London, added it was time to stop treating these medications as lifestyle drugs.
Studies presented to 30,000 delegates show the weekly jabs can prevent heart failure, cut Covid deaths, reverse kidney disease and reduce once-untreatable high blood pressure
Your browser does not support iframes.
He said: Not only can you prevent or delay an individual disease by early intervention, but you might be able to alter the outcome for a whole set of diseases of aging wed all like to avoid. Its incredibly exciting.
Another study showed semaglutide led to a fall in treatment-resistant blood pressure, helping a third of patients for whom medication had previously failed.
There are even suggestions it could help in future pandemics after a 17,000-strong trial which started before the outbreak of coronavirus found those taking semaglutide were 34 per cent less likely to die when infected by Covid-19 compared to those who werent on the drug.
Study leader Dr Jeremy Samuel Faust, of Harvard Medical School, said the effect was akin to a vaccine and could apply to many other infections.
The jabs, which mimic the action of a hormone called GLP-1 to reduce appetite, has been popularised by a host of celebrities from X boss Elon Musk to ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson for its weight-loss potential.
Wegovy which is currently prescribed for obesity and type 2 diabetes on the NHS has proven to reduce heart attacks and strokes by a fifth
Currently prescribed on the NHS for obesity and type 2 diabetes, semaglutide has already been proven to cut deaths from heart attacks and strokes by a fifth.
Dr Krumholz said: This throws into question whether or not these drugs should be reserved for people with the most severe forms of obesity.
And Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation and consultant cardiologist, said the research was cause for celebration, adding: Studies show semaglutide not only leads to substantial weight loss, but is also effective in saving and improving lives for people living with heart disease.
This could be a game-changer for patients with a range of different heart conditions.
Imagine a more relaxed Princess Anne and King Charles dressed for a Balmoral weekend. English country chic is in this autumn/winter, so beg, borrow or steal those family parkas and waxed jackets. Making a monument out of the everyday is how the new season trends have been described. And this is a thoroughly fine way to approach what you wear.
So let me introduce you to some of the looks I think are worth entertaining and those that are definitely not.
I'M SAYING YES TO...
Tweed, herringbone and big chunky jumpers
Im eyeing up an oversized parka in House of Dagmars new collection and a tweed blazer is on my wish list.
Animal print
The Dior catwalk took a retro Mad Men approach to leopard print. So youll find me rummaging through preloved sites for the perfect coat to wear with an all-black ensemble.
Rich shades like berry, burgundy and olive green
These create a cosy yet luxurious feel when paired with winter staples.
Black and transparent
Styled the right way, a black dress or blouse with a little transparency is just damn sexy. Go forth and reveal.
Knee-high boots
Especially ones inspired by the horse-riding aesthetic. Chic, chic, chic!
Box bags with top handles and mini bags
With younger customers snapping up preloved, expect to see lots of personality when it comes to accessories.
IT'S A NO-NO TO...
Capes
The problem with these is they add unnecessary bulk, I freeze in them and never know what to do with my hands. I like my outerwear sleek and simple. A cape complicates everything.
Skinny jeans
Shriek! Jeans that you have to squeeze into and give your knees faces. Not going back there.
Camouflage
I did this is my 20s and it looked awful then. Not repeating.
Bag charms
I couldnt be bothered sticking lots of key rings on to my expensive bags. It worked for Jane Birkin, but that doesnt mean we all have to jump on this messy aesthetic.
Neckties with tailored trouser suits
I cant see the point of these.
Fuzzy shoes
Do I want hairy feet like Bigfoot? I do not. With everyone from Erdem to Carven turning high heels into havapoos, I say pass.
@thestylistandthewardrobe
@youmagazine
Shirt, 85, cos.com
THE COLLAR CODE
Funnel-neck shirts are a new development. Im on board, especially after seeing this crisp white one from Cos.
Bag, 219, radley.co.uk
AHEAD OF THE CURVE
British heritage bag brand Radley has been working hard on a makeover. Gone is the dog adornment and in its place are contemporary designs like the Lily (right).
SPOTTED
Lily Collins (right) is searching for a home to rent in London for the coming months. Bidding adieu to Paris, shes joining Money Heists Alvaro Morte in London for the pairs West End stage debuts in Barcelona, at the Duke of Yorks Theatre from 21 October to 11 January.
Sorry, the where?
As in Nottingham. Its the new Cotswolds.
And how do we know this?
Because, says The Daily Telegraph, fashionable West Londoners are swarming up the M1 to buy homes there.
Stamford in Lincolnshire is a key notspot.
Are you suggesting that, tired of sucking fumes outside Gails bakery, Notting Hill denizens are decamping to Nottingham?
Precisely.
Ah, but will a Notswolds home have the mellow stone charm of its Cotswolds cousin?
Yes! When people talk about how pretty the buildings are in the Cotswolds, they dont realise were on the same [geological] seam it starts in Portland in Dorset and runs up to Lincolnshire, says Flora Scott, 38, an asset manager who is building a home there.
Although thats not Nottingham. Its Lincolnshire.
If youre going to be picky
Flora has, in fact, moved Near-the-Notswolds.
For the pedants among us, then, we are talking about the area encompassing the county of Rutland and bordering parts of Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.
Robbie Williams has a Staffordshire knot tattoo on his hand
So everywhere in the Midlands that isnt Nottingham wouldnt the paper have done better to christen it Not-the-Notswolds?
You call it what you like but you wont dampen The Telegraphs enthusiasm for this story.
What else is drawing the masses other than the stone?
The prices. Even in Rutland (the most expensive of the Notswolds counties), the average property sells for 446,892 against 640,422 in the Cotswolds.
Can you be any more specific about where this hotspot is?
According to local estate agent Tom Wilson, Theres essentially a golden triangle between Stamford, Oakham and Uppingham if only I had a pound for everyone who wanted to buy a house in it.
Doesnt he get several thousand pounds for everyone who wants to buy a house in it?
Lets move on from home sales to retail, where The Telegraph urges us not to overlook Rutland Nursery the Notswolds equivalent of Cotswolds/London lifestyle store signifier Daylesford Organic.
West Londoners will certainly never venture north of Watford Gap unless someone can sell them broth in a pouch.
Meanwhile Woolfox (a private members club near Stamford) offers the areas first padel court in addition to yoga, salsa cardio and crystal sound journeys.
What are?
I dont know. Maybe just tick yoga if they ask on the membership form.
Are all these well-heeled incomers building their own houses from Notswold stone, then?
Nope. Take former London finance workers Giles Godfrey and Barbara van Teeffelen, who are painstakingly restoring Keythorpe Hall, close to the Rutland border, which will be available for exclusive hire and supper clubs.
And what do the readers make of all this?
What relatable people, wrote David Smyth, while a commentator going by the name Old Wirralian thought Snotswolds might be a better moniker.
Wasnt anyone happy about the trend?
David Warner said: The Cotswolds are simply ghastly, darlings. Please move away as fast as you can.
The birth of the Notswolds is clearly an emotive subject. What else has been said online?
Another reader wondered why all the attention was in the east.
Good point. What about the West Midlands?
Stoke is a well-kept secret as is most of Staffordshire, he opined, before adding, slightly tangentially, Uttoxeters public lavatories have won awards.
Although Im struggling to think what the county is known for other than its famous knot. Did you know Robbie Williams has one tattooed on his hand?
Youve got it! Forget Rutland sell up in London and move to Staffordshire.
And how are the estate agents supposed to market that one?
A new life in the Knotswolds.
Whats a great-value dinner party wine?
For dependable red, Rioja is ideal: consistently good quality, food-friendly and kind on the wallet, too. Youthful Crianza styles tend to be soft and fruity with oaky nuances, perfect for a kitchen supper. The more aged Reserva and Gran Reserva wines offer savoury complexity, good with gourmet dishes. For white, consider the trendy Greek Assyrtiko, often compared to Chablis for its sophisticated, crisp and citrussy profile. You can find it at Aldi for under a tenner.
Why does Chardonnay taste different every time?
Chameleonic Chardonnay can range from fresh and mineral to rich, buttery oak-bombs depending on the vineyard site and the winemakers touch. Its the main white grape in Champagne, too. This versatile variety does it all from easy-going, budget-friendly bottles to world-renowned, complex wonders.
Im bored of Pinot Grigio, what now?
Poor Pinot Grigio often gets a bad rap as a fresh supermarket staple with a neutral (some might say boring) palate. However, there are more interesting examples from specific Italian regions like Alto Adige and Friuli Venezia Giulia. If you fancy discovering other unoaked, zesty whites, give a Spanish Albarino or a French Picpoul a go.
What is old world versus new world?
Old World refers to historic winemaking regions, namely Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, where vines originated. New World includes regions like the USA and Australia, where winemaking was introduced later. Traditionally, Old World wines were considered more refined and subtle, while New World wines were known for being bold and expressive. However, with climate change and advancements in vineyards and techniques, these distinctions are fading.
Can I pair red wine with fish?
In short, yes. But consider a wines flavours and tannins. Pick fruity reds with low, silky tannins these wont overpower the delicate nuances and textures of fish dishes. You can serve these reds lightly chilled to keep things fresh and vibrant pop in the fridge for 45 minutes and open 15 minutes before serving.
And can white be paired with meat?
Richer, bolder and oakier styles of white are better matches with meat dishes due to their similar intensity of flavour. Some of my favourite pairings include belly pork with a rich style of Chenin Blanc and a fruity and spiced slow-cooked lamb with an oaked white Rioja.
What should I drink with spicy food?
Spicy dishes increase our perception of alcohol, which may make a typically pleasant wine feel like its burning. Its best to choose wines with lower alcohol content. Sweetness in wine can also balance out the heat, much like the combo of sweet chilli. For instance, a sweeter style of Riesling will go well with a medium-spiced curry.
Which wines are lower in alcohol?
These long-time favourites all offer lower alcohol content:
Vinho Verde Fresh, zesty and sometimes spritzy Portuguese whites, perfect for daytime or summer drinking.
Muscadet Light-bodied whites from the coastal Loire region, known for their subtle sea-like flavours and excellent pairing with seafood.
Beaujolais Many styles made from the Gamay grape offer a fruity, light and easy-drinking experience. But recent warm vintages have seen alcohol levels creeping up, so check the label.
Is a screw-cap bottle inferior to cork?
There are a few common misconceptions about screw caps, including that theyre only put on entry-level wines and that they cant be used for wines meant to be aged. Both are untrue. Australia and New Zealand have led the way in using screw caps for quality wines, and they are now commonly used at various price points worldwide. I love the ceremony of opening a cork-sealed bottle sometimes, but at others, I ditch the snobbery and get that bottle open with speed!
Is older wine always better?
Wine is a living entity its aromas, flavours and texture transform and develop over time. But its a myth that all wines improve with age. Most wines arent designed for long-term ageing and are best enjoyed within a few years of being released. To age well, wines need a depth of aromas and flavours, along with high acidity and tannins (for red wines) that act as preservatives. Some examples include Barolo and Bordeaux (red), Premier Cru and Grand Cru Chablis (white) and vintage Champagne.
What does it mean if a wine is organic?
Organic varieties avoid chemicals, protecting the environment and promoting healthier soils and ecosystems. If you support sustainability and eco-friendly practices, organic wines offer a thoughtful choice.
What are tannins, and do I like them?
We generally discuss tannins in red wines because they are found in grape skins, which are used in red winemaking but rarely in white. Tannins give wine a drying, mouth-puckering feel, like you might experience from a strong cup of black tea. Some red grapes naturally have higher tannins, like Cabernet Sauvignon compared to Pinot Noir, but factors such as location, vintage, method of winemaking and ageing also influence tannin levels and texture. Everyone has different preferences some enjoy a grippy, tannic wine, while others prefer light, silky tannins. Bold tannins and meaty dishes work particularly well together.
How do I know if a wine has gone bad?
In most cases, you dont need to taste a wine to detect an issue; your nose can do the job. Some key aromas that signal a problem include wet cardboard or mustiness, vinegar, stale fruit, nuttiness and cooked fruit, or any other strong, unattractive smells eg, wet dog. If you encounter any of these smells, its likely the wine has gone bad.
Why do some bottles give me a headache?
Lets clear up this common myth. For most people, headaches are usually caused by wines with a higher percentage of alcohol, overconsumption and dehydration, rather than sulphites. Few are allergic to sulphites, which occur naturally during winemaking and may be added as a preservative. Sulphites are also found in many foods, such as dried fruit and biscuits often in much higher quantities and we dont blame that third chocolate biscuit for our hangover.
Should I go for the house wine?
In wine bars and wine-oriented restaurants, there is usually a lot of thought put into selecting something accessible and delicious. Some restaurants may partner with a wine producer to create a custom label specifically for them, while others might offer a well-established option.
Charlottes book Wine: Taste Pair Pour will be published by Mitchell Beazley on 12 September, 20. To order a copy for 17 until 15 September go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over 25.
I shop fairly regularly at my local Tesco and signed up for a Clubcard to take advantage of the member prices on certain items.
I didn't really think much about collecting a significant amount of points, because I tend to do my bigger shops at Aldi or Lidl.
But I've managed to build up enough Clubcard points to be eligible for about 50 worth of vouchers, which I haven't touched.
This week I was told by a friend that the vouchers will run out and I need to spend them before the end of the week. Is this true?
Is there anything else I can use the points for other than a food shop? I tend to buy from cheaper supermarkets and I don't want to spend more on food just because of these vouchers.
Every little helps: Clubcard points can be converted into vouchers to be spent on food or with Tesco's partners, but these have an expiry date
Angharad Carrick of This Is Money says: I sympathise with having an unmanageable wallet thanks to the ever-growing number of loyalty cards we all seem to need to do our food shop.
Supermarkets and other retailers have now introduced loyalty prices - essentially two-tier pricing for members and non-members.
Customers without a loyalty card, or who are uncomfortable with sharing their data, will likely have to spend more at the checkout.
Privacy and logistical concerns aside, it can be quite difficult to keep up with just how many retailers we have loyalty cards for, as well as how many points each card holds.
I'm therefore not surprised that you've managed to accumulate so many Clubcard points without realising.
If you're used to spending in another supermarket, then you probably aren't that familiar with how Clubcard points work.
Each supermarket has different rules about how much customers need to spend to receive a point, and how many points qualify for a voucher.
Clubcard members will receive a point for every 1 spent at Tesco, and 100 Clubcard points are worth 1.
So if you have 1,000 Clubcard points then that's worth 10, while 5,000 points are equal to 50, and so on.
You will also receive a point for every 2 litres of Tesco fuel you buy and for every 1 spent with Tesco mobile. If you have a Tesco credit card, you will need to spend 4 to earn one point.
The retailer has also introduced other partners, like Vauxhall, meaning that you could receive 50,000 points - worth 500 - if you buy a new Vauxhall car.
You cannot spend your points until they have been converted into vouchers, and to do this you need a minimum of 150 points, equivalent to 1.50.
Points can also only be swapped in multiples of 50.
You will receive these vouchers with your Clubcard statement every three months in February, May, August and November.
Clubcard vouchers are valid for two years, which is why Tesco often issues warnings to its customers ahead of the quarterly statements.
Currently, around 14million worth of vouchers are due to run out by 31 August, which is why your friend warned you about yours potentially expiring.
However, unless you have been sitting on your points for two years, you should have some time left to spend them.
If you're unsure, you can check the date on the voucher itself. Otherwise, you can check on the Clubcard website or app.
What can you spend Clubcard vouchers on?
You say that you are not a very regular Tesco shopper, and I understand why you might not want to use your vouchers for your groceries if you usually prefer to buy them elsewhere.
Thankfully, there are other ways you can spend your saved points.
Your points could be worth more if you swap them for reward vouchers with other retailers. Points are now doubled when swapped with Tesco's reward partners, so the 1,000 points usually worth 10 to spend at Tesco are worth 20 elsewhere.
Tesco has more than 100 partners, including:
Bella Italia
Best Western Hotels
Cineworld
Disney+
English Heritage
Hotels.com
Hoseasons
Hungry Horse
Legoland Windsor
Pizza Express
P&O Ferries
RAC
Railcard
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
As an example, you can swap 12 worth of points for a three-month standard Disney+ subscription or 7.50 worth for a subscription with ads. Both new and existing customers are eligible.
There are also plenty of options for days out, cinema and theatre tickets, as well as travel.
If you regularly travel by train and have been eyeing a railcard, which can cut costs by up to a third, you can use your vouchers to contribute towards the cost.
You can use 1.50 worth of your Clubcard vouchers to get 3 credit towards your railcard, which costs around 30, but it excludes the 26-30 card.
You could also use them towards flights and accommodation for your travels. Clubcard vouchers worth 5 are doubled to 10 to use with Hotels.com and Butlins.
Finally, you could choose to donate them to charities like Cancer Research and the British Heart Foundation.
The Merchants Trust is a stalwart investment fund with a history going back 135 years.
Yet there is nothing stale or fuddy-duddy about the 889million trust which continues to provide investors with a compelling mix of income and capital return from the UK stock market. Among its peers, it shines.
The trust is managed by Allianz Global Investors and benefits from a steady hand at the tiller in Simon Gergel, who has been in charge of investment for more than 18 years. He is supported in managing the portfolio by Richard Knight and Andrew Koch.
The trust's performance numbers are impressive. Over the past one, three, five and 10 years, it has outgunned the average of its UK equity income peer group.
For example, over the past year it has produced a total return of 20 per cent compared to a peer group average of 18. Over five years, the outperformance is magnified 70 per cent versus 38.
There is no magical formula behind its success just a lot of hard work and a commitment to an investment style that focuses on identifying undervalued companies that the team believes will come good in the long term.
These companies tend to offer above market average dividend yields. The trust's current annual yield is 4.8 per cent, which compares to a yield on the mainstream FTSE100 Index of 3.5 per cent.
Indeed, income is central to Merchants' investment proposition. Along with a small cohort of other investment trusts, it has a record of annual dividend growth going back decades.
Although other trusts have longer records the likes of Alliance, Bankers and City of London 42 years of consecutive annual dividend increases is impressive.
Gergel and the Trust's board are keen to keep the record going, reassured by the fact that the fund has more than half a year's income tucked away in reserves, to be used if dividends from existing holdings tail off.
Dividends are paid quarterly and the first payment for the current financial year was 7.2p a share, an increase of 0.1p on the equivalent payment 12 months earlier. The trust's shares are priced just below 6.
The portfolio currently comprises just over 50 stocks with familiar dividend-friendly companies among its top holdings: the likes of oil companies BP and Shell and British American Tobacco.
Gergel and his team are brave investors, taking positions in businesses that have gone out of favour. Among the latest additions to the trust's portfolio is luxury goods manufacturer Burberry a business which has suffered from poor sales, culminating in the appointment of a new chief executive in Joshua Schulman.
Although the trust bought into the company before the boardroom turmoil and the suspension of its dividends,
Gergel says he is prepared to 'hold strong business franchises through a restructuring period where we can see significant value'. Burberry's shares are nearly 70 per cent lower than this time last year.
Gergel adds: 'There is lots of value in the UK stock market, especially in companies like Burberry where their share price has been beaten up.'
Other recent additions to the portfolio include high tech engineering company Dowlais and student accommodation specialist Unite.
Gergel says: 'Dowlais is an attractive business with a decent yield [6.5 per cent] while Unite continues to benefit from strong demand for student accommodation and its share price could go a long way.'
The trust's total annual charges are competitive at 0.55 per cent. Its identification code is 0580007 and ticker MRCH.
Businesses missed out on up to 4.3billion in spending this summer due to the tourist tax, according to figures published this month.
Bosses of firms including Kurt Geiger and Burberry have said reinstating VAT-free shopping by overseas visitors could turbo-charge the economy.
Rishi Sunak abolished the perk as Chancellor in 2021.
Research suggests British businesses lost out on 3.8billion by European Union visitors between April and July, plus another 500million by those from the US, China and the Middle East, due to the tax.
The research from specialist tax refund company Global Blue suggests this equates to more than 1billion in lost VAT and other revenues for the public purse, at a time when Labour is looking to raise taxes.
Missing out: Travellers who would have come to the UK are going elsewhere to shop
Travellers who would have come to the UK are going elsewhere to shop due to the tax, critics say. Retailers who campaigned for the Tories to scrap the levy are lobbying the Labour government.
If the tax had been abolished, the UK would have been the only major country in Europe where 450 million EU residents could shop tax-free.
Global Blue estimates they would have splashed out 1.9billion over the summer, plus the same again on hotels, restaurants and other activities, adding up to 3.8billion. The researchers say that over the whole of 2024, British businesses would have made a total of 10billion if EU residents were allowed to shop tax-free.
The Tories refused to ditch the tax on the basis that it would mean lost revenues for the Treasury as shoppers from overseas would be able to reclaim VAT at 20 per cent on their purchases.
But retailers argue this loss of income would be heavily outweighed due to extra spending by tourists on hotels, transport and leisure attractions as more of them would visit the UK.
Paul Barnes, chief executive of the Association of International Retail, which represents hundreds of firms including Heathrow Airport and Bicester Village in Oxfordshire, said: 'These are huge amounts of foreign money that could have been spent in British businesses across the whole of the UK.
'The Chancellor is looking for ways to promote growth and increase tax revenues. If she looked again at tax-free shopping she would get a very pleasant surprise.'
Neil Clifford, boss of shoe and bag chain Kurt Geiger, said the policy had 'put a big hole in the British economy'.
Clifford added: 'Brexit was to open us up to the world and then we shut the door on ourselves.'
Campaign: Kurt Geiger is a vocal critic
The Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday have been campaigning for the policy to be reversed, with the support of more than 500 firms.
Muniya Barua, deputy chief executive at BusinessLDN, which represents firms in the capital, said: 'This data is a wake-up call which shows how the tourist tax is diverting spending into Paris, Madrid and Lisbon where VAT-free shopping for tourists still exists.'
At the moment, British companies are 'competing with one hand tied behind their backs'.
James Lambert, deputy chairman of Value Retail, the owner of designer outlet Bicester Village, said his business had seen 'evidence of a deflection of tourism expenditure towards capital cities in Europe'.
Opponents of the tax argue it is a brake on growth.
Rachel Reeves has said she wants to become the most 'pro-growth Chancellor' in UK history. And prominent retail source said they are hopeful Labour will decide scrapping the levy is a 'silver bullet' for growth after they see more data.
A spokesman for the Treasury said: 'Following the spending audit, the Chancellor has been clear that difficult decisions lie ahead on spending, welfare and tax to fix the foundations of our economy and address the 22billion hole in the public finances left by the last government.
'Decisions on how to do that will be taken at the Budget in the round.'
Oh My Cod!: Chippie owner Andrew Crook said he is concerned for the industry
The days of the great British chippie may be numbered under Labour plans to boost workers' rights, owners fear.
Fish and chip shops are already under pressure due to high energy costs and poor potato harvests driving up prices for customers.
Now an industry group is warning that one of Britain's favourite institutions could be consigned to history.
Andrew Crook, who has run Skippers in Euxton, Lancashire, for 17 years and is president of the National Federation of Fish Friers, has written to Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds warning the 'odds are stacked against' fish and chip shops.
Crook is expanding with another outlet called Oh My Cod in nearby Coppull, but says many of his fellow chippie-owners are in despair.
'I am fielding several calls a week from former successful business owners who are despondent as they go from one issue to another. And they do feel that the Government is not interested in fully supporting small business,' the letter said. 'There are many businesses up for sale and we are seeing more close as the owners find it is just not worth it any more and are unable to find a buyer.' Crook said: 'My fear is we're about to see an exodus of good operators who provide good jobs.'
The letter comes as the Office for National Statistics revealed the average price of a portion of fish and chips leapt from 6.48 in July 2019 to 9.88 today.
Chippies are facing a perfect storm of import tariffs on seafood and a jump in global demand for fish, particularly from the US, where buyers have fallen in love with cod caught in waters around Norway.
Extreme weather has also hit potato harvests across Europe, pushing up the price of spuds.
Some chip shop owners are also alarmed by Labour's overhaul of workers' rights, steered by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. This could give staff protection from unfair dismissal from day one, put an end to zero-hours contracts and raise the minimum wage.
Stuart Devine, owner of Scottish fish and chip shop chain Ashvale, said: 'If you put wages up, prices need to go up. It's a worry in a cost-of-living crisis.
'Minimum wages have moved far enough. Chip shops aren't like fancy restaurants. We can't start charging 30 for a meal.'
Crook called for 'common sense' from Labour on workers' rights, adding: 'You've got to protect employees from bad employers. But you also have to protect employers from bad employees.'
John Nichol joined the RAF after his O-levels
John Nichol is a former Royal Air Force navigator who, with pilot John Peters, was shot down in a Tornado jet fighter during the first Gulf War in 1991.
They were paraded on television by their Iraqi captors before being held as prisoners of war for seven weeks.
Since leaving the RAF, 60-year-old Nichol has written best-sellers about the Spitfire, Lancaster bomber and Tornado aircraft, among other subjects, and has sold two million books.
He lives in Hertfordshire with his businesswoman wife Suzannah, their daughter Sophie, 19, and golden retriever, Ralph.
What did your parents teach you about money?
I was one of four and grew up in a three-bedroom council house on Tyneside. My late mum Cath and dad John, who was a clerk at an engineering works, were part of the wartime generation that grew up when everything was in short supply.
As a consequence, they were very frugal people. And that frugality has rubbed off on me. So despite being quite well-off now, I still watch the pennies.
I was livid when a London restaurant recently charged a friend and I 16 for two small bottles of lager talk about daylight robbery!
Have you ever struggled to make ends meet?
When I first joined the RAF as an electronics technician after my O-levels, I was on about 15-20 a week. I was living in a barrack room at an RAF base, but had to pay towards my accommodation.
After buying the odd beer and playing the fruit machine, I'd often run out of money after a few weeks. I was commissioned as an officer after five years so was paid more.
However, the worst time of my life was undoubtedly being held hostage by the Iraqis I was half-starved and lost nearly three stone over seven weeks in captivity. That said, if I hadn't been a prisoner of war and paraded on TV, I wouldn't have the career I have today.
Have you ever been paid silly money?
Speaking engagements, in particular corporate speaking events, can pay very well (around 5,000) and I've done quite a few over the years. I'm not sure I'd describe it as 'silly money' but it's certainly a lot more than my dad ever got paid.
But Covid knocked all that on the head, and things have never quite gone back to how they were beforehand.
Brothers in arms: John Nichol (right) with his fellow PoW from the Gulf War, John Peters
What was the best year of your financial life?
Being self-employed, my yearly earnings can vary hugely, for instance depending on how my latest book is selling.
But the early Noughties 2002-2004 were probably my best years financially because I was in demand on TV as a military commentator, made some TV documentaries with WWII veterans and also did lots of speaking engagements.
What's the most expensive thing you bought for fun?
A 5,000 Rolex watch I got myself in the 1990s. I thought it was the ultimate watch until I hosted the British Watch Awards one year and found myself sitting next to a chap with one on each wrist.
Rare: The bespoke Bremont MB1 watch
Their combined worth? Half a million pounds!
Nowadays I wear a bespoke Bremont MB1 watch it can only be worn by men and women who have used a Martin-Baker ejection seat in an emergency. I also splash out on holidays, and will book my family into a nice villa or five-star hotel.
What is your biggest money mistake?
It was buying a used Honda Accord for 1,500 in 1983. The car looked nice enough but after a few weeks I noticed the sills had been filled in with newspaper and sprayed with paint to hide the rust.
In short, I'd bought a rustbucket.
After a year or so, the suspension collapsed while I was driving on the M4 and I had to be towed home by the AA. I had to scrap the car.
Best money decision you have made?
Although leaving the RAF and starting a new career in my 30s was a bit scary, I knew that it was time to move on. Making that leap opened up a world of opportunities and enabled me to become a best-selling author.
Yes, being a writer has its ups and downs, but it has paid better than being in the RAF. When I left the forces in the mid-1990s, I was earning about 35,000. Incidentally, one of the jobs I was offered after leaving the RAF was as a combine harvester salesman I was briefly tempted.
Do you have a pension?
I get a military pension which I've just started drawing down. While it's not a huge amount, it pays the weekly Tesco shop. I also pay into a private pension, though I've no plans to retire in the foreseeable future because I enjoy what I do too much.
Do you own any property?
Yes, a six-bedroom 1970s house in a quiet Hertfordshire village, next to a church, which my wife and I bought for 300,000 back in the late-1990s. I don't know exactly what it's worth today but I imagine we could never afford to buy it now.
Man's best friend: John Nichol pictured with his old golden labrador retriever, Ted
If you were Chancellor, what would you do?
Reform the way the social care system works. I understand the concept that if you have more, you should pay more, but it seems wrong that those who've saved for retirement should have to sell everything to fund their care in old age, whereas those with nothing have their old-age care paid for by the Government.
What is your number one financial priority?
To have enough money to see me through comfortably to my final days.
A Texas community is being terrorized by armed teens who are throwing wild drug-fueled parties in vacant newly-built homes.
Cops sounded the alarm over the growing trend earlier this month after a teenage partygoer was killed in the new community BrookMill in Bexar County - where many homes are still under construction.
Landon Reyes, 17, was found dead with gunshot wounds in the backyard of an empty property just weeks before his 18th birthday.
He was one of more than 100 teens who had descended on 3900 block of Rock Mill Dam for a late-night party that Bexar Sheriff County Josie Salazaar described as a 'recipe for disaster.'
The sheriff said the teens typically learn about these parties via social media and then show up to 'stage a takeover'. He added that deputies had broken up a party at the same property just two weeks earlier.
Landon Reyes was killed just weeks before his 18th birthday. His family has created a GoFundMe to help pay for his funeral
The teen was shot dead at a home in the 3900 block of Rock Mill Dam on the far west side in Brexar County, Texas
On the night of the party, deputies from the Bexar County Sheriff's Office were alerted to reports of up to 20 gunshots heard at the property.
When officers arrived at around 1 am on August 4 hordes of partygoers were seen frantically fleeing the scene before police made the grim discovery of Reyes' body.
Numerous shell casings were found on the ground and investigators are trying to determine if Reyes was shot accidentally or killed in a targeted hit.
The shooter(s) have not yet been identified and police are asking the public for help.
'We want as much information as possible,' Salazaar said. 'The more the better. We are interested in putting someone behind bars who murdered this man - cut down at the prime of his life.'
Salazaar also alerted the community to the growing trend of teen takeovers of vacant properties and urged residents to be vigilant.
He said that if anyone spots activity in a home they know has not yet been occupied - such as cars lining the street or loud music - they should call the police.
He also advised homebuilders to be on the alert - particularly with homes that are move-in ready with all the utilities hooked up.
'Air-conditioning, water, everything ready to go, that's a prime target for these folks,' he warned.
The sheriff added: 'All they have to do is figure out how to get in through an open window and they are home free to have a party in the comfort of a brand new home.'
The house the teens occupied had blue tape on the floor which indicated that the new homeowners were ready to move in, investigators said
Cops showed a video of teens partying and dancing with guns in a vacant home
During the presser, the chief showed a video of a different party but pointed out that it was the same 'style' of what took place at the home at Rock Milll Dam.
'As you can see people are dancing on the breakfast islands - people waving guns around,' he said, in part. 'People drinking probably using narcotics and you can see in this grainy video waving handguns and rifles around.'
Catherine Morales was one of the first people to move into the BrookMill community.
On the night of the party, she told News 4 San Antonio how frightened she was after waking up to the sound at least 10 gunshots coming from the corner house.
'I have never seen anything like that before,' she recalled. 'Hundreds of kids coming out of that house and a bunch of cars on the streets'.
She added that she also saw kids hiding on her porch and behind her cars.
According to a report, deputies had broken up a gathering at the same house the weekend before, as per the news outlet.
Morales said she wasn't sure if they were the same teenagers on both occasions but suspected they may be.
'This is pretty common for them to go from vacant house to vacant house. They target specifically the BrookMill communities,' she said.
Concerned for her own safety, she said she hopes the builders are also taking steps to keep new homeowners safe.
The family has created a GoFundMe to help raise money for the young man's funeral
The Bexar County Sheriffs Office said Crime Stoppers is offering a potential reward of up $5,000 for any information that leads to the arrests of the suspects responsible for Reyes' death.
Meanwhile, Reyes' relatives have set up a fundraiser to help support the the family.
'Our dearest Landyn, you brought endless joy and love into our lives, and your spirit will always be cherished,' they wrote.
'We will forever hold you close to our hearts and your genuine smiles will always be remembered.'
As of Wednesday, more than $9,400 has been raised towards their goal of $12,000.
Spooky, behind-the-scenes tales from cult classic horror movie The Craft have resurfaced online, sending fans into a frenzy.
The 1996 movie about a coven of teen witches was entirely fictional but showrunners hired a real-life Wicca consultant to ensure all spells and incantations were as accurate as possible.
But behind the scenes reports of strange happenings on set soon began to emerge, and were later made public in a host of interviews with the cast and crew.
In one instance, during the film's most famous scene 'Calling of the Corners' where the girls assemble on the beach to call upon a fictional deity, the tides kept sweeping in whenever the cameras rolled.
Producers had reportedly chosen a fictional deity to avoid angering the pagan gods, but it has since emerged they allegedly ignored a warning from a local witch that the beach was a 'bad place for rituals'.
Scroll down for video:
During filming 'Calling of the Corners' scene - where the girls assemble on a beach to call upon a fictional deity - the tides kept coming in whenever the cameras rolled
Actress Robin Tunney, who played Sarah Bailey, said of LA-based Dianic Elder Priestess Pat Devin: 'She'd heard that beach didn't like pagan ceremonies, cause she heard from some witch associates that it was a bad place for pagan rituals'.
'And, uh, she got ill, so we had to wrap up, go back there the next week,' she further recalled in the resurfaced interview conducted shortly after the film's premiere.
'All the lights went out and the tide came in and washed up our altar, and it was one thing after the next,' she continued.
She added that the waves would come so close whenever the cameras rolled, they would put out the fire on set. Then when they cut the cameras, the tides would pull back, The Mentalist star, now 52, said.
Tunney continued: 'When the water came up and washed away the set, it should have [been] fun, spooky.
'Had we just been four girls out on the beach doing it ourselves, without a whole camera crew,' she went on, 'it would have been petrifying.'
'But the fact that you have these lights in the camera crew, you know, sort of demystifies it.
Actress Robin Tunney, who played Sarah Bailey in the film, is seen describing some of the strange on-set occurrences in an interview shortly after the film's premiere
Showrunners hired a real Wicca consultant, Pat Devin, seen here surrounded by the main cast, to ensure all spells and incantations were as accurate as possible
She added: 'You know creepy thing had happened that day, but it's like, "ooh, the tide came in - guess what? It's the ocean. The tide comes in.
'"Oh! The power failure!"' she added, pointing to how a portable generating powering the scene also cut out at one point during the chaos.
'You know the genny [generator], it wasn't big enough for what we had to do.
'It's like, "We're doing this witchcraft movie - it had to be witchcraft"', she joked.
The interview clip was recently posted on TikTok, with the caption: 'You won't believe what happened when the cast of The Craft invoked the spirit on the beach! The tides actually changed, and everything went wrong. It was like reality and magic collided!'
Other fans were quick to comment, with one saying: 'Makes me want to watch this tonight!'
Speaking about the same scene, a crew member further added in a separate interview: 'While we were doing the invocation on the beach, it was strange.
'[W]e would get into the invocation [and] the surf came up higher and then it would go down when we stopped.'
For the film's twentieth anniversary, director Andrew Fleming also brought up the seemingly supernatural circumstances during this scene.
'It was just this odd thing where, when the girls started the incantations, the waves kind of came up,' he said of the scene, which was filmed at Leo Carrillo Beach along Malibu's Pacific Coast Highway.
'At one point, a wave came and wiped the whole set out,' he added.
Tunney, Fairuza Balk, and Neve Campbell are seen acting out a scene on the beach in Malibu
Devin, meanwhile, also weighed in, speaking to fellow Wiccan John Britshadow Yohalelm about the scene in 1998.
'The beach scene was originally set at Winter Solstice, in a circle of black candles in which the girls intended to sacrifice the small animals they had with them - although all the animals escaped unharmed,' the woman recalled at the time.
'I realize that sacrifice is a traditional part of religious practice - Pagan and non-Pagan - but I assure you that, had any of the animals been hurt in the scene, I would have thrown a fit.
'In fact, I objected to Sarah [Tunney] picking up a goldfish plopping on the sand and releasing it in the sea, as goldfish are freshwater fish!' she proclaimed.
'[Fleming], somewhat bewildered, asked if I really thought anyone would notice.'
She went on to reveal how she christened the deity Manon - a made-up name designed not to offend any spirits.
'As I understand it, in very early versions of the script, each of the girls had her own name for the Ultimate Deity,' she said.
'Light as a feather, stiff as a board' has likely been uttered at countless sleepovers since the movie's 1996 release, thanks to this memorable scene
From left: Campbell, Balk, Tunney, and Rachel True in artwork for the film
'In the first version of the script that I read, Rochelle was still calling the Ultimate Deity "Noah".
'I told Andy to drop "Noah" and, after consulting lists and lists of God/Goddess/Demon/Angel/Spirit names, to stick with Manon, as I didn't find it listed anywhere,' she continued.
'I didn't want hordes of teenagers running down to the beach or out to the woods invoking anybody real.
'I've since been told that Manon may be a minor Water spirit - well, I looked and other people looked and we didn't find it listed anywhere, which is why we used it.'
Several other bizarre happenings were also recorded on-set, with actress Fairuza Balk, who played Nancy, rumored to be practicing Wicca, according to Richard Abanes' book Religions of the Stars: What Hollywood Believes and How It Affects You.
Among them was the presence of a mysterious white owl that appeared to be following members of the cast while filming.
In an interview, Half Baked star Rachel True - who played Rochelle Zimmerman in the film - told Talent Develop: 'There was definitely weird energy around, and we were followed around by a white owl to several different locations.'
People with albinism in sub-Saharan Africa already face the deadly threat of the sun, described by many as their 'biggest enemy'.
Their skin lacks the melanin which is crucial to protect them from its ultraviolet rays, making them highly vulnerable to cancer.
More than 90 per cent of people with albinism on the continent - where roughly one out of every 5,000 people is born with the condition - die before they reach the age of 40, and the sun plays a large part in this.
But there are other 'enemies' which threaten their very survival - namely people's prejudices, superstitions and the witchdoctors and depraved merchants who hunt them for their body parts.
In Cameroon, the belief that people with albinism bring luck or have magical powers has persisted for decades, and has devastating consequences.
Women and girls with albinism experience ritual rape, due to the disturbingly widespread belief that sexual intercourse with a person with albinism brings luck and cures diseases, including HIV.
Men, women and children have their limbs hacked off and are murdered, while dead people are exhumed by greedy traffickers who sell their body parts, charging between $2,000 for a limb to $75,000 for a 'complete set' - a whole body.
The violent atrocities Cameroonians with albinism are exposed to are overlooked by their government, campaigners say, forcing them to advocate on their own behalf and try to educate the population themselves.
People with albinism in Cameroon say they are largely 'forgotten' by their government and have to advocate on their own behalf
Men, women and children with albinism face persecution for the colour of their skin and hair in Cameroon and elsewhere in Africa
The association held a pageant as part of their celebrations of International Albinism Awareness Day in June
Children with albinism struggle to get an education in Cameroon as they are ostracised by their communities
Madame Ngom Maceline is the founder and executive director of the Association for the Welfare of Albinos, a charity based in the northwestern city of Bamenda.
Started in 2016, the association works tirelessly to educate and empower people with albinism, as well as protect them from vile attacks by fellow villagers.
It also seeks to promote understanding in communities, as it takes on the mammoth task of changing people's attitudes and safeguard people with albinism in doing so.
'Persons with albinism are not considered 'normal',' said Maceline, who has the condition herself.
'In that way, they are always left behind. They don't have any belongings, they don't receive direct support from the government.'
Backwards attitudes in communities mean that they are often considered to be 'cursed,' or become objects for witchcraft.
'You have people that use their hairs for wealth,' Maceline said. 'They say that when you have the hairs of a person with albinism, especially women's, it empowers you to get riches.'
A group protest against the discrimination faced by people with albinism in Cameroon
Ngom Maceline is pictured speaking to Cameroon's environment minister about the threat posed by climate change to people with albinism, who face increased dangers from the sun's rays due to the lack of melanin in her skin
People supported by the AWA pose with bottles of suncream, which is crucial for people with albinism in Africa
Children attend a march to raise awareness of the challenges faced by people with albinism
She added that there is an 'ongoing crisis' in her region and that she is currently dealing with several cases of albino women who have been raped.
'Some people consider that when you "make love" with a person with albinism they will cure HIV and AIDs.
'There are many cases in our community where you see women with albinism not getting married, but with numerous children.'
When women give birth to children with albinism, Maceline said, they are 'cleaned' by their communities, either by being washed in a river or forced to walk around a tree over and over again, she said.
Newborns with albinism are often even killed immediately after they are delivered, then falsely reported as stillborn, according to a UN report.
Those who do survive are treated as outcasts by the community, and can be driven out and shunned.
People with albinism face threats to their lives from the day they are born. Pictured: Maceline with people supported by her charity
Children with albinism - often blocked from attending school in Cameroon - receive help from AWA in getting an education and skills
Children are refused an education, meaning many grow up illiterate with limited skills.
Adults are denied jobs, and when they do get employment, rarely receive equal pay to people with pigmented skin.
Maceline, who is a trained nurse, said she faced discrimination as she tried to get into work, with people wrongly saying she was incapable due to albinos often having poor eyesight.
She is now on the frontline of dealing with the scourge of skin cancer in her region, which often goes untreated due to lack of funds and government support.
People helped by the charity celebrate International Albinism Awareness Day with singing and dancing
AWA held a public speaking workshop as part of their drive to provide the youngsters they help with life skills
Maceline says that among the 300 people with albinism in her area, more than 100 are suffering with cancer, with one person dying just a few days ago.
She added that they also have to contest with ongoing conflicts between militia groups and the state in her region, which she said 'affects persons with albinism the most', because they are so conspicuous among people with dark skin.
It also means a lack of aid and support being able to reach them in rural areas.
But, thanks to the tireless work of Maceline and others, hope has been instilled in her small community.
Youngsters are educated from a young age to apply sun cream, wear clothes and hats that cover their skin, and avoid the sunlight when they can.
They receive an education, and take part in workshops for public speaking, hairdressing and craftwork.
Maceline's campaigning has seen her speak to government ministers and work with the UN
A girl who has received support from AWA takes a selfie at an event held by the charity
Maceline and her team help to give them the skills to get into work, and create wares to sell and earn money for their families.
Her campaigning has seen her speak to government ministers, work with the UN, and go on local radio in the hope of changing attitudes towards albino people across Cameroon.
Men, women and children with albinism, ostracised in their communities, are at last made to feel welcome.
They are given the chance to have fun, singing and dancing, taking part in beauty pageants and talent shows, and their joy and resilience shine through in pictures shared by the AWA.
They are given a brighter future thanks to the work the charity does. If you would like to donate to support them, the link is here.
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An airline pilot claims he spotted two UFOs hovering near each other, 35,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean.
The A320 Frontier pilot captured the flying objects while in the cockpit of the plane and shared a video of them to Reddit on Monday.
He claimed the UFOs were moving at 'incredible speeds' and hovering in the sky 'instantaneously' on August 19.
In a separate post, the pilot, who goes by the username thtflyingguy, revealed he was flying right over the Grand Bahamas International Airport in Freeport when he witnessed the suspicious objects.
'We see satellites all the time and the way these moved were not satellites,' he said.
An airline pilot claims he spotted two UFOs hovering near each other (pictured), 35,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean on August 19
Flight tracking data revealed that flight FFT3572 took off from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was over the ocean at the same altitude the pilot reported.
In his first post, the pilot said: 'Im an Airline pilot and was flying over the Atlantic Ocean when me and captain spotted these orb of lights that kept moving around each other and one point we saw them move at incredible speeds and stop and hover instantaneously.'
'It was at that moment I took out my phone to record them. Throughout the night we kept seeing them.
'One would show up then another out of nowhere. I have another video showing two of them and I turn the camera showing another group to the South,' he added.
In a consecutive post showing the metadata of his video, the pilot wrote: 'For all those asking here is the location and time my iPhone says we were at the time I recorded the video.
'We were traveling at about 512 knots at flight level 350 going Northwest over the Atlantic. The location the GPS in my phone shows us just over Grand Bahamas International Airport.'
The pilot, who goes by the username thtflyingguy, revealed he was flying right over the Grand Bahamas International Airport in Freeport when he witnessed the suspicious objects
Flight tracking data (pictured) revealed that flight FFT3572 took off from San Juan, Puerto Rico and was over the ocean at the same altitude the pilot reported
Users quickly flocked under his posts as some of them revealed they've witnessed something similar before.
Poll Do you think the pilot saw UFOs? Yes No Unsure Do you think the pilot saw UFOs? Yes 924 votes
No 177 votes
Unsure 116 votes Now share your opinion
'I saw something like that here in Kissimmee FL two weeks ago and by the time I pulled out my phone it was gone,' one wrote.
'I've seen this before. What's the consensus on it? Seen in mountain west,' another said.
Others weren't as impressed and doubted the pilot's findings, with one claiming it was a 'balloon' in the sky.
'Its not moving abnormally so probably drones,' wrote another user.
Although the pilot reported that the floating objects were UFO's, there is something called twinkling stars that look similar.
Twinkling stars are known to reflect rainbow-like colors caused by the passing of light through layers of a turbulent atmosphere. It is unclear if this is what the pilot saw.
'We generally take pilots at their word when they say they see something unusual, as they are highly trained and used to identifying all kinds of things in the sky,' Christian Stepien with the National UFO Reporting Center told DailyMail.com.
Above, a clip from one of two videos purporting to be from the August 16, 2024 UFO sightings reported in California's Palmdale-Lancaster area, in the high desert north of LA. They were later determined to be a hoax
'The ability of an object to move at incredible speeds, then stop and hover instantly, is one of the signs of a true UFO.
'Unfortunately, the video does not show this, so it is difficult to come to any conclusions from the video alone,' he added.
Recently, local Californians panicked after watching a UFO 'zig zagged' and hovered over two cities north of Los Angeles.
Their reports of a 'bright light' that looked like 'a shooting star' but acted more like a 'hovercraft' sparked shockwaves across social media alongside the emergence of eerie cell phone videos that purported to capture some of these six alleged craft.
But a wide community of experts, including UFO researchers with Harvard's Galileo Project, told DailyMail.com that the videos were most likely 'an intentional hoax.'
The videos appeared to show drone swarms used in an LED light show thousands of miles away from California, based on landmarks and other visual cues, they said.
And some of these UFO videos were paired with old and unrelated audio tracks passed off as the videos' own.
Electrical engineer John Tedesco, who runs a lab affiliated with Harvard's Galileo Project, told DailyMail.com: 'The first two videos seem a bit suspicious to me.
The wide open spaces of Montana have been named the top state where you are most likely to have a close encounter, as half of locals claim to have seen a UFO, according to a new study
'The patterns of longitudinal lights are well-organized. This could be drone swarms.'
However, he admitted: 'The quality of the video doesnt give us much to work with.'
For those looking to get a glimpse at a UFO, the wide open spaces of Montana are the best place to do so.
People are most likely to get a close encounter with a UFO in the state nicknamed 'Big Sky Country,' a new study claimed.
The findings are sure to be a surprise to residents of Nevada, home to the legendary classified US Air Force base and Ufology mainstay Area 51: their state did not even crack the Top 10 in the study, which integrated sightings with other regional data.
Other chart-toppers included the state of Massachusetts, as data collected from Google searches shows that the New England state is the most UFO-obsessed in America, with 13,750 monthly Google queries related to the topic (or 19.64 searches per 10,000 people). But New York and New Jersey were not far behind.
Restaurants in a scenic North Carolina beach town are embroiled in a comical sign war that is spreading through the community.
The hilarious battle began in Morehead City when Sam Turnage, the owner of Ioanni's Grill & Bar, left 'Happy Birthday Jeff' on their sign for nearly 26 days.
Neighboring restaurant Dank Burrito owner Clarke Merrell became fed up with looking at the sign this summer and decided to send a message using his own.
'Ioanni's quit being lazy change your sign,' Merrell changed his sign to say, beginning the battle of the boards.
'It's just good fun. I just had a wild hare, wanted to just pick a fight,' Merrell told WCTI12.
Dank Burrito owner Clarke Merrell became fed up with looking at Ioanni's Grill & Bar's sign, so he changed his to call out the business for being lazy
Sam Turnage, the owner of Ioanni's Grill & Bar, fired back saying his restaurant is not lazy, they are just busier than Dank's
Dank Burrito clapped back 'Y'all just look busy because it takes 2 hours for a dollar taco'
Turnage updated his sign replying to Merrell's call to action: 'Dank, we're not lazy, we're just busier than you.'
Dank Burrito fired back: 'Y'all just look busy because it takes 2 hours for a dollar taco.'
Then businesses all over Carteret County decided to join in, with some calling for a truce between the restaurants.
Merrell estimated over 70 businesses ranging from auto shops, furniture stores, fitness studios, the local VFW and even churches have changed their signs to comment on the feud.
Merrell estimated over 70 businesses all over Carteret County joined in on the sign war
Other businesses including Kittrell Auto Parts weighed in on the fued
Newport VFW post 8986 sign said: 'War? Hold my beer'
Local churches got involved changing their signs to call for peace between the two restaurants
'I feel like it's bringing the community together, especially with the upcoming election there's tension, and it's a mess, it's just good to have a good laugh,' Turnage said.
Fishing store EJW Outdoors sign said, 'Guys, do we need to taco bout it?'
Dank Burrito's sign replied: 'Gauc off EJW, this is nacho beef.'
Ioanni's Grill & Bar doubled down on their defense changing their sign to 'Dank, can we use your lot cuz you are not' and 'Dank, Bojangles was a better neighbor.'
Other business called for peace between the two establishments.
'Heaven's breaks! Y'all are fired up and radiator to go,' said Kittrell Auto Parts.
'Boys, do we need to have a meat-ing,' Prime Bistro wine bar said.
Morehead City's community of nearly 10,000 people has become so enthralled with the sign wars, they even created a Facebook group where people can document creative sightings
The restaurant owners said the sign war is all in good fun and are glad it is bringing people together
'War? Hold my beer,' said Newport VFW post 8986.
'You should get down on Ioa-nnis and Dank god for forgiveness,' said Parkview Baptist Church.
'We can't barre it anymore, just work (it) out,' said Beaufort Barre + Fitness.
The community of nearly 10,000 people has become so enthralled with the sign wars, they even created a Facebook group where people can document creative sightings.
'It is just the greatest thing because the community we live in, we're all tight everybody's tight, and it's just the greatest thing to see, and watch,' Carteret County resident Ashton Blackmon told the local news station.
A family-friendly New York enclave has announced plans to shutter 25 percent of its schools for a startling reason.
Rochester City School District is set to shutter a staggering 11 of their 45 schools, after enrollment has plummeted by 11,000 in two decades.
Superintendent Carmine Peluso dropped the bombshell during what was supposed to be a routine subcommittee meeting, surprising students, parents and educators.
Research has shown that students whose schools have been closed often experience declines in attendance and achievement, and are less likely to graduate from college or find employment.
The impact is particularly severe for black students, with closures disproportionately affecting majority-black schools.
Rochester City School District is set to shutter a staggering 11 of their 45 schools, after enrollment has plummeted by 11,000 in two decades (Pictured: Rochester, NY)
Superintendent Carmine Peluso (pictured) dropped the bombshell during what was supposed to be a routine subcommittee meeting, surprising students, parents and educators
This comes after attendance drop from 34,000 in 2003 to just 23,000 last year.
With enrollment numbers in freefall - dropping by about 1,000 each year - district officials claim they had no choice.
Now the future of thousands of students hanging in the balance as they wait in limbo.
A decade ago, 2,600 kindergarten students enrolled in Rochesters schools, representing about three-quarters of the children born in the city five years earlier, ProPublica reported.
Now, that proportion has dropped to around half, according to Peluso.
Despite being the fourth-largest city in New York, Rochester - with a population of around 210,000 - could face the prospect of its school system enrolling only about a third of the city's current school-age children.
The list of doomed schools include: Clara Barton School No. 2, Dr. Walter Cooper Academy School No. 10, Adlai E. Stevenson School No. 29, Andrew J. Townson School No. 39, RISE Community School No. 106, and Wilson Foundation Academy are all on the elementary school chopping block. (Pictured: RISE Community School No. 106)
Middle schools facing extinction include Dr. Alice Holloway-Young School of Excellence, Franklin Lower School and Monroe Lower School. (Pictured: Clara Barton School No. 2)
Peluso warned that if this trend continues without intervention, the district could shrink to fewer than 14,000 students within 10 years.
The list of doomed schools include: Clara Barton School No. 2, Dr. Walter Cooper Academy School No. 10, Adlai E. Stevenson School No. 29, Andrew J. Townson School No. 39, RISE Community School No. 106 and Wilson Foundation Academy are all on the elementary school chopping block.
Middle schools facing extinction include Dr. Alice Holloway-Young School of Excellence, Franklin Lower School and Monroe Lower School.
High schools aren't spared either, with Franklin Upper School and Northeast College Preparatory High School set to turn off the lights for good.
Janice Kpor, a devoted mother and president of the parent-teacher organization at School 10, the Dr. Walter Cooper Academy, said she was shocked to hear the news.
'I was in disbelief,' Kpor said to ProPublica. 'It was a stab in the back.'
School 10, a two-story structure built in 1916 and recently treated to a multimillion-dollar renovsation, is one of the schools set to close its doors.
The building won't even be abandoned - it's set to be handed over to a Montessori program, leaving Kpor and other parents feeling like they've been unceremoniously evicted.
'It was more of an insult,' Kpor said to ProPublica, 'because now you have this place and all these kids and a whole bunch of new kids in the same building, so what is the logic of, quote-unquote, closing the school.'
Janice Kpor (pictured), a devoted mother and president of the parent-teacher organization at School 10, the Dr. Walter Cooper Academy, said she was shocked to hear the news
High schools aren't spared either, with Franklin Upper School and Northeast College Preparatory High School set to turn out the lights for good. (Pictured: Dr. Walter Cooper Academy School No. 10)
The closure plan has laid bare the deep-seated tensions in this economically divided city.
School 10, serving a student body that's more than 90 percent black or Latino, is being replaced by a program with a slightly higher proportion of white families.
It's a move that is noticed by parents on both sides of the divide.
Robert Rodgers, a parent at the Montessori school set to take over School 10's building, acknowledged the awkwardness of the situation.
'The perception is that you've got the kids at this protected, special school - you can see the difference between what they get and what we get,' he admitted.
'If I was a parent at School 10, I would be livid.'
On top of this, Superintendent Peluso dropped another bombshell in March, announcing his departure for a cushy new job in the suburbs.
Pictured: Andrew J. Townson School N 39
The position, overseeing a district of just 3,800 students - more than 70 percent of them white - pays nearly as much as his Rochester post.
'This hurts,' Rodgers said. 'It's another situation where the suburbs are taking something from the city.'
As the final bell tolled on the 2023-2024 school year, the reality of the closures began to sink in.
At School 10's last days, even the school's 95-year-old namesake, Dr. Walter Cooper, expressed his dismay.
'It's tragic,' the research scientist told the outlet. 'It points to the fundamental instability in the future of the schools.'
The situation is even worse at School 29, where many special-needs students face an uncertain future.
'We're not doing well at all,' Latoya Crockton-Brown, a teacher of 19 years, told the outlet.
Pictured: Adlai E. Stevenson School N 29
'This was a family school. It's very disheartening. Even the children cried today.'
As Rochester grapples with this drastic change, many fear the future of public education in the city is at stake.
'It's like you're watching institutions decline in real time,' warned Rachel Barnhart, a former TV news reporter who now serves in the county legislature. 'Anchors of the community are disappearing.'
But the situation in Rochester is not isolated - in fact, it's an acute example of a nationwide trend.
Since the start of the Covid pandemic, public school enrollment has declined by about a million students across the country.
However, the situation in Rochester, pictured here, is not isolated. In fact, it's an acute example of a nationwide trend
Despite being the fourth-largest city in New York, Rochester - with a population of around 210,000 - could face the prospect of its school system enrolling only about a third of the city's current school-age children
Researchers attribute the drop to families switching to private schools - aided by an expansion of voucher programs in many red and purple states - and to homeschooling, which has seen especially strong growth.
An estimated 50,000 students are unaccounted for - many of them are simply not in school.
The Urban-Suburban program, which allows city students to transfer to surrounding suburban districts also contributes.
While supporters see it as a step towards integration, critics argue it's draining engaged families from city schools.
With about 1,000 children enrolled in the program, it's contributing to the city's enrollment woes.
As Rochester grapples with this drastic change, many fear the future of public education in the city is at stake
View of downtown Rochester, NY
Thomas Dee, a professor of education at Stanford, warned that the consequences of these closures could be far-reaching.
'School closures are difficult events that rend the community, the fabric of the community,' he said. 'The concern I have is that it's going to be yet another layer of the educational harm of the pandemic.'
With federal pandemic aid set to dry up and no end in sight to the enrollment exodus, many are wondering if this is just the beginning.
On top of this, teachers are quitting in droves as a new generation of appallingly behaved students push their patience to the limit.
Born between roughly 2010 and the end of 2024, Generation Alpha will make up the largest cohort of children ever to live on planet earth.
Sunset over High Falls. Rochester, NY
Thomas Dee, a professor of education at Stanford, warned that the consequences of these closures could be far-reaching
However, the two billion-plus toddlers and pre-teens are already being cited for their illiteracy, unruly behavior and an uncontrollable addiction to screens.
Many blame lockdowns and school closures during the pandemic for the rise in bad behavior, while some are pointing the finger at Millennial parents who are opting to distract children with technology rather than properly discipline them.
Now a new bombshell study has revealed the devastating impact this has had on school life, with 26 percent of public schools reporting that a lack of focus among 'iPad' students has had a 'severe negative impact' on teacher morale.
On top of low morale, a separate April study revealed that 92 percent of leadership at public schools were concerned that students were not meeting academic standards, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
Two years earlier, NCES reported that 44 percent of all public schools were operating without a full teaching staff.
Born between roughly 2010 and the end of 2024, Generation Alpha will make up the larges cohort of children ever to live on planet earth
Teachers are quitting in droves as ' iPad ' students push educators to their limits - with a bombshell study revealing 26 percent of public schools reported that lack of focus among pupils was having a 'severe negative impact' on teacher morale
That year also featured the lowest job satisfaction levels among teachers of all time - only 12 percent - according to 2022 research published by Brown University.
In May of this year alone, 59,000 teachers and other educational staff quit their jobs in the United States according to a poll by Statista, leaving their thankless job in favor of a more 'fulfilling' career.
'It's chaos right now,' a special education teacher who works in San Diego County told DailyMail.com, adding that she teaches 'kids with severe ADHD who are also iPad babies and [their course load] is so difficult for their attention span.'
Meanwhile, Mitchell Rutherford, a 35-year-old teacher who has taught for more than a decade, was one of those educators pushed to leave.
He quit his job as a biology teacher at Sahuaro High School in Tuscon, Arizona, in May after becoming frustrated by his student's cell phone addiction - even after he went to great lengths to encourage less screen time.
Far-right political commentator Candace Owens has revealed her shock at a stark difference between Australia and America after learning she may be denied entry here.
Owens is planning to shows in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide in November.
Having found fame during the Trump presidency, Owens has drawn outrage for her controversial comments on Israel, the Holocaust and LGBTQI issues.
Her Australian tour is in jeopardy after Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said he would 'personally' oversee her visa application.
Mr Burke noted that he has 'clear legal powers to knock back a visa to anyone who would incite discord'.
Owens told Daily Mail Australia that she was 'completely shocked' by Mr Burke's stance and said it highlighted a massive gap between Australia and the US.
'It just could not happen in America, that any politician would be proud to come out and to speak about using their powers to shut down a visa for a person that isn't a criminal,' she said.
If Mr Burke was to follow through with denying Owens a visa, she said it would be a 'stain on Australia - and not one that you're easily going to wipe away'.
Controversial far-right US political commentator Candace Owens (pictured) has revealed she was 'completely shocked' by Tony Burke's comments
Department of Home Affairs minister Tony Burke (pictured) said he would 'personally' review Ms Owens' visa application because of her history of controversial opinions
Owens has previously taken aim at minority groups and claimed there was a link between trans people, 'clinical insanity' and a rise in mass shootings.
She has also claimed Israel was founded by a 'cult' and labelled some of the Holocaust atrocities as 'completely absurd'.
Those atrocities included well-documented, horrific experiments conducted by the Nazi 'Angel of Death', Josef Mengele, on twins imprisoned at Auschwitz.
In an episode of Candace Owens Live, aired in July, the commentator said the experiments sounded like bizarre propaganda because they would be a 'tremendous waste of time and supplies'.
Mengele's oldest living survivor, 100-year-old Annetta Able, joined Independent Teal MP Zali Steggall in calling for Owens to be banned from entering the country.
'As a survivor of Dr Mengele's inhumane experiments in Auschwitz, I feel compelled to speak out against Candace Owens' planned visit to Australia,' Ms Able said.
'Her recent statement dismissing the horrific experiments I endured as "bizarre propaganda" is not just deeply offensive, it is a dangerous distortion of historical truth that I witnessed with my own eyes.
'I urge the Australian government to deny Candace Owens a visa.'
Owens said her opinions should not dilute her chances to secure a visa to enter the country and if her visa is accepted, invited Ms Able to speak to her.
'Stopping a Catholic mother-of-three from coming into this country, that's quite startling,' she said.
'I should be able to travel to a country because I'm not a criminal.
'I've never hurt anyone. I've never assigned anyone to violence. I've never been even mildly accused of an incitement to violence.'
While organisations have tried to have her events cancelled in the past, Owens said she hasn't seen 'the government embracing that'.
'I'm okay to be invited to college and high school campuses to speak in front of children, but I'm too much of a threat in terms of Australian politics?' she said.
If Mr Burke did allow Owens into the country, the commentator wouldn't 'even think it would be a win'.
'I just think this should be a normal circumstance. I'm not a criminal, I'm a mum bringing her family,' she said.
Having grown to fame during the Trump presidency, Owens has drawn outrage for her controversial comments on Israel, the Holocaust and LGBTQI issues.
While disagreeing with Mr Burke's 'extremely hurtful' comments, Owens said she would be keen to meet him and discuss their differences.
'I would love to meet any person that wanted to speak to me and thought that I had said something wrong,' she said.
'When people actually meet me and hear the truth, they're going to register it as such.'
The issue isn't the first stoush with Australia after she critiqued government lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic.
During an 2021 episode of her late night show, Owens blasted 5km travel limits, household gathering bans and nighttime curfews, as 'imprisoning citizens against their will'.
Throughout her political career, she said it was the 'first time when Australian politics became the most relevant'.
'And I think that Americans and myself included were quite shocked at how harsh the Australian Government was treating its people,' she said.
The visa issue has similarly surprised her because of the starkly different approach to freedom of speech and debate between Australia and the US.
'In America, we care deeply about free speech - we care deeply about freedom in general... and so this completely shocked me,' she said.
The commentator also touched on hot-button issues in Australia, including immigration and the transition to renewable energy.
Owens supported Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton's calls to block immigration from Gaza out of fears of welcoming Hamas supporters into the country.
'Why should we have to accept refugees?' she asked, adding that countries shouldn't be made to 'feel bad' about denying immigrants.
'For some reason the West, it has become a dumping ground,' she said.
'We have an identity, and it's good to have an identity, and it's so wrong to routinely try to make people feel bad about wanting to recognise their own countries.'
She also described green energy as a 'push to further enslave humanity', claiming those pushing for the transition aren't committing to the same goals.
'They can see how our lives are increasingly just becoming more difficult, as they're telling us that we need to aspire to the sorts of things that they're not aspiring to,' Ms Owens said.
'I believe in people knowing how to live off of the land, how to grow their own food. I believe that's your only guard against a totalitarian state is being able to take care of yourself and being resourceful with your own neighbours.'
Owning a pub overlooking a stunning Cornish harbour is a far-fetched dream for many Brits.
But now there is the chance to do just that - if you have the savings in your account.
The Quayside Inn, a Grade II-listed four-storey pub in Falmouth, features views across Custom Quay Harbour and is available for a whopping 1million.
The boozer, which features an external seating area for around 150 people, could be used for traders in the nearby Falmouth Market.
Inside, the property's ground floor features an open-plan area with harbour views, a central bar, and toilets.
A basement contains more space, with a separate trading area, bar, kitchen, beer store and storage.
The Quayside Inn, a Grade II-listed four-storey pub in Falmouth, features views across Custom Quay Harbour and is available for a whopping 1million from WTS Property Consultants
The building, which features an external seating area for around 150 people, could be used for traders in the nearby Falmouth Market
Inside, the property's ground floor features an open-plan area with harbour views, a central bar, and toilets
Upstairs, the first and second floors have a lounge area, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and offices - all of which can be renovated as required.
External seating areas are held under two separate leases alongside the main property's freehold, providing space for drinks and dining.
The larger lease contains a term of around 17 years, however, you will be required to fork out a hefty chunk of money for annual rent, which comes in at 18,846.68.
Prior to its sale, the pub was being run as the only Greene King Pub in Cornwall.
There are two further leases on outdoor areas, one of which is for 115 covers, and the other for 34 covers.
A spokesperson for WTS estate agents said: '.The property is located in a prime position in the town centre and benefits from stunning views across the Custom Quay harbour.'
While the pub may be highly sought after due to its picturesque views, the town of Falmouth was voted as the most depressing place to live in Britain.
Back in February, Falmouth came out top in an annual poll ahead of the likes of Alloa in Scotland, Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, as well as Crawley in West Sussex.
While the pub may be highly sought after due to its picturesque views, the town of Falmouth was voted as the most depressing place to live in Britain
Savage reviews on satirical website iLiveHere, where people leave honest and brutal assessments, branded the area as 'bland and boring' and said it had an air of 'soul-destroying mediocrity with a gaping cultural void'.
But shocked locals have hit back and have blamed second home owners for sucking the life out of their 'gorgeous' seaside town.
Homes in the town - which has the third largest natural harbour in the world - sell on average for around 400,000, with celebrities such as Flog It!'s Paul Martin and novelist Joseph Conrad once calling the area home.
Falmouth pipped serial winners Peterborough to the top spot by 27 votes with it being suggested by iLiveHere 'the power of social media and word of mouth is what propelled Falmouth' to number one.
Ronald Reagans family was the 'most dysfunctional I've ever known,' a famed economist friend of the former first couple reveals in a major biography of the former President.
Arthur Laffer said that he was appalled at how Reagan and his second wife Nancy treated their own children and her two stepchildren in an upcoming book by Washington Post columnist Max Boot.
In the book, Reagan: His Life and His Legend, Boot writes about how Reagan was more devoted to Nancy than his own kids and said he would have preferred it if their son Ron hadn't been born.
Nancy caused a great rift in the family with the children, who said the 40th president never stood up for them or wanted to hear their side of the story.
The First Lady was a 'schemer and a snob obsessed with social standing' who used to hit her daughter Patti Davis, Boot writes in the book, which is out on September 10th.
Nancy 'froze out' Reagan's two children from his first marriage to actress Jane Wyman and forbade mention of Wyman's name in her home, Boot revealed.
Ronald Reagans family was the 'most dysfunctional' as Nancy's sour relationship with their children and his outward devotion toward his wife wreaked havoc in their household
Economist Arthur Laffer said that he was appalled at how Reagan and his second wife Nancy treated their children in Max Boot's upcoming book
She ruled their home with an 'iron hand' and was called 'Dragon Lady' by Maureen Reagan, her stepdaughter.
Nancy even told Reagan's adopted son Michael to change his name and move out of their home where he slept on the sofa because his teenage bad behavior was 'not living up to the Reagan name'.
Boots book, which took a decade to write, takes a sweeping view of the Reagans life, including his troubled relationship with his family.
According to Boot, Reagan's aversion to conflict came from growing up with an alcoholic father.
But Nancy was happy to step in and give orders to her husband, who was used to taking direction from his career as an actor.
Reagan was so devoted to Nancy that it seemed to 'exceed his devotion to his children', Boot, a former staunch conservative, who lost his faith in the Republican party after Donald Trump was elected president, wrote.
Ronald and Nancy's daughter Patti was born in 1952 via C-section after a difficult pregnancy. In his diary, Reagan wrote: 'In that moment her arrival didn't impress me much.'
Regarding their son Ron's birth six years later, also by C-section, Reagan wrote: 'Personally, I would have settled for the three of us.
'I grew frightened every time I remembered that long night Patti was born, and I didn't want to take chances with a happiness already so great I couldn't believe it.'
Boot writes that there was little doubt that Reagan's 'primary source of happiness was his wife, not his children'.
That extended to matters of discipline, where Reagan always sided with Nancy.
Nancy ruled their home with an 'iron hand' and was called 'Dragon Lady' by Maureen Reagan, her stepdaughter. They are pictured at the 1952 premiere of A Streetcar Named Desire
Nancy's stepchildren Michael, now 79, and Maureen, who died in 2001 aged 60, were frozen out by the First Lady, Boot claims
Ron Reagan, 66, is now a liberal commentator who calls himself 'an unabashed atheist' in advertisements for the group Freedom From Religion. His sister Patti Davis, 71, received regular beatings at the hand of her mother
According to the book, Nancy was 'strong-willed' and 'found it easy to manipulate her easygoing, uxorious husband who, having grown up with a domineering mother, was used to women telling him what to do'.
When Reagan came back from one of his work trips, Nancy an actress in her youth would give a 'very one-sided, heavily fictionalized account' of whatever dispute had arisen in his absence, Boot writes.
Nancy would describe in 'lurid detail how she had been pained by [the children's] misconduct.'
Reagan would 'immediately and completely accept his wife's account without trying to double-check it.'
Boot writes: 'He would gently scold the kids, telling them: 'Well, you've hurt your mother very much. You know she's in there crying her eyes out.'
Michael, whom Reagan adopted while married to Wyman, recalled trying to tell his side of the story, only for his father to cut him off and say: 'I don't need to hear your side. I've heard the story. You're wrong. Nancy is right.'
Patti, who later dropped the surname Reagan to try to escape the shadow of her family, recounted in her memoir how Nancy began beating her when she was just eight years old.
The beatings would sometimes be weekly and sometimes they were daily and in her memoir, Patti said she became 'intimately familiar with what would set my mother off, what would push those buttons, even though I knew it would end up with a hand in my face.'
Nancy's ire extended to the hired help too and her children recalled her screaming at a maid for washing the wrong dishes Patti sang to herself to block out the sound.
Even taking the sedative Seconal and the tranquilizer Miltown did nothing to dispel Nancy's unpredictable moods.
Jane Wyman was never to be mentioned in the Reagan household, Boot writes. Her two children, Michael and Maureen, were frozen out by their stepmother who Maureen called 'Dragon Lady'
Ron told Boot that his mother was 'not physically abusive in a Joan Crawford kind of way' but she was 'very difficult'.
He said: 'She could be emotionally and psychologically abusive.'
According to Ron who is now known for his liberal views and atheism Nancy was particularly prone to 'fits of anger and anxiety' when her husband was away.
Ron concluded that Nancy was 'worried Ronnie would either suffer some sort of accident or cheat on her'.
While Ron and Patti bore the brunt of their mother's anxieties, Maureen and Regan's adopted son Michael did not escape her anger.
Nancy did 'nothing' to win them over while she was courting their father and then 'froze them out' after she was married, Boot writes.
'Nancy Reagan and Jane Wyman could not stand each other and Nancy forbade any mention of her husband's first wife in their home,' Boot writes.
Patti had to wait until she was seven before finding out that she had a half-brother and half-sister, and that was when Michael, who was 14 at the time, moved in to escape Wyman, with whom he was arguing with constantly.
Michael was 'desperate' to be accepted into his father and Nancy's home and initially Nancy took care of him.
She was horrified to see he had a dozen cavities because Wyman hadn't taken him to the dentist and his only clothes were school uniforms.
Yet Michael was still sent to a Catholic boarding school in the week which he hated.
When he was at home he slept on the couch, a sign of how unstable his life was.
Boot's book is out September 10
Nancy decided to add an extra bedroom onto the house and Michael was initially thrilled as he assumed it would be for him.
Instead it went to his brother Ron's nurse, a decision which 'nearly killed me,' Michael later said.
'I was devastated. I felt that if dad and Nancy didn't want me, I didn't want them either,' he admitted.
When Michael became a teenager and began engaging in self-destructive behavior, Nancy chastised him, telling him he 'wasn't living up to the Reagan name'.
Unless he got his act together he should 'change his name and leave the house,' Nancy said.
Michael would respond by telling Nancy: 'You are not my mom.' Writing in her own memoir, Nancy would later say that she and Michael had 'such rough times there were days I could have killed him.'
Such was the tension that Nancy didn't even invite Michael to his father's deathbed in 2004.
Maureen, Reagan's biological daughter with Wyman who died aged 60 in 2001, called Nancy the 'Dragon Lady' and the pair took decades to heal their relationship.
According to Patti, the message Nancy sent to Michael and Maureen was: 'You're not part of this family.'
Even the attempted assassination of Reagan 1981 did not bring the different parts of his family together.
While all of his children rushed to his bedside in Washington, they remained 'isolated' from each other.
The Reagan family all got together for the 1980 Republican National Convention in Detroit. Left to right, Ron, Patti, Nancy, the future president, Michael holding his son Cameron, Michael's wife Colleen, Maureen
In her memoir, Patti wrote: 'What kind of family is this? Even a bullet can't bring us together.'
Boot is also frank about Reagan's failings as a man during his marriage to Wyman, who divorced him because of his 'obsession' with politics.
Reagan was jealous of Wymans career success and was so long winded she once publicly called him 'diarrhea-of-the-mouth.'
Author Max Boot was a right wing commentator but has drifted away from the Republican party in the Trump era
Reagan was a 'typical career man who paid more attention to his work than his family' and showed a crippling lack of empathy' towards Wyman, Boot writes.
Despite being known as the 'Great Communicator' for his ability to read a room, Reagan 'often failed with interpersonal relations.'
His son Ron tells Boot: 'There were a lot of gaps in his emotional intelligence.'
Reagan also faced unflattering claims from the late actress Piper Laurie who said he bedded her when she was an 18-year-old virgin.
Laurie called Reagan a 'show-off' who criticized her performance and complained about how much he'd spent on the condoms.
Boot notes that in her biography of Reagan, author Kitty Kelley even claimed that he was a date rapist, an allegation Boot says would be 'unflattering if true'.
He writes: 'This was the sort of conduct one might associate with notoriously priapic presidents such as John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton and Donald J. Trump not with Reagan, the happily married paragon of 'family values.'
The First Lady was a 'schemer and a snob obsessed with social standing' who used to hit her daughter Patti Davis (far left), Boot writes in the book
Perhaps the only thing more tumultuous than the Reagan family life are the recent allegations against Boot's wife.
In July, Sue Mi Terry was accused of illegally working as a foreign agent for South Korea.
During the Trump administration, Boot accused the former President of being a foreign asset, allegations his wife now faces.
According to prosecutors, his wife was allegedly given designer Louis Vuitton and Bottega Veneta handbags and money for her think tank programs in exchange for writing articles and organizing networking events to help Korean agents access Washington insiders.
Terry's lawyer has called the allegations 'unfounded.'
The book's release comes as a new biopic about Reagan starring Dennis Quaid in the lead role hit theaters this weekend.
The movie focuses on Reagan's dealings with the Soviet regime towards the end of the Cold War.
The owner of an illegally built 'monster mansion' is being prosecuted by the council for failing to clear rubbish and rubble from the site of his planned dream home.
Gurwinder Singh, faces his first court appearance within weeks for failing to comply with an enforcement order.
He admitted: 'I still don't know what I have done wrong and why neighbours are so cross with me! I am trying to do my best but it's not good enough.'
In an exclusive interview with MailOnline, the father-of two and DPP delivery driver, told of his ordeal of being hauled before magistrates for an alleged planning breach.
'The house was demolished nearly nine months ago in December last year so I don't know why I am still be in trouble. It is very unfair,' he said.
'I feel very let down by the system and it is so stressful. It is a planning nightmare.'
A devastated Mr Singh, 43, added: 'I have spent my life savings on this new house for my family and we have never even lived there. Now it is costing me more money.'
Gurwinder Singh and his wife had big plans to re-build their dream home in Walsall in 2000- but they had no permission (Pictured: The demolished site)
Neighbours were left fuming by the unauthorised build (Pictured: in tatters) dubbing it an 'eyesore' and a 'monster house'
Mr Singh was ordered to tear down the half-built 300,000 home (pictured) by Walsall Council following almost 100 complaints from fuming neighbours on Sandringham Avenue
He and his wife Rajwinder Kaur sparked fury in 2000 when they re-built their original semi in a quiet street in Willenhall, near Walsall, West Midlands, with on a large 'dream home' in mind and no planning permission.
Neighbours fumed that the unauthorised construction had made their 'lives hell' with some describing it as an 'eyesore' and likening it to a 'Travelodge in the middle of a housing estate' while others some even dubbing it 'monster mansion.'
Mr Singh had continued to breach local authority orders to totally clean up the site and fully repair a damaged adjoining house following the reluctant bulldozing of his property.
This week, he said: 'I have done everything to comply but I am still being taken to court in October. It is very worrying.'
'The house has been taken down, and yes the rubble is still there but it is slowly being cleared.
'I have had to get more builders in and there are diggers out there as we speak. It's wasting what little money I have left.
'I own the land but I can't live there.'
He continued: 'I still don't know what I have done wrong and why neighbours are so cross with me!'
The home was half-built when Mr Singh was made to tear it down, however he does not understand why his neighbours are upset
The original 1960's property before the construction work on the monster mansion began
The site in Sandringham Avenue still looks an 'eyesore', according to exasperated residents.
It's packed with building materials, rocks, rubble, piles of wood on the dusty site.
Now it also has deep holes full of water where the foundations for the unauthorised extension are in the process of being removed.
The process of removing the foundations - which is a requirement by Walsall Council - is set to be a lengthy procedure as the knocked down property adjoins a neighbouring semi belonging to Pat Harding.
Structural engineers for both parties met at the site mid week to thrash out how best to proceed with no more damage to widowed Mrs Harding's home.
Punjabi-speaking Mr Singh, who is living in a rented property in nearby Walsall whilst his planning battle continues, believes he is being victimised and 'taken advantage of' because of his nationality and poor lack of the English language.
He said: 'I am trying to do my best but it's not good enough. It is causing so much stress to my and my wife and our young daughters.
'We don't want to cause any trouble to our neighbours and we thought the matter had been sorted out. We took our new house down, we fixed the neighbour's house but now the council said the foundations need to come out.'
Mr Singh is being ordered before Dudley Magistrates' Court on October 16 - a prospect he said is 'very worrying.'
Next-door neighbour Pat Harding, 77, a grandmother-of-one, claimed her house has been left damaged and unsellable - with one wall now exposed to the elements
Walsall ward councillor Stacey Elson (Pictured), who has been representing the local residents' fight against the illegal build since she as first elected four years ago
Conservative-run Walsall Council has taken action against the home owner for for failing to comply with extended enforcement orders to completely clear the site.
Mr Singh was originally ordered to tear down the family's half built new four-bed home which they had built without planning permission after knocking down their original semi.
The council had received more than 95 complaints.
Mr Singh insists he has complied with the enforcement order, saying: 'The house was demolished in December. Some materials and rubble were left on site.
'At a later date I want to apply for planning permission to build another house there.
'I've done nothing wrong. It is my land and the house has gone and eventually I want to build a new home for my family but I have no money at this time so have not put in any planning application.'
He said he and his wife - parents to girls aged 13 and 14 - had been left 'distraught, desperate and broken' after losing their life savings during a bitter planning dispute.
He claims demolition me has cost them a huge 37,000 with another 40,000 being paid to a next door neighbour for damaging her adjoining home.
The row first kicked off in 2020 after Mr Singh demolished a 1960s semi and built a larger 300,000 four-bed house on site.
Initially he never applied for planning permission and had only been given the go-ahead for a side extension to the existing property.
For many months he had refused to tear it down and had begged the council to help 'find a solution' but finally admitted defeat to 'people power,' quipping: 'I've lost, they've won.'
Other locals living in the area say the mess left behind by Mr Singh has left the residential estate looking like 'a construction site in the middle of Birmingham'
'I have done everything to comply but I am still being taken to court in October. It is very worrying,' said Mr Singh
Next door neighbour Mrs Harding told MailOnline: 'Finally he is being taken to court for the non compliance of an enforcement notice.
'It is quite amusing that the moment he received his summons, workers have been out in the the past few days trying to finally clear the site.
'A big digger turned up at six on Saturday morning and various people have been out clearing rubbish.'
The pensioner, 77, who is still in dispute over joint foundations which are having to be dug up, said: 'The nightmare goes on and I'm in the middle of it!
'There's been a site visit and two hour meeting between Mr Singh's structural engineer and mine. but he didn't bother turning up t it.
'If his foundations have to come out my house could fall down!
'We are a pair of semis built on one slab on former mining land.
'Mr Singh had extended his house without permission and in the process wrecked mine and I have been overlooking la permanent building site.'
The retired hospital nursery nurse, who has lived in her home for 50 years, said: 'I don't want to bad mouth Mr Singh and his wife but I think they have been incredibly foolish and greedy.
'The site has been an eye sore and has upset and angered a lot of residents. At least the council has made the right decision to take him to court.
'For ages he had ignored everything they had told him to do, breaching all the deadlines and failing to fulfil all the criteria of the enforcement notice.
'It was a disgrace that nothing was done before.
'Now diggers and heavy machinery are back on site and by the time exploratory works have been undertaken it will be next year before it's done.
'It will then have been going on for five years. I fear I will be dead before it is all sorted!'
Describing her nightmare ordeal, she previously said: 'One time I was sat reading a book on my bed when an RSJ (rolled steel joist) suddenly came through the wall.
'Builders put holes in my living room wall too I could see out of, and my chimney was left unsafe.
'I was left with plastic sheeting down the side of my outer wall and no proper drainage, causing rising damp.
'I couldn't sell this home if I wanted to and all the stress is the last thing I need at my age.'
Mrs Harding branded the father-of-two and his wife as 'incredibly foolish and greedy' (Pictured: the home from a birds eye view)
Workers pictured in December demolishing the structure, much to relief of surrounding residents in Sandringham Avenue
Another neighbour Dave Barker, speaking to MailOnline about Mr Singh's prosecution, said: 'It is a fair thing for the matter to be taken to court. It had been on the cards.
'Mr Singh carried on building even after he was told not to and was served with an enforcement notice and should have complied with it.'
The retired driving examiner, whose son is a builder, said: 'I feel sorry for Pat as taking the foundations up will disturb her house. It's got to be done correctly and with care.
'Poor Pat, she doesn't need all this. She just wants a quiet life and it has been destroyed.
'She's been put through hell, someone of her age shouldn't still be suffering because someone wants to go roughshod through the planning land.
'Because he still owned the land and he thought he could do whatever he wanted. He didn't want to comply with building regs like everyone else has to.'
Mr Barker, 70, admitted he felt some sympathy for the owner, saying: 'He has had four of five different architects and builders who weren't advising him and doing the work properly.
'At least should have advised him correctly about what to do or not. They are professional people.'
Walsall ward councillor Stacey Elson, who has been representing the local residents' fight against the illegal build since she as first elected four years ago, said: 'This has been my first experience as a councillor, and it is still ongoing.'
She previously said: 'The site should have been cleared up by the householder. He should have fully abided by the enforcement notice but has clearly failed to do so.
'An enforcement officer visited the site to check on the progress and has taken photos and will write a report to submit to legal services for assessment and with a view for prosecution.
'The council will take legal advise on how best to resolves this. If Mr Singh has actively breached the enforcement notice he could be prosecuted.
The councillor said the planning dispute had been dragging on for years and had been 'very difficult' for neighbours, particularly the elderly woman in the adjoining semi, who had been left with holes in her walls,.
Workmen tearing down the building after the order by Walsall Council
She told how an elderly, disabled woman who used to live opposite the property in Sandringham Avenue until her death in January, had been traumatised by the building work.
She said: 'The poor lady living in her downstairs room used to fear the scaffolding would fall down and come through her house and impale her.'
The councillor added:' I am really proud the way our local community has come together to fight this.
'They have nothing against the gentleman who owns it, but have been against the house only.'
A Walsall Council spokesperson said: 'The council is monitoring the situation to ensure all actions in the enforcement notice are complied with.'
A Royal Navy sailor who was accused of punching a female colleague and dragging her across a road was today cleared of Grievous Bodily Harm charges.
Petty Officer James Brown was accused of throwing a 'hard punch' at Leading Hand Gemma Brice before dragging her along the road during a 'melee' outside a Subway sandwich shop.
A court martial heard LH Brice, who had been at a colleague's leaving do, was left with 'concussion symptoms', a swollen eye and PTSD.
PO Brown, of HMS Clyde, was out celebrating a friend's 30th birthday and did not know LH Brice before the brawl involving several sailors.
The panel at Bulford Military Court, Wilts, deliberated for just under two hours before acquitting PO Brown of GBH today.
Petty Officer James Brown was accused of throwing a 'hard punch' at Leading Hand Gemma Brice before dragging her along the road during a 'melee', but was today cleared of Grievous Bodily Harm charges
During the two-day trial, the court was shown CCTV footage of the brawl in which PO Brown allegedly dragged LH Brice 'along the road' as a fracas broke out between a large group of sailors.
PO Brown said he was acting in self-defence during the fight.
Lieutenant Commander Andrew Ramage, prosecuting, told Bulford Military Court the incident happened outside a Subway shop in Portsmouth, Hants, in the early hours of July 23 2022.
He said: 'LH Brice was caused numerous physical injuries and suffered PTSD.
'The melee begins because LH Brice knocks someone else's glasses on the floor, there is clearly tension in the group.'
Lt Cdr Ramage added: '[CCTV] shows PO Brown getting involved initially as a peacemaker.
'At 3.18 he pursues [another sailor], LH Brice then approaches PO Brown with her arms out and he throws one hard punch.
The court was shown CCTV footage of a brawl between PO Brown and LH Brice (pictured). PO Brown insisted he was acting in self defence
'This causes her to fall on the floor, the action also pulls PO Brown to the floor.'
Lt Cdr Ramage said that LH Brice was taken to a nearby nightclub for medical treatment before being put in a taxi to attend A&E at nearby Queen Alexandra Hospital.
LH Brice suffered a head injury, a swollen left eye which she was initially told was fractured, a wound to the back of her head which required five stitches and her middle right finger was broken in half.
Recounting the night she said: 'My last memory was being inside Subway and joking.
'I have got a memory of it being tense, everything was very tense and then I remember sitting up and there was blood on the back of my head and I could not see out of my eye.'
A nine-month-old baby who had hot coffee poured over him in what police say was a deliberate and unprovoked attack has emerged from his second surgery, though the path to full recovery remains unclear.
Baby Luka and his mother were at Brisbane's Hanlon Park in Stones Corner about midday Tuesday when a man allegedly approached the pair before pouring hot coffee over the child and then running away.
The infant suffered serious burns from the harrowing alleged attack and underwent the first of what is expected to be multiple surgeries on Friday, including to determine whether he would need a skin graft.
The boy's mother wrote on Instagram on Saturday it looked 'like the burns under Luka's neck and chest will scar and potentially need skin grafts', with a further surgery scheduled for Tuesday, September 3.
She added that it 'wasn't the news' she was hoping for, but was glad that 'most of his face, arms, and legs should heal very well', attached to images of the boy bandaged almost completely while in hospital.
'I've really struggled to cope with what's happening to Luka; the cries, pain, any slight issue I am instantly triggered and brought back to the traumatic moment,' the woman wrote in a separate Instagram story.
Thanking her partner for his support, the woman added: 'Constant flash backs ... I feel like a helpless mother right now who cannot support her son how she wants too ... I love my boys more than anything in the world'.
It comes as police continue to try and locate the man they wish to speak to, described as between aged 30-40 years old, of a proportionate build, with tanned skin, dressed in a black hat, glasses, a shirt and shorts.
The boy's mother wrote on Instagram on Saturday it looked 'like the burns under Luka's neck and chest will scar and potentially need skin grafts,' with a further surgery scheduled for Tuesday, September 3
'I've really struggled to cope with what's happening to Luka; the cries, pain, any slight issue I am instantly triggered and brought back to the traumatic moment,' the woman wrote in a separate Instagram story
Queensland Police Detective Inspector Paul Dalton described the attack during the week as being 'almost like an ambush', while Premier Steven Miles said he had been briefed about the alleged attack.
'The baby is doing well in hospital and I'm sure our clinicians have done a great job taking care of him ... I know our police are working hard to apprehend that alleged offender,' Mr Miles said the matter.
Baby burnt by stranger's hot coffee in Brisbane park.
A GoFundMe account set up to help cover the infant's medical costs has so far raised $97,000 as of Saturday morning, well above the target of just $5000, with individual donations as large as $5000.
Supporters included businesses and individuals, people known to the pair and not, who described the alleged attack as 'horrifying and unbearable', and said Luka was a 'beautiful, innocent soul'.
Donald Trump claimed 'every place Kamala Harris touched has turned to shit' during a rally, despite his wife's pleas for him not to swear.
The former president was trashing his opponent at a rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, on Friday night as he campaigns in the must-win state.
He was complaining about asylum-seekers entering the US and claimed 'this country is going to fail', before he dropped the inflammatory statement.
'These people are stupid people, that are running our country. They don't have any common sense, they believe in an ideology,' he began.
'If you look at Kamala, and you look at what she's done to... every place she's touched has turned to shit. Every single place she's touched.'
Donald Trump claimed 'every place Kamala Harris touched has turned to shit' during a rally, despite his wife's pleas for him not to swear
Trump turned to his left, away from the microphone, to address someone off-camera, and was heard saying 'have to say it'.
He turned back to the crowd and explained that the Reverend Franklin Graham, a staunch Trump ally, wrote him a letter asking him not to swear in his speeches.
'Your speeches would be even better if you didn't use foul language,' Trump said Graham wrote in his letter.
The Republican candidate added that Melania Trump also told him he shouldn't swear in his speeches, but he found it difficult.
'My wife also, she says please don't use foul language but it's hard - you know there's some words that can't be duplicated, they can't,' he said.
'But there's an example - well it's not really that bad a word but, how can you top that word for what I'm talking about?
Trump was trashing his opponent at a rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, on Friday night as he campaigns in the must-win state
'Every place she touches wouldn't be nice? That would be a thud, it would land with a thud.
'And Franklin's probably right, I'm not sure I agree with him, but he's a great guy actually... so I try and avoid it.'
Trump is down 1.4 per cent in an average of recent polls in Pennsylvania, a state that could decide the election result by itself.
Prone to attacks on opponents, Trump has at other rallies used swear words, even getting the crowd to chant 'bullshit' when complaining about his 'hush money' trial.
Trump is not the only candidate to swear during public appearances during the campaign, as Harris used f**k in a speech in May.
Trump is not the only candidate to swear during public appearances during the campaign, as Harris used f**k in a speech in May
The vice president was speaking at a summit for Asians, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, discussing her mixed black and Indian ancestry.
Harris told the audience that young people shouldn't let other define them by their ethnicity.
'We have to know that sometimes, people will open the door for you and leave it open, sometimes they won't,' she said.
'And then you need to kick that f**king door down,' she said, to huge cheers, before laughing and apologizing, 'Excuse my language'.
Harris also used the word in a TikTok video of herself teasing her niece Meena Harris about her cooking four years ago that resurfaced online this week.
Harris also used the word in a TikTok video of herself teasing her niece Meena Harris about her cooking four years ago that resurfaced online this week
Meena asked her questions about the chicken they were cooking, until eventually Harris got exasperated with her.
'Tell me more, tell me more,' her niece begged after her aunt explained she was caramelizing onions, at which point Harris seemed to snap.
'You need to f**king learn how to cook instead of video taping me. I'm trying to teach you, but you're more interested in being a video person,' she said.
President Joe Biden, when he was Barack Obama's vide president, was overheard telling Obama that passing his signature health legislation was a 'big f**king deal'.
The Democrats sold T-shirts with 'health reform is a BFD' printed on them, along with the March 23, 2010, date Obamacare was signed into law.
As part of looming industrial action police plan to warn lucky motorists in one state about the locations of speed cameras.
Victorian Police are demanding a $840million pay deal for its roughly 17,500 officers, including protective services officers (PSO) on public transport, in a protracted bitter dispute with Jacinta Allan's state government.
As part of fresh industrial action for next week officers also plan to plaster slogans on vehicles, protest at government premises and put up posters at police stations.
Last month police union members voted to reject an offer of nine-hour shifts and nine-day fortnights as part of a $500million deal agreed to by the state government and the top ranks.
The deal would have delivered a 16 per cent pay rise and 22 extra days off per year on an ordinary roster.
Police are seeking six per cent annual pay rises over the next four years and 8.5-hour shifts giving them 14 days off a year.
The deal would add at least $210million to the force's annual $3.2billion wages bill.
Previously police staged industrial action between December and May after their workplace agreement expired in November.
Victorian Police are set to launch fresh industrial action next week as part of a protracted pay dispute
Union members voted to accept the introduction of nine-hour shifts by 2028 but 57 per cent of police later rejected the deal forcing parties back into negotiations.
Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt said his union's members felt undervalued.
'Our members have seen other workers receiving higher pay rises and they feel that the nature and importance of their work to the community, should be held in the same regard and attract the same rewards,' Mr Gatt told the Herald Sun.
He accused the state government and force command of playing hardball and 'tearing up everything previously agreed to in the proposed EBA and sending negotiations back to square one'.
As part of their planned industrial action Victorian Police will warn lucky motorists about the location of speed cameras
The massively indebted state Labor government of Premier Jacinta Allan is facing increased pay demands from a number of public sector workers
'The Government has not increased its financial offer to police and PSOs,' he said.
'As a result, our Delegates have voted to resume phase 1 industrial action measures from next week and conduct a ballot of members regarding the escalation to phase 2 measures in coming weeks.'
The massively indebted state Labor government of Premier Jacinta Allan is also in protracted pay disputes with firefighters and paramedics.
At least one section of the public sector workforce is happy though, with nurses accepting a 28 per cent pay rise in June, which adds a massive $1billion to their wages.
However, this has become a benchmark for other emergency service workers to aim for.
Hickory Hollow Jerky is recalling approximately 6,229 pounds of ready-to-eat jerky because they were produced without the required federal inspection.
The beef and bacon jerky products were manufactured between January 19th and August 21st, 2024.
This issue stems from a change in ownership at the company on June 11th, 2024. Two different owners operated the establishment during this time, and neither had the products inspected.
The company name and product names remained unchanged throughout this period.
The recalled jerky products bear the establishment number 'EST. NO. 34550' and were distributed to retailers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and online
Hickory Hollow Jerky is recalling approximately 6,229 pounds of ready-to-eat jerky because they were produced without the required federal inspection
The issue was identified during routine FSIS inspections. Despite requesting to stop federal inspections, the company continued to produce jerky and label it with the USDA mark.
There are no confirmed reports of adverse reactions from consuming these products.
If you have any concerns, the company urges consumers to consult a healthcare professional, per their website.
FSIS also urges consumers to check their pantries for the recalled jerky. Do not eat these products. Throw them away or return them to the store where you purchased them.
FSIS is actively monitoring the recall to ensure the company notifies customers and removes the product from stores. A list of affected retailers will be posted on the FSIS website.
Culling badgers to prevent tuberculosis spreading among cattle will end within five years, ministers said yesterday.
Instead of being shot in their thousands, badgers will now be vaccinated instead a move likely to enrage farmers.
The badger cull formed a central pillar of the previous Government's efforts to reduce TB in cattle.
But the Labour administration said it would stop the cull by 2029, carry out a census of badgers and develop vaccines for badgers and cattle.
TB is often passed by close contact between infected and non-infected animals, including cattle themselves.
Former Queen guitarist and campaigner Brian May at an event planned to urge the government to abandon a badger cull planned for the autumn
Animal rights protesters outside the National Farmers Union Conference protesting about the badger cull
Instead of being shot in their thousands, badgers will now be vaccinated instead a move likely to enrage farmers (stock photo)
More than 278,000 cattle have been compulsorily slaughtered and 230,000 badgers have been killed in efforts to control the disease since culling began in 2013. The process is thought to cost taxpayers more than 100million every year.
Tom Bradshaw, president of the National Farmers' Union said last night: 'This terrible disease continues to plague farmers and their livestock.
While significant elements of the Government's proposed TB strategy are still being researched and not yet deployable, they must not overlook the contribution of the successful disease control model. Scientific papers show that targeted badger culling provides success.'
In February, a major study found that after four years of culling 'the herd incidence rate of TB reduced by 56 per cent', prompting Countryside Alliance chief executive Tim Bonner to say: 'Put simply, culling has worked.'
However, campaigners including Queen guitarist Brian May and broadcaster Chris Packham have called for an end to the cull, which has devastated badger populations in the Midlands, the West and the South West.
Animal rights activists and environmental campaigners protests outside the Home Office against badger culls in 2019
Badger populations in the Midlands, the West and the South West have been devastated by culls
Ministers claim vaccination will create progressively healthier badger populations.
Rural affairs minister Daniel Zeichner said: 'Bovine tuberculosis has devastated farmers and wildlife for too long.
'It has placed dreadful hardship on farmers and has taken a terrible toll on our badger populations. No more.'
But Peter Hambly, of the Badger Trust, said the announcement focused 'too much on badgers rather than cattle, when cattle are the main spreaders of this cattle disease'.
He added: 'It admits the Government doesn't know how many badgers are left. They haven't counted them and haven't tested them but continue to slaughter them.'
Eton College will add the full 20 per cent VAT cost on to school fees when Labours policy is introduced, it has announced.
The 52,000-a-year school said it regretted that the Government has chosen to tax education in a letter informing parents of its decision yesterday.
Eton said that only boys on bursaries will be exempt from the fee rise, meaning that for most pupils the cost of attending the 584-year-old school will rise to 63,000 per year.
In the letter to parents, Lord Waldegrave of North Hill, the outgoing Eton provost, wrote: While this news was not unexpected, the provost and fellows regret that the Government has chosen to tax education in this way.
Furthermore, we are disappointed that the introduction of VAT will take place part way through an academic year and at short notice. We recognise the concern that will be felt by many parents following this announcement.
Eton College will charge the full 20 per cent VAT on its school fees from January after Labour's policy is introduced
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced last month that VAT will be charged on private school fees from January 1, with the relief private schools receive on business rates also scrapped from April.
Labour says schools can choose whether or not to pass on the cost to parents and the move will raise 1.6 billion to recruit 6,500 state school teachers.
But critics say the extra cost of educating displaced pupils could be higher. The 2022 accounts for Eton which has more than 1,300 male pupils aged 13 to 18 show that it has consolidated reserves of more than 560million.
But Lord Waldegrave said that the school does not currently run an operating surplus, with bursaries funded both from donations and from income from its endowment.
Therefore, parents only pay for their own sons education, he added.
The letter, co-signed by Sir Nicholas Coleridge, the incoming provost who takes over in September, said: The provost and fellows appreciate that the imposition of VAT is unwelcome news and are also keenly aware of the impact of this decision on all our parents.
Please be assured that we will continue to focus on the costs of the school moving forward, although we will not compromise on the quality of the education provided to your sons.
Eton's outgoing provost, Lord Waldegrave, has said that the school is not currently running on an operating surplus
Eton said that boys who receive 100 per cent bursaries will not be affected by the change and those on partial bursaries will see this increased to cover the cost of VAT.
The move follows an announcement that Britains biggest private girls school trust will raise its fees by 12 per cent from January.
The Girls Day School Trust, which represents 23 private schools, said it would absorb the remaining 8 per cent and has given parents extra time to withdraw children ahead of the price rise.
It comes as figures from the Independent Schools Council showed that its private schools outperformed state ones with almost eight in ten pupils achieving top A-levels.
Figures from the ISC group of private schools showed 79.8 per cent of pupils received A*-B grades, compared with the national average of 53.9 per cent.
Sir Keir Starmers controversial decision to take down Margaret Thatchers portrait in Downing Street confirms he is a visceral Leftie, Boris Johnson says today.
Writing in the Daily Mail, Mr Johnson says the Prime Ministers petty removal of the famous painting from Lady Thatchers former study shows he misled the public when he praised her during his election campaign.
The 100,000 artwork was commissioned to mark her achievements as Britains first female prime minister. No10 has offered no explanation, but his biographer Tom Baldwin said the Prime Minister found it unsettling.
Mr Johnson highlights Sir Keir's attempt to court former Tory voters by praising Lady Thatchers success in releasing Britains natural entrepreneurialism.
He writes: Britains first female Prime Minister has been banished from her own former office, and all because she gives Starmer the collywobbles.
Sir Keir Starmer's decision to remove a portrait of Margaret Thatcher shows he is a 'visceral Leftie', Boris Johnson has said
No10 has offered no explanation as to why the picture was moved, but his biographer Tom Baldwin said the Prime Minister found it unsettling
We are entitled to ask: which is the real Starmer? Is he a Thatcher fan, or a visceral Leftie? The answer, my friends, is now clear: not just from his petty decision to remove her picture, but in everything he is doing in Government.
The artist behind the work Richard Stone, yesterday said Sir Keirs jittery reaction to it showed it had captured her presence.
But Mr Stone told the Daily Gazette newspaper he was not disturbed or perturbed by it being moved. He even told BBC Radio 4 he takes it as something of a compliment.
But artist Richard Stone said that Sir Keir's jitters showed the picture had captured Thatcher's 'presence' and took its removal as 'something of a compliment'
Mr Stone said if Sir Keir found it unsettling, then Id like to think that my portrait of Margaret Thatcher had a presence in that room.
Tory former Cabinet minister Esther McVey said the painting removal showed what a pathetic, petty minded little man Keir Starmer is.
Skills minister Jacqui Smith defended her party leader. She told Sky News: I dont think whether or not you shift a portrait from one room to somewhere else is the most pressing issue of the day.'
The family of the 26-year-old Portuguese woman who vanished at Notting Hill Carnival have rushed to her bedside after she was admitted to hospital 25 miles away from where she was last seen.
Patricia Araujo travelled from Ashford, Kent to London last weekend to attend the event but had not been seen or heard from since.
She last contacted her family just before midday on Sunday, telling her cousin that she was at the carnival 'having fun' and would return home that night.
Now her aunt Claudia Sousa, whom Patricia lived with before moving into a shared house, said she was found and has been admitted to Surrey County Hospital in Guildford. It is understood she was first spotted by a member of the public.
Claudia, who said she had been in constant contact with Patricia's mother before she was found, told MailOnline: 'I'm all the time trying to be strong for my family, because I have her mum and my mum (her grandmother) in Portugal and they are crying all the time. They were very concerned. Very worried.'
The family of 26-year-old Patricia Araujo (pictured) have rushed to her bedside after she was admitted to hospital in Surrey, 25 miles away from where she was last seen at Notting Hill Carnival in London
Video footage, captured by a stranger, shows Patricia at Notting Hill Carnival on Sunday wearing a brown dress with a black jacket tied around her waist and black shoes
Claudia Sousa, whom Patricia lived with before moving into a shared house, said her niece was found and has been admitted to Surrey County Hospital in Guildford (file photo)
Claudia, 41, revealed on Friday evening that the family had been informed that Patricia had been located and was in the hospital.
She said: 'We're going to the hospital now. We just know that she went to A&E and went to the hospital. We think that she is ok but we'll know when we see her.
'When the police called me I started crying. I don't know how I didn't fall over.
'Her mother and grandmother cried a lot. They put their hands to the sky like thank God she's found, and now let's see what we can do for her.'
Claudia said the family wanted to 'thank everyone for their concern' and for 'helping us by responding to the appeals we've made'.
One of her colleagues at the Travelodge Hotel in Ashford, Ryan Cassar, also posted on Facebook saying: 'Trisha has been found.'
Video footage, captured by a stranger, showed Patricia at Notting Hill Carnival on Sunday wearing a brown dress with a black jacket tied around her waist and black shoes.
This was the last reported sighting of the 26-year-old, who moved to the UK from Aveiro in northern Portugal six years ago, before she disappeared for five days.
Patricia Araujo (pictured), 26, travelled from Ashford, Kent - where she moved to six years ago from Aveiro in northern Portugal - to London last weekend to attend the carnival
Claudia previously raised concerns that Patricia, whose missing phone was found by a stranger, had been kidnapped.
She told KentOnline: 'So many days have passed by that were thinking about if she has been kidnapped.
'So many bad things happen at the carnival.'
The family also described her disappearance as 'very out of character' and travelled to London to look for her.
Relaying her niece's movements before she went missing, Claudia said Patricia went to Cameo nightclub in Ashford on Friday but left with a rucksack of clothes.
She told CNN Portugal: 'She got off the train at Stratford Railway Station and called her cousin and asked her if she could go to her house.
'She then headed there and left the rucksack with a change of clothes inside.
'Yara asked her why she had come alone and it was then Patricia said she was thinking of going to the Notting Hill Carnival.
Claudia (pictured) has told media in Portugal her niece went out in Ashford before heading to London with a rucksack to meet up with her cousin Yara who lives in the capital
Patricia last contacted her family just before midday on Sunday, telling her cousin that she was at the carnival 'having fun' and would return home that night
'Her cousin tried to talk her out of it and get her to go out in London with her instead, but in the middle of the night Patricia left and only told her cousin afterwards.'
Claudia said Patricia, or Trish as she is known in England, later told her cousin she was at the carnival and would return Sunday night.
But she never showed up and also has not gone to her job at Travelodge in Eureka Leisure Park, Ashford, since.
Her missing phone was reportedly found by a DJ on Sunday but Patricia's family only became aware of what was happening on Tuesday when he put the phone on charge and contacted them.
The Government will be 'flirting with real danger' if it slashes defence spending or turns its back on Israel, a former US National Security Advisor is warning.
Robert C O'Brien urged Labour to increase investment in its Armed Forces to 2.5 per cent as soon as possible a goal backed by the Mail.
In an interview with the Policy Exchange think-tank he said: 'I think (2.5 per cent) is a terrific goal. It has to be done quickly.
'Talk is cheap. The US is looking for action. A strong UK is tremendous for the West and for America.
Sir Keir Starmer's government will be 'flirting with danger' if it slashes defence spending or turns its back on Israel, a former US National Security Advisor has warned
Robert C O'Brien urged the Government to raise investment on the Armed Forces to 2.5 per cent as soon as possible
Mr O'Brien also warned against the UK imposing an arms embargo against Israel (file photo)
'The sooner the UK can get to 2.5 per cent the more secure the free world will be.'
He also warned the UK Government over an arms embargo against Israel.
He said: 'There is the potential there for a serious rift, whether it is a Harris or a Trump administration ... and I would tread very carefully.'
It comes as Israel agreed to halt some of its military operations in Gaza to allow health workers to launch a polio vaccine drive for some 640,000 Palestinian children.
The first pause began yesterday in central Gaza, where health workers will administer vaccines before moving to southern Gaza and then the North in nine days.
British prisoners could soon be housed in Estonian jails after the number of criminals imprisoned in England and Wales hit a record high of 88,350.
Estonia's minister of justice Liisa Pakosta yesterday said they have cells available to rent out to its Nato allies.
It comes as some judges have been warned not to send people to jail over low-level crimes and some prisoners have are set to be released early to ease the overcrowding issue in Britain's prisons.
Ms Pakosta said the scheme could be worth 25 million to Estonia and suggested that Britain and Sweden are already in talk to ship prisoners to the Baltic nation.
She said: 'Half of the spaces are empty. And it is true that I've submitted a memo to the government cabinet for discussion, to choose the direction of the solution with which to proceed.'
Estonia's minister of justice Liisa Pakosta yesterday said they have cells available to rent out to its Nato allies
It comes as some judges have been warned not to send people to jail over low-level crimes and some prisoners have are set to be released early to ease the overcrowding issue in Britain's prisons
The total number of prisoners in England and Wales as of August 30 is 88,350 which is the highest it has been since 2011.
It is an increase of 116 from the week before when it was 88,234 and nearly 1,000 more than four weeks ago when there were 87,362 imprisoned.
It comes after the recent far-right across the UK riots saw hundreds of arrests, on-going convictions and sentencing of violent protesters.
It forced ministers to activate 'Operation Early Dawn' last week, triggering emergency measures to avoid prison overcrowding as more rioters are sentenced.
The long-standing plan, described as a 'one in, one out' policy, has been implemented in the North of England in the wake of the recent widespread disorder across towns and cities.
It allows defendants to be held in police cells and not summoned to magistrates' court until a space in prison is available.
Since taking office, Labour has cut the proportion of a sentence inmates must serve behind bars from 50 per cent to 40 per cent.
Far-right protesters gather outside Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, which is being used as an asylum hotel, on August 4, 2024
Since taking office, Keir Starmer's Labour government has cut the proportion of a sentence inmates must serve behind bars from 50 per cent to 40 per cent
The temporary move - due to start on 10 September - is expected to result in 5,500 offenders being released in September and October.
It does not apply to those convicted of sex offences, terrorism, domestic abuse or some violent offences.
And those released early will serve the rest of their sentence under 'strict' licensing conditions in the community.
However, a convicted child rapist escaped a jail sentence last week because of the overcrowding crisis in Britain's prisons - with a judge admitting that time behind bars would have been 'virtually inevitable' otherwise.
A newborn baby is fighting for its life after being found allegedly abandoned under a carport in Melbourne's south-east overnight hours after it was born.
Police said the boy was discovered outside the home on Gladstone Rd in Dandenong North about 2.40am on Friday.
The infant's mother, a 25-year-old woman, was taken to hospital where officers said she remained under police guard.
Housemates of the 25-year-old woman told Nine News on Friday morning they didn't know she was pregnant.
'We just woke up and there was an incident and we had to call triple-0, and they came and helped us,' they said
'We are happy that the baby is okay, and we are still praying for her and the baby.
'We are ready to support her when she gets out of hospital.'
The housemate told Nine the new mother was a lovely woman who worked in aged care.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are under still investigation.
A wealthy California man claims his sex life has been ruined following a painful encounter at the luxury Venetian Resort in Las Vegas.
Michael Farchi, 62, says he was sleeping in the Palazzo Tower during the 2023 Christmas holiday when he woke up with a searing pain and realized a scorpion had bitten his testicles.
'He felt multiple additional stinging sensations on his hand and groin area,' according to a lawsuit filed on behalf of Michael Farchi and his wife, Batia.
Farchi reports experiencing PTSD, erectile dysfunction, and other lasting effects. His wife is also suing for loss of consortium, claiming that his and his wife's sex life has suffered due to the incident. The couple share a gorgeous $1.2 million home in Agoura Hills, California.
One of Farchi's California attorneys, Brian Virag of My Bed Bug Lawyer, explained to 8 News Now why they were also filing a claim on behalf of Mr. Farchi's wife.
A California man's claims his sex life with his wife has been ruined following a painful encounter in the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas
Michael Farchi, 62, who was visiting over the 2023 Christmas holiday, says he was bitten in the groin area while sleeping in the Palazzo Tower, and woke up with searing pain. He took a photo of the scorpion that bit him while still in his underwear
'She is alleging that their sexual relationship has suffered significantly since the sting,' he told .
'I didn't know what it was,' Farchi said. 'It felt like a sharp knife or glass stabbing me.'
Farchi explained that he immediately reached under the covers to find the scorpion and then alerted the hotel staff.
In court documents filed on August 27, the plaintiffs allege that the hotel breached its duty of care by failing to provide a clean and safe room free of pests, including bed bugs and scorpions.
The lawyer provided the 8 News Now with photos of the scorpion gripping on to his underwear.
'It really doesn't matter, so much, how it got there,' Virag said. 'The fact that it was there and they were on notice that there were prior issues of scorpions at the subject property that's obviously the main point here.'
One of Farchi's California attorneys, Brian Virag of My Bed Bug Lawyer, explained to 8 News Now why they were also filing a claim on behalf of Mr. Farchi's wife. 'She is alleging that their sexual relationship has suffered significantly since the sting,' he said.
Farchi's lawsuit alleges that the Venetian Resort was aware of a previous infestation of poisonous scorpions.
'From our understanding, there was some ongoing construction at the time that this incident happened,' Virag said.
Farchi provided 8 News Now with a medical incident report he filed at the Palazzo on December 26. The report details the incident, including his suite number and the note he wrote to hotel staff: 'bitten by scorpion on my groin/testicles.'
He also added that the hotel didn't take him seriously and even mocked him.
'(They were) just holding their groin area and laughing about it,' he said. 'It was really embarrassing.'
He was diagnosed with 'Poisoning: Scorpion Sting' by Summerlin Hospital, per the lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, Farchi was treated at UCLA Medical Center, where doctors diagnosed physical injuries, including erectile dysfunction, caused by the scorpion sting.
'Many effects on my family, my work everything,' Farchi said in an interview with 8 News Now.
Farchi is requesting a jury trial to determine damages for his past and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of companionship, and loss of enjoyment of life, as stated in the lawsuit.
The Palazzo at The Venetian Resort in sunny Las Vegas, Nevada. Sleep tight!
Farchi reports experiencing PTSD, erectile dysfunction, and other lasting effects. His wife is also suing for loss of consortium, claiming that his and his wife's sex life has suffered due to the incident
A statement from the Venetian said: 'To preserve the privacy of our guests, we're unable to comment on this incident. The resort has protocols for all incidents and we can confirm they were followed in this incident.'
The scorpion appears to be the Arizona bark scorpion, the only scorpion in North America considered to be dangerous to humans.
The bark scorpion has venom strong enough to cause serious symptoms similar to anaphylaxis and are often found in the Southwest.
Famed Aussie author Tim Winton has led the chorus of outrage after a fossilised tooth from a giant ancient shark was chiselled loose and stolen from a national park.
The megalodon tooth was removed from Cape Range National Park, about 1,300 kilometres north of Perth on the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Coast of Western Australia, earlier this month.
Winton, 64, said the news, which was confirmed by state government officials who said the offender likely used a 'chipping tool', was disappointing but sadly not surprising.
'People [are] chiselling out fossil teeth, you know, going into caves that they know they're not supposed to, camping wherever they want, driving their troopies wherever they want,' he told the ABC.
I've picked up enough human excrement at Ningaloo in the past couple of years to know that this is not an imagined problem.
'I don't know if it's just Insta-bogans but they bring everything up to Ningaloo except their good sense and their manners.'
Winton, who is local to the area and featured it in various of his written works, recently hosted the ABC documentary series Ningaloo Nyinggulu, which featured a cave that has now been gated to the public because of damage caused by illegal trespassers.
It is not the first time a similar fossil has been taken from the park, with a specimen removed from a secret site in 2018 and never recovered.
Famed Australian author Tim Winton has led a chorus of outrage over a fossilised tooth of a giant prehistoric predator being removed from a national park
The megalodon was a prehistoric shark that grew to 18metres in length and could weigh up to 50tonnes.
Speleologist Darren Brooks told the ABC megalodon teeth could sometimes fetch thousands of dollars but were normally worth much less and could be easily purchased online.
He said removing them from their context devalued them scientifically because most of what researchers learnt was from where the teeth were deposited.
Mr Brooks also decried the vandalism he was seeing in the park, including people carving graffiti into trees.
Winton said 'Instagram' tourists were a major threat to the park because they think 'they are better than everybody else, and the rules don't apply to them'.
Western Australia's state Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions told the ABC it has increased efforts to protect the Cape Range National Park, and was conducting more regular patrols and communication with the public.
WA state government officials said the giant tooth was removed from the Cape Range National Park earlier this month
Winton said the World Heritage listed Ningaloo Coast was being trashed by 'Insta-tourists' and he had been forced to pick up their 'human excrement'
Winton is an acclaimed author of novels, children's books and non-fiction works as well as being prominent in his conservation advocacy.
In 1997, he was named a Living Treasure by the National Trust of Australia, and has won the Miles Franklin Award four times.
Among some of his best known works are Shallows, Cloudstreet, Dirt Music, The Turning and Breath, while a number of his works have been adapted for TV and cinema.
A construction company has been fined after a 12-year-boy managed to access a building site before falling to his death.
Joshua Field, 12, climbed into the roof area of a building and was killed after he fell and was struck by a falling beam in May 2022.
He had accessed a construction site in Maddington in Perth's south-east through an open gate with his brother and cousins who then witnessed his fall.
His family had to make the heartbreaking decision to switch off his life support after he was rushed to the Perth Children's Hospital, 7News reported at the time.
PTG Construction was responsible for the site and had been building five single-storey residential units near high-density housing where families with young children lived.
The firm pleaded guilty to two charges of failing to ensure a workplace they were in control of was secured from unauthorised access.
The company was fined $18,000 and ordered to pay $1,500 in costs this week in the Armadale Magistrates Court.
At the time Joshuas sister, Charnte Turner, said her family had lost a beautiful soul.
Joshua Field, 12, was playing at an unsecured site and was killed after he fell from a roof
Joshua's sister, Charnte Turner, remembered 'Joshy' as a 'hero' after his life support was cut
'My 12 year old brother, Joshy, was injured after playing on a construction site,' she wrote on a GoFundMe page appealing for support.
'Shortly after getting rushed to hospital and fighting for his life, he sadly didnt make it.'
Charnte described her brother as a 'hero' for donating his heart, lungs and his kidneys to save others.
In a separate incident, Merym Pty Ltd trading as EMCO Building, was found guilty of failing to provide and maintain a safe workplace after a subcontractor became trapped under a concrete staircase that collapsed on him.
In April 2019, bricklayers employed by Swinging Bricklayers had removed steel props that were supporting the staircase to construct a load bearing wall under the recently formed concrete stairs.
Merym was fined $450,000 for causing serious harm and $35,000 in court costs in the Perth Magistrates Court.
Merym Pty Ltd was fined $450,000 for a worker injured by a collapsing concrete staircase
Swinging Bricklayers were also fined $600,000 and ordered to pay $5,000 in costs in February 2023.
WorkSafe commissioner Sally North said a wide range of safety risks could be present on construction sites and the two cases illustrated the point.
'In the case against Merym Pty Ltd, the company was the principal contractor and it changed the stairs from a pre-cast staircase that was assembled off-site then installed on pre-built load bearing brick walls to a staircase that was moulded and poured on-site with the brick walls built underneath when the formwork was removed,' she said.
'The bricklayers had little or no experience of working with this type of staircase and were not warned to avoid removing the props because they were holding up the stairs.
'The job was lacking in risk assessment, communication and instruction, and both companies involved in the incident have now been held to account.'
Ms North said the case against PTG Construction and Development illustrated the importance of site security in protecting the public from the hazards of a construction site.
'In this case security gates were present, but they were frequently left open after hours when the site was left unattended because PTG did not have a system in place to ensure the gate was closed and locked when the site was unattended,' she said.
'WA's workplace health and safety laws require that the person in control of a construction site must ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, that the workplace is secured from unauthorised access.'
A man has been charged after nearly 90 expensive, luxury cars were defaced with spray paint.
The cars, parked on public streets across Sydney's inner west and eastern suburbs, had their iconic badges sprayed with red or blue paint this month.
Alex Mucibabic, 49, was arrested in relation to the alleged spree after police executed a search warrant on Friday about 3pm at a unit on Pyrmont Bridge Road in Camperdown.
Police officers from Kings Cross, Surry Hills, Eastern Suburbs and Leichhardt received 87 reports of luxury cars that were sprayed with paint.
Officers from Central Metropolitan Region established Strike Force Opelika to investigate the incidents.
Police made a public appeal for assistance to catch the man responsible and released CCTV footage of a suspect.
Images of the luxury vehicles, including Porsches, BMWs, and Mercedes Benzes were shared amongst Sydneysiders as the number of sprayed vehicles grew between August 19 and 28.
Both new and older models of luxury cars were targeted on public streets.
More than 80 luxury cars were reported sprayed between August 19 and 28 in Sydney's inner east
Police released CCTV footage of a man they suspected to be responsible for the graffiti spree
Mucibabic was arrested and taken to Newtown Police Station where he was charged with 23 counts of destroy or damage property.
Parramatta Bail Court heard Mucibabic is expected to face further charges in relation to other cars allegedly involved, according to the Daily Telegraph.
It was also heard that Mucibabic had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, has very little memory of the alleged incidents, and often hears voices telling him to go walking at night.
He was granted strict bail with conditions that include he is not 'in possession of any paint cans, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Luxury cars including Mercedes Benzes and BMWs were sprayed with blue and red paints
His bail requires he reports to Glebe police twice a week, attend a local mental health facility and avoid the areas of the city where cars had been sprayed.
He must also obey a curfew preventing him from wandering outside between 9pm and 7am.
Mucibabic will next front the Sydney Downing Centre on Saturday, September 6.
A teenage girl has died riding a buggy in rural Queensland.
The girl suffered critical injuries after crashing the four-wheeler on a private property about 1.57am in Canoona, about 50km north of Rockhampton.
Paramedics assessed the girl on the property but she couldnt be saved, the Queensland Ambulance Service told 7News.
Just three weeks ago a 25-year-old man was killed in a buggy accident on a beach in Townsville.
Earlier in August, a man in his 50s died following an all-terrain vehicle crash while herding sheep on a rural Tasmanian property.
In March, 16-year-old Gage Fowler was killed in a horror late-night quad bike rollover in Darling Heights, Queensland.
Emergency services were called to a property in Darling Heights, south of Toowoomba in Queensland's south-east about 1.30am on March 17, following reports an ATV had rolled over.
Gage's death sparked an outpouring of grief from heartbroken friends at the time.
'Til we meet again bro, a gift to us all,' one wrote.
Another friend wrote: 'Always gonna be thinking of you my bro. Rest easy,'
Paramedics attended the Queensland property but couldn't save the teenager after the crash
More than 180 lives were lost in quad bike-related incidents in Australia in an eight-year period between January 2011 and March 2023.
Quad bike safety has been an area of focus for the ACCC which lobbied for tougher standards in 2018 as record levels of all-terrain vehicle-related deaths in Australia peaked.
New safety regulations were introduced in 2019 in a bid to reduce injuries and fatalities from riding the vehicles.
Mothers of soldiers killed in a string of tragic accidents which happened because lethal defects on army vehicles were left unfixed for years have spoken of their devastation and search for answers.
Vivienne George, whose son Second Lieutenant Max George, 26, died in 2022, and Moira Watson-Pickering, who lost her son Private Jethro Watson-Pickering, 23, the previous year, want to know how such tragic mistakes can happen again and again.
Five soldiers died in four incidents between 2017 and 2022, involving some of the most well-used vehicles, the Warrior and Jackal troop carriers, Scimitar light tank and Challenger II tank.
Analysis of the incidents by the Daily Mail published last week - found that, in each case, defects which contributed to what happened had been found years earlier but were not rectified.
Vivienne George, whose son Second Lieutenant Max George, 26, died in 2022. He was one of five soldiers killed in four accidents involving vehicles with lethal faults left unfixed for years
Service inquiry reports - internal MoD inquiries into deaths or serious incidents - into the tragedies identified almost 300 failings and made 227 recommendations.
This newspaper has conducted a forensic audit of the cases, revealing how commanders repeatedly missed opportunities to prevent the deaths.
Now, as defence chiefs must cut expenditure by hundreds of millions to fund a 6% pay rise, there are fears other fatal accidents will follow.
The failings can be revealed as the Daily Mail's Don't Leave Britain Defenceless campaign calls on ministers to increase funding for the Armed Forces to at least 2.5 per cent of GDP.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: 'Our thoughts and sympathies are always with the families, friends, and colleagues of those who have died. We owe a clear duty of care to personnel which we take extremely seriously.
'We're wholly committed to organisational learning which can better enable us to deliver that duty. The majority of recommendations made in these cases have been accepted and actioned.'
A brilliant future snatched away
A mother whose promising Army officer son was run over by a defective armoured vehicle told of her familys broken hearts saying he had his brilliant future snatched away and hasnt had the opportunity to live his life.
Vivienne George spoke out after her son, Second Lieutenant Max George, 26, a rising military star, was one of five soldiers killed in four accidents involving vehicles with lethal faults left unfixed for years.
Mrs George said she cannot understand how the faulty Warrior troop carrier was in use - and she and husband Martin, a headteacher, remain angry and heartbroken. She said they are looking for answers to understand how such tragic mistakes can happen again and again.
2Lt George, who died in June 2022 had only passed out from Sandhurst in December 2021 being awarded the Queens Medal by Princess Anne as best overall cadet - having achieved the highest results in military, academic and practical skills of his cohort.
Second Lieutenant Max George, 26, was killed after a Warrior Armoured Vehicle reversed over him while on a training exercise. An investigation found that an alarm which should have sounded if the rear hatch was open was inoperative due to a severed cable. The fault had been known about for several years but was never repaired
He qualified as an infantry platoon commander three months later and was rated by colleagues as the best theyd ever worked with.
Mrs George added: Some of his army friends were so inspired by Max that they have inscribed, What would Max do, inside their helmets.
His mother, who teaches English, said: Our brilliant son was in the absolute prime of his life and died because of a fault which could have been fixed.
I am so angry. The thing that upsets me most is that Maxs future was stolen because someone didnt do their job properly and call out the fault, which had been noted to be fixed since 2018
The vehicle should not have been in use. Im devastated not just because we miss Max so much but also, more than anything, because he has had his brilliant future snatched away and hasnt had the opportunity to live his life.
2Lt George of Fifth Battalion The Rifles was reversed over while exiting through the Warriors rear door.
An alarm to alert the driver if the door was not closed which an internal Ministry of Defence Service Inquiry found would have prevented the tragedy had not worked for four years due to a severed cable.
The inquiry found the vehicle had dozens of other faults and should not have been in use during the fateful exercise on Salisbury Plain.
Mrs George said: It wasnt an unfortunate accident, it was waiting to happen. It could have been anybody (who died) but happened to be my son.
Rear door alarms were fitted to Warriors after eight earlier reversing accidents and three deaths.
An inquiry into his death found the Warrior armoured vehicle - similar to the one pictured here, had dozens of other faults and should not have been in use during the fateful exercise on Salisbury Plain
Mrs George said the service inquiry report, while giving details of how her son died, has left her with more questions than answers about why the tragedy happened, providing no explanation for why the vehicle was in use.
She and her husband, a former Army Major in the Kings Regiment before he joined the teaching profession, are now waiting for an inquest.
Mrs George said the couple were attending Maxs younger sister Claudias graduation ceremony at the University of Exeter when the accident happened.
Officials had been sent to the couples home in County Durham but just a house-sitter was in, so she was contacted by telephone.
She recalled: It was a lovely day. We were taking pictures on the lawns at Exeter University and I had my phone in my hand when an unknown number rang.
I thought it was a scam but fell to the ground as it sank in.
The family drove to Ward Barracks in Bulford, Wiltshire, where 2Lt George was based, to see his commanding officer and meet his soldiers.
Mrs George said: I wanted to see his room. Hed just had his birthday and there were loads of presents, some still unopened. His towel was damp from him having had a shower.
On a visit to the hospital mortuary, Mrs George said: I wasnt even allowed to be alone with my son. He was covered up and I was only allowed to hold his hand. I was just talking to him and crying my eyes out.
The Georges also visited the accident site, where a memorial had been placed on a tree.
Mr and Mrs George arranged for his funeral to be held at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst suggested by their daughter, now 26, because Max had excelled there the previous year and had made many strong friendships.
While the chapel was packed with mourners, the service was live-streamed to over 600 people in 21 countries.
Mrs George said she has been overwhelmed by messages from friends and her sons friends and colleagues.
She said: They said he was the best theyd ever worked with. Who knows where he could have ended up?
Max George achieved a first in Politics with Spanish at Newcastle University then, having passed the Army Selection Board, he managed to slip in a Masters degree in Russian with Eastern European and Eurasian Studies at University of Glasgow, passing with distinction. Mrs George said her son had been in his absolute element in the Army.
He joined the regular commissioning course at Sandhurst in January 2021 having previously been a reservist officer with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in Northumberland.
Max worked his socks off at everything but was the epitome of modesty. He was really competitive but not to anyone elses detriment, always available to help others whatever time of day or night his mother added.
Since the tragedy, the family have raised over 21,000 for military causes and some other charities that Max had supported, including the Rifles Benevolent Trust by holding charity walks.
In one, in June this year, Maxs father walked hundreds of miles between the Rifles Battalions during which many people joined him for short parts of it, such was Maxs impact, Mrs George said.
Mrs George stressed that she and her husband do not want to be seen as knocking the Army and that the Chief of the General Staff at the time, General Sir Patrick Sanders, showed great compassion.
Mrs George said that while she welcomes safety improvements to the Warriors including installation of mirrors and faulty alarms being fixed, the family remain deeply affected by their loss, adding: Whilst were trying to rebuild our lives, I am a different person to who I was. I feel as if Im currently just existing for my husband and daughter.
The George family told how they have received hundreds and hundreds of letters and emails from their sons friends and colleagues paying tribute to him.
The letters describe how he was leaps and bounds ahead of everyone else at Sandhurst, with one saying that, while leading the final exercise, his command was so impressive that I still believe it to have been the best example of Company Command I have seen to date.
Friends recalled how he was always the first to do that which others did not want to but was also just as good company in the bar or at a social, usually with a pint in hand!
One said: Max was one of those rare people that made an impact on everyone he met. His professionalism, diligence and passion for what he did set him apart from the rest whilst still rubbing off some of his brilliance (on) those around him.
And another friend added: Not only was Max an incredibly good friend but I always have and always will look up to him as a role model. I hope it is some comfort that your son was exceptional in every way. He improved the lives of everyone he met. I miss him every day and remember him as humble, loyal and dedicated.
Mrs George revealed how one 10-page letter finished off: Max was my friend. It truly was a privilege to call him that. Surpassing that though is the fact that he counted me as his friend. I cannot overstate how great a man I believe him to be.
Further tributes described his astonishing humility, kindness and warmth and one said: Max was the outstanding young officer of our generation. I will always look to his example as the one to follow, and I know that my peers feel the same. Your son was one of the special people the Army - and our society - so desperately needs.
He was the best of the best.
All we want is for them to be safe while learning the job. Is it too much to ask?
Clutching her late son Jethros regimental scarf and beret, Moira Watson-Pickering is still riven by pain and grief.
But nearly three years on, the bereaved Army mother is determined to ensure no more soldiers suffer her sons fate.
In a plea to defence officials, the mother-of-four said today: We give them our most precious possession, our sons and daughters, who want to serve the country they love.
All we want is for them to be safe while learning the job. Is it too much to ask?
Moira also hit out at the lack of support for bereaved families, saying she was not offered the chance to be near her son and was also told misleading information.
Moira Watson-Pickering, pictured here holding her son, Jethro's regimental scarf and beret, has blasted the MoD for their lack of assistance following his tragic death on an army training exercise
And she was offered no assistance with the complicated paperwork which followed the tragedy.
She asked: Why is there no support with this process when you are alone and in pieces?
But while critical of those who sit behind a desk making decisions with no risk to themselves, Moira wants to stress that she has the utmost respect and admiration for all our men and women of the armed forces.
She said she has received a huge amount of support and many acts of kindness from Jethros battalion, who she describes as my boys.
Moira, who wears Jethros Yorkshire Regiment badge on her lapel, told how she misses him every day but added: Hes here all the time. In my opinion, family are forever.
Jethro Watson-Pickering was killed in a vehicle accident on Salisbury Plain in October 2021
The familys terraced home near Saltburn, Cleveland, is filled with reminders of her son, who became entranced with the armed forces as a five-year-old, saluting the television while watching the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall.
On a living room chair sit his cap, beret, belt, a wreath and framed platoon insignia, while his passing out photograph is on the mantelpiece.
Moira, a nursing assistant, remains very proud of her sons decision to enlist as an 18-year-old, despite her own reservations.
She said: As a mother, you are frightened to death but Im also very old-fashioned and I believe in duty and defending this country.
Jethro being put forward for promotion to Lance Corporal and also in line for a Special Forces selection test was told to drive a Scimitar during an exercise on Salisbury Plain in October 2021 despite not being trained.
After finding out about the Scimitars defect, Moira said: The MoD should be made to sort out the issues with the different vehicles. They have a duty of care.
Jethro being put forward for promotion to Lance Corporal and also in line for a Special Forces selection test was told to drive a Scimitar during an exercise on Salisbury Plain in October 2021 despite not being trained
Moira recalled her last conversation with her son - who served in the Baltic States, Canada and Germany, and helped in Britain with the Covid response the night before his death.
She said: He did mention he was going to be offered the chance to drive a tank.
I had a feeling I dont know what it was that this might not be a good thing (but) I wanted to be a supportive mother.
I miss all the possibilities Jethro wont have. Hes not going to get married, Im not going to see his children.
To add to the heartbreak, Moira said she was told misleading information by a MoD official who turned up on her doorstep hours after the tragedy.
She recalled being wrongly informed the accident, at 11.40am, had involved more than one tank and that Jethros Scimitar had tipped over when it was on its own and hit a tree.
The collision resulted in the turret spinning violently and hitting 23-year-old Jethro.
Moira said: The MoD woman told that Jethro was put into the air ambulance.
She said, if this gives you any comfort, there were a nurse in the helicopter with Jethro. She told me to tell you she felt very impelled to say a prayer.
A report revealed Jethros body remained trapped in the wreckage even as the official was at Moiras house at about 5pm - and was not moved until late at night.
Moira said: I hate the idea that at that very time, my son was actually still in the wreckage.
One of two soldiers with Jethro in the Scimitar, who suffered serious injuries, said there was nothing I could have done that I didnt do in trying to help his dying friend.
The former soldier, who been discharged, said: He (Jethro) was unbelievably devoted to his family, friends and job the best soldier Ive worked with. I wish I could have taken his place.
Its despicable and absolutely appalling that this accident happened.
He added: I joined up under the slogan Be The Best. I feel totally let down.
The MoD provided no further comment about its contact with the Watson-Pickering family.
Lucky Oasis fans have shared their joy at being among the first to nab tickets for the long-awaited comeback tour despite the overwhelming odds and ticket site crashes.
Some 14 million devotees from around the world are believed to have joined the queue for general sale - competing for a chance at one of around 1.4 million tickets.
The fight to the front has been marred by the collapse of popular ticket sites, overwhelmed by interest from desperate fans logging on this morning.
Those who beat the odds to claim a ticket took to social media to celebrate their success - or gloat over those still waiting.
Noel Gallagher and Liam Gallagher appear together in Italy in 2009 before their split
Morning Glory! Lucky fans have taken to social media to share their Saturday morning wins
Social media users jumped online after securing tickets - while others remain in long queues
As many a 14 million fans are expected to try for tickets on Saturday morning
One user took to Twitter/X to - apparently - joke 'I got four tickets and I only know Wonderwall' - as thousands of fans report outages across the major ticket sites.
Another shared how they had overlapped with their brother, who had already bought tickets, and said they were trying to sell three before the 9am general sale.
'Cannot tell you how good it feels knowing I've already got Oasis tickets,' one user added to the growing chorus.
'I have no idea how I got in so fast then I was like 676 from the start and got tickets within 10 minutes,' another said.
One fan told MailOnline they had signed on to multiple devices to boost their chances.
'Joined the queue on two different accounts, one from PC and one from the phone,' Herman said this morning, minutes after the general sale began.
'On the first I got placed at 6304 and the second at 301000, so I guess I got lucky.
'Still took 25 minutes to get them with 6000 ahead of me (and they first tried to offer limited view tickets which I then released to get better ones).'
Adrian told MailOnline this morning: 'Hey from Toronto, Canada! I'll be there next year! Site crashed out, but somehow I got them! Cheers.'
Alan told MailOnline he was fortunate enough to get his tickets via pre-sale - but still had to wake up especially early to join the queue.
'As somewhat of a superfan (having seen Oasis previously in Auckland, London, Manchester, New York and Sydney), I got lucky with the pre-sale ballot access.
'Set the alarm for 3:55am AEST and after a nervous wait, will be flying from Sydney Australia, for a Wembley show.
'Wishing good fortune to all other fans!'
Camilla Polson, was delighted to secure tickets to the opening night of the tour in Cardiff.
She said: 'Securing Oasis tickets is one of the greatest moments of my life. The iconic songs with the crowd singing along, it's easy to imagine how powerful that experience is going to be.
'There's something truly unique about being in a sea of fans who all share the same passion for the music.
'Having everyone eagerly anticipating the first chords of those iconic songs, will be absolutely thrilling. I'm sure it will be an experience I'll remember for a lifetime. I can't wait to be at the opening night of the tour in Cardiff!'
Superfan Peter Davies, 30, celebrated his win after securing four tickets for the opening night at Wembley for 600 - after joining the queue at number 1,051.
A previous attendee at both Liam and Noel's gigs alongside the last Oasis tour, he battled against website glitches to get the prized passes.
Speaking about his reaction, he told MailOnline: 'It was relief, at first, if I am honest. Then it dawned on me that I am actually going to go see Oasis at Wembley.
'All week we prepared for this. I spoke with family and friends to tactically plan for how we were going to try for different dates, then seeing if one of us got a code, how many tickets we would get and where in the stadium.
'I was the only one who got a presale code so it made it a lot easier to go for one date.
'I am looking forward to seeing an iconic and historical moment with my family we've all grown up loving Oasis and it's going to be something we're going to talk about for years.
'It's also going to be the first time my sister and girlfriend see Oasis live, so I look forward to seeing their reactions.'
Chase Lewellen of Tampa, Florida said that he had won tickets to see the band at Wembley, writing on Twitter/X: 'I can't believe it! My year has been made!'
Not all have had the same luck. One fan waiting anxiously online to buy tickets as a surprise birthday gift told MailOnline they had been waiting for tickets since 7:40am - but their ticket site crashed as they got to the front.
'Couldn't anticipate my excitement when it hit number one in the queue.
'Stomach churning with happiness once again and whole body shaking and then everything crashes.
'Cannot even secure a place in the queue for Dublin, let alone enter the website.
'I am utterly devastated and in a panic trying to get back into the queue... it's not happening.'
Several popular tickets sites have reported outages from 8am this morning, when the first tickets for Croke Park went on sale.
And 'Error 503', 'Shambles' and 'Crashed' all began trending on Twitter/X in the United Kingdom this morning.
Ticketmaster outages reported in the last 24 hours spiked as the first fans logged on.
Reports shot past 4,000 just after the hour, having sat at around zero through Friday into Saturday.
A spokesperson for Ticketmaster told MailOnline: 'The queue is moving along as fans buy tickets.
'As anticipated, millions of fans are accessing our site so have been placed in a queue.
'Fans are advised to hold their place in line, make sure they're only using one tab, clear cookies, and ensure they aren't using any VPN software on their device.'
Responding to complaints on Twitter/X, Ticketmaster advised fans on how to limit the likelihood of a crash.
'Please make sure you are only using one tab, clear your cookies, and ensure you aren't using any VPN software on your device,' Ticketmaster wrote in one post.
'Please clear your cache/cookies and ensure you aren't using any VPN software on your device/WiFi,' read another.
'If this doesn't help, please try using a different browser/device or using mobile data instead of WiFi.'
Gigs and Tours, another ticket-selling website, also flagged error messages for fans.
'The service is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later,' a notice on the site read.
Fans expressed their frustration online as sites crashed and queues became unwieldy.
One person wrote: 'What the hell TicketmasterUK! I signed up and registered to buy Oasis tickets and they have blocked me! I am not a bot!.'
Another wrote: 'So how and I supposed to try for tickets on Ticketmaster if I get this. Something stinks.'
Gigs and Tours, another ticket-selling website, also flagged error messages for fans.
'The service is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later,' a notice on the site read.
SeeTickets also ran the warning: 'Our Website is very busy! We have lots of people trying for tickets and you are being held on this page till a space becomes available.'
Amid the complaints, Rory from London joked on Twitter/X: 'This Oasis situation is dumb. It should be a queue at Wembley Stadium. Overnight. True test of dedication. Like what we had to do for the FA Cup final in 1997.
'All this internet wizardry is unjust, it favours the drips. Got people sending me pics of computer screens like they work at NASA, what chance have I got?'
Another user hit back: 'Just say you didnt get tickets, it's easier.'
IT experts also warn there is a 'huge possibility' that high numbers of Oasis tickets are being purchased by computer bots at once.
Ticket re-sellers often use automated software to buy more tickets for events than they are allowed, only to sell them on at higher prices.
Ticketmaster advised users on how to handle reported crashes on the site
Jake Moore, global cybersecurity adviser at software security firm Eset said some groups have the right software and knowledge to manipulate ticket websites, and even use bots to 'swoop in and purchase high numbers of tickets at once'.
He told the PA news agency: 'Being the next series of concerts since the demand for Taylor Swift tickets, I would suggest there would be a huge possibility of bots being used to swoop in.'
Many people used social media to say that they had been suspended from the Ticketmaster website as they were assumed to be a bot.
Mr Moore said: 'Bots mimic the activity of real users and even manipulate their location using off-the-shelf software such as a VPN.
'This is usually counteracted using bot detection software but this can often produce false positives when real users are assumed to be bots themselves.'
The Muslim community leader behind a political advocacy group gearing up to be a disrupting force in the next federal election has warned Labor not to take them for granted.
Ahead of the national campaign launch of Muslim Votes Matter (MVM) on Sunday in Melbourne, its national representative Ghaith Krayem said communities were feeling 'disillusioned' and 'disenfranchised' with the major parties over the handling of the conflict in Gaza.
'You've always assumed our community will vote Labor, and we will show this election that that will change,' Mr Krayem said.
'The message is the same to both sides. You need to stop assuming that the community will vote one particular way,' he said.
'That's why the Coalition doesn't engage with our community because it feels after we will always vote Labor, and Labor has taken us for granted because it's assumed we always vote Labor.'
He said he believed that 'was going to change' in the yet-to-announced election.
Sunday's event will share leanings from the UK election in July where five independent pro-Palestine candidates won seats held by UK Labour Party members, and a segment on the potential of a hung parliament.
While Mr Krayem stresses MVM is not running candidates but a body for political advocacy and education, he expects the group could mobilise up to 3,000 volunteers to campaign and man polling booths on election day.
The Muslim community leader behind a political advocacy group gearing up to be a disrupting force in the next federal election has warned Labor not to take them for granted
Currently that tally has nearly reached 1000, with interest increasing exponentially after every community event.
'We believe that this is the best time for us to increase the political mobilisation of our community,' said Mr Krayem.
'There is a lot of feelings of disenfranchisement and disillusionment with all sides of politics, and we wouldn't exist as a movement if that feeling wasn't there.'
While the exact seats where MVM believe it could flip the incumbent are being kept top secret until Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calls the election, calculations are being done in the background.
'As we get closer to the election, we will focus our campaigning to a much more targeted set of seats where we believe the number of Muslims, plus the candidate mix and the issues will give us the best opportunity to impact change come election day,' said Mr Krayem.
Sky News Investigations Reporter Jonathan Lea will examine the rise of the 'Muslim Votes Matter' group in a documentary called 'Clash of Faiths: The Fight for Muslim Votes'.
'It is very, very hard to describe the absolute outrage this community is feeling and experiencing,' Mr Lea told Sky News host Andrew Bolt.
'I have certainly never experienced anything like it in sitting down and trying to understand people's arguments and frustrations here.'
The full documentary will air next Tuesday at 7:30pm.
MVM has already identified 32 seats with high populations of Muslim-identifying voters.
They include electorates help by high-profile ministers like Education Minister Jason Clare's southwestern Sydney seat of Blaxland and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke's neighbouring seat of Watson.
Ahead of the national campaign launch of Muslim Votes Matter (MVM) on Sunday in Melbourne, its national representative Ghaith Krayem (pictured) said communities were feeling 'disillusioned' and 'disenfranchised'
Mr Burke's seat is already facing a challenge by local doctor Ziad Basyouny, who is running on a platform championing his high-migrant community, and greater Palestinian recognition.
He has not been endorsed by MVM, who say they will assess his credentials alongside other candidates once nominations close.
Until the election is called, MVM's two priorities are awareness and education, and addressing voter apathy in the community.
'We know that there is a significant portion of our community that doesn't vote, and the second issue is informal votes,' he said.
'(We want our community) to understand the importance of their participation, so they're ready for when the election is called, to make sure that they do participate and that their vote counts.'
Oasis fans who battled through a series of tech issues this morning to grab tickets for the band's reunion tour in 2025 will be inundated with further costs.
Bookmakers put the odds of landing one of the 1.4million tickets at just 14/1, however revellers for the UK dates will be forced to splash out on further costs including hotels, travel and of course, the all-important bucket hat.
This morning millions of loyal fans of the Britpop band joined the queue on an army of laptops, iPads and phones to increase their chances of getting one of the highly sort after summer gigs.
As the ticketing saga continues, thousands of distraught fans have labelled Ticketmaster's operation a 'shambles' and a 'disgusting monopoly' with some reporting crashes even when they got to first place in the queue.
Ticketmaster told MailOnline that the site did not crash and that the queue has been 'moving along as fans buy tickets'.
A new photograph of Liam and Noel Gallagher as they confirmed that Oasis have reformed
Fans have reported seeing messages of 'website not found' on Ticketmaster, with others say they have seen an 'Error 503'
The platform is the main provider selling the hotly-anticipated tickets but users are reporting constant crashes as thousands of fans have been unable to access the queue
Heartbroken fans have been messaging MailOnline following the repeated tech failures.
Lindsey Cook said she was 'gutted' as she was first place in the queue before TicketMmster crashed and went down.
Abby Hardman said her and her Manchester born and bred sister are on holiday and Ticketmaster kept blocking them and calling them bots, adding: 'There should be a way this is avoided as its not a fair game otherwise!'
Chloe Spence said she was been left 'extremely angered' after she was kicked off Ticketmaster while number 200,000 in the queue.
Susan Miles said: 'Been trying to log in to my Ticketmaster account since 8.10am. Not happening.'
Marlie Duff said: 'I woke up early to be ready and when a waiting room dropped I pressed join and it crashed and I got kicked out and then I joined a queue to get into the website and when it finally loaded it crashed and I got kicked out of that too.'
Veronica said: 'I logged on at 5.30am as my son really wants to go and see them. Count down was on and at 8.52 error came up and now I cant even log into the site.'
A graph showing the reported outages on the website show a massive spike this morning as people across the country failed in their quest to get tickets.
Due to the problems, Ticketmaster has implemented a queue system to enter the site.
A spokesperson for Ticketmaster said: 'The queue is moving along as fans buy tickets. As anticipated, millions of fans are accessing our site so have been placed in a queue.
'Fans are advised to hold their place in line, make sure they're only using one tab, clear cookies, and ensure they aren't using any VPN software on their device.'
A graph showing the reported outages on TicketMaster show a massive spike this morning
Fans across the country have been reporting issues with the website
Those who beat the odds to claim a ticket took to social media to celebrate their success - or gloat over those still waiting.
One fan wrote: 'What was all the fuss about? Logged on, tickets bought for 2 dates and back to my bed.'
But the lucky few with tickets to the reunion tour may not be smiling for much longer.
Oasis fans with tickets to see the band's first reunion gig back in Manchester could face a bill approaching 1,000 once travel, hotels and other expenses are factored in.
Ticket prices for the concert at Heaton Park on Friday, July 11 next year are a flat rate of 148.50 for standing, with pricier hospitality and luxury packages also available.
These are a 'hospitality area package' for 268.50; a 'merchandise and exhibition fan package' for 353.50; and a 'pre-show party and exhibition fan package' for 453.50.
Fans travelling to the gig from London by train will have to pay 109 for an Avanti West Coast off-peak return from Euston to Manchester Piccadilly as it stands - with that figure likely rise further after the next rail fares increase in March 2025.
As for accommodation in Manchester, there are currently 22 hotels listed on Booking.com for the night of the gig with 98 per cent in the city now unavailable.
The average rate across all available hotels is 528 with the cheapest being The Crown and Anchor at 221 and the most expensive the Ville Hotel at 1,144.
Oasis Live 25 tour dates JULY 2025 4th - Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th - Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th - Manchester, Heaton Park
12th - Manchester, Heaton Park
16th - Manchester, Heaton Park
19th - Manchester, Heaton Park
20th - Manchester, Heaton Park
25th - London, Wembley Stadium
26th - London, Wembley Stadium
30th - London, Wembley Stadium AUGUST 2025 2nd - London, Wembley Stadium
3rd - London, Wembley Stadium
8th - Edinburgh, Murrayfield
9th - Edinburgh, Murrayfield
12th - Edinburgh, Murrayfield
16th - Dublin, Croke Park
17th - Dublin, Croke Park Advertisement
The website has two Holiday Inn Express hotels in the middle of the price range the Manchester Trafford City for 422, and the Salford Quays for 439.
Visitors to the city will likely need to use the Metrolink tram to get between Piccadilly station, their hotel and the concert venue.
These cost 4.30 per day for an off-peak one-day travelcard within zones one and three, which can be used after 9.30am on weekdays or all day at weekends.
Fans will also want to get some food and drink before the show, with the Visit Manchester website recommending the Printworks area by Victoria station which has a range of popular chain restaurants such as Nando's, Chiquito and Wagamama.
An average meal in the city costs 15 and a typical draught beer is 5, based on the Numbeo crowdsourced cost of living database.
Once actually at the gig, revellers will also likely want to buy a drink and face paying 6.50 for a can of San Miguel beer, based on prices at this year's Parklife festival which was also held at Heaton Park.
Other prices for alcohol at that event included 6.80 for a can of Somersby Apple Cider, and 7.50 for an 187ml serving of rose or white wine.
Also at the concert, fans will likely be keen for a memento with the merchandise stands set to do big business.
Among the items they might want to buy are one of the new Oasis T-shirts released by Levi's this week in a tie-up with the band, costing 30.
The Definitely Maybe 30th Anniversary vinyl, released today, will also likely be on sale. The 'Strawberries & Cream' 2LP version currently cost 37.99 from HMV.
Oasis have added extra dates to their tour and will now play five shows at Wembley next year
Oais launched a collaboration with Levi's for a range of nostalgic T-shirts priced at 30 each
And finally, no trip to an Oasis gig would be complete without a bucket hat with the a dark grey 'Wonderwall' version from Liam Gallagher's 'Pretty Green' clothing label currently on sale for 45.
It comes after Oasis ticket prices were announced yesterday and three more dates were added in Manchester, London and Edinburgh for the Britpop band's reunion tour.
A seat to watch the band at London's Wembley Stadium begins at 74.25, with the most expensive ticket a 506.25 pre-show party, exhibition and seated package.
The cheapest seats are Cardiff's Principality Stadium shows, which will set you back 73, and Edinburgh's Murrayfield Stadium at 74, according to Manchester-based promoter SJM Concerts, which runs the website Gigs And Tours.
Before the announcement for UK shows, Irish promoters MCD said on its website that the price of both of the two Croke Park gigs in Dublin will start at 86.50 euros (72.75) without booking fees.
Liam Gallagher teased an official reunion during his set at Reading Festival on Sunday night
Noel and Liam Gallagher on the 'Che Tempo Che FA' TV Programme in Italy in November 2008
Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher are pictured performing live onstage in 2001
Standing tickets at Wembley will cost fans 151.25, with the same tickets in Cardiff and Edinburgh slightly cheaper at 150 and 151 respectively.
Tickets have not yet gone on sale, but the Manchester rockers invited fans to apply for a pre-sale ballot, which has now closed, before tomorrow's general release.
The UK and Ireland shows, which are the only European dates, were announced as follows: Principality Stadium July 4 and 5; Heaton Park July 11, 12, 19 and 20; Wembley Stadium July 25 and 26 and August 2 and 3; Murrayfield Stadium August 8 and 9; and Croke Park August 16 and 17.
It has not been announced who will be performing with Liam and Noel as part of Oasis.
Fans have been urging the brothers to regroup since they disbanded, a split prompted by a backstage brawl at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris on August 28, 2009.
Autopsies on the seven people who died on the superyacht Bayesian will begin today as it emerged the operation to lift the vessel will cost at least 15 million.
British tech billionaire Mike Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18, who was due to start at Oxford University in September, were among those who lost their lives when the yacht sank.
Raising the 56m yacht which went down after being hit by freak weather on August 19 off the coast of Porticello near Palermo on the Italian island of Sicily will be vital to the judicial investigation.
Prosecutors have so far placed three people under official investigation for causing a disaster and multiple manslaughter and they include the Bayesians captain New Zealander James Cutfield.
Two other British crew members chief engineer Tim Roper Eaton and watchman Matthew Griffiths are also being probed and all have been questioned by the prosecutor at Termini Immerse but have now left the island.
Autopsies on the seven people who died on the superyacht Bayesian - including tech tycoon Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah (Pictured) - have begun today
Hannah, 18 (Pictured) was due to start at Oxford before tragedy struck the Bayesian superyacht
Among theories being investigated are whether proper procedures were carried out by the drew to secure the yacht ahead of the storm which had been forecast and which had stopped trawlers heading out to sea.
Giovanni Costantino, of the Italian Sea Group, which owns Perini Navi, who built the Bayesian has already claimed the yacht was unsinkable and that human error led to the sinking, with possibly hatches and portholes left open.
There will also be focus on the keel of Bayesian which should have been deployed to its maximum length to help stability in and weather.
Raising the vessel will be a joint operation between the insurers and the owners of the yacht Revtom an Isle of Man based company which has Mr Lynchs wife Angela, who survived the sinking, as sole director.
A salvage company has yet to be appointed for the operation which experts say could take at least six weeks.
Aldo Mordiglia, lawyer for Mr Cutfield, 51, told MailOnline he expected the complicated procedure to start in October possibly and that it would be vital for the investigation the yacht was raised.
According to maritime code it is up to the owner of the yacht to sort out salvaging the Bayesian, but the judicial authorities will also play a key part.
Five others were also found in a separate compartment on the 'Bayesian' superyacht, which sunk on August 19
The 18-year-old's body was found alone in her own cabin on board the super-yacht after it sank 50 metres below the surface of the Mediterranean, rescue workers said
Raising the vessel for the judicial investigation, will be a joint operation between the insurers and the owners of the yacht Revtom (Pictured: Hannah with her father Mike Lynch)
Experts also want to raise her as quickly as possible because there are fears over the 18,000 litres of fuel onboard and an environmental ship is circling the area ready to deploy protective booms to control any potential spillage.
Diver Giuseppe Petrone who was among those who entered the vessel told MailOnline: There are personal effects in the Bayesian which will be recovered at some stage, my task was juts to recover the bodies but there are phones and other items there.
La Repubblica newspaper said the vessel contained telephones, money and laptop computers as well as jewellery which would all have to be returned to its owners and as well as the contents of onboard safes.
A 200 metre exclusion one has been placed around the Bayesian and the area is constantly patrolled by coastguard vessels and police launches.
Experts Mike Sloane and Giovanni Ceccarelli, who worked on the recovery of the Costa Concordia, when it sank in 2012, said:The sailing ship must be recovered in one piece, only the mast can be sacrificed.
Raffaele Macauda, commander of the Port Authority and the Coast Guard of Palermo, said:We are monitoring the environmental impact and we can assure you that there have been no fuel spills.
Rescue workers standing by after recovering the body of Hannah Lynch off the coast of Porticello on August 23
Search teams at the site of the Bayesian sinking as they prepared to continue looking for Hannah Lynch on August 23
After that, we await the first plan from the shipping company to empty the tanks, the first step in the recovery.
The first four autopsies are scheduled for this morning on the bodies of the Bayesian victims: the English banker Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judith, the American lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Nada.
The tests on the other three victims, the English tycoon Mike Lynch, his 18-year-old daughter Hannah and the ship's cook Recaldo Thomas have been scheduled for the first few days of next week.
The autopsies, considered unrepeatable tests, will be attended by the consultants of the injured parties and the three suspects.
A 77-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman was found dead at a house in Cheltenham in the early hours of this morning.
Emergency services were called to reports that a woman had been 'seriously injured' at a property on Fairfield Road around 3.30am on Saturday.
The 66-year-old was declared dead at the scene, and Gloucestershire Police soon reported that they had arrested a 77-year-old man, who remains in custody.
A scene guard remained in place around the home on a quaint road in the holiday spa town late this morning, with police still stationed at the address as of 10am.
Police have launched an investigation and are appealing for anybody with information to come forward.
Gloucestershire Police said they found a woman at a property on Fairfield Road (pictured)
No further information was provided about the identity of the man or the woman, or whether they were known to each other.
The man was only identified as a 77-year-old from Cheltenham.
Officers from the Major Crime Investigation Team have already started their probe into what happened, and are looking to compile evidence.
Police have asked anybody with information that might help to get in touch via their website, quoting incident 42 of 31 August.
Information can also be reported anonymously via the independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or via their website.
A man has been charged with grievous bodily harm after allegedly stabbing another man who was found with chest wounds in a Gold Coast shopping centre bathroom.
Raymond Wilkinson, 42, was allegedly stabbed in the chest during an altercation with another man at Welch Street, Southport at around 12.20pm on Friday.
Mr Wilkinson then stumbled to the nearby Australia Fair shopping centre before collapsing on a public bathroom floor.
He was discovered by a member of the public who called emergency services.
While Mr Wilkinson underwent emergency surgery on his chest wounds, police launched a wide-scale search for his alleged attacker, eventually arresting a 43-year-old man at the Gold Coast suburb of Miami late on Friday night.
He was charged with grievous bodily harm, possessing a relevant substance and possessing drug utensils and was remanded in custody to face Southport Magistrates Court on September 10.
A man has been charged with grievous bodily harm after allegedly stabbing another man (pictured on stretcher) who was found in a the bathroom of a popular Gold Coast mall
The victim was discovered clinging to life before he had surgery in hospital and is subsequently in a stable condition
Emergency services were called to Australia Fair shopping centre on Marine Parade in Southport at around 12.20pm on Friday
The location is across the road from the Gold Coast Show, which has drawn thousands of people to the Broadwater Parklands amid 31C temperatures.
In March this year a young woman was stabbed at the Pacific Fair shopping centre on the corner of Hooker Boulevard and Gold Coast Highway in Broadbeach.
The woman aged in her 20s, was discovered with two stab wounds.
There have also been serious incidents involving knives at shopping centres in Melbourne and Sydney, including the horrific death of six people at Westfield Bondi Junction in April.
Police have issued a major warning about the circulation of potentially lethal illicit drugs in Canberra after four deaths from overdoses in the past two months.
ACT Police suspect high purity drug levels, or the addition of dangerous synthetic opioids such as fentanyl or nitazenes, are responsible for the deaths in the nation's capital.
The most recent cases in the cluster include a man and woman who died in separate incidents on Thursday - in addition to two others over the last two months.
Police are yet to determine the exact causes of the overdoses.
ACT Policing Detective Acting Superintendent Dave Craft said synthetic opioids have been identified in the ACT as recently as May this year.
'While police are focused on disrupting drug suppliers who deliberately cause harm and misery to our community, we want to raise awareness on this issue,' he said.
'(We) encourage illicit drug users to engage in harm minimisation practices and protect themselves from these harmful substances currently in circulation.
'There is no safe drug use, however we understand drug addiction is a health issue.
The most recent deaths include a man and woman who died in separate incidents on Thursday - in addition to two others over the last two months
'In light of recent overdoses that police have attended we are urging those who are using drugs to do this as safely as possible.'
Superintendent Craft said officers had responded to incidents where people had died overnight, losing consciousness in the middle of the night and not being discovered until the next morning.
He said he didn't want to see more preventable deaths in the community.
ACT Police said drugs can be tested at CanTEST - a free and confidential chemical analysis of pills and drugs intended for personal use.
Earlier this year, a 60 Minutes program exposed the danger behind nitazenes and how they were ending up in the hands of vulnerable people.
Nitazenes are a highly potent synthetic opioid developed in the 1950s - but their strength meant they never made it onto pharmacy shelves.
On the program, experts revealed any type of substance from MDMA to cocaine, counterfeit painkillers and even vapes, could be laced with the lethal substance.
Twenty nitazene-linked deaths have already been reported in Australia, on top of dozens of overdoses.
Police have issued a major warning about the circulation of potentially lethal illicit drugs in Canberra after four deaths from overdoses in the past two months
Health authorities have issued multiple alerts for the dangerous drug, with one from NSW Health in November linking a death to nitazenes found in black market vape juice, which are used to refill vape pens.
In May, NSW Health issued a warning after four people in Sydney overdosed and were hospitalised from nitazenes.
One month earlier, 20 people overdosed in the Nepean Blue Mountains area, where nitazenes were found in people who thought they were using heroin.
Podcaster Joe Rogan tore into Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama's DNC speeches as he branded them hypocrites.
The comedian, 57, particularly raged against the Democrats for their speeches focusing on poverty and income inequality, despite their huge personal net worths.
'(Oprah) is up there talking about income inequality like, 'Hey lady, you're rich as f***'... how is that equal?' he said on his show, The Joe Rogan Experience, on Thursday.
Rogan's criticism of the DNC comes days after he slammed liberal network MSNBC for allegedly editing sections of his podcast together to make it falsely appear that he was endorsing Kamala Harris.
Podcaster Joe Rogan tore into Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama's DNC speeches during the Thursday edition of his show The Joe Rogan Experience
Oprah was criticized for her DNC speech on poverty and income inequality despite her $3 billion net worth, similarly with Michelle Obama who said her family were 'suspicious of folks who took more than they needed'
At the DNC in Chicago this month, both Oprah and Michelle Obama spoke of their humble roots as they took aim at Donald Trump and the Republican Party.
Oprah said protecting democracy 'requires standing up to life's bullies' and said she had personally suffered from 'racism and sexism and income inequality and division.'
In response, the Trump campaign shared a letter Oprah once sent to the Republican in 2000 - when he was a pop culture figure and not a politician - telling him to run for president, where she said: 'Too bad we're not running for office... what a team!'
Michelle Obama took a similar line to Oprah in her speech about 'the meaning of hard work and humility and decency.'
'She and my father didnt aspire to be wealthy. In fact, they were suspicious of folks who took more than they needed,' Obama said in her speech.
'They understood that it wasnt enough for their kids to thrive if everyone else around us was drowning.'
But both speeches were panned by Rogan, pointing out that the leaders failed to mention their own personal fortunes while lecturing on inequality.
Rogan said: '(Oprah) is up there talking about income inequality like, 'Hey lady, you're rich as f***'... how is that equal?'
'How about Oprah?' Rogan said. 'Oprah was talking about her and Trump running together, and now shes speaking to the DNC that hes a threat to democracy.
'Shes up there talking about income inequality, like, Hey lady, youre rich as f***'... How is that equal?'
He continued: 'And also when Michelle Obama was saying, you know, I think she was saying her mother or grandmother was always suspicious of people who took more than they needed.
'Like, you are worth so much money. Thats so crazy. You did it on a civil servants salary which is insane.'
Rogan's criticism of the duo's DNC speeches was echoed by many on the right, with conservative radio host Dana Loesch also pointing to Oprah's $3 billion net worth following her DNC speech.
'Kinda weird for Oprah, with her Hawaiian estate and multiple homes, expensive wardrobes, frequent luxury vacations, etc., to talk about income inequality,' Loesch wrote.
More than 21,000 migrants have arrived on small boats across the English Channel since January, the Home Office has confirmed.
Yesterday, 408 people arrived on nine boats, bringing the 2024 total to 21,063 - some 1,758 people over the past seven days.
Since Sir Keir Starmer entered Downing Street, 7,477 people have made the crossing - an average of 131 people per day.
Under Rishi Sunak, 50,645 people arrived on small boats, averaging almost 82 people per day.
Liz Truss, whose premiership covered the autumn of 2022, saw an average of 210 people arriving each day.
In total 135,385 people - the equivalent of a town the size of Watford - have crossed the Channel since 2018.
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Some 408 migrants crossed the English Channel on severely overcrowded boats such as this one yesterday, the Home Office has revealed
They were taken to Dover where they will be processed by UK Border Force
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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.'
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A man at GOP candidate Donald Trump's rally in Pennsylvania had to be tasered to the ground after he attempted to jump into the press section.
The man, who was wearing sunglasses and a gray jacket, tried to storm into the area moments after Trump criticized media outlets for supposedly favoring his Democratic rival Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, in their coverage on Friday.
Footage taken at the Johnstown rally shows cops and rally-attenders trying to peel the disrupter off the metal fence as he continued to cling on with both his arms.
But after a few seconds of struggle, officials managed to pull him down while crowds of people chanted.
A man (center) at GOP candidate Donald Trump 's rally in Pennsylvania had to be tasered to the ground after he attempted to jump into the press section
In the end, the man could be seen being pushed to the ground as officers tasered him.
The crowd continued to cheer as a pack of police led the man away, prompting Trump to declare: 'Is there anywhere thats more fun to be than a Trump rally?'
Officials also handcuffed another man in the crowd and led him out of the arena, though they did not clarify if that detention was related to the initial altercation.
It remains unclear what motivated the man to try to storm the area or whether he was a Trump supporter or critic.
The sunglasses-wearing daredevil tried to storm into the area moments after Trump criticized media outlets for supposedly favoring his Democratic rival Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, in their coverage
Officials managed to pull him down from the metal fence while crowds of people continued to chant
In the end, the man could be seen being pushed to the ground as officers tasered him
Fierce criticism of the media has become a standard part of Trump's rally speeches, prompting his supporters to turn toward the press section and boo, often while using a middle finger to demonstrate their distaste for journalists.
The failed attempt comes days after it was revealed that the Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old man who shot at Trump and grazed his ear, may not have been working alone.
Republican Rep. Mike Waltz said the gunman's motivation is still unknown and he is worried a foreign entity or other third-party could have been involved in the attack.
Waltz queried how federal law enforcement can confidently say Crooks was a lone wolf if they can't answer other questions like why he had multiple foreign encrypted messaging accounts.
The crowd continued to cheer as a pack of police led the man away, prompting Trump to declare: 'Is there anywhere thats more fun to be than a Trump rally?'
Fierce criticism of the media has become a standard part of Trump's rally speeches, prompting his supporters to turn toward the press section and boo, often while using a middle finger to demonstrate their distaste for journalists
Supporters cheer for Republican presidential nominee during a campaign rally in the 1st Summit Arena at the Cambria County War Memorial on August 30
A man holds a flag as another man is apprehended by security and police after jumping onto the media platform at a campaign rally for Republican presidential nominee
His comments came after it was revealed that Iran was also plotting an attempt on the former president's life around the same time that Crooks carried out his plan.
'The more we get into it, the more questions I have,' Waltz said.
'It's really what's coming out around it that is so disturbing.
'And for me, the thing that's most disturbing is that we have ongoing plots from Iran to take out a former president, leading candidate, and that a Pakistani national was just arrested after making a down payment for hitmen, and it's barely even being covered in the news.'
Crooks was able to create multiple explosives with remote detonators, another thing that raised Waltz's eyebrows and makes him wonder whether he had help.
As the FBI, U.S. Secret Service (USSS) and Department of Homeland Security conduct their investigations into the massive security failure, Waltz and 12 other lawmakers on a House task force are also looking into the attempted assassination.
Two people have died from injuries sustained in separate Notting Hill carnival attacks.
Cher Maximen, 32, was transported to hospital in a critical condition from Golborne Road last Sunday after she was caught in the middle of a fight between two groups of men.
The mother was brutally stabbed in front of her three-year-old daughter before being rushed away by paramedics, but tragically despite best efforts from medical staff, Cher died this morning.
In a double tragedy from the event Mussie Imnetu - a Michelin star chef who hails from Eritrea but grew up in Sweden - was knocked unconscious on the busy shopping street in Queensway on Monday night, also in the vicinity of the carnival celebrations.
The 41-year-old, who had worked under Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing, suffered a severe head injury in the assault and sadly passed away yesterday.
Arrests at this year's carnival hit their highest level since 2019 with 334 detained in two days as police said they were 'tired' of violence blighting the event.
Cher Maximen, 32, was transported to hospital in a critical condition from Golborne Road after she got caught in a fight between two groups of men
The mother was tragically stabbed in front of her three-year-old daughter before being rushed away
Mussie Imnetu - a Michelin star chef who hails from Eritrea but grew up in Sweden - was knocked unconscious on the busy shopping street in Queensway on Monday night
The 41-year-old suffered a head injury in the assault and sadly passed away yesterday
A court heard how Cher was stabbed with a 'Rambo-style knife' and suffered a cardiac arrest, after losing 20 units of blood and a collapsed lung.
Shakiel Thibou, 20, was charged with attempted murder, possessing a knife and violent disorder.
He attended court alongside his older brothers Sheldon, 24, and Shaeim, 21, who were also charged with violent disorder and assault by beating of an emergency worker.
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.
Shakiel was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, 25 September.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan commented: 'It is heartbreaking that Cher Maximen and Mussie Imnetu have died after being attacked in separate incidents over the bank holiday weekend.
'My thoughts are with their families and friends at this truly terrible time.
'This violence is shocking, completely unacceptable and a betrayal of the values that (Notting Hill) Carnival was founded to celebrate.'
In the case of Mussie, Omar Wilson a 31-year-old man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody at a south London police station.
Mr Imnetu was visiting the UK from Dubai where he lives and works as a top chef at The Arts Club. He designed a seasonal menu for the luxury restaurant 'inspired by flavours from the Mediterranean and beyond.'
The club said in a statement: 'After joining The Arts Club London in 2011, Mussie was part of the opening of the club's Dubai location in 2020.
'Known for his passion, calm demeanour and kindness, Mussie truly embodied the club's essence.'
A court heard how Cher was stabbed with a 'Rambo-style knife' and suffered a cardiac arrest, after losing 20 units of blood and one of her lungs collapsed
Following her death, Shakiel was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, 25 September
Mr Imnetu was visiting the UK from Dubai where he lives and works as a top chef at The Arts Club
As part of a business trip to the UK, Mr Imnetu went to The Arts Club branch on Dover Street in West London on Monday afternoon.
He was wearing a blue t-shirt and black jeans. He later bought a white baseball cap.
Mr Imnetu left The Arts Club at around 1pm.
At around 10.30pm on Monday evening, Mr Imnetu went to the Dr Power restaurant on Queensway where food was being served from stalls outside and loud music was playing.
The venue and surrounding area was teeming with carnival-goers - some of whom helped to stop the attack at around 11.20pm, according to the force.
The organisers of Notting Hill Carnival said in a statement: 'Notting Hill Carnival is shocked by these tragic deaths and our thoughts are with the victims' families and the local community as a whole, which like so many others, has suffered all too often from the blight of violent crime.
'We stand together against all violence and condemn these acts, which are against all carnival values and the millions of people who come in celebration of them.'
German chef and restaurateur Rainer Becker (right) shares culinary tips with Mr Imnetu (left)
Dancers prepare to take part in the parade at the Notting Hill Carnival in London on Monday
Mr Imentu (left) with French chef Alain Passard (right)
Detective Chief Inspector Alex Gammampila of the Met's Homicide Command, who leads the investigation, said: 'My thoughts are with Cher's loved ones as they come to terms with this terrible loss.
'They are being supported by specialist officers and we will make sure that support continues.
'Cher was at Carnival with her young child. We have been in close contact with our local authority partners and Cher's family since soon after this incident to make sure the child is safe and looked after.'
Commander Charmain Brenyah, the Met's spokesperson for Carnival, said: 'The news of Cher's tragic death is devastating for her family, the wider community and all those involved in delivering the Notting Hill Carnival.
'Carnival is about bringing people together in a positive celebration. That it has ended with the tragic loss of life, among other incidents of serious violence, will sadden everyone involved.'
Anyone with information should call the police on 101 or message @MetCC on X or contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 giving the reference 8020/26AUG.
Disturbing text messages, some of which discuss incest role-playing, allegedly show years of abuse and grooming by a Massachusetts cop who was charged with the murder of his pregnant girlfriend.
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.
Court documents viewed by DailyMail.com show alleged text messages revealing the two began their relationship when Birchmore was underage at just 15 years old and that Farwell continued to fantasize about having sex with her as if she was still a minor.
In a February 21, 2020 text exchange, Farwell allegedly described pinning Birchmore down during sex as part of his sick role-play fantasy and asked her: 'Will you say "Matt stop Im 13 Im not ready for this omfg please stop."'
Investigators also noted that Farwell asked her to pretend that he was her brother during their next sexual encounter, and that after he asked Birchmore how old she'd pretend to be, Farwell said, '14' along with a winking face emoji.
Sandra Birchmore, 23, was three months pregnant when she was killed in February 2021
Matthew Farwell, 38, is accused of killing her to prevent her from speaking out about their relationship and his alleged criminal conduct
On that same day, the two allegedly discussed when they first started their sexual relationship and Farwell admitted he was interesting in having sex with Birchmore in 2012, when she was 14 years old.
'What was the first day you said omg I want this guy to be my first I want to feel him inside me,' Farwell said.
'Yeah so 2012 I finally decided that I was gonna try and find a way to f**k you and just wasn't sure how,' Birchmore replied.
'I absolutely wouldve fucked you in [2012],' said Farwell, according to the court documents.
Police claim 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.
Birchmore joined Stoughton Police Explorer's Program in 2010, which was dedicated to teaching young people about careers within law enforcement, when she was 12. Farwell was an instructor with the program.
On June 19, 2020, Birchmore and Farwell allegedly texted about his past sexual abuse of her and admitted he could have made her do anything he wanted.
'Lol if I pushed I absolutely couldve f****d you without condoms from day one,' Farwell said, according to authorities.
'Probably if you really pushed it,' said Birchmore. 'I was kinda scared to say no in the beginning not knowing how youd take it so yeah you would've got no comdoms [sic] lol.'
When Birchmore learned she was pregnant in late 2020, she drew the father-to-be a card to celebrate.
'Congrats, we are going to be parents! 2021,' the text read. It was adorned with rainbow coloring in and stickers of animals.
Text messages revealed the former cop had a penchant for choking the young woman and acted out incestuous role-play fantasies with her
Birchmore joined Stoughton Police Explorer's Program in 2010, when she was 12, and Farwell was an instructor with the program
The 23-year-old sent a picture of the card to Farwell, which prompted an argument over if he would sign the birth certificate.
'You are truly the worst person on the face of the earth,' Farwell told Birchmore.
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.'
Kentucky officials are on the lookout for a man who has allegedly defecated on his neighbor's porch multiple times over the past week.
The homeowner has reportedly lodged multiple complaints about the alleged 'porch pooper' with the Louisville Metro Police after catching him committing the heinous act on his doorbell video.
The victim, who did not want to be identified, being targeted by the so-called porch pooper said he first noticed something was up on August 27.
'Tuesday morning, I went out to my front porch and noticed what I thought was cat poop,' he told WAVE3.
Kentucky officials are on the lookout for a man who has allegedly defected on his neighbor's porch multiple times over the past week
LMPD is searching for this man, who is accused of defecating on the front porch of a Louisville man's home multiple times.
Full story: https://t.co/uATgQtL2Yu pic.twitter.com/CIOhBmZnky WAVE (@wave3news) August 30, 2024
As he cleaned it up and checked his Nest doorbell camera, he noticed that it was a man wearing socks, shorts and a UofL T-shirt rather than what he originally thought was a feline.
'Not only did he defecate, but he also urinated on our welcome mat,' he added.
On August 26 night, the accused had also supposedly peered into the victim's house and run off without leaving any unwanted surprises.
The homeowner claims that he has 'no idea' why he is being target by his neighbor.
'I have no idea, no idea. We're good neighbors. We keep to ourselves, we behave ourselves. I can't imagine anyone would want to do this kind of retribution,' he said.
The victim, who did not want to be identified, being targeted by the so-called porch pooper said he first noticed something was up on August 27
The homeowner claims that he has 'no idea' why he is being target by his neighbor
The accused also visited the victim's house on the night of August 27, striking again for the third time.
As the homeowner received a notification from his camera, he rushed to confront the man but by the time he made it to the front door, the accused had run away.
The man reportedly last came by on August 29 but in a turn of events, simply slapped on his neighbor's door and ran away.
'I'm relieved that he's not violent or he's not trying to force entry. He's just doing his deed, but it's very disconcerting and disturbing,' the very distressed owner said.
Louisville Metro Police urged anyone with further information to contact them
Oasis' two concerts in Dublin have sold out, as 160,000 tickets are snapped up within hours.
The legendary 90s band is set to play for the lucky fans at Croke Park on Aug 16 and 17 2025 as part of their highly-anticipated Live '25 Tour.
Although Ticketmaster's Irish site made the announcement, it also added that more tickets may still be released later.
The website posted a message saying: 'UPDATE: There are currently no tickets available. Please check back later as more may be released.'
Fans continue to battle for the 'very limited' UK tickets left. Some 14 million devotees from around the world are believed to have joined the queue for general sale - competing for a chance at one of around 1.4 million tickets.
Oasis' two concerts in Dublin have sold out, as 160,000 tickets are snapped up within hours
The legendary 90s band is set to play for the lucky fans at Croke Park on Aug 16 and 17 2025 as part of their highly-anticipated Live '25 Tour
Although Ticketmaster's Irish site made the announcement, it also added that more tickets may still be released later. Pictured: the Dublin stadium
Long-time fan, Scott McLean, 28, tried for tickets to see Oasis in Dublin next year but said he felt frustration and anger after he was kicked out of the Ticketmaster queue.
The data analyst from Belfast, Northern Ireland, logged into his account on the ticket-selling website at 7.30am on Saturday ahead of Irish sales opening at 8am.
He was in a queue of 20,000 for about 30 minutes before selecting four tickets to see the band's show at Croke Park.
However, his browser began buffering for half an hour as he tried to make the purchase, prompting him to contact the Ticketmaster customer service account on X, formerly Twitter, for advice.
'I followed their advice, cleared my cookies and cache on my browser and then it kicked me out completely. It just came up to that error screen after I followed their guidance,' he told the PA news agency.
'I had to rejoin the queue and I ended up about 700,000 places worse off after following their guidance.'
Fans watch as Ed Sheeran performs in concert at Croke Park, Dublin
Noel Gallagher and Liam Gallagher appear together in Italy in 2009 before their split
He said he feels 'frustration and anger, not much more than that', adding: 'It's just tickets for a concert after all, but I really wanted to go.'
The ticket 'bloodbath' has sparked furious reaction from the band's legions of fans who have missed out.
Users on X, formerly Twitter, also reported the price for tickets nearly doubling from around 148 to around 355 on Ticketmaster after they waited for hours to secure their place at the Oasis Live 25 shows.
An explanation by the website about the 'on-demand standing ticket' price says: 'The event organiser has priced these tickets according to their market value.
'Tickets do not include VIP packages. Availability and pricing are subject to change.'
Ticketmaster said it does not set prices, and shared a link to its website where it says costs can be 'fixed or market-based'.
It is believed that ticket prices are set by the promoters, not the artists.
Oasis told fans on Saturday to only buy tickets from the official websites amid reselling websites listing inflated prices for the Manchester rockers' gigs.
The band said on X: 'Please note, Oasis Live '25 tickets can only be resold at face value via @Ticketmaster and @Twickets!
'Tickets appearing on other secondary ticketing sites are either counterfeit or will be cancelled by the promoters.'
Twickets attempted to reassure fans, who had missed out so far, by telling them not to 'panic' or visit 'unofficial sites' for resold passes.
It also wrote on X: 'Twickets will have tickets available soon. Register to receive our newsletter and we'll let you know.'
Tickets are officially being sold via Ticketmaster, GigsAndTours, and See Tickets, however, the band's reunion concert tickets have also been relisted on ticket exchange and reselling websites, Viagogo and Stubhub, for thousands of pounds.
Chief executive of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers, Jonathan Brown, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'It's a dreadful combination, I suppose, you've got that high level of emotion, a high level of excitement about Oasis reforming, and a limited supply of tickets - and that's going to lead to problems, it's going to lead to people trying to scam people.'
UK Music chief executive Tom Kiehl also called inflated ticket prices of 'great concern' on the show.
Mr Kiehl added: 'Obviously, it's a natural tendency, if you can't get tickets, to find alternative sources but I very much urge music music fans today, if they don't get tickets, not to take that route.'
Oasis are set to add two more dates to their highly anticipated reunion tour at Dublin's Croke Park venue, insiders revealed.
The bands first two gigs in Ireland were the first of their 17 shows to sell out after the in-demand tickets went on sale this morning.
Tickets for the two dates - August 16 and 17 - sold out within minutes, with fans desperately pleading with Oasis to add extra performances to the roster.
Now, showbiz insiders have revealed it is highly likely that the kings of Brit-pop will add an extra two dates at Croke Park the following weekend on August 23 and 24.
A showbiz told the Irish Sun: 'The demand in Ireland to see Oasis is absolutely massive.
Showbiz insiders have revealed that is highly likely the kings of Brit-pop will add two extra dates tot heir highly anticipated tour
Dublin's Croke Park is believed to get two extra dates on August 23 and 24, according to insiders
Oasis' two concerts in Dublin have sold out, as 160,000 tickets are snapped up within hours
'The tickets this morning will be snapped up in minutes and there will be thousands upon thousands left disappointed if it stayed at just the two.
They added: 'The Gallaghers love Ireland, the demand is there so it's very likely to happen.
'And what is being examined is two extra concerts the following weekend to the two already announced.'
It comes as fans flocked to X (formerly Twitter) to beg Noel and Liam Gallagher for extra tour dates in the Irish capital.
'Give Ireland two more dates, horrific today still in the 300 thousands and up since 7am in a lobby,' one bemoaned.
'Drop two more dates if you love us that much,' a second quipped.
'You know you have to release one or two more dates at Croke Park,' another added:
'Hello @oasis I kindly ask that you add more dates for Croke Park in Dublin!!!! There's 269000 people ahead of me right now!!! Thanks guys,' a fan pleaded.
Another questioned: 'Will there be more tickets released later on? Another date or two? does anyone know because I doubt Ticketmaster even know themselves.'
Although Ticketmaster's Irish site made the announcement, it also added that more tickets may still be released later (Pictured: the Dublin stadium)
Noel Gallagher and Liam Gallagher appear together in Italy in 2009 before their split
Fans watch as Ed Sheeran performs in concert at Croke Park, Dublin
Fans pleaded with the band online to add extra dates for Ireland after the tickets sold out within hours
Fans also took to Twitter to complain about Ticketmasters queuing chaos as swarms of fans descended on the sites for tickets today
This comes shortly after it was confirmed the two Dublin concerts sold out as 160,000 tickets were snapped up within hours.
Although Ticketmaster's Irish site made the announcement, it also added that more tickets may still be released later.
The website posted a message saying: 'UPDATE: There are currently no tickets available. Please check back later as more may be released.'
Fans continue to battle for the 'very limited' UK tickets left. Some 14 million devotees from around the world are believed to have joined the queue for general sale - competing for a chance at one of around 1.4 million tickets.
Long-time fan, Scott McLean, 28, tried for tickets to see Oasis in Dublin next year but said he felt frustration and anger after he was kicked out of the Ticketmaster queue.
The data analyst from Belfast, Northern Ireland, logged into his account on the ticket-selling website at 7.30am on Saturday ahead of Irish sales opening at 8am.
He was in a queue of 20,000 for about 30 minutes before selecting four tickets to see the band's show at Croke Park.
However, his browser began buffering for half an hour as he tried to make the purchase, prompting him to contact the Ticketmaster customer service account on X, formerly Twitter, for advice.
Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher are pictured performing live onstage in 2001
Noel and Liam Gallagher on the 'Che Tempo Che FA' TV Programme in Italy in November 2008
'I followed their advice, cleared my cookies and cache on my browser and then it kicked me out completely. It just came up to that error screen after I followed their guidance,' he told the PA news agency.
'I had to rejoin the queue and I ended up about 700,000 places worse off after following their guidance.'
He said he feels 'frustration and anger, not much more than that', adding: 'It's just tickets for a concert after all, but I really wanted to go.'
The ticket 'bloodbath' has sparked furious reaction from the band's legions of fans who have missed out.
Users on X, formerly Twitter, also reported the price for tickets nearly doubling from around 148 to around 355 on Ticketmaster after they waited for hours to secure their place at the Oasis Live 25 shows.
An explanation by the website about the 'on-demand standing ticket' price says: 'The event organiser has priced these tickets according to their market value.
'Tickets do not include VIP packages. Availability and pricing are subject to change.'
Ticketmaster said it does not set prices, and shared a link to its website where it says costs can be 'fixed or market-based'.
A graph showing the reported outages on TicketMaster show a massive spike this morning
The platform is the main provider selling the hotly-anticipated tickets but users are reported constant crashes as thousands of fans were unable to access the queue
Fans across the country have been reporting issues with the website
It is believed that ticket prices are set by the promoters, not the artists.
Oasis fans blasted Ticketmaster for its 'disgusting' inflated 'In Demand' pricing as fans scrambled for tickets to the latest tour.
Some of the ticket were priced at 350 each, plus fees, amid the wait for sought-after reunion tour tickets this morning.
Oasis Live 25 tour dates JULY 2025 4th - Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th - Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th - Manchester, Heaton Park
12th - Manchester, Heaton Park
16th - Manchester, Heaton Park
19th - Manchester, Heaton Park
20th - Manchester, Heaton Park
25th - London, Wembley Stadium
26th - London, Wembley Stadium
30th - London, Wembley Stadium AUGUST 2025 2nd - London, Wembley Stadium
3rd - London, Wembley Stadium
8th - Edinburgh, Murrayfield
9th - Edinburgh, Murrayfield
12th - Edinburgh, Murrayfield
16th - Dublin, Croke Park
17th - Dublin, Croke Park Advertisement
Some 14 million fans are expected to have joined queues on select websites to be in with a chance of securing one of around 1.4 million tickets for one of the 17 UK and Ireland shows.
Ticketmaster assures lines are still moving forward and has shared tips on avoiding issues with the website, though Oasis devotees are still reporting outages.
But others fortunate enough to be in the position of buying tickets are now sharing their horror to discover various sites offering dynamic prices for 'in demand' tickets, at multiples of the original price, with tickets only reserved for a limited time.
Many thousands of fans have been waiting in online queues since the early hours of this morning in the hope of securing a ticket for one of next year's shows. Standing tickets were originally listed from 151.25, and seated from 74.25 in London
Journalist Gavan Reilly shared in the frustration at inflated ticket prices in a post now seen more than 400,000 times.
He wrote on Twitter/X: 'After 105 minutes in the queue: only tickets left for Oasis on Sunday are "official platinum tickets" (490.50) and "in demand standing tickets" (415.50).
'Neither has any VIP element: it's literally just Ticketmaster incorporating tout pricing into the 'face value' proposition.'
Darragh Moriarty, City Councillor for South West and Inner City, and Labour Leader on Dublin City Council, chimed in: '"In demand standing ticket" is just a standard standing ticket except double the price. No difference between Ticketmaster and touts.'
Mr Moriarty shared apparent screenshots from the Ticketmaster website offering In Demand standing tickets for 415.50 euros each, plus fees - equivalent to around 350.
Once through the queue, fans have a limited time in which their tickets are reserved to decide whether or not to pay the offered price.
Ticketmaster explains: 'In Demand Tickets are dynamically-priced tickets.
'Based on demand the prices of these tickets may change.
Viagogo defended the decision to sell tickets at inflated prices during high demand
Oasis fans reacted to the discovery of prices much higher than they expected
'These tickets are not part of VIP packages - they are tickets only.'
MailOnline contacted Ticketmaster for further comment.
Ticketmaster notes that they do not have any say on the face value price of a ticket.
'That is decided by the event organiser. What we do have a say over is the price that is displayed to you and we always ensure that you see the total price you will need to pay right from the beginning we never hide our fees.'
The first batch of tickets went on sale yesterday at 7pm for those lucky enough to get a pre-sale code.
But within minutes of the sale going live, tickets were being resold for up to 10,000 by greedy touts.
Oasis soon assured on social media that tickets 'can only be resold at face value via Ticketmaster and Twickets'.
'Tickets appearing on other secondary ticketing sites are either counterfeit or will be cancelled by the promoters.'
Users have since responded to the post sharing some of the In Demand prices offered, calling on the band to 'tell Ticketmaster as they are not selling at face value'.
Emma Munnelly, queuing for tickets since 8:30 this morning, told MailOnline she spent three hours waiting in a queue and a waiting room queue to buy tickets for herself, her husband and her daughter.
She said her daughter 'has been desperate to see Oasis and couldn't believe her luck when they announced they were touring'.
'Expected to pay 148:50 for standing at Manchester, absolutely disgusted that when we had the chance of purchasing the tickets, Ticket Master had increased them to 355 each.
'This was unaffordable and devastating for my daughter.'
'It is such an unaffordable cost for many families and it should not be allowed to happen,' she said.
Tickets on Stubhub are being sold for more than 6,300 - while others on Viagogo appear to be up for grabs thousands of pounds
Catherine Kremer said she had finally reached the front after four hours of queuing and now 'can't even buy a ticket 'whatever option is chosen', with in-demand tickets priced at 358.10 to stand.
Heidi Tringe told MailOnline she got up at 3:45am local time in Montpelier, USA - and was horrified to discover the 'In Demand' prices when she finally got to the front of the queue, three and a half hours later.
'The Ticket Options that were showing on the screen were the ridiculously Ticketmaster-inflated dynamic pricing tickets...
'I attempted clicking on various buttons and Find Tickets to no avail for the last 30 minutes. I finally hit refresh nothing changed. I hit refresh a few more times and then it said I had lost my place in line and could rejoin the queue.
'This is so maddening, heartbreaking. If companies are going to have a monopoly on tickets, inflate the prices well above the prices the band has set, they damn well better have systems in place that can handle fan demand. Something needs to be done, both in Europe and in the US.'
Commentary: Philippines is the true troublemaker in South China Sea
Xinhua) 10:48, August 31, 2024
BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Illegally intruding into China's territories in the South China Sea while portraying itself as the victim, the Philippines is perfectly employing the age-old tactic of the thief crying "stop thief!"
In April this year, the Philippines illegally anchored a coast guard ship, MRRV-9701, at Xianbin Jiao of China's Nansha Qundao. Since August 19, Philippine coast guard ships have repeatedly intruded into adjacent waters of Xianbin Jiao in attempts to re-supply materials to MRRV-9701, and have deliberately taken dangerous maneuvers to ram China Coast Guard vessels.
Thereafter, Philippine authorities initiated a propaganda blitz, accusing China of blocking a "humanitarian mission" to re-supply the MRRV-9701. In reality, the advanced Philippine ship is fully operational and can leave Xianbin Jiao for re-supply at any time.
The truth is that the Philippines has repeatedly infringed on China's sovereignty. Twenty-five years ago, it illegally grounded the military vessel BRP Sierra Madre at Ren'ai Jiao, part of China's Nansha Qundao. Since then, the Philippines has consistently provoked China by sending vessels to engage in dangerous maneuvers against Chinese law enforcement. It is the Philippines, not China, that has deliberately breached the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the South China Sea.
Besides, the Philippines has also attempted to involve third-party forces in the South China Sea, escalating tensions in the region.
These brazen actions unequivocally reveal the Philippines as the true troublemaker and lawbreaker in the South China Sea. Clearly, Manila's intent to re-supply its anchored ship at Xianbin Jiao is part of a long-term strategy to assert control over the reef, in an apparent attempt to repeat its old trick at Ren'ai Jiao.
The Philippines' actions not only violate international law but also jeopardize regional stability. The Philippines has no legitimate basis for anchoring a ship in Chinese territory. Xianbin Jiao is neither within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone nor its continental shelf. The so-called South China Sea arbitration ruling, on which the Philippines bases its maritime claim, is illegal, null and void.
The Philippines has also been a major saboteur of the marine environment in the South China Sea. The intentional grounding of the military vessel BRP Sierra Madre at Ren'ai Jiao has caused significant damage to the coral reef ecosystem in the area.
China holds legitimate sovereignty and jurisdiction over these reefs, and its actions in the region are in line with international law.
China has consistently prioritized resolving such disputes through negotiation and consultation to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea. However, the Philippines has exploited this goodwill, repeatedly stirring up trouble in the region.
Although China has shown restraint, its tolerance is not infinite. The Philippines should not underestimate China's resolve to protect its territory and sovereignty. International law and agreements between both sides and regional countries do not condone the Philippines' arbitrary actions that disrupt peace and order in the region. Ignoring China's determination to safeguard its sovereignty will only bring disgrace to the provocateur itself.
China-Philippine relations are certainly at a critical crossroads. The Philippine government should reconsider its actions in the South China Sea, as they could endanger cooperation across various fields and lead to unpredictable consequences.
The only viable course of action for the Philippines is to remove relevant vessels from Chinese territory. It is imperative for policymakers in Manila to make a sensible decision.
(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Hongyu)
Jess Lander joined the food and wine team at the San Francisco Chronicle as wine reporter in 2022. Her writing encompasses the California wine industry from Santa Barbara to Mendocino with a focus on Napa Valley and Sonoma County. Jess reports on winery and vineyard acquisitions; controversial Napa land use debates; wildfires; a growing farmworker rights movement; and Wine Countrys most exciting restaurant and tasting room openings. Occasionally, Jess also writes about her favorite food: cheese.
Originally from Boston, Jess moved to Napa Valley in 2010 and has extensively covered California wine country for numerous national and international publications. In 2021, Jess published The Essential Napa Valley Cookbook, a project that raised more than $100,000 for Napa Valley restaurant workers impacted by the pandemic.
Divers have stopped searching for a missing woman who disappeared down a 26ft sinkhole more than a week ago after deeming it 'too risky' to keep sending help.
The tragedy has shaken Malaysia, with more than 100 rescuers called in to save the 48-year-old who vanished, leaving only her slippers, when a pavement collapsed.
Vijaya Lakshmi Gali fell into the hole in Kuala Lumpur on August 23 and is believed to have been swept away by a violent underground current of water, through sewage.
Two divers struggled against the currents running through the sewer network when they entered around 4am local time on Friday, the Fire and Rescue Dept said.
'It was found to be impossible, extremely difficult, to break the solidified [debris] which are like concrete blocks,' director-general Nor Hisham Mohammad told reporters.
Footage shows Vijaya Lakshmi walking along the pavement as normal before the collapse
Suddenly, the ground then opens up causing her to fall in as others narrowly avoid a similar fate
Malaysia Fire and Rescue Department officers inspect the site where a woman fell into an eight-meter deep sinkhole
Rescue operations started immediately (pictured: August 23) but have made no progress
Rescuers tried to break the hardened debris underground apart using high-pressure water jets, iron hooks and ropes - to no avail.
'Even [when we tried] pulling at them with ropes using up to eight people, [it] was unsuccessful,' Mr Mohammad said on Friday, before the search was called off.
'There are various factors for halting the operation, which include the safety and health of the rescue personnel,' said Dr Zaliha Mustafa, a minister in the prime minister's department.
Ms Lakshmi, a tourist visiting from Andhra Pradesh, is understood to have been heading towards a nearby temple with family when the ground suddenly collapsed under her.
Ms Lakshmi and her family are said to have been in Malaysia for roughly two months. They were due to fly home in Sunday.
Chilling footage shows the moment the 48-year-old walks long the pavement before she suddenly disappears.
CCTV video shows how others sitting on a nearby bench only narrowly avoided falling in with the woman.
An initial search from Malaysian rescue teams found Ms Lakshmi's shoes, but there are no other signs of her, the Telegraph reported.
Excavators were later pictured on the scene, while rescuers brought in sniffer dogs and robotic cameras to scout out the underground network.
Authorities have since provided a counsellor for relatives of the woman, including her husband and son.
The shopping area, known for its goldsmiths and jewellers, is approximately a 10-minute drive away from the city's Petronas Towers.
Just a day later, another sinkhole appeared 50 metres away.
A geologist told local outlet Malaysiakini it was likely linked to the search efforts.
Authorities have said a similar soil slip was reported in the same location last year.
Crowds gather as the wait goes on to find the missing woman in Malaysia
Rescue efforts continue into the night as fire rescue teams inspect the sinkhole
Excavators were later pictured on the scene, while rescuers brought in sniffer dogs and robotic cameras to scout out the underground network
An initial search from Malaysian rescue teams found Ms Lakshmi's shoes, but there are no other signs of her
Ms Lakshmi, a tourist visiting from Andhra Pradesh, is understood to have been heading towards a nearby temple with family when the ground suddenly collapsed under her
Just a day later, another sinkhole appeared 50 metres away. A geologist told local outlet Malaysiakini it was likely linked to the search efforts. (Pictured: new hole on August 28)
The mayor of Kuala Lumpur, Maimunah Mohd Sharif, has assured that the city is safe - and formed a taskforce to inspect sewer pipes in the area.
Experts have warned Ms Lakshmi could have been swept away by harsh currents if she did fall into sewage water.
Datuk G Parameswaran, the president of the Malaysian Water and Wastewater Quality Safety Association, told the Straits Times: 'Sewage water is also very harsh, and the current has a minimum flow speed of one metre per second.
'Theoretically, she could have travelled up to 86.4km within 24 hours.'
Campaigners will protest in London against Pret A Manger as they accuse the sandwich chain of scrapping plans to open branches in Israel after pressure from pro-Palestinian groups.
Pro-Israel group Stop The Hate UK has organised a peaceful protest outside a Pret branch at the Strand from 12pm tomorrow after Pret announced that it was abandoning plans to open 40 stores in Israel as part of an agreement with Fox Group, an Israeli retail group, and Yarzin Sella Group, a food service business.
In an post on social media platform X, the group shared a link for donations and details of the protest and said: 'Tomorrow we are gathering for a crucial demonstration in front of Pret A Manger in London.
'Recently, Pret has caved under BDS [Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions] pressure and withdrawn from opening branches in Israel. We cannot stay silent as they choose the wrong side of history.
'Let's unite and show Pret that bowing down to terrorist supporters is unacceptable. Your presence will send a powerful message that we stand with Israel and will not back down. Be there. Together, we can make a difference.'
A protester stands outside Pret A Manger with a Palestinian flag and a placard reading 'This Company Supports Israeli Genocide' during a demonstration
Pro-Palestine protesters outside a Pret branch in Manchester City Centre on November 18, 2023
Stop The Hate UK uploaded this poster advertising the protest on their social media accounts
Itai Galmundy, the co-founder of Stop The Hate UK, said: 'We cannot allow companies like Pret A Manger to give in to a movement that seeks to isolate and demonise Israel. This protest is not just about Israel, but about standing against the normalisation of anti-Semitism.
'We are here to show Pret and the world that the Jewish community, and those who stand with us, will not be silenced or marginalized. This is a call for justice, unity, and peace.'
Pret has denied the claims made by Stop The Hate UK and said travel restrictions in the region have made it difficult to launch the planned branches as the team would not be able to carry out the appropriate checks and training to set up in a new market.
A Pret A Manger spokesperson told MailOnline: 'We have taken the difficult decision to end our current agreement with Fox Group and Yarzin Sella Group.
'We had tried to delay this decision for as long as possible, but the significant ongoing travel restrictions have meant that our teams have not been able to conduct the checks and training needed to set up Pret in a new market. Under the terms of Pret's travel insurance, any colleagues travelling to Israel would not be insured.
'We want to express our sincerest thanks to the teams at Fox Group and Yarzin Sella Group, who have been supportive and extremely collaborative partners.'
Pret has denied the claims made by Stop The Hate UK and said travel restrictions in the region have made it difficult to launch the planned branches as the team would not be able to carry out the appropriate checks and training to set up in a new market (stock image)
Pro-Palestine activists called for the boycott as they argued that Pret's investment in Israel as it conducts 'a genocide in Gaza' was unjustifiable and reprehensible (stock image)
But the decision was still hailed by pro-Palestine activists who see it as a result of the public's opinion shifting against Israel's military assault on Gaza since the October 7 attacks by Hamas.
Pro-Palestine activists called for the boycott as they argued that Pret's investment in Israel as it conducts 'a genocide in Gaza' was unjustifiable and reprehensible.
The director of Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Ben Jamal, said: 'This decision sends a message to all companies if you provide support for Israel's apartheid and genocide against Palestinians, you will face the strength of our movement, who will boycott your products and protest at your stores.
'Israel has got away with crimes against humanity for too long. The people of the world are holding Israel to account by refusing to let their spending or saving finance war crimes. It's high time our political leaders followed suit by ending arms sales, and financial and diplomatic support to Israel.'
Republican candidate Donald Trump has taken to his own social media page to slam marijuana laws that allow smokers to light up in public, similar to what is permitted in some spaces in New York City.
The staunch conservative told his followers on Trump Social that if elected, he plans to make 'America safe again' by creating laws that prohibit the use cannabis and marijuana in public.
In New York, adults over the age of 21 and older are allowed to smoke or vape cannabis in most places where tobacco smoking is permitted.
Trump also revealed that while he does support the legalization of weed in Florida under Amendment 3, he remains concerned about how it will be used across the state.
The former president noted that someone carrying 'personal amounts' of marijuana should not be a criminal in one state when its use is legal in others.
Republican candidate Donald Trump told his followers on Trump Social that if elected, he plans to make 'America safe again' by creating laws that prohibit the use cannabis and marijuana in public
'As everyone knows, I was, and will be again, the most respected LAW & ORDER President in US History. We will take our streets back by being tough & smart on violent, & all other types, of Crime.
'In Florida, like so many other States that have already given their approval, personal amounts of marijuana will be legalized for adults with Amendment 3. Whether people like it or not, this will happen through the approval of the Voters, so it should be done correctly.
'We need the State Legislature to responsibly create laws that prohibit the use of it in public spaces, so we do not smell marijuana everywhere we go, like we do in many of the Democrat run Cities.'
'At the same time, someone should not be a criminal in Florida, when this is legal in so many other States.
'We do not need to ruin lives & waste Taxpayer Dollars arresting adults with personal amounts of it on them, and no one should grieve a loved one because they died from fentanyl laced marijuana. We will make America SAFE again!,' he wrote.
The former President noted that someone carrying 'personal amounts' of marijuana should not be a criminal in one state when its use is legal in others
Trump, who votes near his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, had previously avoided clarifying his stance on the issue.
With his latest declaration, he has seemingly pitted himself against Governor Ron DeSantis and most of the states Republican leaders, who are working to defeat the proposal.
But his belief that cannabis should be legalized responsibly in Florida is not the only policy that is is in stark contrast with other leaders.
Earlier this week, he signaled that he could vote to end Florida's six-week abortion ban when it comes up in a referendum later this year, as he continues his delicate dance around a key election issue.
In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com he previewed an upcoming announcement on his voting stance by saying that he did not think six weeks was enough time.
Trump spoke to DailyMail.com on a range of issues, from Kamala Harris and the 2024 campaign, to his family and life after almost being shot by an assassin
Trump stoked concerns among his anti-abortion allies with this post last week when he used the language of opponents by referring to women and their 'reproductive rights'
But he avoided committing to using the presidential veto if a nationwide federal ban arrived on his desk as president even though his running mate said he would.
In office, Trump reveled in being the most pro-life president in history, taking credit for ending federal protections for abortion by installing the conservative justices on the Supreme Court who overturned Roe v Wade.
This time, he is trying to keep both sides happy on one of the most divisive issues in the election by saying it is up to states to decide their own laws.
'Well, I do know, but I do want more than six weeks,' he said in his ornate Mar-a-Lago living room. 'I want more than six weeks.
'I think six weeks is a mistake. And I'll be expressing that soon, but I want more than six weeks.
'And in Florida, we have a six-week program, and that's what I believe that you're voting on, and I think it should be more than six weeks.'
Trump has expressed reservations about such an early ban in the past but has so far dodged questions about how he will vote in Florida's referendum.
Face obscured by a balaclava and dressed top-to-toe in black, the rider mounts the pavement and begins, at speeds of over 20mph, to weave in and out the throng of city centre workers on their lunchbreak and families strolling in the sunshine.
With just the gentle whirr of the e-bikes battery-powered motor to serve as a warning, the startled pedestrians are forced to stop in their tracks or jump out of the way as the rider whooshes by.
No, its not a scene from a Hollywood action move. This is real life.
For these illegal riders are a common sight on Scotlands roads (and more often pavements) - and they are turning our city streets into pedestrian no-go areas.
The vehicles - pedal bikes propelled by a battery-powered motor - soared during the pandemic as more and more people began using couriers to have food delivered to their homes.
Many riders in Scotland's city centres seem oblivious to shoppers and families
However, when Lockdown ended and people returned to Scotlands city centres, they found the streets crowded with e-bikes.
Many of the bikes have been illegally modified to travel at speeds exceeding the 15.5mph legal limit they should be stopped from going over.
Its now estimated there are a massive 10,000 cyclists operating as fast food couriers in Scotland.
The hi-tech vehicles have been involved in a raft of incidents of anti-social behaviour, accidents and breaches of the law, with concerns it is only a matter of time before they claim their first life.
Just weeks ago, a 16 year old girl was rushed to hospital in Edinburgh after she was stuck by an e-bike while walking in the city.
Luckily, she escaped serious injury, although her mother later made clear it was a scary experience that had left her shaken.
However, despite howls of protest from politicians, pressure groups and disgruntled members of the public, efforts to crack down on their illicit modification and illegal use are slow paced.
The situation has infuriated campaign group Living Streets Scotland which aims to encourage more people to walk rather than get in their cars
Social media is awash with complaints from angry members of the public many of whom have captured images and footage of riders risking their own lives and those of others around them.
Their illicit adaptation aside, the riders of the e-bikes are frequently seen flouting the rules of the road, riding through red lights, veering on and off pavements as and when they choose and travelling in the wrong direction.
Despite these infrignements being a commonplace sight, new figures show less than 70 e-bikes and 30 e-scooters have been seized in the course of the last two years by police in Scotland.
The low number seems at odds with the frequency of complaints about the issue and the seriousness of the safety risk they pose.
The situation has infuriated campaign group Living Streets Scotland which aims to encourage more people to walk rather than get in their cars.
The groups concern is that if people cant use the countrys pavements and pedestrian areas safely, they wont choose to.
Anne Doherty, the organisations Acting Co-Director, said: Pavements are for people, but more and more people are using e-scooters and e-motorbikes on them.
The speed and acceleration of these vehicles can cause alarm, especially when they are used on pavements. They also pose a particular danger to some pedestrians, such as children, disabled people and those living with sight loss.
Riding e-scooters on the pavement and public roads is already illegal, but the law needs to be better enforced and community policing should be properly resourced.
And it doesnt take long to see exactly how bad the situation has become.
During the course of a day our reporter witnessed numerous riders on high-powered bikes and scooters dangerously weaving in and out of crowds and speeding along pavements in Glasgow city centre.
Dozens were observed as they flew down the citys busy Buchanan Street at speed. Meanwhile, those driving in the other direction, up the streets moderate incline, showed none of the mild exertion needed by those on foot, their bike engines taking the strain, and the drivers sitting upright enjoying the ride.
Most had brightly coloured bags on the back of their bikes, carrying takeaway food from city centre outlets to customers.
But while pedestrians waited patiently for a green man to indicate it was safe to cross a road, or buses and taxis likewise waited at a red light until they could proceed, no such obligations were on the mind of some of the e bike riders.
Only a few minutes observation were required last week in order to see bikes flying through a red light, a clear danger to themselves and other road users.
Meanwhile, two riders stopped and parked up in the middle of the pedestrianised stretch for a chat, showing a complete lack of self awareness, and blocking off the centre of the road to others.
Elsewhere in the centre of Scotlands biggest city, its a similar picture. While pedestrians proceeded with caution, and car and bus drivers poked out from junctions, aware of the need to maintain vigilance at every junction in the dense gridiron roads layout, it was a different picture for the e bike riders. Seemingly oblivious to danger, the bikes scooted round corners, shoppers having to make way or else.
In a short pedestrianised stretch of Gordon Street, another busy stretch just a few yards from the entrance to Central Station, it was a similar story, with e bike riders motoring in and out of shoppers and pub and restaurant goers, in a new and unwanted addition to the cityscape.
Such is the furore in Glasgow, that residents have called for it to be compulsory for e-bikers to wear identifiable numbers so they can be traced in the event of an accident.
Merchant City and Trongate Community Council (MCTCC) argues the move is necessary because of the number of collisions and near misses reported over the past few years.
The organisation said the e-bikers are predominantly food delivery drivers working on behalf of companies using bikes that are often not fitted with a speed limiter, restricting them to the UKs legal maximum level of 15.5 miles per hour.
The situation plays out in towns and cities across Scotland, with the number of e-bikes set to increase further amid a lack of proper enforcement or regulation.
Electric bikes legally termed Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles (EAPCs) can be ridden by anyone over the age of 14.
They do not require a licence and do not need to be registered, taxed or insured.
But the power of the motor must not exceed 250W and the engine can only be used to assist a rider who is actually pedalling.
If it meets this criteria, an EAPC is classed the same as a normal pedal bike and can, therefore, be ridden on cycle paths and public roads.
However, e-bikes can be customised so the engine is controlled by a throttle, meaning the rider doesnt need to pedal.
Such a modification effectively turns the machine into an electric motorbike, which legally requires a rider to have a driving licence and crash helmet.
In the case of e-scooters, which are recognised as powered transporters and, therefore, like motor vehicles, require MOT, tax, licensing and specific construction.
However, because e-scooters dont always have visible rear red lights, number plates or signalling ability, they can only be used on private land and not on public roads, cycle lanes or pavements.
Earlier this year Police Scotland stated that the issue of illegal e-vehicles and dangerous riding in Glasgow city centre was identified as a top road safety concern, with police receiving complaints directly from the public and other sources.
During just two days of enforcement action, between October 27 and 29 last year, in the city police seized 12 illegal e-bikes and five e-scooters and charged all the riders with road traffic offences. This included eight instances of failing to stop at red lights.
The sheer number of complaints and footage being shared on social media suggests the seizures made in Scotland are just the tip of the iceberg.
IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Standards Nicholas Lyes said: Modified e-scooters and e-bikes can cause serious injury or death and their rise in use can be largely attributed to poor levels of enforcement. While we need to see a step-change in how we police these devices, we also need an urgent review of regulations.
Shockingly, more than half of all casualties involving e-scooter users are outside of trial areas, which demonstrates the wild west nature of misuse that is happening on our roads and pavements.
So common is the use of these electric-powered vehicles that police in Glasgow even had to seize one from a rider doing the school run on an e-scooter.
In that instance, neither the rider nor their passenger presumably a child were wearing helmets.
Responding to the issues raised, Police Scotland said anyone with concerns about e-vehicle misuse in their community should contact officers.
A spokesman said: Antisocial behaviour while using e-vehicles will not be tolerated. Both community and road policing officers will tackle issues in local areas.
He added: E-vehicles are subject to the same legal requirements as any other motor vehicle. They must be insured and drivers must have a valid driving licence.
Extinction Rebellion activists descended on Windsor Castle today to deliver letters to King Charles, urging him to help save the planet.
Over 500 eco-zealots turned up at the royal residence, with a pink box full of letters asking the monarch to 'intervene in the worsening climate crisis'.
But the King is unlikely to receive them, as he currently residing 300 miles north for his usual summer visit to Scotland.
Traffic near the castle was halted as activists carried apocalyptic post boxes with 'last collection times' as well as times for other disasters, such as 'running out of food at 9am'.
Other boxes some of King's own quotes on the environment, including his words in 2010: 'This is a call for revolution. The earth is under threat. Revolution is a strong word and I use it deliberately.'
Extinction rebellion protesters descended on Windsor Castle today to call on the King to 'intervene' in the climate crisis
Activists carried a pink postbox bearing apocalyptic messages as well as previous quotes from Charles on the environment
Protesters on the Long Walk in Windsor with banners reading 'Massembly' and 'Upgrade democracy'
Police removing the pink postbox topped by a yellow bird, placed by XR protesters outside the royal residence
Activist Catherine Edminson, 61, a NHS business support worker, insisted that the protesters weren't 'freaks' but 'from all walks of life'.
She told the Telegraph: 'All my colleagues in the NHS support XR. Were facing a health crisis as a result of the ecological crisis and this is happening here and now in Britain.'
Climate activists have also erected tents and marquees in Windsor Home Park without permission, as XR entered its second day of action in the Berkshire town.
Police were seen forming a line as Morris Dancers performed beneath Queen Victoria's statue.
Among placards on display was a message to the King reading: 'Speak up for nature Charles! We can't hear you!'
Protesters also planned a 'massembly' - a large gathering - on the Long Walk of Windsor's Great Park.
XR does not have permission to be in the park, but has been 'liaising' with local authorities, said spokesman Etienne Stott, 45, who won a gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics in the canoe slalom.
The group hopes that storming the castle will help boost their profile through publicity of the stunt and enhance their demands for a Citizens Assembly to be established to tackle the climate crisis.
A placard raised by activists with a drawing of the King and the words 'Speak up for nature Charles! We can't hear you!'
XR activists unveil a pink postbox with the words 'upgrade democracy'
XR protesters wave green flags and bang on drums outside Windsor Castle
On Friday XR activists wore business suits and dressed as oil barons
Activists dressed in all black participate in a funereal demonstration at Windsor Great Park
A protester brings his four-legged friend to the climate demonstration, wearing a pink and green coat with XR badges
Officers watch over a protest by XR demonstrators outside Windsor Castle on Friday
On Friday, the group marched through the town dressed as oil barons to spread their message.
Catherine Bartlett, of Extinction Rebellion UK, said: 'Windsor Castle has been chosen as an embodiment of a broken and unjust system where our message will resonate powerfully.
'The general election has neither fixed our broken system nor addressed the urgent action needed to tackle the climate and nature emergency.
'Aristocrats, oligarchs and corporate interests have infected and distorted our politics and media for their own benefit and at our expense.
'Our politics is failing us from top to bottom. It's time for a democratic upgrade.'
Bill Maher ripped the 2024 presidential candidates for their performances this week, mocking Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for their 'boring' CNN interview and called Walz Harris' 'emotional support VP'.
The comedian dug into the presidential hopefuls in his opening monologue for his Max show, Real Time, on Friday.
On Thursday, Harris sat down with CNN's Dana Bash in her first interview as the Democratic presidential nominee.
'We finally had an interview last night with Kamala Harris,' Maher said. 'Not just her, with Tim Walz, her emotional support VP.'
'It was a little odd, he was just sitting there for a very long time without saying anything. He was just nodding while she did all the talking. The women's focus group said he must be a wonderful husband. But really, it just kept going, and he was saying nothing. It was like watching Jeopardy when one of the players can't work the buzzer.'
Bill Maher ripped the 2024 presidential candidates for their performances this week in his opening monologue for his Max show, Real Time, on Friday
Maher called Tim Walz Kamala Harris' 'emotional support VP' and said him being in the interview was 'odd'
Republican strategists criticized her choice to bring Walz along calling it 'weak' and saying it implies she 'cannot be left unattended.'
Maher said, 'It's so funny, the media has been furious that she would not give an interview, and now she finally does and not a single question about abortion, Ukraine, the homeless, the Opioid crisis, the national debt, and then they wonder why the kids get their news from TikTok.
'Donald Trump, of course, had to s**t tweet while he was watching [the interview.] Boring [Trump called it]. Good. I'd love some boring.
'That's what I want in this ticket. It's Harris-Walz, not Deadpool-Wolverine.'
Maher needled Nancy Pelosi on Friday's show for her successful plot to oust Joe Biden from the 2024 election race.
Maher needled Nancy Pelosi on Thursday for her successful plot to oust Joe Biden from the 2024 election race
The late night host then went on to dig at Trump for a trip to Arlington National Cemetery that included an altercation with a member of the staff there.
'When the park people told him to stop, he just shoved them aside. His goons just shoved her,' Maher said.
'Ever wondered what Donald Trump is like in real life? Tony Soprano without the introspection.'
Arlington National Cemetery is considered hallowed ground in the U.S. military and is managed by the Army.
Trump, who is running for a second term in the White House, was invited to visit on Monday with family members of the some of the soldiers killed three years ago when U.S. troops exited Afghanistan.
Maher ripped Trump for his Arlington Cemetery debacle where a member of Trump's team and staffer at the cemetery clashed
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.
'There's a law, as there should be, at Arlington National Cemetery, where our bravest and greatest are buried, that you can't take pictures, you can't use it as a campaign prop,' Maher said.
'So of course, when Trump heard this, he was like, the laws, right? And they told him to stop. And he was furious. He said, "You are ruining a perfectly good exploitation of a tragedy."'
'Then he grabbed some flowers off someone's grave and said, "Send these to Melania."'
This is the shocking moment Chinese and Filipino coast guard ships collide in the latest clash over disputed waters - as both countries blame each other for the ocean smash.
The Chinese coast guard blasted the Philippine ship as they claimed that they manoeuvred and 'deliberately collided' with their boat 'in an unprofessional and dangerous manner'.
But Philippine officials in Manila said it was their coast guard ship, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, that was rammed three times by the Chinese coast guard without any provocation, causing damage to the Philippine vessel.
The incident is the second confrontation in days near Sabina Shoal, about 85 miles west of the Philippine province of Palawan, in the internationally recognised exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.
The Philippine ship, the Magbanua, has been anchored in Sabina since mid-April after Manila suspected that China may construct a structure to seize the uninhabited island.
The Chinese coast guard slammed the Philippine ship as they claimed that they manoeuvred and 'deliberately collided' with their boat 'in an unprofessional and dangerous manner'
Philippine officials in Manila said it was their coast guard ship, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, that was rammed three times by the Chinese coast guard
The Philippine ship, the Magbanua, has been anchored in Sabina since mid-April after Manila suspected that China may construct a structure to seize the uninhabited atoll
The incident is the second confrontation in days near Sabina Shoal, about 85 miles west of the Philippine province of Palawan, in the internationally recognised exclusive economic zone of the Philippines
China claims nearly all the oil and resource-rich waters of the South China Sea and has ignored counter-claims from the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia
China harboured the same suspicions and recently filed a diplomatic protest against the Philippines due to the ship's prolonged presence at the shoal.
Beijing is rapidly expanding its military and has become increasingly assertive in pursuing its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, which is crucial to international trade.
The tensions have led to more frequent confrontations, primarily with the Philippines, and could drag in with the United States, which is bound by a treaty to defend the Philippines.
The long-time territorial disputes also involve other claimants including Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.
China has rejected a ruling by a UN-backed arbitration panel that negated almost all of its historically based claims in the South China Sea.
Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine coast guard said in Manila that the Magbanua had dropped its anchor again and would not withdraw from Sabina Shoal 'despite the harassment, bullying activities and escalatory action of the Chinese coast guard'.
Video released by the Philippine coast guard appeared to show the Magbanua being rammed by a Chinese coast guard ship.
The US condemned 'the multiple dangerous violations of international law by the PRC (People's Republic of China), including today's intentional ramming of the BRP Teresa Magbanua while it was conducting lawful operations within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone'.
'We stand with the Philippines in upholding international law,' US ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson said on X.
Beijing is rapidly expanding its military and has become increasingly assertive in pursuing its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, which is crucial to international trade
The tensions have led to more frequent confrontations, primarily with the Philippines, and could drag in with the United States
Long-time territorial disputes also involve other claimants including Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei
The US has repeatedly warned that it is obligated to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces come under an armed attack in the South China Sea.
On Tuesday, Adm Samuel Paparo, the head of US Indo-Pacific Command, said the US military is open to consultations about escorting Philippine ships in the disputed waters.
China's coast guard, navy and accompanying 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 the confrontations become increasingly hostile, resulting in injuries to Filipino sailors and damage to their ships, the Philippine government has faced questions about invoking the treaty alliance with Washington.
Sabina Shoal is near Second Thomas Shoal, another flashpoint where China has hampered the resupply of Philippine forces.
Both countries reached an agreement last month to prevent further confrontations at the shoal.
Video released by the Philippine coast guard appeared to show the Magbanua being rammed by a Chinese coast guard ship
The US condemned 'the multiple dangerous violations of international law by the PRC (People's Republic of China)
Also on Saturday, Japan lodged a formal protest via China's embassy against what it called an incursion by a Chinese survey ship into its territorial waters.
The latest such incident fuelled unease among Japanese defence officials, already concerned about the growing military cooperation between the Chinese and Russian air forces.
On Monday, Tokyo also protested after a Chinese military aircraft briefly entering Japan's south-western airspace.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday his country had 'no intention' to violate any country's airspace.
The Labour Government could roll out an extraordinary plan to tackle the scourge of drug deaths in Scotland, The MoS can reveal.
In an unprecedented intervention which could save hundreds of lives but infuriate the Scottish Government, Westminster stands ready to circumvent Holyrood and plough funds directly into rehabilitation, an MP said last night.
Central Ayrshire MP Alan Gemmell said action needed to be taken as drug deaths soared to 1,172 in 2023 up by 121 on 2022.
Despite those spiralling figures, Scotland has just 600 residential rehabilitation beds dedicated to helping addicts recover.
It is likely UK Labour could use the same laws being planned by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray to directly fund anti-poverty schemes thereby bypassing Holyrood to set aside UK Government money for extra treatment beds. Mr Murrays proposals have already been described by Nationalists as an attack on devolution.
Fatalities rose by nearly 12 per cent last year as Scotland's drugs crisis show no sign ofeasing
Ayrshire MP Alan Gemmill says UK Government could provide funding
But Mr Gemmell said: The SNP have failed communities across Scotland. They declared a public health emergency five years ago and things are getting worse.
If the SNP wont act to bring down drug deaths, then Labour in Government can. Money is clearly tight but we already have models where Westminster, Holyrood and local councils are working together to improve communities.
It comes as the SNPs national mission to cut drug death rates was last month proved to be a failure as figures showed the toll rose by nearly 12 per cent in 2023.
The strategy was in part informed by recommendations from the Scottish Governments Drug Deaths Taskforce, set up in 2019 under Nicola Sturgeon, which believed that destigmatising drug use would help tackle the issue.
A user heats up drugs before injecting them
Under a suite of controversial proposals, the team of academics said abstinence should no longer be considered the end goal of treatment.
Drug workers on the ground slammed their middle-class naivety, saying the focus should be on the lack of rehabilitation beds for sufferers in Scotland.
One former drug user, Stephanie Ritchie, told how she was unable to secure a recovery bed even though doctors wanted to amputate her leg because of her drug use.
It was only because a charity helped her that she was able to get better in a rehab facility, she said.
New legislation planned by Labour would let Chancellor Rachel Reeves allocate a 150 million war chest to Mr Murray that could be handed to local authorities and anti-poverty projects.
It would work in a similar way to the former Tory governments levelling up funding.
Health Secretary Neil Gray defended the SNPs record on tackling the drugs crisis and said: The upward trend in placements suggests were on track to hit the target of 1,000 people publicly funded to go to rehab by 2026.
Through our 250 million National Mission on drugs we are taking a wide range of measures to reduce harm and save lives.
Scotland's biggest council has spent an eye-watering 1million hiring cars and vans to comply with its new green Low Emission Zone - as it prepares to lay off teachers amid a cash-crisis.
We can reveal that SNP-run Glasgow city council has blown 1,068,731 since the LEZ came into force last year on hiring vehicles to fill in for its own ones which are non-compliant with the new zone.
It comes despite the council dismissing concerns of businesses and commuters, many of whom have been forced out of the city, or have had to buy new cars, by telling them they had years to get ready.
To add insult to injury, the money was spent as the local authority axed more than 170 teachers amid claims it couldnt afford them.
The council now faces the threat of industrial action by teachers disgusted at hundreds more jobs being threatened.
Glasgow 's Low Emission Zone (LEZ) was introduced a year ago
Figures obtained by the Mail on Sunday show the council was forced to hire 103 vehicles from June to July this year to replace fleet vehicles non-compliant with the LEZ.
Critics have also pointed out the farcical nature of the costly zones, given that the key pollutant, nitrogen dioxide, was within legal limits before the LEZ began in June last year, and has only just reduced marginally in the year since.
Air quality experts told us this was because the main pollutants are buses, not cars, calling into question to entire rationale for the LEZs.
Meanwhile, the cost of the hire vehicles continues to accrue at an astonishing rate each month, and amounted to just over 76,000 from June 15 to July 19 including for cars, vans, minibuses and mobile elevated work platform vehicles.
Scott Dixon, a motoring and consumer rights author and expert, said: This is an outrageous waste of money spent on a fantasy scheme, against the wishes of most taxpayers, and which has hollowed out the city centre and hammered trade with little or no benefit to anyone.
Small businesses in particular are paying the price for this prolific squandering of public funds, with fewer people going into the city centre.
Over 1m a year could clearly be far better spent on funding teachers and investing in childrens education. Axing hundreds of teachers when the Council has frittered over 1m on hire vehicles to comply with a scheme they cannot adhere to will stick in the throats of everyone.
Scottish Conservative shadow transport minister Graham Simpson MSP said: This sum highlights just how unprepared the SNP-run council was for the introduction of their own chaotic LEZ.
More than a year after imposing these restrictions on struggling motorists, they have still failed to put get their own house in order.
People will be rightly outraged that the council is shelling out a fortune on hiring compliant vehicles at the same time as they are laying off hundreds of teachers in the city.
The LEZ prevents a large number of non-compliant vehicles from entering the city centre
Meanwhile, Scottish Lib Dems transport spokesman Daniel OMalley said: Earlier this year, our research revealed that almost one-in-five local authority vehicles across Scotland would not meet LEZ rules.
When a government or council vehicle reaches the end of its lifespan, there should be a robust presumption in favour of replacing it with an electric or low emissions alternative so that they are not dependent on expensive hires.
The LEZ was introduced in Glasgow last year, with further similar zones in place in Aberdeen, Dundee, and Edinburgh as of this year, to reduce pollution in cities where the levels are already within safe legal limits.
They ban older cars from city centres, with fines issued, via Automatic Number Plate Recognition spy cameras, to anyone who breaches the rules.
The zones have been blamed for reductions in business and footfall in cities, especially Glasgow, as businesses try to recover from Lockdown, as well as endangering the safety of pub and restaurant goers, and nighttime workers, hit by transport reductions.
A Glasgow city council spokeswoman said: Whilst it was necessary to hire some vehicles in the short term to ensure emission standards are met, more than 50% of these outlays are offset as a result of the councils ongoing programme of fleet vehicle replacement, which is taking an equivalent number of older, non-compliant vehicles out of service and delivering savings on lease and maintenance costs.
Work is also underway to procure permanent, replacement vehicles.
'New, cleaner vehicles have previously been delivered into the councils fleet and we are continuing to deliver our planned programme of vehicle retrofit where appropriate, to meet our wider carbon reduction and service delivery objectives.
One of the Bayesian yacht survivors said the crew 'saved who we could' as the boat sank in a disaster that killed seven including billionaire Mike Lynch.
The British tech mogul, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18, who was due to start at Oxford University in September, were among those who lost their lives when the yacht sank.
Matthew Griffiths was one of 22 people on board the Bayesian when it was devastated by a freak waterspout just a few hundred metres away from Porticello port in the early hours of August 19.
The 22-year-old, who was on watch duty on the night of the tragedy, told investigators that the crew members did everything they could to save those on board the Bayesian, according to comments reported by Italian news agency Ansa.
Griffiths, the boat's captain James Cutfield, and ship engineer Tim Parker Eaton have been placed under investigation by the Italian authorities for potential manslaughter and shipwreck. Being investigated does not imply guilt and does not mean formal charges will follow.
'I woke up the captain when the wind was at 20 knots (23 mph). He gave orders to wake everyone else,' Ansa quoted Griffiths as saying.
Matthew Griffiths was one of 22 people on board the Bayesian when it was devastated by a freak waterspout just a few hundred metres away from Porticello port in the early hours of August 19
Mike Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18, who was due to start at Oxford University in September, were among those who lost their lives when the yacht sank
The 22-year-old, who was on watch duty on the night of the tragedy, told investigators that the crew members did everything they could to save those on board the Bayesian
'The ship tilted and we were thrown into the water. Then we managed to get back up and tried to rescue those we could,' he added, describing the events of the fateful night, when the Bayesian had been anchored off the Sicilian port.
'We were walking on the walls (of the boat). We saved who we could, Cutfield also saved the little girl and her mother,' he said, referring to passenger Charlotte Golunski and her one-year-old daughter. In all there were 15 survivors of the wreck.
Cutfield exercised his right to remain silent when questioned by prosecutors on Tuesday, his lawyers said.
They explained that he was 'worn out' and that they needed more time to build a defense case. Parker Eaton has not commented on the investigation.
Prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano said last week that the vessel was most likely hit by a 'downburst,' a very strong downward wind.
However, the sinking has puzzled naval marine experts, who said a vessel like the Bayesian, built by Italian high-end yacht manufacturer Perini, should have withstood the storm and, in any case, should not have sunk as quickly as it did.
Prosecutors in the town of Termini Imerese, near Palermo, have said their investigation will take time, with the wreck yet to be salvaged from the sea.
The news comes on the day that autopsies on the seven people who died on the superyacht Bayesian will begin, as it emerged the operation to lift the vessel will cost at least 15million.
Hannah (pictured), 18, was due to start at Oxford before tragedy struck the Bayesian superyacht
Rescue workers standing by after recovering the body of Hannah Lynch off the coast of Porticello on August 23
Search teams at the site of the Bayesian sinking as they prepared to continue looking for Hannah Lynch on August 23
Raising the 56m yacht which went down after being hit by freak weather on August 19 off the coast of Porticello near Palermo on the Italian island of Sicily will be vital to the judicial investigation.
Among theories being investigated are whether proper procedures were carried out by the drew to secure the yacht ahead of the storm which had been forecast and which had stopped trawlers heading out to sea.
Giovanni Costantino, of the Italian Sea Group, which owns Perini Navi, who built the Bayesian has already claimed the yacht was unsinkable and that human error led to the sinking, with possibly hatches and portholes left open.
There will also be focus on the keel of Bayesian which should have been deployed to its maximum length to help stability in and weather.
Raising the vessel will be a joint operation between the insurers and the owners of the yacht Revtom an Isle of Man based company which has Mr Lynchs wife Angela, who survived the sinking, as sole director.
A salvage company has yet to be appointed for the operation which experts say could take at least six weeks.
Aldo Mordiglia, lawyer for Mr Cutfield, 51, told MailOnline he expected the complicated procedure to start in October possibly and that it would be vital for the investigation the yacht was raised.
According to maritime code it is up to the owner of the yacht to sort out salvaging the Bayesian, but the judicial authorities will also play a key part.
Experts also want to raise her as quickly as possible because there are fears over the 18,000 litres of fuel onboard and an environmental ship is circling the area ready to deploy protective booms to control any potential spillage.
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary wants to interview Democratic nominee Kamala Harris on her proposal to offer first-time homebuyers $25,000 to help with the down payment.
O'Leary, 70, told Fox News' The Ingraham Angle that he wants Harris to sit down for a 'live' interview to talk real estate, state policy, and regulation.
'Im in the real estate business. Thats a really bad idea, an immensely bad idea, an incredibly bad idea. And I think somebody should talk about that with her. Id like to interview her on that idea. Ill do the interview. I want it live!' he said on the show.
As Americans struggle with rising housing costs and being unable to afford their first homes, Harris is calling for up to $25,000 in down payment assistance to some first-time homebuyers.
It comes after the Biden administration first called for $25,000 in down payment assistance for 400,000 first-generation home buyers and a $10,000 tax credit for first-time buyers.
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary wants to interview Democratic nominee Kamala Harris on her proposal to offer first-time homebuyers $25,000 to help with the down payment as he thinks it's a bad idea
'REALLY BAD IDEA': Shark Tank star @kevinolearytv ripped Vice President Harris proposal to give first-time home buyers $25,000 as an incredibly bad idea, and says he wants to ask her about that policy in a live interview. pic.twitter.com/h63bbPacEM Fox News (@FoxNews) August 31, 2024
Harris' plan would expand the assistance to all eligible first-time homebuyers. Such buyers include families who have paid their rent on time for two years with more support for first-generation homeowners. According to her campaign, it would allow more than four million first-time buyers in four years to get an average of $25,000 in assistance for their first home.
O'Leary thinks it's a stupid idea and it will just make buying a home worse.
'If everybody in the street has $25,000 extra and theres one home for sale, the sellers going to get the $25,000 by raising the price $25,000. Ive been very vocal about this policy,' he said on the show.
His comments come after Harris' first interview since becoming the Democratic nominee, which O'Leary wasn't impressed with.
'It was more happy talk about the convention slipping over, pictures of the kids you know what Im beginning to think? And, look, dont shoot the messenger. Maybe she cant do a real interview live with a reporter who asks follow-up questions,' he bashed the current VP.
Harris' plan would expand the assistance to all eligible first-time homebuyers. 'Im in the real estate business. Thats a really bad idea, an immensely bad idea, an incredibly bad idea. And I think somebody should talk about that with her,' O'Leary said
He wasn't the only one who didn't like Harris' CNN interview. Viewers said Harris looked 'weak' and 'bad' for waiting weeks and then sitting alongside her running mate.
After avoiding interviews for more than a month, the vice president sat down with CNN's Dana Bash as well as her running mate Tim Walz to answer questions in a Georgia restaurant on Thursday.
'I think it kind of makes her look bad because I really think she should sit down and have this interview so everyone in the world can see her point of view and where she's coming from, said 52-year-old female restaurant manager from Texas, who plans to vote for Harris in November.
Another Harris voter from Massachusetts said she worried that it makes her look 'as though she's not fit to be president.'
However, others also said delaying the interview made her look 'busy' and Walz made them look part of a 'team.'
The last time Jim Murphy saw her, she was lying on the ground, unconscious and bleeding.
He had been handed the woman who was pulled from the rubble of the Clutha bar in Glasgow after a police helicopter had plummeted onto its roof, causing the building to collapse on the revellers inside.
As he continued to aid survivors of the 2013 tragedy, he turned back and noticed she was gone.
For more than a decade Mr Murphy worried that the woman whose identity he never knew may have died and even feared his failure to place her in the recovery position may have proved fatal.
However, the former Labour MP has now been reunited with the woman Nancy Primrose for the first time since that awful night in a moment that has taken a huge weight off his shoulders.
Nancy Primrose laying flowers at the bar in 2013 following the disaster
An emotional Jim Murphy was interviewed at the scene after stopping as he drove past the pub
Emergency workers at the crash scene in Glasgow after a helicopter crashed into the pub
The emotional meeting came after the pair took part in a new BBC Radio 4 show, The Reunion, revisiting the events and aftermath of the crash.
Reliving that fateful night, Mr Murphy, 57, said: I was handed a woman, and she was unconscious and injured and I put her on the ground.
And I remember a huge sense of guilt because I hadnt put her in the recovery position and the next time I turned around, she was gone.
And for days and days afterwards I looked in the newspapers for details of who had died hoping that a woman broadly matching that description hadnt been one of the people who had died from my stupidity.
The tragedy on November 29, 2013, resulted in the death of 10 people while 32 were injured. Then-Scottish Labour leader Mr Murphy had been driving past the packed bar and stopped to help form a human chain of rescuers.
The politician appeared visibly shaken when he told his account of events to TV crews. Those interviewing him noticed he had blood on his shirt.
When asked about this, he confirmed it was not his.
During their reunion Ms Primrose said she believes the blood on his shirt was probably hers. She also reassured him that he did what he could do for her.
Speaking to her for the show hosted by Kirst Wark, which airs today, Mr Murphy said: Its so beautiful to meet you because I have wondered for a decade who that woman was.
I am so, so, so, so, so happy to meet you today. Ive been so wary of doing interviews over the last ten years and I am so delighted and relieved Ive come today to this interview, Nancy, because the last time we met each other was on the night of the Clutha just for a few fleeting seconds.
Jim Murphy with Kirsty Wark and Nancy Primrose during recoding of the radio show
I left you on that cold concrete and here you are alive and well and full of spirit.
So today has been, selfishly a fantastic moment for me.
Reliving the moment he arrived at the scene, Mr Murphy said: From memory, I think I saw a bit of what looked like a rotor blade from a helicopter sticking out of the roof.
I know this is a terrible thing to say folks, but I thought at least its not in the river.
Obviously, I didnt know the carnage it had caused. But I was thinking just a sense of selfish relief that I wasnt going to have to jump into the river Clyde to try and save people.
In 2019, a fatal accident inquiry criticised the pilot, Captain David Traill, 51, for taking a chance and ignoring repeated fuel warnings.
A four-year-old girl was tied up, beaten and shocked with a dog collar in a horrific ordeal of abuse that has landed her father and another woman in prison.
The girl's father Javon Markquez Ingram, 31, and Larissa Duncan, 47, were sentenced to 15 years and 10 years in prison, respectively, this week for the torture of the young girl - who is not named - in their Portland, Oregon home.
The sadistic abuse was discovered in late 2022 when Ingram brought his daughter to the hospital after she suffered seizures, at which point doctors found over 30 injuries across her body and called the police.
Ingram initially told police her wounds were self-inflicted, before shocking evidence was found on his phone and in his home, including footage of torture and a wooden plank with zip ties on it.
After the two were sentenced this week, an attorney for the girl filed a $15 million lawsuit against Oregon's Department of Human Services, alleging the agency failed to investigate several reports of the treatment while it was going on for years.
Inside this home in Portland, Oregon, prosecutors say a young girl was subjected to a years-long ordeal of torture and abuse that saw her father and another woman imprisoned this week
Ingram received custody of the girl in January 2019, when she was two years old, due to her mother's methamphetamine addiction, according to a police affidavit.
Duncan lived with Ingram, and Oregon Live reports that he considered her his mother although they are not related.
When Ingram took his daughter to the Randall Children's Hospital in late 2022 for treatment for seizures, medical staff instantly called police to the hospital.
'Detectives went into the hospital room and were immediately horrified upon seeing her,' a Multnomah County deputy district attorney wrote in a memo.
The memo said the young girl told officials that she would often be restrained with zip ties, chains, blindfolds, gags and duct tape and described being beaten with a belt.
According to reported court documents, the girl said she would be tied up with 'dollar store zip ties and duct tape' and an electric dog collar that would shock her, before being left in a bathroom or shed restrained in a highchair.
It was also found that she had never attended any form of education, was only ever fed food from a blender, and was not bathroom trained.
Police said the young girl was tied up with duct tape and zip ties, fitted with an electric dog collar, and only fed food from a blender. Pictured is a burned-out car on the property
A search warrant was obtained and executed on Ingram's home in the days after the hospital visit, which found further evidence of the abuse.
When questioned by police, Ingram initially tried to claim her injuries were self-inflicted, however medical assessments reportedly found this was 'not plausible.'
Child abuse pediatrician Heather McKeag officially diagnosed the girl's injuries as 'torture', and Ingram was arrested in November 2022.
Detectives found footage of the torture on his phone, leading Ingram to ultimately confess to the horrific ordeal.
According to his arrest affidavit, Ingram told detectives: 'I've done some horrible things in these pictures... I know what I did was (expletive) up.'
He then asked police: 'So what am I being charged with, torture?'
Ingram was indicted on 24 counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment, three counts of first-degree assault, nine counts of third-degree assault. He later pleaded guilty to the charges.
Duncan was also arrested after the discovery of the abuse, with her attorney William Walsh arguing during her sentencing that she had a 'more passive' role.
Walsh claimed that alcohol and prescription drug abuse were factors in her role.
Ingram admitted to police that 'I know what I did was (expletive) up', after he was confronted with evidence of the shocking abuse from his phone
The sadistic abuse was discovered in late 2022 when Ingram brought his daughter to the hospital after she suffered seizures, at which point doctors found over 30 injuries across her body and called the police
The memo said the young girl told officials that she would often be restrained with zip ties, chains, blindfolds, gags and duct tape and described being beaten with a belt
The girl was moved into the care of her grandmother, with an attorney representing her since launching a $15 million lawsuit claiming officials missed opportunities to end the horror ordeal.
Attorney Paul Galm claimed that Human Services caseworkers had received reports that the young girl was exhibiting developmental delays, was spotted with ligature marks on her wrists, was exposed to drug abuse, denied food, and was often confined to a bathroom.
'These reports were ignored by DHS who never investigated' Galm's suit alleged.
In response to The Oregonian, a DHS spokesperson said the state operates a 24-hour hotline for reports of child abuse, but only those that meet the legal criteria for investigation are assigned to a caseworker.
It is unclear if any caseworkers were assigned the case of the young girl, and it is unexplained why such reports of her ordeal would not meet the 'legal criteria.'
Catfish And The Bottlemen have cancelled a gig at the last minute because of illness just days after fans expressed fear that their 'ambitious' concert at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would be overshadowed by Oasis' gig on the same day.
MCD Productions posted a statement from the Welsh band just after 6.45pm on Saturday, about 15 minutes before doors were due to open at the RDS Simmonscourt venue in Dublin.
The band said: 'We regret to inform you that tonight's show is cancelled due to artist illness.
'Refunds are available from point of purchase. Apologies to all the fans who have travelled to the show today and for any inconvenience caused.'
The post did not specify the illness or who was unwell.
Catfish And The Bottlemen have cancelled a gig at the last minute because of illness
It comes just days after fans expressed fear that their 'ambitious' concert at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would be overshadowed by Oasis' gig on the same day
Van McCann of Catfish and the Bottlemen performs live on stage during day three of Reading Festival 2024
Fans worry that Oasis' comeback could spell bad news for the Catfish who also announced an arena tour this month which some fans now believe will sell 'negative tickets.'
The band, whose most famous song Cocoon was released 10 years ago, recently played Reading and Leeds festival as part of their comeback trail, which will culminate with a new album and a string of dates at arenas next year.
Catfish are set to play at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on August 3 next summer, but the show now coincides with one of Oasis' comeback gigs, just 12 miles away at Wembley.
Even before the Gallaghers' announcement, tickets were not exactly flying off the shelves for the Catfish show.
They have previously won BBC Music Introducing's artist of the year, and in 2016 took the Brit Award for best British breakthrough act.
Catfish And The Bottlemen are due to travel to Australia and New Zealand in September for several tour dates, before playing shows in the US throughout October and November.
Prince Harry has sought advice from trusted former aides in Britain on how to mastermind a return from exile in the United States, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Sources said the Duke of Sussex is consulting people 'from his old life' as a working royal after allegedly growing dissatisfied with advice from American-based image experts.
The overtures signify the first stage in a strategy to 'rehabilitate' Harry that would involve him spending more time in the UK to repair his relationship with his father and potentially initiate a partial return to the royal fold.
Sources stressed that Harry and Meghan, who have spent the past four years living in self-imposed exile in California with their two children, are not seeking a permanent return.
This newspaper can also reveal that the couple have parted company with yet another American PR adviser. Christine Weil Schirmer joined the Sussexes in 2020 as head of communications but left quietly late last year.
Prince William and Prince Harry walk beside each other after viewing the floral tributes for the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Windsor Castle
Prince Harry and Meghan during their trip to Columbia earlier this month
Prince Harry and Meghan pictured with their children in December 2021
Sussexes lose yet another key PR adviser Another top adviser to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has quit, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Christine Weil Schirmer, considered to be one of Silicon Valley's top publicity gurus, joined the Sussexes in 2020 as head of communications for their charitable foundation Archewell, charged with boosting the global image of the Sussexes. She was made a senior adviser in 2021. But the Mail on Sunday can reveal that she joined PR agency Brunswick at the start of August to advise clients on reputation management. Described as 'the real deal' and 'widely respected', she is the tenth staff member to have left the Sussexes since they moved to the US. She previously worked for Apple and Pinterest and studied at Northwestern University in Illinois at the same time as Meghan, but it is not known if their paths crossed. She quietly quit her job with the Sussexes at the end of last year. Advertisement
She is the tenth staff member to have left the couple in three years and last month took up a job with PR giant Brunswick advising clients on reputation management.
Last month, it emerged that the Sussexes' chief of staff Josh Kettler had suddenly quit his job after scarcely three months.
'Harry is turning away from all sorts of Hollywood publicists and is seeking counsel from his old friends and associates,' said a source.
'He is clearly reaching out thinking, "I need to do something different because what I'm doing is clearly not working". In short, he is rethinking the way he operates.'
Prince Harry's representatives did not respond to a request for comment.
Ending his rancorous feud with his brother William is not seen as a realistic goal, but last week this newspaper revealed that the King may be open to healing the rift with his youngest son, and had consulted with faith leaders as he explores the nature of forgiveness.
At least one of the advisers approached by Harry is a trusted figure 'from the old school' known for loyalty and discretion.
One friend has already devised a strategy for how Harry might begin moving in UK circles again even carrying out 'very low-key royal duties' although the Duke is said to be open to ideas from many sources.
A source said the friend 'believes if Harry comes back to the UK with zero fuss, and does zero publicity and attends very mundane events, he could prove himself and win over the British public again.
Sources said the Duke of Sussex is consulting people 'from his old life' as a working royal after allegedly growing dissatisfied with advice from American-based image experts
Prince William and Prince Harry arrive for the unveiling of a statue of their mother, Princess Diana in July 2021
Prince Harry and Meghan during their trip to Columbia this month
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attend the 'Afro Women and Power' forum in Cali, Colombia, on August 18
Prince Harry at the Unidad Recreativa El Vallado in Columbia on August 18
Meghan and Prince Harry at the Unidad Recreativa El Vallado on August 18 in Cali, Colombia
He would have to accept, though, that he might be reduced to ribbon cutting for a long period. But it would give him purpose to work again.'
But the source said it would only happen 'if certain members of the family could find it in themselves to allow it'.
Separately, the Duke, who turns 40 this month, has sent conciliatory messages to a number of old friends in the UK on WhatsApp. They are ready and willing to help him smooth a path back to Britain, with some referring to their task as Operation Bring Harry In From The Cold.
Friends are hoping the Duke's former private secretary Edward Lane Fox might spearhead a comeback. One said: 'If anyone can do it, Edward can. Last time I saw him I wanted to take him by the shoulders and say, "Ed, please bring our boy home". It's the right time now.'
Asked about helping Harry, Mr Lane Fox told this newspaper: 'It's not something I've got a view on I'm afraid.'
Although Harry's relationship with his brother is feared irreparably damaged, the Duke has seemed less embittered of late.
To his family's relief, he has decided against updating his acrimonious memoirs, Spare, for its paperback edition, due out on October 24, and will not be giving interviews to publicise it.
With breakfast pastries and coffee fresh on everyone's minds this morning, MailOnline asked our readers which high street bakery chain they preferred - Greggs or Gail's?
The results are in - and in a landslide victory Greggs came out on top as the nation's sausage roll sweetheart, with 72 per cent of readers voting for it as their favourite while Gail's received a mere 28 per cent of votes.
The findings come amid a recent revolt against Gail's - with critics suggesting the bakery opening a new outlet is a sure-fire indicator the area is being gentrified amid fears it could put independent eateries out of business.
Residents of Walthamstow in north-east London and Worthing in West Sussex recently pushed back on plans for Gail's branches to open in their area and slammed the chain for 'ruining high streets'.
Owners of family-run cafes have warned that existing local firms were 'struggling as it is' and could lose custom or even be forced to close if a Gail's opened near them.
In a landslide victory, Greggs came out on top as the nations sausage roll sweetheart with a 72 per cent of MailOnline readers you voting for it as their favourite over Gail's
Gail's received just 28 per cent of votes in the MailOnline poll
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Gail's chief executive Tom Molnar has instead insisted that he only ever wanted to give the customers choice.
He said: 'We build small sites so they are a part of a diverse high street, so whenever I build a Gail's I think what it would be like if I was a resident here.
'I'd encourage people to look at what we're trying to do, rather than taglines. There's good independents and bad, and good chains and bad chains.'
Greggs has more than 2,400 stores across the UK - and Britons appear to love the bakery so much that Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in Edinburgh had its very own Greggs van dishing out sausage rolls to fans.
A Greggs vehicle also appeared in Ibiza today to celebrate Cafe Mambo's 30th anniversary and has become a popular feature of celebrity parties, including Vicky Pattison's wedding and Olly Murs' baby shower.
Gail's was founded in 2005 with the first opening on north London's upmarket Hampstead High Street and has been dubbed the 'middle-class Greggs.
Greggs, which had 2,473 outlets by the end of last year, has announced further expansion plans to open up to 160 stores in 2024. Pictured: A Greggs sausage roll
A picture of the sweet treats on offer in a Gail's bakery. Gail's only opened its first bakery in London in 2005, but now proudly owns over 140 locations
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It offers expensive artisan versions of classic pastries and is frequented by 'yummy mummies' cramming their prams between the tables and chairs.
Its rival Greggs has grown into a 3billion empire with bold promises to build a Greggs in 'every town in Britain', but it started out in 1939 as a humble bread delivery service for mining families in Newcastle.
The first official Greggs store opened in Gosforth, Newcastle in 1951.
It has since sprawled out across the country with one guaranteed to be just a stone's throw away from you in any town and city.
These eight locations will see a new Greggs bakery opening as part of the company's expansion plans in 2024
The first Greggs in Gosforth, Newcastle, which opened in 1951
Pensioners and working class women queue outside Greggs Seconds Shop in Westgate Road in Newcastle in July 1974
A new 21-piece Greggs x Primark collection has been designed to get the nation festival-ready
Lewis Capaldi models the Greggs clothing wear. Greggs clothing was seen everywhere at music festivals last summer thanks to a collaboration with high street fashion store Primark
Kate Beckinsale wore a Greggs swimsuit at her Californian home after the firm launched its own clothing range
A famous Greggs fan! Ed Sheeran posing with his lifetime supply Greggs black card
Even former Conservative MP Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg has spotted with a box of Greggs pastries on his desk.
The brand's popularity has even led to a partnership with clothing store Primark twice to release ranges of merchandise including shoes, socks and hoodies - modelled by Lewis Capaldi and Kate Beckinsale.
Gail's currently has 140 stores across the UK and is expanding rapidly to compete, but this MailOnline readers survey today suggests the firm still has some catching up to do with Greggs.
Colin Firth has demanded re-assurances about a controversial new TV drama on the Lockerbie bombing in the face of a growing row over its plot, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Bereaved relatives have complained to producers of the forthcoming five-part series, Lockerbie: A Search For Truth, because of its central assertion that Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, the Libyan convicted of the attack, was innocent.
Oscar-winner Firth plays Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora died in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103. The drama is based on his book, and his belief that Iran, rather than Libya, was behind the atrocity, which killed 270.
Firth was worried about the claim that the Libyan was the victim of a miscarriage of justice.
The star, 63, whose big-screen credits include Love Actually, The Kings Speech and Mamma Mia!, believed the series could emulate the success of the hit ITV series Mr Bates Vs The Post Office and have a profound impact on public opinion.
Colin Firth on set in Bathgate, Lothian, in March 2024, during filming for an upcoming Sky series about the Lockerbie bombing
Set dressers move props for a scene on the Lockerbie TV drama
An insider close to the production said: Colin was worried because he felt the drama had the potential to impact heavily on the sympathies of viewers in the same way that the Alan Bates drama had on the postmasters controversy. He wanted to be sure it was the right thing to be involved with, because this is real life. Its not just a story.
The American-based campaign group Victims Of Pan Am Flight 103 fears the series will peddle a false narrative that the 2001 conviction of the Libyan was wrong. It will be shown on Sky TV next year.
Michelle Ciulla Lipkin, a spokesman for the group, whose father Frank Ciulla was killed in the outrage, told The Mail on Sunday: We have raised our concerns with the producers of the project. We feel they are amplifying and highlighting a false narrative about the bombing, a narrative that the great majority of us who lost loved ones do not align with and have fought very hard against.
'By focusing on the story of one family, they are denying the story of so many of us.
After expressing his worries, Firth met on set with Dr Swire, members of al-Megrahis defence team and journalist John Ashton, whose 2012 book, Megrahi: You Are My Jury also challenged the official version of events.
Ashton, who worked for al-Megrahis legal team, presented evidence that the most valuable piece of forensic evidence in the case, a fragment of circuit board said to have detonated the bomb, could not have been authentic.
The upcoming Sky series delves into the events of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, which killed 270 people. Pictured: Props are moved on set near South Queensferry, during filming for the show
Oscar-winner Firth (pictured on set) plays Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora died in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103
Sources say Firth was reassured by the visit, said to have taken place in April.
The drama is based on the 2021 book The Lockerbie Bombing A Fathers Search For Justice, written by Dr Swire and Peter Biddulph. It is co-produced by Carnival Films, best known for Downton Abbey, and will co-star Catherine McCormack as Dr Swires wife, and Ardalan Esmaili as al-Megrahi.
Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie on December 21, 1988. The bomb killed all 243 passengers as well as the 16 crew.
Eleven Lockerbie residents lost their lives when chunks of the plane fell on a residential street. In 2001, al-Megrahi was sentenced to life imprisonment. He was released in 2009 after he was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer, and died three years later in the Libyan capital, Tripoli.
Sir Keir Starmer today bowed to public pressure by re-hanging a portrait of Margaret Thatcher which he removed from her former study in Downing Street.
No 10 announced that the 100,000 painting dispatched from the Thatcher Room because the Labour Prime Minister found it unsettling has been placed on display in a first floor meeting room.
But Sir Keir still faced a chorus of demands to return it to the room which bears her name, with former Conservative Cabinet Minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg leading the chivalric charge.
Sir Jacob, whose father William attended the portraits unveiling by Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown in 2009, said: The portrait should be returned to its rightful place in the study where she worked. It was a spiteful, petty decision by Sir Keir which he should have the grace to reverse as quickly as possible.
The work by Richard Stone, one of Britains leading portrait artists, depicts the Iron Lady in the immediate aftermath of the Falklands War in 1982.
Sir Keir Starmer bowed to pressure by re-hanging a portrait of Margaret Thatcher which he had removed from her former study in Downing Street
The 100,000 painting has now been placed on display in a first floor meeting room, No 10 announced
It was prominently displayed in a study which is no longer the Prime Ministers official office, but has been used by Sir Keir for meetings in his first weeks in charge.
Sir Jacob added: It was a previous Labour prime minister who bestowed this honour in recognition of her extraordinary achievements and service to this country.
But whereas Mr Browns gesture was statesman-like and honourable, Sir Keirs actions make him appear mean-spirited and small-minded.
No10 has not revealed which painting will be hung in its place, although Sir Jacob warned: I hate to think what he will replace Lady Thatchers likeness with. A portrait of his EU heroine Ursula von der Leyen or perhaps one of his favourite trade union barons smiling down as Labour hands out yet another vast, unjustified pay increase to his members?
Former Tory MP Sir Conor Burns, who was a close confidant of Lady Thatcher, said: Margaret was hugely honoured that it was a Labour prime minister, Gordon Brown, who commissioned this portrait in recognition of her historic impact on this country.
Former Conservative Cabinet Minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg called for the picture to be returned to its 'rightful place' in the former prime minister's study
By this generous gesture, she became one of a handful of consequential prime ministers to have an official portrait in Downing Street. But she was also deeply touched that it was decided that her likeness would hang in the very study where she worked so diligently over 11 and a half years to transform Britain.
In other words, it is not just the portrait but its location that matters so much here.
Sir Conor added: Therefore, I hope the current Labour Prime Minister will take a moment to reflect and then to instruct that the portrait be returned to where it properly should be the Thatcher Study.
Former prime minister Boris Johnson said that Sir Keirs petty removal of the painting shows he misled the public when he praised Mrs Thatcher during his election campaign.
Writing in is Daily Mail column yesterday, Mr Johnson said: We are entitled to ask: which is the real Starmer? Is he a Thatcher fan, or a visceral Leftie? The answer, my friends, is now clear: not just from his petty decision to remove her picture, but in everything he is doing in Government.
China has the ability to shut down British hospitals 'at the flick of a switch' and could even access the medical records of the Royal Family, security sources say.
Beijing's army of hackers have compromised the computer systems of leading hospitals in the UK, giving them the ability to paralyse computer systems and cut power supplies.
Whitehall sources describe the NHS as the country's 'softest underbelly' because of the antiquated nature of its IT systems, which frequently vary between hospital trusts.
It comes after Sir Keir Starmer told Chinese President Xi Jinping last month that he wants London and Beijing to pursue closer economic ties.
In a 45-minute conversation initiated by Sir Keir, the Prime Minister said that he wanted to forge a 'grown-up' relationship between the countries. Xi said that he hoped the UK would 'look at China objectively and rationally'.
Princess Kate revealed in March that she had been diagnosed with cancer following major abdominal surgery
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Xi Jinping addresses the opening of a study session on boosting the high-quality development of the financial sector in Beijing
Earlier this year, it was revealed that a hacking attack on the British military by China, in which agents stole identities, bank details, addresses and national insurance numbers, had affected 270,000 serving personnel from all three services.
There are particular concerns about the vulnerability of the NHS, and the apparent ease with which patient data can be accessed.
A source said: 'Agents are testing our hospital systems all the time. We know that they have the ability to just 'turn off' hospitals if they want at the flick of a switch.
'The first sign it was happening would be consultants' computers freezing, then the power would be cut and the pass system would freeze.
'It would take about 20 minutes for back-up power systems to kick in, and we should be able to restore normality within the hour. But a lot of damage could be done in that time.
'They are able to access patient data. In theory they could hack the Royal Family's medical records and place them on the internet.'
Government security advisers say that China enjoys demonstrating its power as an implicit 'encouragement' for the UK to pursue friendly diplomatic and economic relations, and remove export controls on its technology.
Last week 'unusually aggressive and sophisticated' Chinese hackers gained access to American government and military accounts.
A group known as Volt Typhoon, which is linked to the Chinese government, exploited a so-called zero-day flaw meaning the software maker was unaware of it before having time to deal with it to target internet service providers.
The London Clinic where the The Princess of Wales was admitted for abdominal surgery
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during a visit to The Hub - Solihull Mosque on August 8
Sir Keir's Tory predecessors spoke out against China's curbing of civil freedoms in Hong Kong and its treatment of the Uyghur people and other Muslims in its western Xinjiang region, and criticised China's decision to take a neutral stance over the Ukraine conflict and to maintain close links with Moscow.
After the phone call between Sir Keir and Xi, No 10 said the Prime Minister 'hoped the leaders would be able to have open, frank and honest discussions to address and understand areas of disagreement where necessary, such as Hong Kong, Russia's war in Ukraine and human rights'.
Last night, Tory MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: 'The NHS is an easy target because the IT is so poor. My Tory government was pathetically weak on China and it looks as if Labour are going to be even worse a wishy-washy failure to stand up to a totalitarian state, no doubt encouraged by people like Peter Mandelson who have made money out of Beijing.'
A spokesman for NHS England said: 'More than 338 million has been invested over the past seven years to help keep health and care organisations as safe as possible.
'Our ambitious Cyber Improvement Programme will support the NHS to respond to the changing cyber threats, expand protection and reduce the risk of a successful attack.'
A Cabinet Office source said: 'Robust systems are in place to detect and defend against potential cyber incidents.'
A mother who tearfully denied stabbing her three young sons to death has been locked up in a mental asylum after changing her plea.
Octavia Rogers, 37, faced execution on three counts of first-degree murder for killing Jaikare Rahaman, 8, Jeremiah Adams, 5, and two-month-old Avery Robinson.
But she's now indicated a plea of guilty by reason of insanity, meaning she cannot be put to death.
Her son's bodies were found stuffed in a closet and baby Avery inside a suitcase when police arrived at her home in Phoenix in 2016.
'It appears that the children at this point were likely stabbed to death and that parts of their bodies were dismembered,' police said at the time.
'There's nobody that wanted to walk in and find a scene as gruesome as this one.'
Octavia Rogers, 37, faced execution on three counts of first-degree murder for killing Jaikare Rahaman, 8, Jeremiah Adams, 5, and two-month-old Avery Robinson
A horrifying mugshot of Rogers with a massive scar from where she attempted to slit her own throat after allegedly stabbing her three sons to death
Rogers broke down in court saying 'help me, help me' as she gasped between sobs when she faced court and pleaded not guilty.
The case dragged on for almost eight years and she was supposed to go on trial next week, until she quietly changed her plea to 'guilty except insane'.
Her plea meant she was locked up in a mental asylum indefinitely and would not go on trial, as she was not aware her actions were wrong.
The defense and prosecution agreed after hearing from psychological experts that Rogers killed the children, but was insane at the time.
She will be reassessed at a hearing every two years to determine if she should be kept at the hospital, moved to prison, or released.
A horrifying mugshot of Rogers with a massive scar from where she attempted to slit her own throat after allegedly stabbing her three sons to death.
The boys' bodies were discovered after Rogers' brother came home from work to find her talking about God and saying she found the answer to life.
Rogers (pictured) pleaded not guilty in Maricopa County Superior Court to commissioner Erin O'Brien Otis
Rogers appeared in court hyperventilating and could be be seen shaking as she rocked back and forth saying over and over 'help me', as attorney Gary Bevilacqua steady her with his arm
Then she went inside their home and locked the door behind her. The brother forced his way in and found Rogers had barricaded herself in another room.
She eventually emerged with multiple stab wounds across her abdomen and neck.
Police said Rogers told her brother she hurt herself because she was pregnant, which she wasn't.
Arizona child welfare officials revealed at the time they had previous contact with the family.
The State Child Safety Department said investigators could not locate the family back in 2010 to check reports of a boy with a small abrasion on his forehead.
Rogers (pictured left and right), who was identified by her mother, killed the children before stuffing them inside a closet and a suitcase, police said
They said they investigated cases in 2011 and 2016 involving marijuana allegations in which they found no legal grounds to take the children into emergency care.
One allegation was substantiated, and the other was not, the state's child welfare agency said.
The allegation that was substantiated accused the mother of giving birth to a baby exposed to marijuana, but investigators found the children to be safe.
The department takes seriously its responsibility to protect children - but its powers are limited, agency Director Greg McKay said in 2016.
'We cannot predict the future, and people can at times do awful things,' he said in a statement.
In 2006, Rogers had an order of protection filed against her for allegedly pushing her mother after Rogers was told to move out, court documents said.
Rogers will be reassessed at a hearing every two years to determine if she should be kept at the hospital, moved to prison, or released
Court records from that protection order said her mother wanted her to take part in domestic violence counseling.
Rogers twice went to court to make the fathers of her two oldest sons pay child support.
In 2010, the father of one of her children was convicted of disorderly conduct after police said he pulled out a gun while the married couple was having an argument.
During that disorderly conduct case, Rogers told investigators at the scene that her husband had a gun, though his lawyer would later add he did not point it at anyone.
She later wrote a letter to the judge in the case seeking leniency for her husband.
Rogers, who married her husband in 2009 in Mobile, Alabama, sought a divorce in 2011, but her case was dismissed after she quit pushing the case in court.
Law enforcement officials stand outside a home in Phoenix where the three boys were killed
Her sister, Voniticia Nickerson, said Rogers occasionally smoked marijuana but was not a big drinker, did not do hard drugs and stayed out of trouble with the law.
Nickerson said Rogers was happy to have recently moved back to Phoenix, her hometown, to live with her brother after spending about a year and a half in Virginia.
She noted she saw no signs her sister was trouble, and described Rogers as a devoted mother whose life revolved around her boys.
Nickerson said she is at a loss for a reason her sister might have taken the boys' lives.
Jeremiah Lockett, 13, was last seen Aug. 4, according to the Oakland Police Department. Oakland Police Department Marsir Robinson, 15, was last seen Aug. 13, according to the Oakland Police Department. Oakland Police Department
Oakland police are seeking the publics help locating two teens, ages 13 and 15, who have been missing for weeks.
Jeremiah Lockett, 13, was last seen Aug. 4 on the 9800 block of Birch Street. He is Black and Latino, 6 feet tall, with black hair and brown eyes. At the time of his disappearance, he weighed 200 pounds, had his hair in braids, and was wearing a black T-shirt, black pants and black shoes.
Marsir Robinson, 15, was last seen Aug. 13 around 42nd Street and Telegraph Avenue. He is Black, 5 feet, 2 inches tall, with black hair and brown eyes. At the time of his disappearance, he weighed 130 pounds and was wearing a yellow hoodie, gray sweatpants and gold Jordan shoes.
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When Sir Keir Starmer sat next to King Charles's right-hand man at a state banquet in June, it sparked speculation in royal circles that the courtier, Sir Clive Alderton, was being groomed to become our next ambassador to Washington.
But now Westminster sources claim that Sir Clive, a career diplomat who has served as private secretary to Charles and Camilla since 2022, has blotted his copybook with all-powerful No10 chief of staff Sue Gray after an alleged bust-up over access to a meeting between the King, Sir Keir and the actor Idris Elba.
The sources claim that Sir Clive caused tensions with Downing Street by banning political aides from descending on St James's Palace for the The King's Trust round-table event with Mr Elba in the week after Labour's election victory.
The star of Luther, who was once tipped to become the first black James Bond, has long campaigned to highlight the human cost of knife crime.
A source said: 'The Palace made it clear that Sue's advisers were not welcome and it p***** them off. It is fascinating to see how much power BP [Buckingham Palace] still has, but it won't have helped Alderton's chances of going to Washington.'
King Charles III and Idris Elba attending an event for The King's Trust to discuss youth opportunity on July 12
Pictured: Sir Clive Alderton, who is the Principal Private Secretary to Prince Charles, at Royal Ascot in 2022
A royal insider said: 'It has been the case since time immemorial that political advisers are not allowed to attend royal events. It is a long-held position established by the late Queen in order to preserve and protect the political neutrality of the sovereign.'
The insider added: 'In this instance, it was especially appreciated that the Prime Minister was able to attend the event, ahead of his first formal audience with the King, given that he had returned from Washington only that morning.'
The current British ambassador to Washington, Dame Karen Pierce, is expected to leave her post at the end of the year.
Peter Mandelson is the most high-profile name associated with the role, although he says that he has not held talks about the job.
Rishi Sunak's national security adviser Sir Tim Barrow had been lined up by Mr Sunak for the role, but within hours after Sir Keir's victory in the election he was told by Ms Gray that he was not getting it.
Former foreign secretary David Miliband has also been tipped as a candidate.
Sir Clive joined the Foreign Office in 1986, serving in Poland, the EU, Singapore and France, before becoming deputy private secretary to Prince Charles and his wife in 2006.
He became ambassador to Morocco in 2012, then returned to work for Charles in 2015, becoming private secretary to the sovereign on Charles's accession to the throne in 2022.
Sue Gray in her office in the Houses of Parliament, London in September last year
Sir Clive was seated next to Sir Keir during the state banquet held in honour of the visiting Emperor and Empress of Japan at Buckingham Palace, during the election campaign, where they feasted on poached langoustines, basil mousse, Cornish turbot, quail eggs and sorbet.
A Downing Street spokesman said: 'It is not true that there was any issue with the meeting.
'Sue was not personally involved in, or aware of, any of the conversations about the event.
'On the ambassadorship, we've consistently said that we won't be making a decision until we know the result of the presidential election because that will influence the choice.
'So there isn't yet a list for anyone to be either on or off.'
The public inquiry into the deaths blamed on Lucy Letby should take into account doubts over the safety of her conviction, a former Cabinet minister has said.
Former Brexit secretary David Davis has written to Lady Justice Thirlwall, the chair of the upcoming inquiry into events at the Countess of Chester Hospital, raising concerns that the terms of the probe depend on the presumption that Ms Letby's conviction was safe.
Increasing numbers of experts have expressed concerns about the case, and there is mounting disquiet within the NHS and the legal profession about the possibility that Letby could have been scapegoated for NHS failings.
In his letter, Sir David argues the terms of reference for the inquiry should be broad enough to consider alternative explanations for the deaths and admit evidence to address the concerns now being raised about the safety of Ms Letby's conviction.
Pictured: Lucy Letby who was given a whole life order for killing babies in a neonatal unit
David Davis MP speaking to the media outside the Royal Courts Of Justice in London in March
Explaining that he has had 'a multitude of experts contact me to express their concerns', Sir David writes: 'These experts range from Nobel laureates to heads of royal societies and royal colleges, and other prominent experts in medicine, statistics, forensic science and healthcare.
'At the very least I believe the terms of reference for your inquiry should be broadened so as to not depend on the presumption that Ms Letby's conviction was safe.'
He adds: 'The deaths may not have been caused by murder, but rather the result of a systemic failure in a unit that was overstretched and underfunded.
'Secondly, the deaths may have been caused by bad management of vulnerable neo-natal babies in the unit... thirdly, the deaths may have been caused by external factors, including infections such as a pseudomonas outbreak that the hospital was reported to be struggling to contain at the time of the deaths.'
Increasing numbers of experts have expressed concerns about the case, and there is mounting disquiet about the possibility that Letby could have been scapegoated for NHS failings
Supporters of ex-nurse Lucy Letby demonstrate outside the High Court in London during her appeal hearing
Sir David is planning to spearhead a Commons campaign raising questions about the conviction.
Mail columnists Peter Hitchens and Nadine Dorries have highlighted that Letby was convicted of the murders of seven newborns and the attempted murders of six other infants at the Countess of Chester Hospital despite the fact that no one saw her kill, or attempt to kill, a baby and there is no forensic evidence to prove her guilt.
Two prosecution witnesses basing their views on a 30-year-old research paper suggested that Letby murdered babies by injecting them with air through their feeding tubes. But the academic who wrote the paper was not called as a prosecution witness and has since cast doubt on his work being used in the trial.
Three bright young Aussie students have proven their business acumen by not only getting selected for an exclusive university course, but for then turning that opportunity into a successful start-up business thanks to a genius idea.
Budding entrepreneurs Gabriel Tucker, Max Moolman and Bridget Lansell were among the 30 people chosen from 500 applicants for the Fastrack Accelerator program at Monash University in Melbourne.
They had never met before day one of the course, but hit it off and decided to work together on an assignment with the broad task of finding a solution to an economic problem of their choice.
Though it took them quite a while to come up with the right problem to tackle, they settled on food waste, which costs the Australian economy around $36.6billion per year.
Mr Moolman was astonished at how much food goes to waste, despite Australia's 'amazing produce'.
On further investigation, the trio found that about a quarter of all produce doesn't leave the farms it's grown on, even though it's perfectly edible, simply because it looks a little 'wonky'.
They thought it was the most ridiculous thing they had ever heard and resolved to do something about it.
When Mr Tucker saw how a lawn bowling club was using beer profits to save other bowlos from closing, the idea to make alcoholic drinks that used farm produce that would have otherwise have been thrown out came to them - and Wonki was born.
Budding entrepreneurs Gabriel Tucker, Bridget Lansell and Max Moolman (pictured) were among the 30 people chosen from 500 applicants for the Fastrack Accelerator program at Monash University in Melbourne
'We started diving into the market in Australia, and we just could not find a single alcoholic product that was using imperfect or misshapen fruit,' Mr Moolman told Yahoo.
They thought that was crazy, given that juice, jam and various other every day products were made from fruit that would be considered second or third grade.
The students came up with the brand name Wonki, but it was going to take a lot more than just some clever wordplay to make their enterprise a success, especially with some many long-established businesses to compete with.
So they went around Melbourne people for their views on pre-mixed drinks - questions such as are they existing products too sugary and what flavours they would like to see.
Having found what they wanted to launch with, they got a company called Farmers Pick to find the produce, Market Juice for juicing and Gypsy Hub to make the drinks.
They raised $30,000 through crowdfunding initiative and used that to make their first batch of Wonki vodka soda drinks.
Then they wore down their shoe leather by going into bars and bottle shops to ask them to stock their brand.
It worked, and within a few months, even the liquor giant Dan Murphy's was stocking Wonki.
This was all the more impressive considering Dan Murphy's gets around 400 applications a year from companies looking to get a foot in the door for their pre-mix drinks.
Wonki is now stocked in 33 Dan Murphy's stores across Victoria, 35 BWS locations and 30 independent stores.
Bridget Lansell, one of the creators of Wonki, is pictured advertising the brand
The trio's genius idea was to use fruit that would otherwise be wasted because it was misshapen to make alcohol
With warmer weather and citrus fruits on the way, they're about to rerelease their Blood Orange and Mandarin flavour (pictured)
The trajectory of the trio's success has been impressive. They met at the end of 2021, spent 2022 working on their idea, launched it in mid-2023 and had a Dan Murphy's contract Christmas that year.
Their company's sales were $205,000 in the 2023-2024 financial year and they are confident that will keep rising and they will save more and more of the 7.6million tonnes of food that gets thrown out each year in Australia - 70 per cent of which is fine, but doesn't get to supermarket shelves as it's considered misshapen.
'Every case saves about two and a half to three kilos of produce, but we've just clocked over 10 tonnes of produce saved from farms since the middle of last year,' Mr Moolman said.
'We reckon we can save a hell of a lot more. The ultimate goal is to be able to eliminate an entire farm's second or third-grade waste every season.'
Another near term goal for the trio, who are aged from 23 to 25, is to expand out of Victoria across the country and to also find farmers in other states whose produce they can make drinks with.
As fruit is a seasonal produce, the two Wonki flavours currently on sale are Watermelon and Lemon, and Cucumber and Lime.
With warmer weather and citrus fruits on the way, they're about to rerelease their Blood Orange and Mandarin flavour.
As she turns 54 today, Queen Rania of Jordan has a lot to be celebrating.
The glamorous mother-of-four became a grandmother for the first time this month.
Her son, Crown Prince Hussein, welcomed daughter Princess Iman with his wife, Crown Princess Rajwa.
Princess Iman, who shares her name with Rania's daughter, 27, is the first grandchild the Queen and her husband, King Abdullah bin Al-Hussein II.
Prince Hussein, 30, announced the birth of his first child on Instagram earlier this month and thanked the 'dedicated' medical staff who assisted.
Queen Rania of Jordan, pictured here with her new granddaughter Princess Imam at the start of this month, turns 54 today
The Queen with her family - eldest son Crown Prince Hussein, Princess Salma, Prince Hashem, Princess Iman and King Abdullah II
Rania with her daughter in law, Crown Princess Rajwa (right), who gave birth to Princess Imam recently
Though now known as a stylish queen living a luxurious lifestyle with more than 10million followers on Instagram, Rania had humble beginnings in Kuwait.
She was born on August 31, 1970, to Palestinian parents - her doctor father Faisal Sedki Al-Yassin and mother Ilham Yassin.
The same year, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where her parents had moved after fleeing Kuwait along with thousands of other Palestinians following the Gulf War.
Her family eventually settled in a comfortable home in Tulkarm in the West Bank, close to the border with Israel.
Queen Rania was educated first at the New English School in Kuwait City and then at the American University in Cairo, where she graduated with a business degree in 1991.
In her early professional career, Rania worked with Citibank, before later taking on a marketing position with Apple.
She met her husband at a dinner party in 1993 and the couple were engaged just two months later. Just five months after they first met, they married.
Rania on her wedding day with her husband Abdullah in 1993
Queen Rania holding three-month-old Princess Salma, with Princess Iman and Prince Hussein by her side
Their lavish ceremony took place at the Zahran Palace in Amman, capital of Jordan. The day was declared a national holiday.
Tradition dictated a royal bride must wear jewels from her own family at her wedding.
But Rania did not come from a noble family with an impressive range of jewels at her disposal and so did not follow tradition.
Rather than the expected tiara, she wore an embellished headband attached to her wedding veil, which was styled around her intricate up-do.
In tying the knot with Abdullah, Rania did not know she would become the Queen of Jordan.
Because her husband's uncle, Prince Hassan, had actually been next in line for the throne for decades.
But when on his deathbed in 1999, King Hussein removed Hassan from the line of succession and replaced him with his son.
Rania and Abdullah have four children. Along with Crown Prince Hussein, they have Princess Iman, 27, Princess Salma, 23, and Hashem, 19.
Queen Rania calls herself 'a mum and a wife with a really cool day job' on her Instagram account.
She recently posted a photo of her eldest son and his pregnant wife on Instagram wishing him happy birthday.
She recently posted a photo of her eldest son and his pregnant wife on Instagram wishing him happy birthday
Rania with Queen Camilla during the British Royal Family's visit to Jordan in 2021
The expecting couple appeared in high spirits as they posed in nature, glancing away from the camera.
Rajwa was glowing in an off-white dress with the fitted silhouette revealing her blossoming baby bump - and Rania commented how she 'couldn't wait' to see them as parents, sharing her excitement for the new baby.
Aside from preparing for the baby, Rania enjoyed another grand celebration this year too - King Abdullah's silver jubilee in June.
She attended the ceremony in a chic white dress and grey corset with her husband, son Hussein and expectant Rajwa.
Thousands of Princess Diana fans gather at Kensington Palace to pay tribute to the beloved 'people's princess' 27 years on from her tragic death in Paris.
Well-wishers have placed flowers, flags and photographs of the late Diana Spencer on the golden gates to the south of the West London royal home.
The scene is expected to mirror the sea of flowers which emerged after Diana's death on August 31, 1997.
The touching tribute marks the 27th anniversary of Diana's death in Paris - where she was killed in a car crash alongside Dodi Al Fayed and chaffeur Henri Paul.
Despite efforts to save her, Diana was pronounced dead at 4:00 a.m French time on August 30, 1997, after suffering from a stroke in La Pitie Salpetriere Hospital, Paris.
The poignant anniversary comes in the week that Diana's sons William and Harry again showed the world how far apart they are - by not exchanging a single word at their uncle's funeral.
Royal fans decorate the gates of Kensington Palace with Princess Diana memorabilia
A poster of Diana reads: 'No one spread more love in one lifetime than Princess Diana'
1997: Thousands of tributes form a 'sea of flowers' outside Kensington Palace's Golden Gates following Diana's death
Today pictures of Diana adorn the gates of Kensington Palace, with one poster reading: 'No one spread more love in one lifetime than Princess Diana.'
Another reads: 'Her work continues through her loving sons Prince William and Prince Harry.'
Just two days ago, the brothers attended a memorial service for their uncle Lord Fellowes.
But a source told the Sun they did not exchange a single word despite being 'only five yards from each other'.
William and Harry were said to have been sat 'two or three rows back from the front' and were positioned on 'opposite sides of he aisle' with family members in the 'rest of the seats between them', the newspaper reported.
Former councillor David Hocking, 93, who was at the service, said 'it was very sad' to see the Princes apart and told The Times, 'I hope they got talking at the reception' - which Mr Hocking says he did not attend.
He also claimed that Harry and William were both very discreet at the service and that 'if you didn't know they were there you might not recognise them'.
A picture of Diana Spencer adorns the gate of Kensington Palace today - 27 years on from her tragic death
People walk their dogs past Kensington Palace where touching tributes have been laid out for the late Princess Diana
The last ever photo taken of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed in the Mercedes car in which they were killed a short time later, on August 31, 1997
The wreckage of the car that killed Diana was taken out of the Alma underpass
The ambulance that took Princess Diana to the hospital on the night of the crash
Princess Diana's coffin arrives at RAF Northolt after being flown from Paris
A young Prince William and Harry attend their mother's funeral in September 1997
Prince William and Harry at the unveiling of a statue of their mother Diana at Kensington Palace in July 2021. The event was attended by Lady Jane Fellowes, wife of Lord Fellowes
Prince William and Prince Harry stood 'virtually back to back' while they chatted with mourners at their uncle's funeral on Thursday, a witness has claimed. The brothers are pictured at the unveiling of a statue of their mother Diana at Kensington Palace in July 2021
The interior of St Mary's Church in Snettisham is pictured Friday, the day after the funeral
British Red Cross has led the tributes for Princess Diana.
In a post on X, the charity said: 'Today on the anniversary of her death, we pay tribute to Princess Diana's work as a dedicated humanitarian.
'As an active supporter of the Red Cross, she championed our work both in the UK and overseas. Thank you.'
The National AIDS Trust wrote: 'The legacy of Princess Diana, our late patron, continues to shine brightly 27 years after her death.
'She was an icon of compassion, kindness and dedication to humanitarian causes. She saw the people behind the stigma and discrimination, and helped change public perceptions.'
On 9 April 1987, at the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Princess Diana agreed to open Britains first specialist unit for patients with the disease at the London Middlesex Hospital.
At a time of great fear and uncertainty about HIV, which was then being demonised as the gay plague, the Princess was secretly determined that her visit would have far more impact than the usual Royal ribbon-cutting exercise.
With her dazzling smile and unforgettable star quality, the Princess of Wales strolled through the unit in private, talking to staff and patients alike. Crucially, she shook hands with them all.
Ivan Cohen, agreed to be photographed, but only on condition that the picture was taken from behind him - with only his back in shot. So in April 1987, with the press and TV cameras trained on her, Princess Diana sat down at the bedside of a gay man who had been diagnosed with AIDS - and publicly shook his hand
Former Editor-in-Chief of the best-selling gay magazine Attitude also took to social media to share a picture of her shaking the hands of AIDS patients as a tribute to Diana, who he described as a 'diamond of a woman'.
He penned: 'Its the anniversary of Dianas death today. Ill never forget this absolute diamond of a woman.
'Another of the greatest things the UK has ever had destroyed by the media. Rest in peace.
Isn't it time for the royal feud to end? When Prince Harry arrived at a Norfolk parish church last week, for the memorial service for his uncle by marriage, Robert Fellowes, many of those present probably prayed that there would be a reconciliation between him and Prince William.
In fact, William left the Snettisham church without exchanging so much as a syllable with his estranged younger brother.
He appears adamant that Harry is the black sheep of the family, for whom there can be no forgiveness. This is both deeply sad and worrying.
The longer the feud continues, the deeper and wider the chasm will get.
There are rumours that William has said he will not even invite his brother to his Coronation, when that day dawns.
As The Mail on Sunday reveals today, Harry has begun making overtures to investigate ways of ending his exile
This would be calamitous for countless reasons. Indeed, there are very wide ramifications.
Many have spent years vilifying Meghan for refusing to speak to her poor, clumsy old dad, who made a donkey of himself before her wedding by posing for paparazzi pictures.
Williams refusal to speak to his brother risks appearing just as petty. If William allows the feud to fester it will dominate every public occasion in which he takes part. At family funerals. At ceremonies of national importance.
Instead of public attention being focused on the ceremony, people will understandably be thinking of The Feud second-guessing body language between the pair, poring over what few if any words and glances are exchanged.
Do we really want this? Is it not the Prince of Waless duty to come to forgive? Or at least behave as if he has forgiven.
It was a wise man who wrote I kiss my son not because I love him, but in order to love him. For son read brother.
There is something deeply unseemly about any family having a row in public. When it is the Royal Family, it poisons the air and undermines the very institution of the monarchy.
The indications are that King Charles, especially in the light of his cancer, has been receiving spiritual advice from friends such as Richard Chartres, the former Bishop of London, urging him to build bridges with his younger son.
Obviously, Charles would like to meet and befriend his American grandchildren.
In his memoir 2023 Spare, Prince Harry claimed that his brother William had been violent
He should not have to feel anxious that he might leave this world before making peace with his darling boy Harry.
For his part, as The Mail on Sunday reveals today, Harry has begun making overtures to investigate ways of ending his exile. Prince William appears to be the one standing in the way of this. Surely, he has a duty to his father if not his brother to aid, not obstruct, such a rapprochement?
The reasons for the rift are obvious.
Harry wrote or rather, dictated to a clever ghost-writer his deeply hurtful memoir Spare in which he claimed that his brother William had been violent.
Intolerable things were said about Williams wife, Catherine, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment.
Harry and Meghan even told the world, via the Oprah Winfrey show, that the Royal Family was racist, a slur which is deeply unfair for the King, with such ventures as The Princes Trust, has done more to bring the people of this country together, regardless of colour or creed, than any public figure.
It is no wonder that William remains aggrieved and angry.
But as our future king, he needs to appear magnanimous, not mean-spirited. He should recall the example of the late Queen, his grandmother, who put duty before personal feelings.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex last month went on a quasi-royal tour of Colombia
As an olive branch to his family, Harry has made it clear that there will not be a sequel to Spare
In 2012, she famously shook the hand of former IRA commander Martin McGuinness, despite the murder of Prince Philips beloved uncle, Lord Mountbatten, by the IRA, in the interests of peace and reconciliation.
Surely William could shake his brothers hand if it is proffered? And there are hopeful signs that Harry is beginning to extend his hand.
As an olive branch to his furious family, he has made it clear that to his publishers disappointment there will not be a sequel to Spare, nor will he be updating the paperback edition with any more venomous barbs.
There are even indications that Harry is prepared to drop his case against the Home Office about his inadequate security arrangements. And he and Meghan are both hinting, via friends and sources, that they are prepared to give up giving embarrassing interviews with TV and newspapers. The squabbles concerning Meghan and the Royal Household already increasingly look trivial whether she did or did not throw tantrums, whether they were reducing her to a nervous wreck. She, and they, have surely moved on.
Another hopeful sign: Harry and Meghan went to Colombia recently and many critics prepared to denounce whatever ill-thought-out statement they believed the couple would inevitably venture. In fact, they behaved with positively royal decorum and discretion.
Then, it was said that Meghan might embarrass the Foreign Office and the Royal Family by attending the Democratic Convention in Chicago. But she didnt go.
Instead, she has hinted that she will, in future, limit her public appearances to promoting the work of her clothes designer friends.
Is there a strategy behind Meghans new-found reticence? Why would a woman previously so keen on political posturing suddenly be keeping schtum?
Perhaps Harry and Meghan have realised, belatedly, which side their bread is buttered on.
After their efforts to build a media empire fizzled out, boiling down to little more than a few pots of Meghans home-made jam, have they now grasped that, without the House of Windsor, they have little social and political currency?
Is that why Harry has recently renewed contact with some of his UK-based friends over WhatsApp?
His 40th birthday celebrations in two weeks would be the ideal opportunity to rebuild bridges with lost allies.
Heres hoping that happens.
Both Harry and his brother are stubborn, but the longer the estrangement continues, the more it seems like William is the one holding his grudge tighter.
Someone must step in to help him change his mind.
Maybe a younger member of the Royal Family one of Princess Annes children; maybe one of his friends; maybe his wife or maybe all of them should implore him to have a change of heart.
Whoever dares to confront William about this, should surely be brave enough to ask: What do you think your mother would want?
Both princes will recall a childhood beset by book deals and TV interviews in which their parents aired their grievances with each other. Surely they dont want their ugly feud in front of the world to consume their families any longer?
It is in everyones interests for William to bring Harry back into the fold.
Getting paid hundreds of thousands of pounds to eat as many hotdogs as you like may sound as close to a dream job as you could possibly get.
But in reality, competitive eating is closer to a nightmare.
This Monday, Netflix will host the long-awaited rematch between hotdog chomping legends Joey 'Jaws' Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi.
As these two prepare to chow down on over 70 hotdogs in just 10 minutes, MailOnline spoke to scientists to understand exactly what it takes to become a champion competitive eater.
From excruciating stomach stretching training to the very risk of choking to death, this fast growing 'sport' is far from what it seems.
As long-time rivals Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi prepare for their hotdog-eating rematch, MailOnline takes a look at what it really takes to be a champion speed eater
What it takes to be a competitive eater A strong stomach Speed eaters have 'extreme' stomach elasticity levels. Eaters chug vast quantities of water or eat successively bigger meals to train their stomachs to expand. Iron jaws Top competitors train their necks and mouths to enhance their bite strength and ability to swallow. No gag reflex To avoid being disqualified for throwing up, some speed eaters de-train their gag reflexes. An understanding of the risks Speed eating carries a high risk of gastrointestinal distress, stomach or oesophagus tears, and choking to death on food or vomit. The long-term health implications are unknown. Advertisement
What is competitive eating?
Competitive speed eating is pretty much as simple as it sounds.
While the specific rules vary depending on the food, challengers usually go head to head to see how many food items they can scarf down in a set time limit.
Competitions like The Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island got started in the 1970s, but sprung to popularity in the early 2000s.
Since 2014, the annual hotdog eating contest has been broadcast by ESPN to huge audiences across the US.
The sudden interest in the 'sport' is partially due to a series of young competitors like Takeru Kobayashi, who pushed the limits of what was thought to be possible.
In his first appearance in the US in 2001, Kobayashi doubled the previous world record by eating 50 hotdogs in 12 minutes.
The event organisers were so surprised by Kobayashi's performance that they ran out of signs to record the number of hotdogs eaten.
Driven by intense rivalries and ever-larger financial incentives, Kobayashi and Joey Chestnut have now pushed the record to seemingly superhuman levels.
Currently, the record set by Chestnut in 2016 stands at a truly unbelievable 76 hotdogs in 10 minutes.
Joey Chestnut (left) and Takeru Kobayashi (right) have traded the world record for hotdog eating back and forth for almost two decades of competitions
The stomach of a champion
If you want to be a champion in the world of competitive eating, there are two key factors: how fast can you get food to your stomach, and how much your stomach can hold.
Normally, the human stomach is about the size of two fists put together and has a capacity of around a litre and a half.
During competitions, a speed eater's stomach can balloon more than four times its normal size.
Professor Kathleen Melanson, an expert in appetite physiology from the University of Rhode Island, told MailOnline this is possible thanks to their abnormally stretchy stomachs.
Professor Melanson says: 'Competitive eaters are not the norm, they tend to have a stomach elasticity that is at the extreme end of the spectrum.'
To eat up more than 70 hot dogs in a single sitting, competitive eaters like Joey Chestnut need to have stomachs with extreme levels of natural elasticity
Like any sporting competition, you're not going to break any records without putting in some serious work - and competitive eating is no exception.
Their genetic dispositions might give them an edge but speed eaters also work hard to stretch their stomachs beyond the normal human limits.
As the stomach expands, stretch receptors in the surrounding muscles send signals to the satiating centres of the brain telling it it's time to stop eating.
By enhancing their natural stomach elasticity through training, competitive eaters may be able to 'turn down the dimmer switch' on the satiety response.
In a study of a speed eater's stomach published in 2007, Dr David Metz of the University of Pennsylvania described the changes this caused to the body.
During a competition, a competitor's stomach can stretch to more than four times its normal size to accommodate the food. In this photo, you can clearly see how distended Kobayashi's stomach is after eating over 15lbs of pizza
Dr Metz wrote: 'The speed eater had markedly altered gastric physiology that enabled his stomach to rapidly accommodate an enormous quantity of ingested food by progressively expanding until it became a giant, flaccid sac occupying most of his upper abdomen.
'In other words, his stomach acted as a compliant, expansile receptacle, dilating to a degree that it could accept an almost unlimited volume of food.'
This is what allows competitive eaters to achieve incredible feats like consuming 9.22 litres of chilli, as Carmen Cincotti did to set the world record in 2018.
However, Dr Metz told MailOnline he is not sure whether an eater's stomach is something that can be developed or if you need to be born with it.
This model demonstrates what the stomach might look like after eating 69 hotdogs and buns
Many speed eaters 'train' by drinking vast quantities of liquids to force their stomachs to rapidly expand when needed.
For example, doughnut-eating champion Yasir Salem says he would drink 4.5 litres of juice in a minute every morning for a month prior to competing.
However, Professor Melanson points out that, while these techniques can be effective, training with water or other liquids can be extremely dangerous.
Drinking excessive quantities of water can lead to a condition called hyponatremia as the blood becomes so dilute that it overwhelms the kidneys.
Water then begins crossing into the cells including those in the brain, leading to kidney failure, heart failure, and potentially lethal brain swelling.
Dr Metz also points out that it is 'unclear' whether this training really helps, since it has never been scientifically studied.
This x-ray shows a competitive eater's stomach after consuming 36 hotdogs and buns. The study found that the stomach had become a 'dilated, flaccid sac' after years of training
Taking a bite out of the competition
When it comes to the sheer speed of consumption, speed eaters push the boundaries of how much food can physically be forced into the human body.
A research paper published in 2020 used 39 years of data from the annual Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest to estimate the theoretical limit for eating speed.
The researchers estimate that the 'maximal active consumption rate' is approximately 832 grams of fresh matter, or 8.32 hotdogs, per minute.
To put that in perspective, the researchers note that a grizzly bear's maximal active consumption rate is only 798 grams, or 7.98 hotdogs, per minute.
With Joey Chestnut clocking in at 7.6 hot dogs per minute, elite human eaters are not only pushing the limits of human endurance but also giving bears a serious run for their money.
Researchers have used the last 39 years of hot dog eating competitions to calculate that the maximum possible rate of consumption is approximately 832 grams of fresh matter, or 8.32 hotdogs, per minute
Hitting rates of 7.6 hotdogs per minute, Joey Chestnut has a consumption rate similar to that of a grizzly bear
But like any sporting competition, you're not going to break any records without putting in some serious work.
The best competitive eaters use specialised techniques and rigorous training to give themselves the winning edge.
Kobayashi famously invented a manoeuvre he called the 'Solomon method' to achieve his record-breaking performances.
This technique involves tearing the hotdogs in half and dunking both halves in water to wet the bread before cramming both sides into your mouth.
In addition Kobayashi is known for his jumping and twisting techniques which use gravity to help force food through the oesophagus.
Competitive eaters will also train their ability to chew and swallow food by exercising their jaws and throat muscles.
Joey Chestnut's workout routine involves chewing on a rubber ball and lifting weights with his teeth.
Takeru Kobayashi uses the 'Solomon method' which involves tearing hotdogs in half before dunking them in water
When ESPN tested his bite strength, it was found to be in excess of 127kg (280 lbs) - greater than that of a German Shepherd.
Speed eaters will practice swallowing full mouthfuls of water to train their throat muscles in order to take even bigger bites.
Naturally, trying to cram whole hotdogs down your throat just isn't going to work for competitors with a strong gag reflex.
Since throwing up results in disqualification, vomiting, also known as the 'reversal of fortune', is a serious problem for top competitors.
For some speed eaters like Kobayashi, overcoming the urge to spew is as simple as staying focused and keeping his mind off the taste of the food.
Others have turned to biofeedback specialists for advice and actively work to de-train their reflexes.
Competitive eater Yasir Salem told Mental Floss: 'A lot of the suppression training has to do with brushing my tongue really far back, every morning and night.
'It's part of my daily routine. I don't even think about it anymore.'
Joey Chestnut's bite strength has been found to be in excess of 127kg (280 lbs), greater than that of a German Shepherd.
The fat belt theory
After regularly slamming 50-70 hotdogs in training you might expect competitive eaters to have piled on the pounds.
However, a look at the lineup of competitors reveals that this is far from the case.
Kobayashi has previously said that his ideal competition weight is just 60kg (132 lbs) and most professionals spend three to five days in the gym working to stay trim.
But this isn't just a matter of personal aesthetics or even staying healthy.
Like everything else in the life of a champion competitive eater, getting trim is all about getting the winning edge.
Contrary to what you might think, most serious competitive eaters tend to be thin and in good physical health. Many work out three to five days a week to stay in shape
Speed eaters believe that excess weight around the belly acts as a 'fat belt' which prevents their stomach from expanding as quickly as it might otherwise.
Just like a tight pair of trousers can be uncomfortable after Christmas dinner, the idea is that anything pressing on your stomach can lower its capacity and trigger the brain's satiety response.
Professor Melanson says that there isn't any scientific evidence for the theory but speed eaters have probably found this in their own experience.
Given that the majority of successful eaters are indeed very skinny, this hints that hitting the gym is likely an important part of the recipe for victory.
Kobayashi says his ideal competing weight is just 60kg (132 lbs) due to a belief that excess body weight acts as a 'fat belt' which restricts the stomach's expansion
What are the risks?
Perhaps a little unsurprisingly, forcing 7 kg of meat and bread into your stomach in a 10-minute feeding frenzy can have some pretty dire consequences.
During competitions, eaters can actually consume so much that chunks of undigested food are forced out of the stomach and into the intestines.
As the sugar-rich food drops rapidly into the stomach, this can trigger something called dumping syndrome.
'This is associated with heavy sweating and some gastrointestinal distress like diarrhoea,' Professor Melanson explains.
Those chunks of food can also harbour colonies of bacteria leading to a condition called small intestinal bacterial overgrowth which, once again, leads to diarrhoea.
Of course, after all that food goes in it's only natural to wonder how bad things must be when it has to come out.
Eating over 7 kg of meat and bread in ten minutes can lead to health complications which range from the development of bacterial colonies in the small intestine to tears in the stomach lining
Although not many speed eaters have been forthcoming about these details, Peter Czerwinski, a professional eater known as Furious Pete has been very forthcoming.
Furious Pete told the Canadian Medical Journal Association: 'There are only so many calories you can consume in 10 minutes, a lot of stuff goes through undigested.'
In a video posted to YouTube, Furious Pete further illustrated the issue, saying: 'The toilet bowl gets full, and it gets to the point where it starts to overflow, and it just starts spewing out, and that becomes a little bit of a problem sometimes.'
However, compared to some of the possible medical consequences, an overflowing toilet bowl is getting off pretty lightly.
In 2019, a group of Singaporean medics described the case of a patient who had been hospitalised for five days after taking part in a competitive eating contest.
The patient had eaten a 3.2 kg burger in 30 minutes and had become gripped by intense pain when the burger refused to budge.
These X-rays show the stomach of a patient who was hospitalised for five days after eating a 3.2 kg burger in 30 minutes
The doctors were preparing for surgery to manually remove the undigested food before the patient 'started to pass flatus' and their condition improved.
Forcing so much matter into the body so quickly also creates a serious risk of tearing the stomach or oesophagus.
'Some people have required surgery because it is just stretched so much,' Professor Melanson says.
These injuries can even be fatal, as in the case of the Chinese streamer Pan Xiaoting who collapsed and died at 24 due to a suspected stomach tear incurred while eating.
However, the biggest issue of all is the extremely real danger of choking to death on the food or on your own vomit.
Since the year 2000, there have been at least six recorded deaths due to choking at speed eating contests.
The biggest risk is that of choking which has led to a number of fatalities including the death of Madie Nicpon, a 20-year-old Tufts student who died in 2021. Pictured: Ms Nicpon's shirt laid out at a vigil
This includes Madie Nicpon, a 20-year-old Tufts student, who died in 2021 after choking and falling unconscious during a hotdog eating contest.
Despite emergency services performing 'extensive life-saving procedures', the response was too slow to avoid a fatal injury.
Amateur events appear to be significantly more dangerous than those operated by the Major League Eating organisation since emergency services are less likely to be on standby.
This is especially problematic where speed eaters have deliberately de-trained the gag response which might put a check on dangerous consumption.
But even if eaters avoid the immediate dangers of the sport, the long-term effects could be severe and irreversible.
In Netflix's documentary 'Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut' Kobayashi underwent an MRI (pictured) to determine what effect competitive eating has had on his brain and body. Experts warn that there is not enough evidence to determine the long-term risks
Kobayashi previously announced he would be retiring from the sport over concerns he was doing irreversible damage to his body.
In Netflix's documentary 'Hack Your Health - The Secrets of Your Gut', Kobayashi described how he no longer feels any sensation of appetite or fullness.
'I hear people say they're hungry, and they look very happy after they've eaten. I'm jealous of those people because I no longer feel hunger,' said Kobayashi.
What makes this so troubling, is that scientists simply do not know what the effects of years of competitive eating will be.
Professor Melanson adds: 'One of the problems with speed eating is that there's so few people on the planet who compete that there's not much research funding.
'Unless the research is done we don't know [the consequences], but I would dare say that people who know they have a family history of cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes should not risk it.'
NASA has changed its flight plans ahead of a SpaceX mission to bring home the stranded astronauts stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) and has removed two crew members from the trip's roster.
SpaceX Crew-9 will now only fly a two-man mission to the ISS in order to bring back the stranded Boeing Crew, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stuck in space for eight months.
Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson will no longer be flying on the mission, but will be 'eligible for reassignment on a future mission,' NASA announced Friday.
Despite the fact that the two NASA astronauts will return back to Earth, ditching Cardman and Wilson puts a dent in Crew-9's mission as they 'trained as a crew of four,' NASA chief astronaut Joe Acaba said in a statement.
NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will continue on with the mission as a commander and mission specialist, respectively.
The two Americans were kicked off in favor of the Russian crew member in order to continue to fulfill the arrangement with Roscosmos to fly one Russian astronaut, 'who can operate their critical systems for continued, safe station operations,' on each SpaceX flight, NASA said. In return, the US receives seats on Soyuz spacecraft.
SpaceX Crew-9 will now only fly a two-man mission to the ISS in order to bring back the stranded Boeing Crew, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stuck in space for eight months
The flight is expected to take off in February 2025 - pushing it back five months from it's original September 24 takeoff.
Despite acknowledging that it will be an adjustment for the crew, Acaba has the 'utmost confidence in all our crew, who have been excellent throughout training for the mission.'
'Zena and Stephanie will continue to assist their crewmates ahead of launch, and they exemplify what it means to be a professional astronaut,' he said.
The two female astronauts hold no hard feelings, both saying they believed the two men would do just fine.
'I am confident Nick and Alex will step into their roles with excellence,' Cardman, a scientist, said.
NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will continue on with the mission as a commander and mission specialist, respectively. The flight is expected to take off in February 2025 - pushing it back five months from it's original September 24 takeoff
Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson will no longer be flying on the mission, but will be 'eligible for reassignment on a future mission,' NASA announced Friday (pictured L-R: Gorbunov, Hague, Cardman and Wilson)
Hague has clocked in 203 days in space already and this will be his third launch and second mission to the ISS, NASA said.
He also did a developmental rotation at the DOD Space Force, where he worked as its director of test and evaluation from 2020 to 2022, before returning to NASA, where he worked on the Boeing Starliner Program.
For Gorbunov, on the other hand, this will be his first trip to space.
Once the pair reach the ISS, they will become crew members of Expedition 72, where they will join Wilmore and Williams, among others, to conduct scientific research and maintenance activities, NASA said.
Wilmore and Williams were trapped on the ISS have their Boeing ship was faulty and several attempts to bring them home equally failed, including considering sending them home on the very ship that left them stranded.
Wilmore and Williams were trapped on the ISS have their Boeing ship was faulty and several attempts to bring them home equally failed, including considering sending them home on the very ship that left them stranded. (Pictured: a SpaceX spacecraft)
A full timeline of Boeing's Starliner program, from the singing of their massive contact to the incident that left two astronauts stranded aboard the ISS
Ultimately, NASA decided that the risk of a fatal accident is too high to bring the astronauts home on Starliner.
Boeing officials cooperated with the decision, but they didn't necessarily agree with it.
'For their part, the Boeing engineers think the capsule is totally safe, would easily bring the crew back home in safety as needed.'
'NASA looked at all the same test data, but they decided, 'we just don't have enough certainty.''
The impact of this decision on NASA's relationship with Boeing remains to be seen.
Australians headed to Bali will be required to complete a new health declaration form amid public health concern about the spread of Mpox in Indonesia.
Travellers must complete an electronic self-declaration form, the SatuSehat Health Pass, in order to enter the country.
The Indonesian government has introduced the measure to keep a check on spread of the contagious virus just weeks after it was declared a public health emergency.
'All passengers and aircraft personnel traveling from abroad are required to fill in this health pass. By declaring your health condition and travel history, you contribute to safer travel in Indonesia, reads the health pass site.
Indonesia's Director-General of Air Transportation, Maria Kristi Endah Murni, said the rule applies to all foreign travellers including flight crew.
'Every foreign traveler flying to Indonesia must fill out an electronic self-declaration form called the SatuSehat Health Pass, as a guide for international airport operators to prevent and handle Mpox transmission at airports,' she stated, according to Indonesias Antara news agency.
The declaration form must be completed online before passengers check onto their flight.
It's understood travellers will then receive a barcode with their health and travel history, which Indonesian authorities will scan upon arrival.
Aussies headed to Bali must remember to fill in the health declaration form online before they enter Indonesia
The Indonesian government has introduced the measure to keep a check on spread of the contagious virus just weeks after it was declared a public health emergency
If travellers show symptoms of Mpox, they may be directed to a hospital for treatment.
Balinese airport biosecurity teams have also reportedly introduced thermal imaging cameras in the arrivals terminal to detect passengers with high temperatures.
Travellers planning to visit Indonesia can fill in the form on the app or online.
Indonesia is combatting a recent spike in Mpox cases.
Additional tracing measures come as Indonesia has reported 80 cases of Mpox in the past year
WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (above), said recent Mpox developments were 'very worrying'
There have been over 80 confirmed cases of Mpox in the south-east Asian nation in the past year.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on August 14.
The new strain of Mpox is believed to have emerged from the Democratic Republic of Congo and has reportedly evolved faster than scientists expected.
WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the emergence of a new sub-type of Mpox and its rapid spread around the DRC were very worrying.
Its clear that a coordinated international response is needed to stop these outbreaks and save lives, he said.
More than 15,000 cases and 537 deaths have been detected in the past year, according to the ABC, with the virus mostly affecting children.
Mpox, previously called monkeypox, has been a public health issue in parts of Africa since 1970.
However, the virus gained global attention when cases surged internationally in 2022, leading the World Health Organisation to declare a global health emergency that lasted 10 months.
Mpox can be transmitted through close contact with an infected animal or person, and through contact with contaminated materials including clothes.
The virus can cause rashes and lesions on the skin, with flu-like symptoms including fevers, sore throats, and headaches.
Most individuals who contract Mpox recover within a month. However, for the immunocompromised, pregnant and young, it can cause severe illness.
Jimmy Fallon begged his children to not go back to school this Fall.
The Tonight Show host , 49 who recently met Pope Francis during his family vacation in Italy has daughters, Winnie, 11, and Frances, nine, with his wife Nancy Juvonen and revealed that he will 'miss' his little girls once the summer is over.
He told People on Friday: 'I don't [want] them to go back to school. I don't want them to meet other people. I don't want them to do anything. I just want them to hang out with us for the rest of their life.'
However, the comedian noted that his daughters are more than happy to go back to school and are even looking forward to it following on from their first time away at camp.
'They love their school, they love their friends. And it's another little chapter in their lives and another fun adventure. They went to camp for the first time too this year,' he added.
Jimmy Fallon has daughters, Winnie, 11, and Frances, nine, with his wife Nancy Juvonen and revealed that he will 'miss' his little girls once the summer is over
He said: 'I don't [want] them to go back to school. I don't want them to meet other people. I just want them to hang out with us for the rest of their life'; Winnie, Jimmy and Frances seen in 2020
And he was heartbroken when they left at the time, pleading them to stay.
He recalled the moment: 'I was so sad when they left. You cant talk to them. You have like a set timeyou can talk to them for five minutesI miss them so much. Im like, "Please dont leave us." But they had fun.'
Away from his eponymous talk show, Jimmy has written 5 More Sleeps 'til Halloween and joked that the book will work well for decorative purposes if nothing else but will also serve adults well if they want to read it.
His book is slated to follow a boy and his dog as they count down the days until the beloved spooky holiday.
He said of the publication: 'It makes a good decoration, even if you don't want to read. It makes a good gift if you don't have kids, but you know kids that trick-or-treat and want to get them excited about the holiday.'
5 More Sleeps 'til Halloween is slated to his shelves on September 3.
He promoted his upcoming novel while on his talk show last Friday saying, 'Even if you don't have kids [the book] is just so fun to have... it shows that you're fun...give it to trick or treaters.
'"Hey look I'm fun. I don't even have kids, but I have this kids book,"' he quipped of potential buyers.
And this isn't the first time the comedian has published a book.
The three-time #1 New York Times-bestselling author previously released 5 More Sleeps til Christmas in 2020.
'They love their school, they love their friends. And it's another little chapter in their lives and another fun adventure,' he added; Jimmy, Winnie, Frances and Nancy seen in 2024
The girl dad pleaded, 'Please dont leave us'; Jimmy, Winnie, Frances and Nancy seen in a throwback snap
Jimmy married his film producer wife married in 2007 after two years of dating; Jimmy, Winnie, Frances and Nancy seen in 2024
His new book is slated to follow a boy and his dog as they count down the days until the beloved spooky holiday; Winnie, Jimmy and Frances seen in 2021
5 More Sleeps 'til Halloween is slated to his shelves on September 3
Jimmy and Nancy met on the set of Saturday Night Live in 2004; seen in 2017
Jimmy married his film producer wife Nancy Juvonen, 57, on December 22, 2007 after two years of dating.
The pair met on the set of Saturday Night Live in 2004 but didn't spark romance rumors until the filming of he and Drew Barrymore's film Fever Pitch (2005).
Juvonen co-own's the production company Flower Films with Barrymore.
Attendees walk through a muddy desert plain on Sept. 2, 2023, after heavy rains turned the annual Burning Man festival site in Nevadas Black Rock desert into a mud pit. This year, the National Weather Service warns that weather could impact departing private jets. Julie Jammot/AFP via Getty Images
As the 2024 Burning Man festival in Nevadas Black Rock Desert comes to a close on Monday, the National Weather Service in Reno has issued a forecast that could affect private jet travel due to weather conditions.
The temporary airport in Black Rock City, known as 88NV, accommodates hundreds of private charter planes each year, bringing thousands of festivalgoers to the event.
However, weather conditions are expected to significantly impact these flights. The weather service reports that conditions will shift on Sunday, with increasing breezes and widespread gusty winds expected on Monday. This could affect not only festival activities but also aviation.
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Weekend temperatures are forecast to be seasonably warm, ranging from the mid-80s in the Sierra to the mid-90s in Western Nevada. Breezes will intensify on Sunday, with Monday seeing substantial gusts reaching 40-50 mph across the region.
These gusty winds on Monday are anticipated to create moderate turbulence and potential low visibility due to blowing dust, particularly impacting private jets departing from Black Rock City.
The advisory urges pilots to plan accordingly.
It advises to have a plan B. Blowing playa dust could impact aviation and produce low visibility for those driving out of Black Rock City from Sunday into Monday evening.
Despite the unpredictable conditions, an estimated 800-3,000 people opt for chartered flights each year. A one-way ticket on Burner Express Air from Reno costs $776.31, with round-trip tickets priced at $1,500. Charter companies quote $10,000-$20,000 for larger groups, according to the Reno Gazette Journal.
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Oasis brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher are reportedly set to 'secretly reunite in the South of France ahead of their reunion tour, as fans scramble to get tickets.
Liam, 51, jetted off to the French Riviera with his mother Peggy, 81, fiancee Debbie Gwyther, and his rescue dog buttons on Friday, while Noel was seen at his recording studios in north London.
However, sources claimed Noel, 57, will soon be joining them all and their mother is thrilled.
'Peggy is over the moon that her boys have finally made up after over a decade of not talking,' A source told The Sun.
'She has remained close to both and never took sides in their row. The prospect of them all being together on holiday is a dream come true.'
Oasis brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher are reportedly set to 'secretly reunite in the South of France ahead of their reunion tour, as fans scramble to get tickets
Liam, 51, jetted off to the French Riviera with his mother Peggy, 81, fiancee Debbie Gwyther, and his rescue dog buttons on Friday, while Noel (pictured) was seen at his recording studios
MailOnline has contacted Oasis' representatives for comment.
The guitarist and brother Liam announced on Tuesday they are set to come together on stage for the first time in 15 years to perform across 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.
MailOnline has contacted Oasis' representative for comment.
On the Matt Morgan podcast, he said: 'Ill be all over the place on holiday. Im going to the South of France for a week and then Im going to Ibiza for a week.
'Then Im back in London for a week and then Im going to Greece for a couple of weeks and then maybe off to LA to see some friends.'
It comes after Noel reportedly 'caved in and agreed' to the Oasis reunion during a string of late-night phone calls with brother Liam, during which they ended their 15-year feud.
The sibling's fractious relationship came to a head in 2009, after a backstage fight in Paris led to Noel leaving the iconic Britpop band.
In recent years, Liam has been keen to make amends with his brother and reform Oasis, but his older brother poured cold water on the idea.
The pair will reportedly reunite at Liam's new holiday home, which was once owned by Noel Edmonds, ahead of their first show (Liam pictured in Lake Como, Italy in 2009)
Sources have claimed Noel, 57, will soon be joining them all and their mother is thrilled
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 (both pictured in 2003)
Oasis Live 25 tour dates JULY 2025 4th - Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th - Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th - Manchester, Heaton Park
12th - Manchester, Heaton Park
16th - Manchester, Heaton Park
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20th - Manchester, Heaton Park
25th - London, Wembley Stadium
26th - London, Wembley Stadium
30th - London, Wembley Stadium AUGUST 2025 2nd - London, Wembley Stadium
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8th - Edinburgh, Murrayfield
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12th - Edinburgh, Murrayfield
16th - Dublin, Croke Park
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But as Liam closed his set at Reading Festival he teased that an announcement could be made on Tuesday at 8:00am. A short clip of a sign in the style of the Oasis logo was projected on a large screen above the stage and subsequently shared to Oasis and Liam's official Instagram and X accounts.
It comes as fans were left furious on Friday after resale tickets were being flogged for thousands of pounds just minutes after the first people in the country managed to secure passes for next summer's UK tour.
The first tickets went on sale at 7pm Friday for the lucky few who managed to get a successful pre-sale code. Millions are expected to fight it out to see the iconic group in a general sale on Saturday.
But others were left outraged as greedy ticket touts immediately set to work reselling tickets at sky-high prices. FanFair Alliance - a group opposing 'industrial scale' secondary ticketing - said that they found 80 tickets hoping to make a staggering 200,000 within 20 minutes of the presale.
Some are now being flogged for well over 6,000 each for the gig at London's Wembley Stadium. Others, for hospitality clubs, can be found at a stunning 10,578 for two people.
The band have now added their condemnation as they blasted the brazen money-grabbers - saying that the tickets will be canceled by promoters.
Posting on X, they said: 'We have noticed people attempting to sell tickets on the secondary market since the start of the pre-sale.'
'Please note, tickets can ONLY be resold, at face value, via Ticketmaster and Twickets.'
'Tickets sold in breach of the terms and conditions will be canceled by the promoters.'
Speaking to MailOnline, Adam Webb of FanFair Alliance said: 'Within 20m of tonight's Oasis pre-sale, we found individual touts listing up to 80 tickets each on viagogo - hoping to make eye-watering profits of almost 200,000.'
Oasis have added extra dates to their tour and will now play five shows at Wembley next year
Stockport indie band Blossoms have reportedly officially signed on to support Oasis at their Heaton Park gigs in Manchester
It comes before fans were left fuming on Friday after resale tickets were being flogged for thousands of pounds just minutes after the first people in the country managed to secure passes for next summer's UK tour
The band have now added their condemnation as they blasted the brazen money-grabbers - saying that the tickets will be canceled by promoters
The first tickets went on sale at 7pm Friday for the lucky few who managed to get a successful pre-sale code. Millions are expected to fight it out to see the iconic group in a general sale on Saturday
'This is money being gouged from fans, syphoned away from the UK economy, and washed through the coffers of overseas websites.'
'This kind of consumer exploitation can only be reigned in by the Government. The only solution is to outlaw resale of tickets for profit.'
Sham accounts also appear to be flogging fake passes, flogging them for as much as 800.
Tickets on Stubhub are being sold for more than 6,300 - while others on Viagogo appear to be up for grabs thousands of pounds.
Oasis will play five nights at the national stadium, along with five dates at Manchester's Heaton Park, three at Edinburgh's Murrayfield, two at Dublin's Croke Park, and two at Cardiff's Principality Stadium.
According to The Sun, Stockport indie band Blossoms have also officially signed on to support Oasis at their Heaton Park gigs in Manchester.
A source said: 'Noel and Liam and Blossoms have been friends for years and with the band also coming from Manchester, asking them to support Oasis was a no-brainer.'
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Courtney Stodden turned heads in a busty swimsuit as she celebrated her 30th birthday alongside fiance Jared Safier on Thursday.
The media personality - who recently went naked in a post to ring in turning 'Dirty 30' - could be seen soaking up the California sunshine while spending time on a lavish yacht in Marina del Rey.
The star put on a busty display wearing a strapless, black bikini top as well as a pair of matching bottoms.
Stodden long locks were parted to the side, and effortlessly flowed down past her shoulders in light, natural waves.
Courtney accessorized her look by adding a few gold-chained necklaces, as well as a dainty anklet on her right leg.
Courtney Stodden turned heads in a busty swimsuit as she celebrated her 30th birthday alongside fiance Jared Safier on Thursday
The media personality - who recently went naked in a post to ring in the big day - could be seen soaking up the California sunshine while spending time on a lavish yacht in Marina del Rey
The star put on a busty display wearing a strapless, black bikini top as well as a pair of matching bottoms
The model additionally opted for a chunky bracelet on her right wrist and flashed a diamond ring on her left.
A few months earlier in June, Stodden became engaged for the third time to Emmy-winning producer Jared Safier.
The pair started dating last year in August after they first crossed paths while on set of a project.
Safier kept it casual for the day out on the water, and sported a plain, black shirt as well as a pair of blue, floral-patterned swim trunks.
He sported a pair of shades to protect his eyes from the bright sun, and also wore a flashy watch on his left wrist.
Courtney and her husband-to-be were seen arriving to the yacht, and she covered up her stylish swimsuit with a pair of light blue, denim shorts as well as a cropped tank top.
After settling onto the boat, the couple popped open a bottle of champagne and sipped on glasses of the bubbly drink.
The former teen bride and Jared were also spotted sharing affectionate moments together, and at one point, shared a kiss while relaxing under a shady area on the spacious yacht.
Stodden long locks were parted to the side, and effortlessly flowed down past her shoulders in light, natural waves
The model additionally opted for a chunky bracelet on her right wrist and flashed a diamond ring on her left
The pair started dating last year in August after they first crossed paths while on set of a project
Safier kept it casual for the day out on the water, and sported a plain, black shirt as well as a pair of blue, floral-patterned swim trunks
Courtney and her husband-to-be were seen arriving to the yacht, and she covered up her stylish swimsuit with a pair of light blue, denim shorts as well as a cropped tank top
After settling onto the boat, the couple popped open a bottle of champagne and sipped on glasses of the bubbly drink
She later moved over to the front of the yacht and flaunted her bikini look while celebrating her 30th birthday.
A few months earlier on June 11 - the same day the couple had their first kiss - Jared popped the big question to Courtney after one year of dating, per People.
He proposed at the iconic Beverly Wilshire Hotel located in Beverly Hills while they were at the Blvd Restaurant and Lounge.
Stodden said 'Yes' and can now be seen wearing an eye-catching, 5-carat diamond sparkler on her ring finger.
Following the proposal, the media personality informed People, 'I've been engaged for just a few days and I'm still taking it all in.'
'My friend asked me "Is there anything in particular that attracted you him?" I said "Have you seen him?"'
The former teen bride added, 'I am about to begin a movie that he is directing me in and I can tell he wants to bring out the best in me. That's what I love. He believes in me.'
She continued to gush that Jared, 'is a four-time Emmy-winning producer and director. I adore his creative mind.'
She later moved over to the front of the yacht and flaunted her bikini look while celebrating her 30th birthday
He proposed at the iconic Beverly Wilshire Hotel located in Beverly Hills while they were at the Blvd Restaurant and Lounge
Stodden said 'Yes' and can now be seen wearing an eye-catching, 5-carat diamond sparkler on her ring finger
Following the proposal, the media personality informed People, 'I've been engaged for just a few days and I'm still taking it all in'
The former teen bride added, 'I am about to begin a movie that he is directing me in and I can tell he wants to bring out the best in me. That's what I love. He believes in me'
She continued to gush that Jared, 'is a four-time Emmy-winning producer and director. I adore his creative mind'
She also added that the, 'wedding is being planned soon'
'I want to be a good wife. We plan on honeymooning in Italy where he will be directing the movie, and I am very hopeful for my happy ending,' she said
Safier currently has a total of 131 producing credits under his belt, per his IMDB page, and is attached to 44 upcoming projects.
She also added that the, 'wedding is being planned soon.'
'I want to be a good wife. We plan on honeymooning in Italy where he will be directing the movie, and I am very hopeful for my happy ending.'
Courtney was previously engaged to entrepreneur Chris Sheng - but in July 2023, the two split.
Shortly before Jared's proposal, the star filmed herself flushing the $500k engagement ring from Chris down the toilet.
'Just doing a little last-minute spring cleaning before summer,' she stated in the clip. 'I guess diamonds aren't always a girl's best friend after all.'
She then took the ring out of the box, and proceeded to flush it down the toilet. 'Onto the next chapter,' Stodden added.
Courtney jumped into the spotlight when she married actor, Doug Hutchison, when she was 16-years-old, and he was 51.
Shortly before Jared's proposal, the star filmed herself flushing the $500k engagement ring from Chris down the toilet
'Just doing a little last-minute spring cleaning before summer,' she stated in the clip. 'I guess diamonds aren't always a girl's best friend after all'
Courtney jumped into the spotlight when she married actor, Doug Hutchison, when she was 16-years-old, and he was 51
After tying the knot in 2011, the pair separated in 2017 and Courtney filed for divorce the following year
The divorce was officially finalized two years later in 2020
While also celebrating her 30th birthday, Stodden jumped to her main Instagram page on Thursday
Courtney and Jared were seen relaxing near the front of the boat under the warm sun
The couple - who began dating last year - could be seen resting a on a comfy, black cushion while sipping on their drinks
The pair shared sweet moments as they spent quality time together on her birthday
After tying the knot in 2011, the pair separated in 2017 and Courtney filed for divorce the following year.
The divorce was officially finalized two years later in 2020.
While also celebrating her 30th birthday, Stodden jumped to her main Instagram page on Thursday.
In the caption of the post, the model typed out to her fans and followers, 'Dirty 30 #birthdaygirl,' followed by red balloon emojis.
Stodden and Safier cuddled close together as they spent the day on the yacht
Courtney said 'yes' when Jared proposed in June - which will be her third engagement
In the caption of the post, the model typed out to her fans and followers, 'Dirty 30 #birthdaygirl,' followed by red balloon emojis
In the series of images, the star opted to pose naked while lounging on a bed inside a bedroom
She placed two balloons in front of her while a few pink roses were also scattered on top of the patterned sheets
Courtney's locks cascaded down in light waves past her shoulders as she indulged in a sugary cupcake
In the series of images, the star opted to pose naked while lounging on a bed inside a bedroom.
She placed two balloons in front of her while a few pink roses were also scattered on top of the patterned sheets.
Courtney's locks cascaded down in light waves past her shoulders as she indulged in a sugary cupcake.
She flashed a cheerful smile towards the camera as she paused for an assortment of snaps.
Bruno Tonioli's seat on Britain's Got Talent's judging panel has reportedly been 'saved' by show boss Simon Cowell after he recently slammed speculation that he would be replaced.
Filming for the ITV series was set to clash with Dancing With The Stars - which Bruno, 68, has been a judge on since 2005.
However, Simon, 64, will reportedly fork out thousands to have the Italian TV personality flown back and forth.
'When Bruno joined BGT last year, he breathed new life into the show. Simon loved how unpredictable he was and thought he made great TV. From the ratings, its clear the viewers agreed too,' a source told The Sun.
'When plans were drawn up to revamp BGT for 2025, it was quickly flagged to Simon and the producers that Bruno is already committed to Dancing With The Stars.
Bruno Tonioli's seat on Britain's Got Talent's judging panel has reportedly been 'saved' by show boss Simon Cowell after he recently slammed speculation that he would be replaced (pictured in January 2023)
Filming for the ITV series was set to clash with Dancing With The Stars - which Bruno, 68, has been a judge on since 2005 (L-R Bruno, Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden, and Simon)
However, Simon, 64, will reportedly fork out thousands to have the Italian TV personality flown back and forth (pictured on America's Got Talent)
'Simon managed to find a way to make it work. It means while a stand-in judge may be needed once or twice, Bruno remains on the show.'
The source also revealed that flying back and forth isn't ideal for Bruno, however, he loves both shows and feels committed to them.
The former Strictly judge will start filming in the United States on September 17 and Britain's Got Talent the following month.
MailOnline has contacted Britain's Got Talent's representative for comment.
According to The Sun, comedian Alan Carr, 48, was initially tipped to replace him if he had to leave the show but is now thought to be top of the list to stand in.
This week, ITV unveiled a format change for the show, which also features Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden as judges.
It starts a four-month run in February, with live semi-finals on Saturday evenings replacing nightly episodes across one week.
It comes after Bruno hit back at speculation that he wouldn't be appearing in the next series in June.
Bruno has filming commitments with Dancing With The Stars (pictured on the show)
According to reports, comedian Alan Carr, 48, was initially tipped to replace him if he had to leave the show but is now thought to be top of the list to stand in
After the show came to an end in May, reports were rife that the judging line-up for the 18th series could undergo a shake-up as filming for auditions later this year would clash with Dancing With The Stars.
However, a source told MailOnline that Bruno defiantly declared: 'I'm not going anywhere. I will be back with bells on', when asked about whether his job was at risk.
Simon also shut down the rumours as he confirmed the Italian choreographer will be returning next year despite scheduling clashes but admitted there will be some sort of stand-in.
Appearing on Heart Radio, the music mogul explained: 'I would not replace him. I love Bruno on the show.'
Clearing up the rumours, host Jamie Theakston asked the star: 'I'm going to read you a headline from one of the papers today Simon... "Britain's Got Talent set to drop judge, Bruno".'
As Simon said the headline was false, Jamie pressed: 'Okay, well, what of that isn't truth?'
Simon explained: 'Seriously. I spoke to... I don't know where all this stuff comes from. I spoke to the producers literally two weeks ago about there is a scheduling issue with Bruno.
'Because we're doing the auditions... some of the auditions this year and he's going to be in America.'
'So maybe there'll be a stand-in for him. I don't know. But I love Bruno on the show. I think he's brilliant.'
Fellow judge Amanda agreed as she added: 'He brings such an amazing energy and he knows so much.'
'And he knows so much about what he's talking about. And actually, he's a brilliant, brilliant judge and the nicest person. So no, I would not replace him,' Simon added.
'So... Bruno's coming back?' asked Jamie as Simon confirmed once and for all: 'He's coming back.'
Jamie then asked: 'Have you approached Alan Carr?' as Simon replied: 'No, Amanda wants Alan.'
'How much of a say does she have?' asked Jamie, to which Simon quickly replied: 'No' and Amanda cried: 'I have no say'.
Alan revealed last year he confronted Simon after he was snubbed as the new Britain's Got Talent judge.
The comedian, who was approached for the role before it was given to Bruno without him being told bumped into Simon at Amanda Holden's house just a week later.
Funnyman Alan told the Mail: 'Amanda Holden, the next week, said, ''Alan, I'm having a party," I went, "great. Love it."
'I go through the door and oh great, Simon's in there. Oh s***. So, as I always do, with my best humour I went over there and said, "My wrist has been hurting all weekend practicing that bloody buzzer and you went for Bruno".'
The former Chatty Man host then mimicked: 'Alan, that's showbusiness.'
Leah Remini and her husband Angelo Pagan are divorcing after 21 years of marriage - so what will happen to their fortune?
Pagan, an actor and restaurateur who owns a popular Los Angeles brunch spot with Remini's stepfather, has an estimated net worth of $25 million.
Meanwhile Remini starred on the hit sitcom The King Of Queens from 1998 to 2007, reportedly earning close to $400,000 an episode for its last two seasons.
It is currently unknown whether Remini and Pagan signed a prenuptial agreement, leaving the question hanging in the air of how their assets will be split.
Remini and Pagan jointly announced their amicable separation on Thursday - just one week after her friend Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck.
Leah Remini and her husband Angelo Pagan are divorcing after 21 years of marriage - so what will happen to their fortune?; pictured in 2010
The couple first met in 1996, two years before she began her star-making role on the long-running sitcom The King Of Queens alongside Kevin James.
They had a Scientologist wedding in Las Vegas in 2003, a decade before they both left the Church Of Scientology along with Remini's mother.
The year they were married, Remini purchased a mansion in the Studio City area of Los Angeles, paying a reported $3,750,000, via In Touch.
Remini first tried to sell the property in 2023 - shortly after her and Pagan's daughter Sofia, 20, went off to college - with an asking price of $12,499,000.
After failing to find a buyer, she reduced the price twice over the course of 2023, but still found herself having trouble offloading the house.
She finally sold the 1.5-acre estate for $9,300,000 on July 1 this year, just weeks before she and Pagan announced their divorce, according to The Blast.
Meanwhile Pagan owns the buzzy Studio City brunch establishment Vivian's Millennium Cafe with Remini's stepfather George Marshall.
Vivian's Cafe was opened by a couple called Vivian and Walter in 1963, and then Pagan and Marshall acquired it in 1999, adding 'Millennium' to the name.
She finally sold her Studio City estate for $9,300,000 on July 1 this year, just weeks before she and Pagan announced their divorce, according to The Blast
Meanwhile Pagan owns the buzzy Studio City brunch establishment Vivian's Millennium Cafe with Remini's stepfather George Marshall
Meanwhile Remini starred with Kevin James on the hit sitcom The King Of Queens from 1998 to 2007, reportedly earning close to $400,000 an episode for its last two seasons
It is currently unknown whether Remini and Pagan signed a prenuptial agreement, leaving the question hanging in the air of how their assets will be split; pictured 2018
Studio City is known as an enclave of Hollywood professionals, and the restaurant has been a haunt for them under Pagan and Marshall's stewardship.
As for acting, it is currently unknown how much Remini collects in residual payments from the reruns of her popular show The King Of Queens, which ran nine seasons.
Ahead of season eight, Remini successfully negotiated to have her salary tripled sot hat she would approach pay parity with James, who was making north of $400,000 per episode, according to Variety.
Since the show ended in 2007, Remini has appeared in a number of movies including the comedy Second Act starring her alongside her close friend Jennifer Lopez.
She has also released a bestselling memoir called Troublemaker and a number of documentaries fiercely criticizing the Church Of Scientology.
Remini and James reunited on the small screen for the sitcom Kevin Can Wait, which was canceled by CBS in 2018 after just two seasons.
Pagan is also an actor and has featured in such movies as the 2001 thriller Swordfish, as well as being a recurring guest star on The King Of Queens.
The couple both starred on the TLC reality show Leah Remini: It's All Relative for two seasons, along with Remini's mother Vicki, sister Shannon and stepfather Geroge.
Remini and Pagan went public with their separation in a joint statement this Thursday, adopting a conciliatory tone while explaining why the marriage fell apart; pictured 2015
Remini and Pagan are pictured at the premiere of the 2004 movie Man On Fire while she was pregnant with their daughter Sofia, who is now 20
Remini and Pagan announced their separation on Thursday - just one week after her friend Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck; Lopez and Affleck pictured in February
Remini and Pagan went public with their separation in a joint statement this Thursday, adopting a conciliatory tone while explaining why the marriage fell apart.
'So, the big questionwhy? To put it simply, we both changed, as people do, and we got used to playing roles that didn't fit us anymore,' they wrote.
'After a lot of effort and consideration, we've decided to take this step, which reflects who we are today. Our bond is still strongit's just evolved into something different.'
They admitted they were 'sad' about the divorce, but noted that they still regard the marriage as a 'success' and each other as 'best friends.'
Khloe Kardashian took to Instagram on Friday to share outtakes from a special day she shared with a fan.
The 40-year-old reality television personality who recently stopped by SEV Laser treated a lucky young woman to a shopping spree at her Good American store at LA's Century City mall.
She shared a slew of photos with her 307 million followers, which showed her smiling alongside a girl named Hannah, who is a 'Make-A-Wish kid.'
For the occasion, the mother-of-two showed off her long legs and toned tummy in a brown and white plaid mini skirt and cropped white Miu Miu T-shirt with black trim.
Kardashian wrote in her social media caption, 'I had the greatest honor of meeting Hannah this week. The sweetest soul and oh so beautiful inside and out!'
Khloe Kardashian took to Instagram on Friday to share outtakes from a special day she shared with a fan
The 40-year-old reality television personality treated a lucky young woman to a shopping spree at her Good American store at LA's Century City mall. She shared a slew of photos with her 307 million followers, which showed her smiling alongside a girl named Hannah
Hannah held a sign that read: 'I'm a 'Make-A-Wish kid'
The Hulu star continued in her Instagram note, '@_hannahlasley_ said she was a fan of @goodamerican so what's a girl to do when they may be able to pull some strings and close down the store- DUH! WE WENT SHOPPING!!'
She added, 'We had the best time! Hannah, I'll never forget our special day and I am so blessed that I was able to meet you.'
Her longtime best friend Malika Haqq joined the day of shopping.
Khloe concluded her caption, 'Malika and I couldn't stop talking about how incredible you are . Thank you @makeawishamerica for such a special day.'
Hannah also expressed gratitude on her Instagram account.
She reposted Kardashian's post and added a thank you note that read, '@khloekardashian I love you so much. Thank you for everything. I have no words.'
The Good American founder rounded out her outfit with brown leather to-the-knee Givenchy boots.
Hannah was fashion-forward in a clinging, short-sleeved, pale pink shirt with stone-covered, wide-leg, light wash jeans.
Kardashian's longtime best friend Malika Haqq joined the day of shopping (pictured far left)
While getting an exclusive trip to the brick and mortar, Hannah posed up with Good American employees
She looked stunning in a full face of makeup that enhanced her natural beauty.
And the star, who recently dyed her hair a chocolate brown color, wore her lengthy locks in a center part and ironed straight.
While getting an exclusive trip to the brick and mortar, Hannah posed up with Good American employees, who Khloe gave a shoutout on Instagram.
Sharing a snapshot of the group, the former Keeping Up with the Kardashians star gushed, 'This team is top tier.'
It comes after earlier this week, Khloe posted outtakes from her six-year-old daughter True's first day of school.
For the occasion, the mother-of-two showed off her long legs and toned tummy in a brown and white plaid mini skirt and cropped white Miu Miu T-shirt with black trim
Hannah was fashion-forward in a clinging, short-sleeved, pale pink shirt with stone-covered, wide-leg, light wash jeans
True, who Kardashian shares with ex-boyfriend Tristan Thompson, wrote in the caption: 'First Grade!!! True I am so proud of you!! I know you're going to have the most incredible year ahead of you!
'I couldn't be happier for you my angel. I'm not ok but I'll pull it together by pick up time.'
The youngster looked adorable in her uniform which included a short-sleeved, white, collared shirt and plaid blue skirt.
Joining her in some images was her baby brother Tatum Thompson, who is two-years-old.
Kylie Jenner slipped into a stunning, skintight ensemble for the H.Lorenzo and Ioannes private event in Los Angeles on Friday.
The reality TV personality, 27, showed off her hourglass figure in a black, halter minidress, which featured a hot pink floral design across the torso, and yoga pants.
She channeled Y2K fashion as she paired the ensemble with sandal heels and a small shoulder purse with a thick, leather strap.
She kept her makeup simple as she sported a peachy and rosy blush as well as an overlined, classic nude pout.
Her outing comes shortly after she recently claimed that she dissolved 'half' of her lip filler.
Kylie Jenner slipped into a stunning, skintight ensemble for the H.Lorenzo and Ioannes event in Los Angeles on Friday
The youngest KarJenner sister slicked back her dark brunette tresses into a tight bun and opted for a dewy makeup look with a generous amount of pink blush.
This event comes just hours after the makeup mogul who shared a glimpse into her everyday life with her two kids but not her boyfriend, actor Timothee Chalamet announced her brand Khy will be releasing a collaboration with German fashion house Ioannes.
At the event held at a hotel, The West Hollywood EDITION, she was seen posing for snaps alongside the founder and creative director Johannes Boehl Cronau.
For the special occasion, Cronau looked effortlessly stylish in a monochromatic white ensemble.
The Berlin-based designer wore a semi-sheer tank top paired with a linen button-down and cream-colored trousers.
On the same day, she also took to her Instagram Story with a video montage of the event and of herself modeling her chic look.
The Kardashians star was partying in style alongside her friend, Lauren Perez, who wore a matching jumpsuit with the same design.
'We're basically wearing the same thing,' Jenner said in the clip.
The reality TV personality, 27, showed off her hourglass figure in a black, halter minidress, which featured a hot pink floral design across the torso, and yoga pants. She channeled Y2K fashion as she paired the ensemble with sandal heels and a small shoulder purse with a thick, leather strap
This event comes just hours after the makeup mogul announced her brand Khy will be releasing a collaboration with German fashion house Ioannes. At the event held at a hotel, The West Hollywood EDITION, she was seen posing for snaps alongside the designer and founder Johannes Boehl Cronau. For the special occasion, Cronau looked effortlessly stylish in a monochromatic white ensemble
The Berlin-based designer wore a semi-sheer tank top paired with a linen button-down and cream-colored trousers
Later, they were seen sipping champagne and taking selfies.
The video comprised of moments of the two gal pals arriving at the event, taking snapshots there and then leaving for dinner.
Alongside a video of a blossoming flower with silk petals, she announced that their upcoming collaboration would be coming out on September 5.
Her outing comes shortly after reports that she is becoming 'incredibly detached' from her inner circle and prefers to spend all of her time with her boyfriend.
Jenner and Chalamet, 28, have kept their relationship under the radar after first being linked together back in April 2023.
During that time, insiders revealed that Jenner has slowly started to pull back from her wider social circle and has turned into a 'homebody' much like her famously reclusive older brother Rob Kardashian.
'Kylie is turning into her brother Rob,' a source exclusively revealed to DailyMail.com. 'She is choosing to be a homebody for the most part.'
The insider added: 'For Kylie, it is her family, her kids and then obviously she is all in on hanging out with Timothee.'
On the same day, she also took to her Instagram Story with a video montage of the event and of herself modeling her chic look
At the beginning of her montage clip, Jenner and her friend were seen posing in front of an elevator's reflective doors
The Kardashians star was partying in style alongside her friend, Lauren Perez, who wore a matching jumpsuit with the same design. 'We're basically wearing the same thing,' Jenner said in the clip
Later, they were seen sipping champagne and taking selfies
The youngest KarJenner sister slicked back her dark brunette tresses into a tight bun and opted for a dewy makeup look with a generous amount of pink blush
The video comprised of moments of the two gal pals arriving at the event, taking snapshots there and then leaving for dinner. They snapped more selfies inside of the elevator
At the end of the reel, Jenner posed for the cameras as they left the venue through a service elevator
The mother-of-two is said to have lost all interest in trying to keep up appearances with industry pals.
'Time for going out and doing the Hollywood friendship thing is long past her. She is 27 going on 70,' the source said. 'What suits her now is being out there when she needs to be, not because she wants to be. She is so busy with her relationship and being a mom and a businesswoman.'
The source added: 'She doesn't miss her times in the Hollywood shuffle and her desire to have friends outside her bubble isn't anything she is interested in right now.'
Another source explained that only her longtime best friend Anastasia 'Stassie' Karanikolaou has remained in constant communication with the Kylie Cosmetics founder.
'Kylie has become incredibly detached and pretty much only has one close girlfriend right now Stassie,' the source claimed. 'She is her ride or die and the two of them confide in each other for everything. They've been friends since they were in middle school and grew up learning how to adapt to fame together. She is the only person that Kylie turns to and the only person that has had her back no matter what and not burned her.
'Kylie has shut out all her other friends,' the insider added. 'She is with Timothee as much as possible but spends more time with Stassie than him even.'
Blossoms have 'signed on to support Oasis' on their huge comeback tour next year.
The Indie band will reportedly join the Gallagher brothers as they take to the stage at their Heaton Park gigs in Manchester.
The Stockport group, have three UK No1 albums under their belts and earlier in the year supported Noel Gallagher and the High Flying Birds when they played a special show at London's Royal Albert Hall.
'Noel and Liam and Blossoms have been friends for years and with the band also coming from Manchester, asking them to support Oasis was a no-brainer,' a source told The Sun.
'It will be announced in due course but Blossoms have agreed to support Oasis at their Heaton park shows - naturally they jumped at the chance.
Liam and Noel Gallagher have reportedly signed their first support act ahead of their long-awaited worldwide tour in 2025
The group, have three UK No1 albums under their belts and earlier in the year supported Noel Gallagher and the High Flying Birds when they played a special show at the Royal Albert Hall
'It's a full circle moment for them as members Tom Ogden and Joe Donovan's first ever gig was at Oasis at Heaton Park.'
MailOnline has contacted Blossoms and Oasis representatives for comment.
The reports comes after Noel and Liam are set to 'secretly reunite in the South of France ahead of their reunion tour', as fans scramble to get tickets.
Liam, 51, jetted off to the French Riviera with his mother Peggy, 81, fiancee Debbie Gwyther, and his rescue dog buttons on Friday, while Noel was seen at his recording studios in north London.
However, sources claimed Noel, 57, will soon be joining them all and their mother is thrilled.
'Peggy is over the moon that her boys have finally made up after over a decade of not talking,' a source told The Sun.
'She has remained close to both and never took sides in their row. The prospect of them all being together on holiday is a dream come true.'
MailOnline has contacted Oasis' representatives for comment.
The guitarist and brother Liam announced on Tuesday they are set to come together on stage for the first time in 15 years to perform across the UK and Ireland.
The guitarist and brother Liam announced on Tuesday they are set to come together on stage for the first time in 15 years to perform across the UK and Ireland (pictured in 2003)
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.
MailOnline has contacted Oasis' representative for comment.
On the Matt Morgan podcast, he said: 'Ill be all over the place on holiday. Im going to the South of France for a week and then Im going to Ibiza for a week.
'Then Im back in London for a week and then Im going to Greece for a couple of weeks and then maybe off to LA to see some friends.'
It comes after Noel reportedly 'caved in and agreed' to the Oasis reunion during a string of late-night phone calls with brother Liam, during which they ended their 15-year feud.
The sibling's fractious relationship came to a head in 2009, after a backstage fight in Paris led to Noel leaving the iconic Britpop band.
In recent years, Liam has been keen to make amends with his brother and reform Oasis, but his older brother poured cold water on the idea.
The pair will reportedly reunite at Liam's new holiday home, which was once owned by Noel Edmonds, ahead of their first show (Liam pictured in Lake Como, Italy in 2009)
Sources have claimed Noel, 57, will soon be joining them all and their mother is thrilled
Oasis Live 25 tour dates JULY 2025 4th - Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th - Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th - Manchester, Heaton Park
12th - Manchester, Heaton Park
16th - Manchester, Heaton Park
19th - Manchester, Heaton Park
20th - Manchester, Heaton Park
25th - London, Wembley Stadium
26th - London, Wembley Stadium
30th - London, Wembley Stadium AUGUST 2025 2nd - London, Wembley Stadium
3rd - London, Wembley Stadium
8th - Edinburgh, Murrayfield
9th - Edinburgh, Murrayfield
12th - Edinburgh, Murrayfield
16th - Dublin, Croke Park
17th - Dublin, Croke Park Advertisement
But as Liam closed his set at Reading Festival he teased that an announcement could be made on Tuesday at 8:00am. A short clip of a sign in the style of the Oasis logo was projected on a large screen above the stage and subsequently shared to Oasis and Liam's official Instagram and X accounts.
It comes as fans were left furious on Friday after resale tickets were being flogged for thousands of pounds just minutes after the first people in the country managed to secure passes for next summer's UK tour.
The first tickets went on sale at 7pm Friday for the lucky few who managed to get a successful pre-sale code. Millions are expected to fight it out to see the iconic group in a general sale on Saturday.
But others were left outraged as greedy ticket touts immediately set to work reselling tickets at sky-high prices. FanFair Alliance - a group opposing 'industrial scale' secondary ticketing - said that they found 80 tickets hoping to make a staggering 200,000 within 20 minutes of the presale.
Some are now being flogged for well over 6,000 each for the gig at London's Wembley Stadium. Others, for hospitality clubs, can be found at a stunning 10,578 for two people.
The band have now added their condemnation as they blasted the brazen money-grabbers - saying that the tickets will be canceled by promoters.
Posting on X, they said: 'We have noticed people attempting to sell tickets on the secondary market since the start of the pre-sale.'
'Please note, tickets can ONLY be resold, at face value, via Ticketmaster and Twickets.'
'Tickets sold in breach of the terms and conditions will be canceled by the promoters.'
Oasis have added extra dates to their tour and will now play five shows at Wembley next year
The band have now added their condemnation as they blasted the brazen money-grabbers - saying that the tickets will be canceled by promoters
The first tickets went on sale at 7pm Friday for the lucky few who managed to get a successful pre-sale code. Millions are expected to fight it out to see the iconic group in a general sale on Saturday
'This is money being gouged from fans, syphoned away from the UK economy, and washed through the coffers of overseas websites.'
'This kind of consumer exploitation can only be reigned in by the Government. The only solution is to outlaw resale of tickets for profit.'
Sham accounts also appear to be flogging fake passes, flogging them for as much as 800.
Tickets on Stubhub are being sold for more than 6,300 - while others on Viagogo appear to be up for grabs thousands of pounds.
Oasis will play five nights at the national stadium, along with five dates at Manchester's Heaton Park, three at Edinburgh's Murrayfield, two at Dublin's Croke Park, and two at Cardiff's Principality Stadium.
Deacon Phillippe the son of actors Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe is headed to the big screen.
The actor, 20 who is studying music at prestigious New York University has landed his first major role in a film adaptation of 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank.
Deadline reported Friday that Liam Neeson will lead the heist comedy's cast that's mostly made up of rising stars like Deacon.
The news comes two years after Deacon made his acting debut as a guest star on season three of Netflix's Never Have I Ever (2022).
In the last year, Deacon has upped his social media presence and he's attended a slew of major Hollywood events with his mom, who is worth a reported $400 million.
Reese Witherspoon's son Deacon Phillippe is headed to the big screen; the pair seen in August
The actor, 20 who is studying music at prestigious New York University has landed his first major role in a film adaptation of 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank; seen with Reese in January
Along with Deacon, the 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank cast features the talents of up-and-comers Talia Ryder, Noah Jupe, Whitney Peak and Jack Dylan Grazer.
Frankie Shaw best known for her acting performances in SMILF and Mr. Robot will helm the upcoming project.
The script based on the graphic novel by Matthew Rosenberg with illustrations from Tyler Boss was adapted by screenwriter Matt Robinson.
The film centers on a heist that goes horribly wrong, all while the characters aren't prepared for what happens when things turn violent.
Neeson plays ex-bank robber Danny, whose teenage granddaughter Paige (Ryder) means the world to him.
'So when she overhears that his former gang is pulling him back in for one more score to pay a debt, she comes up with the only logical solution: She enlists her three ride-or-die best friends to rob the bank the day before so he doesn't have to,' the official synopsis reads.
The book version of 4 Kid Walks Into A Bank has been described as 'a darkly comedic story of four burgeoning child criminals and their elaborate plans,' according to Goodreads.
Deadline reported Friday that Liam Neeson will lead the heist comedy's cast that's mostly made up of rising stars like Deacon; Neeson seen in 2023
The news comes two years after Deacon made his acting debut as a guest star on season three of Netflix 's Never Have I Ever (2022)
Reese shares Deacon, as well as daughter Ava Phillippe, with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe (left)
Lead star Neeson has had a long and distinguished Hollywood career that includes a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his work in Schindler's List (1993).
The Irish actor made his film debut in Pilgrim's Progress (1978).
He became a full-fledged action film star after starring in the popular Taken franchise (2008, 2012, 2014), leading to his roles in The Dark Knight Rises (2012), The Grey (2012) and Non-Stop (2014), among others.
His other popular films include: Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace (1999), Michael Collins (1998), Kinsey (2004), Batman Begins, (2005), Clash of the Titans (2010) and The Chronicles Of Narnia (2005, 2008, 2010).
Currently, he has no less that four projects in post-production, including The Naked Gun, Thug, Cold Storage and The Ice Road 2: Road To The Sky.
Catriona Rowntree has heaped criticism on 'secretive' plans to build a renewable battery farm next to her rural farmhouse in Victoria.
The Getaway star, 53, has called on Geelong Council to back her call to block the large-scale project from being erected next door to her home, which she claims poses a safety risk.
Proposals from AC Energy to build a 350MW/700MWh lithium battery farm in Little River, 44km southwest of Melbourne, are currently in front of the State Government.
If the project goes ahead, it would become one of the state's largest battery energy storage systems (BESS), designed to manage electrical energy using lithium-ion batteries.
But Catriona has now slammed the plans and claimed she was 'blindsided' by the proposals, only finding out about them in a report in her local newspaper.
She took to Instagram to share an impassioned video opposing the development, which she claimed poses a safety risk because the area of land is on a fire corridor.
The TV presenter also noted that the remote location is protected by a significant landscape overlay, which aim to preserve and enhance significant areas.
'Hello, I just wanted to let you know that just after 5pm, if you tune into ABC Stateside in Victoria, you are about to learn what many of us across the state of Victoria are being blindsided with,' she shared.
Catriona Rowntree has heaped criticism on 'secretive' plans to build a renewable battery farm next to her rural farmhouse in Victoria
'That is in an attempt to go green, we are losing our green!'
Later featuring on ABC, Catriona went on to accuse the State Government of trying to 'sneak through' the proposals, claiming Geelong Council was unaware of them.
'We're in a high fire zone and the government has actually placed a significant landscape overlay on this very farm,' she shared.
'This is the exact same farm where the historic 1969 fires broke out, we get fires in this area all of the time. Yesterday we had 100 kilometres winds sweeping through this area.
'The State Government is trying to sneak this through and the council did not know,' she added.
A fatal bushfire ripped through Little River and many other areas on the outskirts of the You Yangs Regional Park in 1969, destroying properties and killing many locals.
Catriona has suggested another area would be more appropriate to house the battery farm because of the risk of high winds in the agricultural area.
She has asked for the consultation period to be extended as the deadline is approaching in a matter of days on September 7, with a decision expected by the end of the year.
A Department of Transport and Planning spokesperson confirmed to Daily Mail Australia on Monday the deadline for consultation on the proposed renewable project has been extended.
'We're extending consultation on the proposed renewable project in Little River for another three weeks so more community members can have their say,' they said.
The Getaway star, 53, has called on the council to back her call to block the large-scale project from being erected next door to her home (pictured), which she said she was 'blindsided' by
Catriona claimed the development poses a safety risk because the land is on a fire corridor while it is also protected by a significant landscape overlay to preserve significant areas
Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan agreed that the local community had been caught completely 'unaware' by the proposals as he vowed to take it up with the State.
'The community has been caught unaware,' Mr Sullivan said in a recent meeting, according to the Geelong Advertiser.
'Whether it's a battery (or a) a waste-to-energy incinerator, things that have been tried to, I dare say, be snuck through by the state government, the community must be made aware of it. We will follow up on that one.'
Catriona relocated from Sydney to Victoria to be with her farmer husband James and has since restored his former family home, a six-bedroom Victorian farmhouse, to its former glory.
The sheep and grain property where Catriona, James and their children are based has been used over the years for movies including Ned Kelly and The Dressmaker.
If the plans next door to her sprawling property go ahead and become operational, the BESS would connect directly with the existing 220kV network infrastructure.
According to ACEnergy, it would enable Victoria to become more sustainable 'balancing supply and demand, integrating more renewable energy into the grid and reducing reliance on fossil fuels'.
Unlike many other forms of energy storage, a BESS provides much more flexibility as it releases energy on demand.
The unit could also help to manage the impacts of power fluctuations and outages, while existing transmission lines would be used to minimise construction impacts.
The land for the Little River BESS was secured in 2023, with the application currently under assessment by the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning.
If approved, ACEnergy expects construction to begin in the second quarter of 2025, with the BESS scheduled to be energised by late 2026.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted ACEnergy for comment.
Catriona relocated from Sydney to Victoria to be with her farmer husband James and has since restored his former family home, a six-bedroom Victorian sheep farmhouse, to its former glory
The new proposal comes as the State Government approved the first renewable energy project under the Allan Labor Government's new streamlined process.
Earlier this year, renewable energy projects became eligible to go through the development facilitation program to ensure significant proposals can get off the ground faster.
And on Thursday, Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny approved the first project under the new system, with it expected to be fully processed in just nine weeks.
Amid a big push in renewable energy, a $250million BESS has been approved for Joel Joel in the Northern Grampians, which lies 23km east of Stawell in the Wimmera region of Victoria.
According to a press release, 'projects like this are playing a key role in achieving Victorias energy storage targets of at least 2.6 gigawatts of energy storage capacity by 2030 and at least 6.3 gigawatts by 2035'.
Anna Delvey, known for swindling people out of money while she posed as a German heiress, has reportedly been cast in the next season of Dancing with the Stars.
On Friday, Page Six claimed that the 33-year-old con artist has been granted permission to travel to Los Angeles for the competition series after her house arrest terms were modified.
The scammer, who was portrayed by actress Julia Garner in the Netflix miniseries Inventing Anna, was jailed in 2019 for her crimes.
In 2022 she began house arrest as she waited to find out if she'd be allowed to remain in the United States following her complete prison stint.
She was recently allowed to start working again and to travel within 70 miles of where she lives on the east coast.
Anna Delvey, known for swindling people out of money while she posed as a German heiress, has reportedly been cast in the next season of Dancing with the Stars
On Friday, Page Six reported that the 33-year-old con artist has been granted permission to travel to Los Angeles for the competition series after her house arrest terms were modified
Additionally, Anna was given a Social Security number and permitted to use social media again.
She will not be the first-time Dancing With The Stars competitor to have served time behind bars.
Rapper Lil Kim, comedian Tommy Chong, and entertainer Steve O have previously joined the series after their sentences.
Delvey, however, is the first star who is known solely for her conviction.
She returned to Instagram last week after her two-year ban from online platforms came to an end.
The media personality quickly amassed more than one million followers as she promoted an forthcoming television show.
Based around what she's famous for, the program will see contestants take their best stab at 'deception, lying and not letting people see the real you.'
She's also helmed a public relations business, cheekily named OutLaw Agency.
The scammer was jailed in 2019 for her crimes
Anna pictured in New York City in November 2022 while on house arrest
Delvey was portrayed by actress Julia Garner in the Netflix miniseries Inventing Anna
As part of her return to the public eye, next month during New York Fashion Week Anna will produce shows for up-and-coming designers.
She continues to work on her memoir, and is pitching a talk show to production companies.
Delvey told Daily Mail: 'I'm grateful to be able to control my own narrative again.
'When my lawyers called me with the decision, it was overwhelming, a big relief the same kind of feeling I had when I got out of jail.'
She acknowledged, 'I made mistakes but I've grown up and I'm in a different mindset now. I want to get on with the rest of my life. I hope people will see that I've changed and that I'm not the same person, and they'll give me the opportunity to move on.'
Great Wall Hardware, shown in 2020, was burglarized Friday morning, days after a fire shuttered the store, the owner said. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle 2020 A fire charred merchandise at Great Wall Hardware in San Francisco last Sunday. San Francisco Fire Department
A San Francisco hardware store was burglarized on back-to-back days less than a week after a fire which the owner believes was arson shuttered the shop.
Albert Chow, the owner of Great Wall Hardware in the citys Parkside neighborhood, said his store was ransacked around 3 a.m. Friday, resulting in a significant loss of high-end inventory. When he returned to the shop Saturday afternoon, he realized hed been hit again. The incidents occurred mere days after a fire last Sunday ravaged his Taraval Street store and displaced three upstairs residents, including Chows mother, who opened the shop in 1983.
Chow said the fire upended my world, but while his security cameras were burned to toast, he managed to rescue the DVR tape. Now, he said he has proof that the fire was an act of arson.
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A spokesperson for the San Francisco Fire Department confirmed that the fire was under investigation, but said it can take weeks or months to collect and analyze evidence to determine the cause of a fire. The San Francisco Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the burglaries or accusations of arson.
San Francisco firefighters battle a blaze in a building housing Great Wall Hardware in the citys Parkside neighborhood early last Sunday. San Francisco Fire Department
While Chow said he could not yet release the tape due to the ongoing investigation, he described the video footage to the Chronicle. He recounted that a man who looked to be in his 50s walked up to the hardware store carrying a lighter and held it up to the window for about 15 seconds. Then my window caught fire, and once it started flaming, he just walked away, Chow said, adding that his window was made of plexiglass, which is flammable.
Chow said he does not have video evidence of the burglaries but noted that the perpetrators pried the plywood off his front door to break in on Friday. He said he believes they were experienced burglars and it appeared they were in there for a while. They tore apart his office and stole his computer, some change and a significant amount of expensive inventory, including flashlights, power tools and Leatherman multi-tools.
They used my own tools against me, Chow said. They grabbed my pro bars, a hatchet and a sledgehammer, and used them to break all my drawers.
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The upstairs residences were also broken into, said Chow, noting that handbags, a passport and old credit cards were missing from his mothers unit. He reported the incident to police, who he said arrived on the scene roughly an hour later.
After Saturdays break in, Chow said his mothers apartment was tossed upside down, but not much else was taken. He again reported the incident to police.
The store is down, the power is out, and the building is empty, Chow said. The (perpetrators) probably thought, This is a great time to revictimize this guy.
Great Wall Hardware owner Albert Chow, shown in 2019, says he believes last weekends fire at the store was an act of arson. Terry Chea/Associated Press 2019
As for the fire, Chow called the timing dubious. The day earlier, he spoke at a rally in San Franciscos Panhandle expressing his opposition to Proposition K, which would close a 2-mile stretch of the Great Highway to cars. Closing (the highway) is not feasible, is not a good idea, and it wasnt brought as a community-led compromise, he said at the rally.
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Its such a divisive issue, Chow said, adding that the fire appeared premeditated. He said the video footage shows the man carrying a backpack, the lighter and two sticks one that looked like the back of a hammer, and another that looked metal. In that sense, I felt it was very deliberate, Chow said. He had the tools of the trade in his hand. That makes me a little suspicious.
She instantly became a pop culture icon after bursting into the public eye as loudmouthed Page 3 girl, Jordan.
Having tried her hand at modelling, singing, presenting, campaigning and reality TV, the glamour model quickly became a household name in Britain.
Yet while Katie Price's moniker will ring a bell for both young and old, you would be forgiven for not recognising the star on sight alone, with Katie famously undergoing numerous cosmetic procedures over the years.
After two decades in the spotlight, Katie is almost unrecognisable from the naturally pretty teenager who burst on to the modelling scene at the age of 16, with her natural curls and fresh-faced beauty winning her an army of fans.
Katie, now 46, has undergone an array of procedures over the years, including rhinoplasty, a silhouette facelift, 3D, veneers, lip fillers and Botox, culminating in her first facelift in 2017.
Now, after two decades under the surgeon's scalpel, MailOnline takes a look at the many faces of Katie Price.
The many faces of Katie Price: MailOnline takes a look at the star's changing look after two decades of boob jobs, Botox and face lifts
1995 - Barefaced beauty
At the age of 17, Katie Price was a fresh-faced natural beauty looking to make it into the world of glamour modelling.
At a friend's suggestion, the teenager had professional photographs taken and was quickly snapped up by a modelling agency who landed her a Page 3 slot in The Sun newspaper the following year, sparking the creation of her glamour model alter ego, Jordan.
Speaking last year, Katie revealed she was glad that she wasn't exposed to social media at the time as she had 'no idea what Botox was or fillers', otherwise she may have started her tweaks and enhancements at an even earlier age.
1995: At the age of 17, Katie Price was a fresh-faced natural beauty looking to make it into the world of glamour modelling
1998 - First boob job
Having just turned 20, the rising glamour model experienced her first taste of cosmetic surgery, boosting her 32B cup breasts to a 32C.
The procedure cost 4,500 and it's thought her mum Amy and stepdad Paul helped pay for her to have the procedure.
Katie has since spoken out about her decision to go under the knife, admitting she was 'too young' and that she feels sorry for young girls growing up these days in a world of social media and filters.
1998: Having just turned 20, Katie experienced her first taste of cosmetic surgery, boosting her 32B cup breasts to a 32C
1999 - Second and third boob job
Despite having only just increased her breast size, Katie opted to have two more procedures the following year at the age of 21.
Katie boosted her bust from a C cup to a D cup and just a few months later went up again to a F cup.
Katie has previously claimed that she has only paid for two of her boob jobs over the course of her career - it is not known if these were the ones.
1999: Despite having only just increased her breast size, Katie opted to have two more procedures at the age of 21
2001 - Lip fillers
At the age of 21, Katie had her first cosmetic procedure on her face, opting for lip fillers.
While the glamour model did not confirm the rumours at the time, she was seen sporting a noticeably fuller pout while out enjoying the party scene.
Her overall look had also started drastically transforming, with the model sporting dramatic false lashes, bright lipstick and pale hair extensions.
2001: At the age of 21, Katie had her first cosmetic procedure on her face, opting for lip fillers
2004 - Botox
Aged 26, Katie began to experiment with Botox injections that relax the muscles in your face to smooth out lines and wrinkles.
She made no secret of her love of the procedure, announcing at the time: 'I get my forehead and around my eyes Botoxed every six months and I love it. You can't beat it. It just freezes all the wrinkles and that's what you want.'
At the time, Katie insisted she would never take things further and have a facelift, explaining: 'I'd never have a full facelift. I've seen what they can do to people and I don't want to go through that.'
2004: Aged 26, Katie began to experiment with Botox injections that relax the muscles in your face to smooth out lines
2006 - Fourth boob job
Katie went under the knife yet again to take her F cup breasts up to a G cup.
The glamour model also played around with her overall look and embraced her dark side with a new brunette hairstyle.
She also continued to dabble with fillers and Botox.
2006: Katie went under the knife yet again to take her F cup breasts up to a G cup
2007 - First nose job and veneers
At the age of 29, Katie took her love of surgery to the next level, undergoing rhinoplasty, a chemical peel and treating herself to a 25,000 set of new veneers.
'Oh my God, it burned like hell!' she said at the time. 'The next day I had this hideous red rash on my chin but two days later there wasn't a single spot left.'
Speaking about her nose job at the time, she admitted to liking her original nose, explaining: 'I liked my nose before and now. If I had a cupboard with both noses, I would alternate between them!'
2007:Katie took her love of surgery to the next level, undergoing rhinoplasty, a chemical peel and a 25,000 set of veneers
2008 - Fifth boob job
Despite gradually increasingly her bust size over the year, Katie fancied a change on her 30th and brought her bra size back down from an F cup to a C cup.
The procedure meant that Katie had returned to the size of her first boob job 10 years prior.
Katie's changing shape also coincided with the launch of her first clothing line - an equestrian range.
2008: Despite gradually increasingly her bust size, Katie fancied a change and brought her bra size back down to a C cup
2011 - Sixth boob job
Katie's smaller chest didn't last long, and at age 33 she went back under the knife again to boost her bust to an F cup.
Katie also underwent body-contouring treatment and cheek and lip fillers.
The Loose Women panelist admitted that she loved having her cheeks filled to give her a 'plumper, more youthful look'.
2011: Katie's smaller chest didn't last long, and at age 33 she went back under the knife again to boost her bust to an F cup
2015 - Seventh and eighth boob job
Just before appearing on Celebrity Big Brother, the reality star had a botched boob reduction that left her with a hole in her breast and an implant protruding from her flesh.
Katie told her shocked housemates: 'Ive got no tits anymore. Theyve gone. Theres not even anything there. If you saw what Im like underneath. The scars gone septic. My whole implant was hanging out on New Years Day.'
Shortly after leaving the Big Brother house she underwent corrective surgery and had her implants swapped for a D-cup.
2015: Just before Celebrity Big Brother, the star had a botched boob reduction that left her with a hole in her breast
2016 - Ninth boob job and tattooed makeup
Despite her surgery horror the year before, Katie was undeterred and flew to a Brussels clinic to go under the knife yet again, this time settling on a 32GG bust.
The reality star also had her eyebrows and lips tattooed, also known as 'permanent make-up', explaining that she prefers to go make-up free on a day-to-day basis.
Additionally the star has regular facial treatments, last year sharing a bloodied selfie after having a dermal roller micro-needling treatment, which sees a dermaroller with many tiny needles rolled across into the skin - designed to stimulate cells into regeneration.
2016: Despite her surgery horror the year before, Katie flew to a Brussels clinic to get another boob job, this time a 32GG cup
2017 - First face lift, new veneers and 10th boob job
Despite insisting she would never have a face lift and could rely on Botox, Katie went back on her word undergoing a 'Silhouette' face lift.
The procedure is designed to lift a sagging cheeks and blurred jawline, using 'sutures' implanted under the skin to sculpt features.
However, Katie was soon spotted with puffy features, revealing that she suffered an allergic reaction to anesthetic penicillin after having further work on her veneers. She also had her breast implants reduced from 1000ml implants to 795ml.
2017: Despite insisting she would never have a face lift and could rely on Botox, Katie went back on her word
2018 - Second face lift
Katie claimed her first face lift had been a botched job and went back under the knife the following year aged 40 to correct it.
She said at the time 'I need to get my face re-corrected after surgeon has totally f**ked my face up', admitting it had
He agent added: 'She had the thread and it really quite distorted her look. She got a lot of backlash, a lot of negative press, a lot of trolling, everyone saying shed taken it too far, when actually it was a job that had not gone to plan.'
2018: Katie claimed her first face lift had been a botched job and went back under the knife the following year aged 40
2019 - Third face lift, boob job first Brazilian bum lift and 11th boob job
Katie jetted to Turkey to overhaul her entire look with a full body transformation.
The reality star opted for a face, eye and eyelid lift, Brazilian bum lift along with a tummy tuck.
Just three months later she returned to the clinic and opted for another boob job, going back down to a D cup.
2019: Katie jetted to Turkey to overhaul her look with a face, eye and eyelid lift, Brazilian bum lift along with a tummy tuck
2020 - 12th boob job and another set of veneers
Katie returned to Turkey to have another set of veneers and revealed her real teeth had been reduced to stubs as she flashed a smile on her YouTube channel.
The mother-of-five then jetted to Belgium to correct botched surgery on her breasts, saying her surgeon was utterly shocked by the 'awful' previous procedure.
Katie said: 'They looked deformed, they were absolutely awful. That's the first time I've gone to a different surgeon. I had to go back to Frank with my head down, ashamed that I'd been to another clinic.'
2020: Katie returned to Turkey to have another set of veneers then jetted to Belgium to correct a botched boob job
2021 - Liposuction, eye and lid lifts and 13th boob job
Amid the Covid pandemic, Katie jetted off to then red-list Turkey for a complete cosmetic surgery overhaul, undergoing full body liposuction, eye and lip lifts, liposuction under her chin, and fat injected into her bum.
The reality star also visited Belgium to have her 13th boob job as well as full body liposuction with bum fat removal.
The plastic surgery - performed by Dr Frank Plovier - came just five days ahead of the glamour model's sentencing for her shocking drink-drive crash.
2021: Katie jetted to Turkey for a complete cosmetic surgery overhaul, undergoing full body liposuction, eye and lip lifts
2022 - Another brow and eye lift
Katie secretly jetted back to Belgium at the beginning of 2022 for an eye and brow lift and had been concealing her new look with her head in a bandage.
Dr Judy Todd, an aesthetic doctor at Clinica Medica in Glasgow, said: 'It appears like she's had a face lift, temporal brow lift, and possibly an upper blepharoplasty.'
It was reported last month that Katie plans to travel to Turkey imminently for yet more plastic surgery, amid claims she wanted to get some tweaks in after being unhappy with her latest work.
Sian Dellar, Brow Specialist and Founder of Sian Dellar Permanent Makeup Clinic, added: 'Katie's eyebrows, like the rest of her, have changed lots over the years!
'Back in the 90s she had a very thin over plucked brow which was the fashion at the time, and today she has an extremely thick and unnatural looking brow.
'Currently it seems the face or eye lift that shes had have pulled her brows outward which looks unnatural and makes the brows appear almost stretched.
'Of course, as with any enhancement, its personal preference but we recommend not going too many shades darker, and keeping the shape as natural looking as possible and work to create or enhance brows to frame the face.
'Katies choice to have them so thick and dark and in that unusual positioning means they dominate her face and are the first thing the eye is drawn to. I would love to see Katie take her brows back to 2015/2016 when the fuller brow became a big trend. She got it right then and they framed her face well.'
2022: Katie secretly jetted back to Belgium for an eye and brow lift and is planning to to travel to Turkey for more surgery
2023 - 16th and 'biggest ever' boob job
It's not clear if Katie lost track of the number of breast augmentations or opted to keep some of her surgery private but by 2023 it emerged she'd undergone her 16th boob job, two years after claiming to be on her 13th.
The star went under the knife in a bid to have the 'biggest in Britain' and was subsequently pictured being wheeled into surgery at the Be Clinic in Belgium.
She is said to have wanted even bigger breasts, opting for 2120 CC implants in a bid to boost her already large bust size.
Katie told OK! magazine of her boobs: 'I love them. They healed really quickly and they didn't hurt at all. That probably doesn't help. Because I heal quickly, it doesn't put me off and I have more.
'I would go bigger as well and I will eventually. I just love having big boobs and a small body. I've always loved that look. In my eyes, if I'm having a boob job, I want them to look fake, I don't want them to look natural. I don't like the natural look.
'I just like that old-school American Playboy pin-up look. When I have surgery, that is what I'm striving for. If I could look like my airbrushed pictures, that would be amazing. But that's impossible to achieve.'
2023: It's not clear if Katie lost track of the number of breast augmentations or opted to keep some of her surgery private but by 2023 it emerged she'd undergone her 16th boob job, two years after claiming to be on her 13th
2024 - MORE facial surgery
In July 2024 Katie confirmed she is travelling to Turkey for facial surgery, to be filmed for a new documentary, after failing to attend a bankruptcy hearing.
The former glamour model was absent at a scheduled 760,000 bankruptcy court hearing having flown overseas for her latest cosmetic procedure.
A warrant was subsequently issued, with Katie admitting she's 'doing the best she can' to rectify her financial issues after receiving 'very clear warnings' that she needed to attend court.
Zara McDermott has given her verdict on close pal Pete Wicks' new look ahead of his debut on Strictly Come Dancing.
The former Love Island star, 27, appeared in the BBC series last year before reports emerged that she was 'hit and kicked' during rehearsals by now axed professional Graziano Di Prima.
In a fun clip shared to the show's offical Instagram page Pete, 36, slipped into a plunging floral suit and sparkly trousers.
The caption read: 'Your Strictly countdown is on! There are only 15 days till Pete puts the tan in Tango!
Zara, who's in a relationship with Pete's pal Sam Thompson, commented: 'The sequins really suit you.'
Zara McDermott has given her verdict on close pal Pete Wicks' new look ahead of his debut on Strictly Come Dancing
The Love Island star, who's in a relationship with Pete's pal Sam Thompson , commented: 'The sequins really suit you.'
Earlier this month Zara broke her silence after it was confirmed Pete has signed up for the show's latest series.
His appearance surprise to some viewers, given his friendship with Zara, and her boyfriend Sam, following her negative experience.
However, sharing the news to Instagram, the documentary maker threw her support behind Pete saying it 'made her so happy.'
Re-posting the official announcement, Zara wrote: 'I've never been so excited. Love you.'
In a comment, she added: 'This makes me so happy. Youre going to have the best time. I am so proud of you. I cannot wait to see you in some sparkles and maybe even some hot pants.'
Sam also shared: 'No words. So proud of you... the content we are going to make that you don't even know about yet.'
Despite their close-knit friendship, he has landed a spot on the Strictly line-up amid shocking reports Zara performed on the show with a 'fractured' leg following an injury in training and needed painkillers to get through ten-hour rehearsals.
The latest revelation comes after professional dancer Graziano, 30, admitted to kicking Zara during their sessions, causing him to be sacked from the BBC series.
The former Love Island star, 27, appeared in the BBC series last year before reports emerged that she was 'hit and kicked' during rehearsals by now axed professional Graziano Di Prima (L-R) Graziano, Zara's boyfriend Sam Thompson, Zara and Pete pictured during last year's series
In a fun clip shared to the show's offical Instagram page Pete, 36, slipped into a plunging floral suit and sparkly trousers
As if by magic the TOWIE star casual clothes transformed into a sequinned ensemble ready for the dance floor
It follows claims his abusive behaviour was caught on video, in clips Zara stated were 'incredibly distressing to watch.'
A source told MailOnline: 'Zara is so happy for Pete landing the Strictly gig.
'Her experience on the show was so individual she hopes no one will go through the same again.'
They added: 'She knows that Pete will have an amazing time and could even impress the judges, he's incredibly hardworking and a good person, and will thrive in the environment, which can be intense, but he performs best when he's challenged and under pressure.
'Zara doesn't want anything that happened to her to taint his Strictly journey and backs Pete even if it is a bit close to home.'
Pete joined Sam in the Strictly studio audience last year and together they wore patterned shirts embellished with Zara's face to show their support.
They posed for photographs alongside Zara and Graziano, who has since fled to his native Sicily in the wake of his Strictly axing.
Reality stars Sam and Pete became friends following their appearance on E4 show Celebs Go Dating in 2019 and have since hosted podcast Staying Relevant together.
As well as their podcast, the pair's working relationship sees them prank each other in viral social media videos based around Sam's enthusiasm and eagerness to please juxtaposed with Pete's moodiness.
Pete's signing came as a surprise to some viewers, given his friendship with Zara, and her boyfriend Sam Thompson
However, sharing the news to Instagram on Wednesday, she threw her support behind Pete saying it 'made her so happy'
In a comment, she said: 'This makes me so happy. Youre going to have the best time. I am so proud of you. I cannot wait to see you in some sparkles and maybe even some hot pants'
Zara often features in the clips, which has seen the trio perform fun dance routines for their huge combine following.
The Sun revealed Zara needed painkillers to get through ten-hour training sessions after breaking a leg bone on Strictly.
A source told the publication the TV star danced during the show's Halloween week with a fractured leg, and it was 'literal horror in every sense of the word.'
An X-ray revealed severe ligament damage plus a stress fracture on her left tibia.
Show bosses learned the full extent of the injury only two weeks ago when Zara spoke to private investigators amid the inquiry into Graziano's behaviour.
It comes after professional dancer Graziano , 30, admitted to kicking Zara during their sessions, causing him to be sacked from the BBC series.
The BBC star has spoken out about her experience in the Strictly training room and being 'scared' about her future and 'victim shaming' in the wake of the revelations
Professional dancer Giovanni Pernice has also been sacked from the show following an ongoing investigation into his conduct after actress Amanda Abbington told the broadcaster she had been mistreated.
On Wednesday, Amanda revealed to Channel 4 the BBC had failed to offer any 'aftercare' following her departure from Strictly and the onslaught of trolling she experienced once Giovanni was booted off the series.
She revealed there are '50 hours of footage which have been blocked' to back up her claims Giovanni created a 'toxic' environment in the training room.
Speaking to former Strictly co-star Krishnan Guru-Murthy, she said: 'It's bullying and it's aggressive behaviour and there were other things that happened that were very upsetting that you manage at the time in the room because you're a woman and you have to manage those things because otherwise what do you do?'
Married At First Sight star Jade Pywell alarmed her fans on Friday by revealing she had been hospitalised as she underwent surgery.
The influencer, 26, and her MAFS husband Ridge Barredo, 27, shared a gallery of shock photos to Instagram which captured Jade in a gown at a local hospital.
One photo showed a tired looking Jade lying in a hospital bed shortly after the surgery and another captured her giving the peace sign to the camera, as she prepared for the procedure.
Ridge captioned the snap with some reassuring words: 'She's alive'.
Meanwhile, Jade shared a clip which showed Ridge being a doting boyfriend by delivering food to her shortly after the surgery was completed.
Although it is unknown was procedure Jade was getting, Ridge cheekily asked his followers to 'guess the surgery', suggesting it is nothing life-threatening.
Daily Mail Australia has reached out for comment.
Earlier this month, Jade and her on-screen husband Ridge Barredo opened up about their future together, and it seems that baby plans are on the horizon.
Married At First Sight star Jade Pywell (pictured) alarmed her fans on Friday by revealing she had been hospitalised as she underwent surgery
The influencer, 26, and her MAFS husband Ridge Barredo, 27, shared a gallery of shock photos to Instagram which captured Jade in a gown at a local hospital
In an exclusive chat with Daily Mail Australia the couple, who recently celebrated their first anniversary, revealed plans to start a family.
When asked about their sex life, Ridge was quick to deflect.
'She's not pregnant yet, though, which is a bit annoying,' he quipped.
When asked if the idea of having children together was something they'd discussed, Ridge explained Jade wanted to get married before having a child.
'She said yes to the next person who I will get married to or engaged to,' he revealed.
Daily Mail Australia revealed back in May that Ridge had quit his job as a psychiatric nurse in NSW and relocated to move in with his TV bride.
Days later, the MAFS intruder groom took to Instagram to officially share the news with his 111,000 followers as he posted a sweet video of himself and Jade.
Television's highest-paid daytime host has been revealed and they reportedly bagged over half a million pounds in 2023 - despite only appearing in 99 of their programme's 173 episodes.
Lorraine Kelly, who hosts eponymous daytime show Lorraine on ITV, is estimated to have earnt 568,000 in 2023.
The Scotswoman, 64, paid 108,000 tax for the year to December 2023, which can be extrapolated to her earnings 568,000.
As well as this, Lorraine's personal services company Albatel boasts assets including 3.1million in the bank, all according to The Sun.
News of Lorraine's wealth will come as an annoyance to many who complain of her continual absence.
Television's highest-paid daytime host has been revealed and they reportedly bagged over half a million pounds in 2023 - despite only appearing in 99 of their programme's 173 episodes
Lorraine Kelly, 64, who hosts eponymous daytime show Lorraine on ITV , is estimated to have earnt 568,000 in 2023
The Scotswoman paid 108,000 tax for the year to December 2023, which can be extrapolated to her earnings 568,000
Addressing more ITV stars, The Sun revealed that experiencing a drop in wealth is Loose Women head panellist Ruth Langsford who saw her worth drop from 3.3million to 1.9million.
This Morning mainstay Cat Deeley is thought to be worth around 13million, with an annual salary of 550.000.
However, not doing so well is her fragrance brand, e11even, whose accounts showing 76.000 debts.
Her rotating co-workers Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary are worth 139,000 and 2.7million respectively.
In February, Lorraine spoke out for the first time after she discovered a Twitter account criticising her work ethic.
Called Where Is Lorraine?, with the handle @LorraineKWatch, the account updates followers on whether or not the Scottish star has hosted the show that day.
Viewers were left baffled when the TV host was missing from her show, but later appeared on This Morning.
While Ranvir Singh covered Lorraine's role, Lorraine set the record straight as she addressed the Twitter account committed to tracking her days off.
As well as this, Lorraine's personal services company Albatel boasts assets including 3.1million in the bank
News of Lorraine's wealth will come as an annoyance to many who complain of her continual absence (pictured: Loose Women's Christine Lampard who is frequently in for Lorraine)
Experiencing a drop in wealth is Loose Women head panellist Ruth Langsford who saw her worth drop from 3.3million to 1.9million
This Morning mainstay Cat Deeley is thought to be worth around 13million, with an annual salary of 550.000
Her rotating co-workers Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary are worth 139,000 and 2.7million respectively
Speaking on Woman's Hour with host Anita Rani, Lorraine defiantly said of the account, which now has almost 19,000 followers: 'I know, the amount of space that I occupy in people's heads is quite bizarre.'
Insisting the account doesn't bother her, she explained: 'Its fine. I don't mind, I don't care. I probably would have cared before but I really don't now it's absolutely fine.'
The star went on to explain the real reason she had been missing from a number of shows lately as she is taking some time off to care for her mother who is unwell.
Lorraine continued: 'But you should never comment on things like that if you don't know what is going on in people's lives but I am having to take quite a few Fridays off because my mum is really not well.
'So I can go home now and spend some more time with her and help her a bit more than I have been able to. So that is happening just now but that will change.
'I have been doing five days a week for 40 years so I am just taking a wee bit of time off and obviously this week is half term which is why I am able to talk to you!'
Heartbroken Lorraine had rushed to to be by her elderly mother's bedside in July 2023 after Anne was admitted into University Hospital Monklands, in Lanarkshire.
She last gave an update on her health in May, writing on Instagram: 'Mum continues to defy everything and everyone!!
In February, Lorraine revealed that she was frequently absent from her show to care for her sick mother Anne, 81 (both pictured in May)
'Took her for lunch in Glasgow and we had a lovely time. Even managed a wee walk. She is the very definition of indomitable!! So proud of her.'
Lorraine also shared a health update on her 'brave' mother Anne, 81, in March.
Taking to Instagram for Mother's Day, Lorraine wrote: 'Happy Mothers Day to my brave lovely mum - coping with a tough illness and still able to (occasionally) say cheers! and always living each day to the full!'.
Lorraine has not disclosed Anne's illness.
Edwina Bartholomew was enjoying a weekend outing with her two young children this weekend.
The 40-year-old stepped out in Sydney's inner west with her daughter Molly, four, and son Tom, two, who she shared with her husband Neil Varcoe,
The TV presenter dressed casually in denim maxi dress that clung close to her figure and included splits down the sides.
She strapped on a black leather designer crossbody bag and had on a pair of strappy sandals.
Edwina appeared to be wearing minimal makeup for her relaxing jaunt and pulled her caramel locks off her face.
The Sunrise star held hands with her little ones, who got their hands on some balloons during the outing.
It comes after Edwina confessed that she and her husband Neil, who she married in 2018, have undergone what she calls an 'extreme sleep divorce'.
The pair have been living in separate homes since last year - but the star insists it works for them, and before they split up their homes, the pair had not shared a bedroom in a decade.
Edwina Bartholomew was enjoying a weekend outing with her two young children this weekend. Pictured
The 40-year-old stepped out in Sydney 's inner west with her daughter Molly, four, and son Tom, two, who she shared with her husband Neil Varcoe
The TV presenter dressed casually in denim maxi dress that clung close to her figure and included splits down the sides
'We have been sleeping in separate rooms for about 10 years, long before we were married and long before we had kids,' she told a previous issue of Stellar.
Edwina added that at first she 'hated the idea' of separate bedrooms but soon realised it worked best for the pair of them.
Last year, she entered into a long-distance relationship with her husband as he moved out of the family home to become a farmer.
'My husband lives in the country with the dog and I live in the city with the kids. Each weekend, we traipse back and forth between the two or meet somewhere in the middle' the television star explained.
Edwina appeared to be wearing minimal makeup for her relaxing jaunt and pulled her caramel locks off her face
She strapped on a black leather designer crossbody bag and had on a pair of strappy sandals
At one stage she carried her son in her arms
The Sunrise star held hands with her little ones, who got their hands on some balloons during the outing
It comes after Edwina confessed that she and her husband Neil have undergone what she calls an 'extreme sleep divorce'
The pair have been living in separate homes since last year - but the star insists it works for them, and before they split up their homes, the pair had not shared a bedroom in a decade
'It feels like a Love Actually airport reunion every time we come together with a slow-motion embrace and those newlywed feels'.
The couple recently sold their Dulwich Hill home for an estimated $2million in Marc.
Edwina recently revealed how motherhood has profoundly reshaped her relationship with her body, providing a fresh perspective on self-acceptance.
Speaking to Prevention magazine, Edwina opened up about letting go of societal expectations after experiencing two pregnancies.
'It sounds cliched, but I'm completely in awe of what my body has achieved in the past few years in terms of having two babies,' Bartholomew told the magazine.
'We have been sleeping in separate rooms for about 10 years, long before we were married and long before we had kids,' she told a previous issue of Stellar
Edwina added that at first she 'hated the idea' of separate bedrooms but soon realised it worked best for the pair of them
Last year, she entered into a long-distance relationship with her husband as he moved out of the family home to become a farmer
'My husband lives in the country with the dog and I live in the city with the kids. Each weekend, we traipse back and forth between the two or meet somewhere in the middle' the television star explained
The TV star also highlighted the importance of being mindful of the messages she sends to her daughter about body positivity and self-identity.
'I'm so conscious of the message I send to my daughter about being proud of her body and having her own identity,' she explained.
'Like, she leaves the house in the craziest outfits. She's at that age where you just have no comprehension of anyone else's opinion of you, which is so wonderful. I've learnt so much from that, and I want to give so much of that back to her.'
Edwina stressed the importance of being aware of her own language and behaviour regarding body image, as it directly impacts her children.
Robert Irwin took to social media on Saturday to share an exciting Australia Zoo update alongside his sister Bindi and mother Terri.
The celebrity conservationist, 20, appeared in a video posted to Instagram in which he announced his Sunshine Coast wildlife reserve would be hosting a very special crocodile show.
'We are going to be feeding our beautiful crocodiles live in the Crocoseum these September school holidays,' Robert began.
Robert's sister Bindi, 26, added that her husband Chandler Powell, 27, and daughter Grace Warrior, three, would also be there helping out.
'Chandler's going to be feeding crocs too and Grace will probably be there. She pretty much runs the zoo!' she said.
Terri then said Australia Zoo would be the place to be in September and urged everyone to pay it a visit.
It comes after Robert revealed his surprising new career move just weeks after nabbing a milestone nomination for the prestigious Gold Logie.
The reality TV star has made waves on screen since his TV hosting debut on I'm A Celebrity Australia and made history as the youngest star to nab a Gold Logie nomination.
Robert Irwin took to social media on Saturday to share an exciting Australia Zoo update along with his sister Bindi and mother Terri. All pictured
However, he has now unveiled his unlikely new career move away from TV as he has expanded his career as a product influencer, fronting a new campaign.
The presenter took to Instagram on Monday to share footage of himself starring in a new campaign for meal prep delivery service HelloFresh.
In the paid promotion, Robert is shown chatting with some of the animals at Australia Zoo in Queensland as he promotes the service.
Robert, who recently copped backlash for not being vegan despite being a conservationist, detailed how you can 'add fish to a veggie dish' in one change with the meal plans.
The celebrity conservationist, 20, appeared in a video posted to Instagram in which he announced his Sunshine Coast wildlife reserve would be hosting a very special crocodile show
Robert's sister Bindi, 26, added that her husband Chandler Powell, 27, and daughter Grace Warrior, three (pictured), would also be there helping out. 'Chandler's going to be feeding crocs too and Grace will probably be there. She pretty much runs the zoo!' she said
He is then seen spruiking the service as he jokingly tells his zoo animals about the various benefits of subscribing to it.
His move into advertising comes after it was reported that he is raking in the big bucks after signing several lucrative presenting gigs, each paying hundreds of thousands of dollars.
He is one of Australia's most in-demand talents and currently hosts Channel Ten's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Australia and fronts a QLD tourism campaign.
Lisa Wilkinson made a rare red carpet appearance at the opening night of Sunset Boulevard in Sydney on Saturday.
The embattled television star appeared in excellent spirits as she made a glamorous entrance at the Sydney Opera House.
The 64-year-old opted for a draped black satin blouse underneath a slightly oversized blazer.
She added a pair of chic silk trousers in a wide cut in an alluring blush shade of rose gold.
Lisa finished the look with a pair of pointed patent leather heels in a biege colour and carried a fabric covered designer purse.
For makeup, the former star of The Project chose a muted palette with a soft nude lip gloss and a wash of warm toned eye shadow.
She wore her brunette bob down in soft waves and added a pair of gold hoop earrings to the ensemble.
Lisa finished her look with a stack of gold chain link bracelets, and was all smiles on the red carpet.
Lisa Wilkinson (pictured) made a rare red carpet appearance at the opening night of Sunset Boulevard in Sydney on Saturday
The embattled television star appeared in excellent spirits as she made a glamorous entrance at the Sydney Opera House
It comes after news that Lisa wants to make a return to TV screens following months of inaction and five tedious weeks spent in a courtroom, sources say.
The Channel 10 star and former darling of breakfast TV is keen to get back to delivering more 'blockbuster interviews' in the New Year, friends told the Weekend Australian.
Wilkinson quit The Project last November and despite remaining on the Ten payroll until the end of 2024, she hasn't appeared on the channel for over a year.
Despite her lengthy hiatus from the network, Wilkinson has remained in the public eye through her role in a highly-publicised defamation trial.
The 64-year-old opted for a draped black satin blouse underneath a slightly oversized blazer
It comes after news that Lisa wants to make a return to TV screens following months of inaction and five tedious weeks spent in a courtroom
She was embroiled in a case with Bruce Lehrmann who was suing Network 10 and Wilkinson over an interview with Brittany Higgins that was broadcast on The Project and online.
In the final five weeks of the court's sitting year the defamation case has played out before the court. Justice Lee has reserved his decision in the matter.
Friends of Wilkinson say her court appearances have played in her favour by giving the TV star 'a constant stream of publicity'.
'Yes, she's been off air for a while but I don't think anyone will have forgotten her,' former Seven and Nine executive Peter Meakin told the Weekend Australian.
'I'm sure her loyal followers will remain loyal.'
Network Ten maintains they are in talks to develop 'other projects' with Wilkinson.
Amal Clooney exuded elegance in a peacock-coloured gown as she arrived at the Cartier Private Party in Venice on Saturday.
The human rights lawyer, 46, whose husband is Hollywood legend George Clooney, looked sensational as she stepped out wearing a fringe floor-length dress.
Her garment, which was ombre-coloured from light blue to purple, showcased her enviable figure as it clung to her hourglass shape.
Adding inches to her statuesque frame, she slipped into a pair of shiny purple heels and accessorised with a silver clutch.
To finish her look, she paired her gown with a simple silver bangle around her wrist and some delicate dangly earrings.
Amal Clooney, 46, exuded elegance in a peacock-coloured gown as she arrived at the Cartier Private Party in Venice on Saturday
The human rights lawyer, whose husband is Hollywood legend George Clooney, looked sensational as she stepped out wearing a fringe floor-length dress
George was nowhere to be seen during the event, but the duo were spotted arriving at Marco Polo Airport in Venice for the 81st Venice International Film Festival on Friday.
For their arrival, Amal wore a bright yellow sundress, which she paired with cream wedges and an oversized sun hat.
Meanwhile, George cut a more sophisticated look with a black shirt, white trousers and cream shoes.
Earlier this year, George and Amal reportedly moved to the South of France after their Oxfordshire, UK mansion was impacted by flooding.
The couple, who tied the knot in 2014, shares 7-year-old twins, son Alexander and Ella.
Italy has sentimental value to the Hollywood heartthrob as he met the human rights lawyer in Lake Como in 2013 when she came over for a dinner party with mutual friends.
The actor is said to have purchased his Italian home - named Villa Oleandra - from the Heinz family in 2002. The mansion, which boasts 25 rooms, was estimated at over $100 million in 2022.
The home has seen its share of A-listers. In 2004, the cast of Oceans Twelve was treated to a visit at the villa, People noted.
Her garment, which was ombre-coloured from light blue to purple, showcased her enviable figure as it clung to her hourglass shape
George was nowhere to be seen during the event, but the duo were spotted arriving at Marco Polo Airport in Venice for the 81st Venice International Film Festival on Friday
George and Amal Clooney's (pictured in 2022) charitable foundation has been banned in Russia after accusations it used 'Hollywood-scale activities' to 'discredit' the country
Amal's breathtaking appearance comes after it was revealed that George and Amal's charitable foundation was banned in Russia after accusations it used 'Hollywood-scale activities' to 'discredit' the country.
The Clooney Foundation for Justice, which was established by the actor and human rights lawyer, was classed as 'undesirable' by authorities in Moscow.
In a statement, Kremlin prosecutors said: 'Under the guise of humanitarian ideas, these "warriors for justice"... have promoted criminal probes against the highest Russian authorities.'
Controversial Married At First Sight bride Ellie Dix shocked her fans when she revealed she is selling her ring from her TV wedding to Ben Walters.
The cosmetic nurse, 32, who broke up with her MAFS groom during her stint on the show and later hooked up with co-star Jono McCullough, shared a post to Instagram on Saturday.
Alongside a photo of Jono's finger wearing the diamond ring that Ben gave her at their MAFS wedding earlier this year, Ellie wrote some cheeky words.
'Hey look, I found a wedding ring from that time I married a stranger,' she began.
Ellie then added she was prepared to sell the ring to whoever made an offer.
'Jono McCullough modeling the goods. DM to make an offer,' Ellie wrote and added a laughing emoji.
Ellie was paired with tour guide Ben Walters on this year's MAFS but soon discovered she was better suited to co-star Jono McCullough, who was paired with Lauren Dunn.
Jono and Ellie were later called 'villains' after they ended things with their partners in order to begin a relationship with each other.
MAFS bride Ellie Dix (right) shocked fans when she revealed she is selling her ring from her TV wedding to Ben Walters (left)
The pair recently revealed they are taking the next step in their relationship.
The controversial lovers admitted on Wednesday they had started a company together, with the cosmetic nurse revealing she is going back to her roots.
Taking to her Instagram Stories with a video about the exciting news, Ellie told followers she and her beau, 40, were starting a business together.
'We have some really exciting news. We have started a cosmetic company together,' she told fans.
Alongside a photo of Jono's finger wearing the diamond ring that Ben gave her at their MAFS wedding, Ellie wrote some cheeky words
Jono and Ellie caused controversy on this year's season of MAFS when their cheating drama was exposed while Jono was married to Lauren Dunn.
The pair have been going strong since the series ended and have recently revealed that babies may be on the cards for them in the future.
During an Instagram Q&A in July, Gold Coast-based Jono told followers where he saw himself in five years - and the answer included a family.
Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan reportedly shelled out $4.95 million for a sprawling, 179-acre ranch in Wyoming.
The prolific writer is rumored to have recently purchased a property, known as Papa's Creek Ranch.
His latest purchase has two trout streams and offers a place for waterfowl hunting, according to TMZ.
Despite the hefty price tag, the land has minimal structures built on it, so the actor has 'a bit of a blank canvas to work.'
The ranch is 65 miles away from Jackson Hole and was also said to be toured by Michael Keaton over the summer.
Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan has reportedly shelled out $4.95 million for a sprawling, 179-acre ranch in Wyoming; seen in 2022
Latham Jenkins and Matt MacMillan were the brokers for the listing.
It is unclear if Sheridan, who has an estimated net worth of $70 million, plans on moving there or using the space for a new filming project.
The showrunner also boasts two ranch properties in Texas - the $350 million, 266,255-plus acre Four Sixes Ranch, which he purchased in January 2022 along with a group of investors, and the Bosque Ranch, a 600-acre property where much of Yellowstone and its spinoffs are filmed.
Last year, a report from the Wall Street Journal revealed that the star charges Paramount as high as $50,000 a week to film Yellowstone on his own ranch in Texas.
Additionally, he asks the network for $210K to train actors at a 'Cowboy Camp' held on his own property and rents herds of cattle out for $25 a head.
Sheridan declined a request by WSJ to be interviewed for the story.
At the 'Cowboy Camps', actors are taught how to work with horses and realistically depict ranch life. WSJ reported Paramount was charged $214,979.61 for the camp leading into season five, which lasted around a week.
About $33,000 of that was just for catering. Use of his horses was also costly - Paramount was charged $2,000 a head.
The prolific writer is rumored to have recently purchased a property, known as Papa's Creek Ranch
Despite the hefty price tag, the land has minimal structures built on it, so the actor 'a bit of a blank canvas to work'
In another example cited by WSJ, a wrangler thousands of miles away from set also charged production $3,000. The wrangler explained to the skeptical production office that she was working on one of Sheridan's ranches and getting his horses ready for filming.
Sheridan also uses his preferred farrier to work with the horses.
According to WSJ, it costs over $500 million a year for Paramount to create Sheridan's programs. That figure also includes the first season of the Yellowstone spin-off 1923, which cost nearly $200 million.
Sheridan has a number of Yellowstone prequel and spinoff series at work, including 1883, 1923, 1944 and The Madison, starring Michelle Pfeiffer.
News of his latest purchase comes after Deadline confirmed that 'negotiations are underway for a sixth season' of Yellowstone
News of his latest purchase comes after Deadline confirmed that 'negotiations are underway for a sixth season' of Yellowstone, despite previous stating that the series would after season five.
Although sources emphasized that the deal is still up in the air, the upcoming episodes would focus on Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser, who play Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler, following Kevin Costners dramatic exit from the neo-Western drama.
Kyle Richards is bringing the drama in a new teaser for season 14 of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
In her series' latest sneak peek, the reality star, 55, whose fans think she is 'aging backwards,' broke down in tears and stormed away from the cameras.
'I'm done!' Im not doing this anymore!' she declared as tears streamed down her face.
'Classic runway from Kyle,' wrote a fan, who saw the clip on Bravo's Instagram page.
Another sarcastically quipped: 'Kyle crying again. Shocker.'
Kyle Richards is bringing the drama in a new teaser for season 14 of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The reality star, 55, declares 'I'm done! Im not doing this anymore!' and storms out of the room in the sneak peek
The tension doesn't stop there.
In another snippet, her costars, Dorit Kemsley and Sutton Stracke, face off.
'This is not real,' Kemsley, 48, tells Stracke, 52.
The boutique owner hits back at her saying, This is as real as it gets.'
'Forget pumpkin spicethis fall is all about Housewives' the folks at Bravo wrote next to the clip.
They then tagged not only #RHOBH but also the Housewives shows set in Salt Lake City, the Potomac and New York.
The cast for RHOBH will include not only veterans Richards, Stracke and Kemsley, but Garcelle Beauvais, Erika Jayne, and newcomer Bozoma Saint John.
Actress Jennifer Tilly, 65, has joined the show as a 'friend' of the cast.
Richards' split with husband Mauricio Umansky, 54, recently became more complicated.
The realtor and former Selling Beverly Hills star is being sued for alleged fraud in obtaining $3.5 million in PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) and CaresAct loans during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In another snippet Dorit Kemsley and Sutton Stracke face off. 'This is not real,' Kemsley, 48, tells Stracke, 52. The influencer hits back at her saying, This is as real as it gets.'
Richards' split with husband Mauricio Umansky has become more complicated. His company is being sued for alleged fraud in obtaining $3.5 million in PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) and CaresAct loans during the Covid-19 pandemic. He has denied the accusations
The suit was filed in July of 2023 according to InTouch, but the court recently unsealed the documents.
The complainant, Relator LLC, claims those programs were to keep small business afloat and allow them to pay their employees while The Agency's 'profits would have been minimally impacted if at all, because their revenue was based on a percentage of real estate transactions, typically between millionaires and billionaires, not consumers who were unable to buy goods or dine out because of the COVID-19 restrictions. In fact, The Agencys business grew massively during the COVID-19 pandemic.'
The suit alleges The Agency had $6 billion in sales volume in 2019, but that rose to $6.5 billion in 2020 and 'ballooned to $11.2 billion in 2021.'
Umansky and his partner William 'Billy' Rose have denied the accusations.
Jacqueline Jossa has broken her silence on the terrifying raid at her Marbella holiday villa earlier this month, revealing her fears that her children had been kidnapped.
Two masked robbers broke into the holiday rental where the EastEnders actress, 31, and her former TOWIE star husband Dan Osborne, 33, were staying with their children.
They stole 20,000 of jewellery and belongings, including her engagement ring, as they slept.
And speaking out after the robbery, Jacqueline has recalled the heart-stopping moment she thought her children had been kidnapped as she stumbled across the thieves in the middle of the night.
Detailing her horrific ordeal with The Sun, Jacqueline said: 'I was trembling and couldnt really speak as I was the most scared Ive ever been in my life and instantly thought, "Oh my God! The kids! Did he have a child in his hand? Did I see a little girls leg?" I couldnt think straight and was panicking.'
Jacqueline Jossa has broken her silence on the terrifying raid at her Marbella holiday villa earlier this month, revealing her fears that her children had been kidnapped
Two masked robbers broke into the holiday rental where the EastEnders actress, 31, and her TOWIE star husband Dan Osborne, 33, were staying with their children
The star went onto say that after realising they were being robbed, she immediately woke her husband Dan, who legged it downstairs and grabbed snooker cue to protect his family.
However, the thieves had already ran off after spotting Jacqueline and escaped through the back door before being driven off in a waiting getaway car.
The actress then 'frantically ran' to check on her children to make sure they were safe and despite seeing them tucked up in their beds, she had to touch them to 'reassure' herself they were there.
Reliving the moment, she continued: 'Each time I close my eyes and think about it, Im imagining them running away with a kid. This could be a missing persons case and that would have been a totally different story.'
The star added that she was 'grateful' that she was the one to stumble across the robbers, because if one of the children had seen the masked men, they may have been 'scarred for life', with Jacqueline adding that she's probably scarred herself.
She also breathed a sigh of relief that the situation didn't take a more serious turn as she later spotted one of the assailants carrying something 'long and sharp' in the CCTV, with Jacqueline unsure if it was a knife or a 'massive screwdriver'.
The EastEnders favourite shared with the publication that things could have 'gone horribly wrong' should the men have confronted herself or Dan with a weapon, remarking that this could've been 'a different story altogether'.
Meanwhile, Jacqueline slammed the heartless thieves as she also revealed they made off with her five-year-old daughter's tooth fairy money.
Speaking out after the robbery, Jacqueline recalled the heart-stopping moment she thought her children had been kidnapped as she stumbled across the thieves in the middle of the night
'I was trembling and couldnt really speak as I was the most scared Ive ever been in my life and instantly thought, "Oh my God! The kids! Did he have a child in his hand?'
The actress then 'frantically ran' to check on her children to make sure they were safe and despite seeing them tucked up in their beds, she had to touch them to 'reassure' herself they were there
Meanwhile, Jacqueline slammed the heartless thieves as she also revealed they made off with her five-year-old daughter's tooth fairy money [pictured with Mia, 5]
Sharing her anger, she ranted: 'I get fuming about what they took from the kids - Mias little purse. It makes me so sad honestly, more sad than anything else. She lost a tooth, so she had some money in her purse from the tooth fairy. Her bag was all open, and the money had even been taken out of her purse. Bless her.'
The soap star and Dan have chosen not to reveal the truth to their young family and instead replaced the money stolen from Mia, with the youngster oblivious about what happened with her tooth fairy cash.
The couple are reported to have woken up to the thieves rummaging through the Marbella property. While nobody was harmed, sources say Jacqueline and Dan have been left 'shaken up' by the encounter.
Jacqueline, who plays Lauren Branning in the BBC soap, had been documenting her holiday for her Instagram followers, with the trip seeing them travel with their extended families along with daughters Ella, nine and Mia - along with Dan's son Teddy, 10.
While she was also seen enjoying a beach day in Marbella with her girls amid their two-week getaway in the sun.
Spanish police are reported to be investigating the raid, while a vehicle belonging to a security firm has been seen outside the villa.
Along with the engagement ring, the thugs are reported to have snatched handbags and wads of cash plucked from their kids' backpacks. They are said to have kept the robbery from the children to avoid scaring them.
Jacqueline had been documenting her holiday for her Instagram followers, with the trip seeing them travel with their extended families along with daughters Ella, nine and Mia, five - along with Dan's son Teddy, 10
While she was also seen enjoying a beach day in Marbella with her girls amid their two-week getaway in the sun
On Tuesday, Jaqueline and Dan looked visibly distressed as they left a Marbella police station after filing a report
Representatives for Jossa have been contacted for comment.
A friend told The Sun of the burglary: 'The villa has good security and Jacqueline and Dan have got CCTV. They think it took about ten minutes for the burglars to break in. Its possible the men were in the property for 15 minutes. Jacqueline said it was totally silent. It was only when a flash of a torch woke her up did they realise something had happened.'
On Tuesday, Jaqueline and Dan looked visibly distressed as they left a Marbella police station after filing a report.
The couple leaned on each other for support, with Dan wrapping a protective arm around his wife.
The couple got married in 2017 - shortly before her exit from the soap was confirmed by EastEnders bosses.
She then briefly returned to the show at the end of 2022 for the funeral of Dot Cotton following the death of actress June Brown earlier that year, before making a permanent return in October last year.
The robbery is the latest in a string of high-profile burglaries and muggings with Nick Grimshaw and his mother reportedly gassed at their rented Ibiza villa last week (Pictured in London in February 2017)
The high-profile robbery comes after another BBC star, former Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw, was targeted by robbers who allegedly gassed him and his 81-year-old mother Eileen in their rented Ibiza villa in order to steal from the pair.
The DJ was celebrating his 40th birthday with his family when the property was targeted by the gang who have hit a number of villas occupied by wealthy tourists over the last year.
Nick and his mum Eileen were sedated after the gang pumped a sedative gas into the property where the star was sleeping - and waited for it to take effect before they broke in wearing hazmat suits and turned the villa over.
No one is said to have been hurt in the incident, although it is believed some items were stolen in the raid.
Even eagle-eyed readers might struggle to recognise Theo James with his clothes on.
Our exclusive photos show the White Lotus star who earlier this year set fans' hearts racing when he was filmed in a pair of snug-fitting white trunks for a Dolce & Gabbana advert well covered up as he shares a joke with fellow actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
Admirers of James may also be less than impressed with his new hairstyle namely an Eighties-style mullet.
Eagle-eyed readers may struggle to recognise Theo James (left) with his clothes on
James with fellow actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson
James set fans' hearts racing earlier this year when he was filmed in a pair of snug-fitting white trunks for a Dolce & Gabbana advert
But the White Lotus Star was well covered up as he shared a joke with fellow actor Taylor-Johnson
Admirers of James may also be less than impressed with his new hairstyle namely an Eighties-style mullet
Taylor-Johnson with his back turned to the camera on the set of the upcoming heist thriller
Taylor-Johnson between takes on the set of thriller Fuze
The Kick-Ass star took the opportunity to show his bare torso to the cameras
Topless Taylor-Johnson shooting on location at Wrotham, Kent
For his part, Kick-Ass star Taylor-Johnson who has been tipped as the next James Bond takes the opportunity to show off his bare torso for the cameras.
The pair were on location in Wrotham, Kent, where they have been shooting scenes for the forthcoming heist thriller Fuze.
According to the synopsis, the film 'opens on the discovery of an unexploded Second World War bomb in a London construction site, sparking a mass evacuation the perfect cover for a heist'.
Taylor-Johnson has been tipped to replace Daniel Craig as the next James Bond
The actor strutting his stuff between piles of sand on location at Wrotham in Kent
Taylor-Johnson being washed down by make-up crew while filming on set
Taylor-Johnson on the set of Fuze with no top and beige trousers
The actor is seen taking a swig of San Pellegrino sparkling water while shooting the thriller
The actors were seen joking as they shot on location for the forthcoming heist thriller Fuze
Director David Mackenzie, whose previous credits include Hell Or High Water, starring Chris Pine and Jeff Bridges, said of Fuze that 'tension is one of the purest emotions that cinema can create'.
He added: 'I had the idea of combining all the high stakes of an unexploded bomb with that of a bank robbery clashing these two genres to create as much pressure as possible in a context that feels as real as possible.'
The film also stars Sam Worthington, a regular in James Cameron's Avatar franchise.
The wife of Dancing With The Stars Artem Chigvintsev has left the sleepy California town they call home in the wake of his arrest on domestic violence charges.
Chigvintsev, 42, was nowhere to be seen when former WWE pro Nikki Garcia, 40, made a dash for Las Vegas on Saturday morning.
The glamorous mom-of-one was seen boarding a JSX flight to Sin City at Oakland airport without her wedding ring and had four-year-old son Matteo and an assistant in tow.
Brunette Garcia, who was wearing a brown low-cut top and baggy jeans for the trip, is due to host a hotdog eating contest between Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi at the Luxor casino on Sunday, which will be screened on Netflix.
The trip comes less than 48 hours after cops were called to the couples $1.5 million marital home in Yountville, California, following reports of a bust-up.
Chigvintsev, 42, was nowhere to be seen when former WWE pro Nikki Garcia, 40, made a dash for Las Vegas on Saturday morning
The glamorous mom-of-one was seen boarding a JSX flight to Sin City at Oakland airport without her wedding ring and had four-year-old son Matteo and an assistant in tow
Sources said the couple dialed 911 twice first to request assistance for an injury before calling back and asking paramedics not to come.
But due to the sounds of a domestic disturbance in the background, cops from the Napa Sheriffs Department descended on the couples leafy neighborhood anyway, taking Russian-born Chigvintsev with them.
He was booked into the Napa County Jail on felony domestic violence charges at 10:59 am before being released on a $25,000 bond at approximately 2.18am.
A mugshot released by the Napa County Sheriffs office showed the ballroom star looking glum-faced in a check shirt while sporting a grizzled beard.
DailyMail.com has been told he was driven away in a black Ford F-150 pick-up truck and has not returned to the family home.
Garcia, who was wearing a brown low-cut top and baggy jeans for the trip, is due to host a hotdog eating contest between Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi at the Luxor casino on Sunday
The 911 dispatch, first obtained by TMZ, notes that Matteo was in the house at the time of the alleged domestic and revealed the pair were having an argument at the time.
'Initially came in as requesting medical, but now he is stating he got into an argument with his wife and his wife threw shoes at RP [reporting party],' the dispatcher said in the call.
The dispatcher added: 'There is a child on scene. Medical en route. There's an active 415 [disturbing the peace] in the background responsible.'
The arrest, which reportedly came after Garcia threw shoes at her husband, took place less than four days after the pair celebrated the anniversary of their August 2022 wedding with both marking the moment on social media.
Garcia posted photos and videos of the nuptials, writing: This song is our love story. Ill never forget where I was when I asked Jesus about Artem.
The arrest, which reportedly came after Garcia threw shoes at her husband, took place less than four days after the pair celebrated the anniversary of their August 2022 wedding with both marking the moment on social media
Having a conversation with He & God. How my feelings felt too soon. It all felt too fast. And then this song came on.
And thats when I knew that I was falling in love with him and that it was all meant to be. Happy Anniversary @theartemc I love you!
On his own social media, husband Chigvintsev added: 'Happy anniversary my love, cant see my life with out [sic] you. You are my everything.
Neither have commented on the incident, with Garcia releasing a statement asking for privacy on Friday.
Sources said Chigvintsev is currently scheduled to face court in Napa on Tuesday over the incident and cannot leave Napa County until the case is resolved.
Sources said Chigvintsev is currently scheduled to face court in Napa on Tuesday over the incident and cannot leave Napa County until the case is resolved
Despite appearing loved-up on social media, the couples relationship hasnt always been plain-sailing since they met when she was a guest on Dancing With The Stars in 2017.
After welcoming Matteo in 2020, Garcia admitted on The Tamron Hall Show that both she and the dancer were doing counseling, 'mainly just to be amazing parents and knowing how to balance parent life out and also our own relationship.'
During an appearance on the Off The Vine podcast the same year, the mother-of-one further explained that they went to couples counseling due to how Artem spoke to her.
On The Bellas podcast in November 2021, the former WWE wrestler said that both she and Chigvintsev had hit a 'rocky' stretch in their relationship, but were 'stronger than ever.'
And last year, Garcia revealed that before walking down the aisle in 2022, both she and Artem had gotten into a 'pretty bad' fight.
Giovanni Pernice reportedly tried to call Amanda Abbington during the BBC's probe into claims of off-camera misconduct towards her on Strictly Come Dancing.
The actress, 50, was paired with Italian ballroom specialist Giovanni, 33, for the long-running BBC show's 21st series in 2023, but abruptly withdrew just five weeks into the competition.
Giovanni has since been suspended while a BBC probe is conducted over claims of off-camera misconduct made by Abbington, 50, and two other former celebrity dance partners.
According to The Sun, Giovanni phoned Amanda just weeks after it emerged the investigation team were trying to find the footage of their rehearsals.
A source said: 'Giovanni tried to call Amanda a few weeks ago. Nobody knows why.
Giovanni Pernice reportedly tried to call Amanda Abbington during the BBC's probe into claims of off-camera misconduct towards her on Strictly Come Dancing
The actress, 50, was paired with Italian ballroom specialist Giovanni, 33, for the long-running BBC show's 21st series in 2023, but abruptly withdrew just five weeks into the competition
'They've not spoken since she quit the show, so for him to call out of the blue, especially with an inquiry taking place, is very odd.
'Amanda didn't want to speak to him and blocked his number. She wants nothing to do with Giovanni.'
The insider added that Amanda told her team Giovanni tried to contact her and they passed it on to the BBC executives in charge of the inquiry.
Noting Giovanni hasn't tried to contact her since, the source said Strictly producers just want to move on from the scandal.
A BBC spokesperson said: 'As we have said before, we will not be commenting on individuals or engaging in speculation.' MailOnline has contacted representatives for Giovanni Pernice and Amanda Abbington for comment.
Amanda previously said she would 'cry and vomit' after returning home from rehearsals with Giovanni.
Speaking to The Times, Abbington claims she has since received death threats from fans of the Italian dancer, whose long-term future on Strictly remains uncertain.
She said: 'I've had the worst experience. The show was tough and horrible, but the aftermath of it I was not expecting. It's been really brutal and it just hasn't stopped.
A source said Giovanni phoned Amanda just weeks after it emerged the investigation team were trying to find the footage of their rehearsals
The insider said: 'They've not spoken since she quit the show, so for him to call out of the blue, especially with an inquiry taking place, is very odd'
'It's been awful, just relentless. Death threats and rape threats for just standing up for something that I thought was wrong.'
The actress also admitted she would become nauseous after completing rehearsals with Pernice, a fan favourite who had appeared on Strictly for eight years prior to his suspension.
Amanda's husband Jonathan Goodwin, a former escapologist who was left paralysed in 2021 after a TV stunt went horribly wrong, also corroborated her claim of physical sickness.
She added: 'He'd go, 'Yes, you would come home and you'd vomit, you'd cry, and you'd think you were not good enough. You were a shadow, a shell.''
The investigation that began with accusations against Giovanni has since widened after more complaints surrounding the hit show.
It has heaped further turmoil on Strictly, which is deemed to be the jewel in the Corporation's crown and is still watched by more than ten million people.
Sources have told the Mail that the accusations have prompted bosses to extend the inquiry to look at other matters, and individuals, involved with the dance series as they prepare for its 20th anniversary.
It means that Giovanni, who has already let his frustrations at the investigation be known, faces an even longer wait for an outcome after three former dance partners, including Amanada, instructed lawyers to make 'serious complaints' about his conduct.
It also threatens to damage Strictly, the BBC's biggest Saturday night success story since The Generation Game.
A television source told the Mail: 'This investigation is no longer just solely about Giovanni but other, more wider issues. The show has been going for 20 years and the whole veneer of Strictly is so sparkly and lovely, of course there will always be people who feel hard done by.
The insider added that Amanda told her team Giovanni tried to contact her and they passed it on to the BBC executives in charge of the inquiry
'Amanda's complaints have started something massive, it has opened the door for others to come forward about things they haven't been happy with.
'It is all a big headache for the BBC, it is about to celebrate a massive milestone with its 20th anniversary.
'Having the Giovanni complaint has been a big enough issue, but now it looks like there is more to be scrutinised and looked into.'
Sources close to Giovanni say that he fully expects to be exonerated.
Insiders say also that the widened inquiry will now present the Sicilian star as possibly being a 'small fish' in Strictly's potential downfall.
He quit the show following claims by Amanada, star of Sherlock and Mr Selfridge, that he bullied her in training, claims which he denies.
In May it was revealed that she had instructed London law firm Carter Ruck to represent her against the BBC.
The BBC refused to comment on the matter but it did confirm in a statement that more than one complaint has been made.
Fellow dancer Graziano Di Prima has since been sacked by the show following similar claims of inappropriate behaviour towards TV personality Zara McDermott, with whom he was paired in 2023.
Confirming his departure on Instagram, Graziano wrote: 'I deeply regret the events that led to my departure from Strictly. My intense passion and determination to win might have affected my training regime.
'While respecting the BBC HR process, I acknowledge it's only right for the sake of the show that I step away. I am saddened that I wasn't allowed to offer a quote to the online news stories, and I take on board the sensitivity of the situation.
'There's more to this story that I am unable to discuss at this time, but I am committed to being strong for my family and friends. I wish the Strictly family nothing but success in the future.'
Cate Blanchett exuded glamour as she joined fellow screen beauties Sydney Sweeney and Nathalie Emmanuel in leading the glamour at the Armani Beauty dinner during Venice Film Festival on Friday.
Australian actress Cate, 55, who was in the Italian city to promote her latest project Disclaimer, caught the eye as she walked the red carpet in a silver cleavage-baring top and black trousers.
Meanwhile, Euphoria actress Sydney, 26, and Game Of Thrones star Nathalie, 35, followed Cate's lead as they too turned heads in flesh-flashing ensembles at the Arsenale di Venezia.
Cate oozed confidence as she posed for cameras which rocking a risque silver beaded number which featured cold shoulders and a daring open front.
The Carol star teamed her look with black velvet trousers, pointed black heels and simple stud earrings.
Cate Blanchett exuded glamour as she joined fellow screen beauties Sydney Sweeney and Nathalie Emmanuel in leading the glamour at the Armani Beauty dinner during Venice Film Festival on Friday
Meanwhile, Euphoria actress Sydney, 26 [left], and Game Of Thrones star Nathalie, 35 [right], followed Cate's lead as they too turned heads in flesh-flashing ensembles at the Arsenale di Venezia
Australian actress Cate, 55, who was in the Italian city to promote her latest project Disclaimer, was sure to catch the eye as she walked the red carpet in a silver cleavage-baring top
Allowing her top to do the talking, Cate forwent other accessories and kept her make-up simple but elegant.
Meanwhile, Sydney stunned in a black lace illusion dress, which featured a pleated skirt and dramatic draping around her hips.
The stunner topped off her look with glittering jewellery by De Beers and her golden locks styled in soft waves.
Nathalie also put in a showstopping appearance, wowing in a black sequin gown with an extremely plunging neckline.
The former Hollyoaks star added towering black heels to her outfit, while her cropped blonde locks were elegantly coiffed.
Meanwhile, actress Eva Green added a pop of colour to the carpet as she slipped into a chic purple dress.
The number featured tasseled draping and structured shoulders, with the Casino Royale star, 44, finishing the look with pointed black heels.
Elsewhere Toni Garnn was the picture of elegance in a strapless black dress.
Cate oozed confidence as she posed for cameras which rocking a risque silver beaded number which featured cold shoulders and a daring open front
Allowing her top to do the talking, Cate forwent other accessories and kept her make-up simple but elegant
Meanwhile, Sydney stunned in a black lace illusion dress, which featured a pleated skirt and dramatic draping around her hips
Nathalie also put in a showstopping appearance, wowing in a black sequin gown with an extremely plunging neckline
Meanwhile, actress Eva Green added a pop of colour to the carpet as she slipped into a chic purple dress
Elsewhere Toni Garn was the picture of elegance in a strapless black dress
While Camila Mendes garnered attention in a shimmering red and black strapless top and coordinating trousers
Her former Riverdale co-star Lili Reinhart meanwhile looked gorgeous in a glittering silver and black low-cut gown
While Camila Mendes garnered attention in a shimmering red and black strapless top and coordinating trousers.
Her former Riverdale co-star Lili Reinhart meanwhile looked gorgeous in a glittering silver and black low-cut gown.
Other stars stepping out at the glitzy event included Stranger Things actress Sadie Sink, who stunned in a black velvet gown with a deep V neckline.
Ella Purnell put on a leggy display in black shorts teamed with a cut out black top, Messika jewellery and a smart blazer slung over her shoulders.
Not to be outdone, then men dressed to impress too with Aaron Taylor Johnson looking suave in a black tux.
While Harry Goodwins and Ncuti Gatwa made fashionable appearances on the red carpet.
Other stars stepping out at the glitzy event included Stranger Things actress Sadie Sink, who stunned in a black velvet gown with a deep V neckline
Ella Purnell put on a leggy display in black shorts teamed with a cut out black top, Messika jewellery and a smart blazer slung over her shoulders
Not to be outdone, then men dressed to impress too with Aaron Taylor Johnson looking suave in a black tux
Harry Goodwins looked sharp in a pale grey pinstriped suit
Ncuti Gatwa made another fashionable appearance on the red carpet, donning a stylish black ensemble
Cate's newest appearance comes shortly after she attended the Disclaimer premiere on Thursday.
The actress covered her cleavage with her hands as she walked the red carpet in an extreme plunging jumpsuit with a low back after joking she would be arriving 'naked' to the premiere of her new project.
When asked what she planned to wear before the event, Cate had said: 'Nothing. I'm going naked.'
Rapper Fatman Scoop has passed away aged 56 after suffering a medical emergency on stage.
The artist, real name Isaac Freeman III, collapsed on stage in Hamden Town Center Park, Connecticut, on Friday, and was rushed to hospital.
Screams rang out at his final show as the legendary hype man was seen struggling after he climbed onto a platform before disappearing from view, as medics raced to revive him.
His tour manager announced his passing on Saturday, saying he was 'lost for words.'
Rapper Fatman Scoop has passed away aged 56 after suffering a medical emergency on stage
The artist, real name Isaac Freeman III, collapsed on stage in Hamden Town Center Park, Connecticut, on Friday, after suffering a medical emergency caught on camera
Freeman's manager, DJ and producer Birch Michael, announced the rapper's death 'with the heaviest of hearts' in posts to social media on Saturday morning.
Shortly after, the artist's family said in a statement that he was 'not just a world class performer - he was a father, brother, uncle and a friend.'
'Last night, the world lost a radiant soul, a beacon of light on the stage and in life,' the family said. 'He was the laughter in our lives, a constant source of support, unwavering strength, and courage.'
Born in New York City in 1971, Freeman made his name through collaborations with mega-stars including Missy Elliot and Mariah Carey in the early 2000s, and was known for his deep, roaring vocal presence.
His family described him as 'the undisputed voice of the club', and said his 'music made us dance and embrace life with positivity.'
A three-time Grammy Award winner, in recent years Fatman Scoop ventured into podcasting and reality TV, including appearing on Channel 5's Celebrity Big Brother: UK vs USA in 2015.
The artist's exact cause of death is not clear, however it came after he suffered a medical emergency on stage on Friday.
Footage from the audience captured the moment the adored rapper collapsed, which came seconds after he roused the crowd, shouting 'Let's make some noise!'
Footage from the audience captured the moment the adored rapper collapsed behind a DJ booth, which came seconds after he roused the crowd, shouting 'Let's make some noise!'
Tributes quickly poured in for the artist as news of his death was shared
The artist's family paid a touching tribute as they announced his death, saying he was 'the laughter in our lives' as they branded him as 'the undisputed voice of the club'
In the video, the rapper strutted toward the back of the stage and approached a DJ booth - shouting again: 'I said Hamden, make some noise!'
Then the hip-hop artist climbed the stairs to the DJ booth, however his breathing appeared to become labored as he panted into the microphone.
'If you came to party,' the rapper said, before taking a long pause. He then appeared to bend forward. 'Make some noise,' he added, his words slurred.
As soon as he finished speaking, he collapsed onto the ground, dropping the microphone.
Across the audience, screams of horror and gasps of fear were heard, while the rapper's fellow artists tried to calm the crowd.
'We're having a good time,' one of them said, as another again asked for the crowd to 'make some noise' - which was met with a far more muted response than moments earlier.
After Fatman Scoop was taken off stage by medics, fellow artists spoke to the crowd as they stood in stunned silence
The rapper's manager said he was 'lost for words' over the 53-year-old's death
A three-time Grammy Award winner, in recent years Fatman Scoop ventured into podcasting and reality TV - pictured during Channel 5 's Celebrity Big Brother: UK vs USA in 2015
In another clip, a member of the rapper's entourage walked over to the DJ station and switched the music off and an eerie hush fell over the venue.
With the DJ booth partly obscuring the view, a medical official performed chest compressions vigorously on the rapper.
Around 8:33pm, authorities were dispatched to the scene. They wheeled the rapper out from venue on a stretcher and rushed him to the hospital.
Hamden Mayor Lauren Garett said following the incident that Scoop was undergoing emergency care and asked fans to 'keep him in your thoughts and prayers.'
Tributes quickly poured in for the artist as news of his death was shared, with UK's Reminisce Festival - where he was set for perform on September 7 - sharing that his 'absence will be profoundly felt by everyone.'
'He was not just one of our most popular performers, he was a cherished member of the Reminisce family,' the festival said.
A multi-award-winning artist and producer, Fatman Scoop was known for his many collaborations, including with Missy Elliott, Mariah Carey, and David Guetta.
Missy Elliot shared a touching tribute Saturday to X, sending her prayers to his 'family for STRENGTH during this difficult time.'
'Fatman Scoop VOICE & energy have contributed to MANY songs that made the people feel HAPPY & want to dance for over 2 decades. Your IMPACT will NEVER be forgotten,' she wrote.
In 2014 he revealed he was first given the nickname Fatman Scoop by his uncle, due to his love of ice cream, despite rumors Lauryn Hill had bestowed it on him when he appeared as an extra in the Fugee's 1996 video for Killing Me Softly.
On the morning of his collapse, Scoop released the official music video for his final collaboration with Dyce Paso, for their new song 'Let It Go.'
Fatman Scoop pictured with his ex-wife Shanda Freeman in 2008
Artists Lil' John and Timbaland also waded in with tributes, recalling their time together as rising hip-hop artists.
Taking to the comments section of Freeman's family post, Lil Jon wrote: 'REST WELL BROTHER.'
Scoops' frequent collaborators Timbaland and Fat Joe both appeared lost for words and posted a string of emojis - with the rapper's ex-wife Shanda Freeman also sharing two heartbreak emojis for a tribute post to her Instagram
Dj Questlove wrote: 'Thank you Scoop!'.
Freeman's touring agency MN2S added in a statement, 'Scoop was a beloved figure in the music world, whose work was loved by countless fans across the globe. His iconic voice, infectious energy, and great personality made an indelible mark on the industry, and his legacy will live on through his timeless music.'
Condo owners are fleeing Florida's real estate crisis for other southern states and even leaving the country in search of an affordable lifestyle.
The Sunshine State has been hit with the 'worst real estate crisis in decades' because of skyrocketing insurance costs and Home Owners Association (HOA) fees.
Condo listings have soared as desperate owners attempt to dodge a costly new law requiring increased safety checks.
Miami Real Estate Agent Steven Kupchan told DailyMail.com people are flocking to Georgia, Texas, the Carolinas and even moving out of the country to places like Mexico or Central America.
'With the rise of remote work, some individuals who had moved to Florida for work reasons are now considering relocating to states with lower living costs or more stable real estate markets,' Kupchan said.
People are fleeing Florida because of skyrocketing insurance costs and Home Owners Association fees
Slide me People are fleeing Florida for places like Georgia, Texas, the Carolinas and even moving out of the country to places like Mexico for a more affordable cost of living
Florida had a population boom during the pandemic, with more than 700,000 people moving there in 2022.
However, experts say the increasing cost of insurance due to natural disasters and a law requiring increased costly safety checks homeowners are ditching The Sunshine State.
The legislation was brought in following the 2021 collapse of the Champlain Tower South in Surfside, which killed 98 people.
It later emerged that the condo association had postponed crucial repairs to avoid increasing costs, prompting lawmakers to introduced new regulations which take effect at the end of the year.
Tampa, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale have all seen HOA rises of more than 15 percent in the last year, according to Redfin data.
As a result, the number of condos on the market has soared, especially in southern Florida, prompting warnings of a 'mass exodus.'
'Many retirees and older residents are moving out, concerned about the increasing costs of condo association fees, insurance premiums, and potential assessments for repairs and maintenance,' said Kupchan.
'Some middle-class families who were already on the fence about condo living are opting to move out due to the perceived instability and financial uncertainty.'
State legislation brought in following the 2021 collapse of the Champlain Tower South in Surfside, (pictured) which killed 98 people, led to increased HOA fees
The increased safety checks are pushing up Homeowners' Association fees, prompting many to sell
Here is where they are going instead:
Georgia
The average cost of living per year in Georgia is $43,482 with housing and utilities costing only $7,495, according to 2021 data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Georgia reached a new population threshold in 2023, surpassing 11 million people according to census data.
A report from financial analytics company CoreLogic indicates the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell region has a 70 percent likelihood to see a drop in house prices by next year.
The average cost of living per year in Georgia is $43,482 with housing and utilities costing only $7,495. (Pictured: Savannah, Georgia)
Former West Palm Beach resident David told Business Insider he moved to Savannah because wealthy new residents changed the fabric of the neighborhood.
'The number of people who were moving down and spending crazy amounts of money was insane,' David said.
'Their attitudes were so different from what everybody was used to; they were demanding people not familiar with the kind of calm lifestyle we were living.
'Savannah felt right. The islands of Savannah reminded us of the old Florida."
Texas
People are flocking to Texas for its lower cost of living at just $45,114 per year and buyer friendly housing market.
'Texas continues to be a strong market for property buyers due to its robust economic growth, business-friendly environment and relatively affordable cost of living,' housing market expert Dennis Shirshikov explained.
People are flocking to Texas for its lower cost of living at just $45,114 per year and buyer friendly housing market. (Pictured: Houston, Texas)
'Cities like Austin and Dallas offer a blend of high-tech job opportunities and attractive living conditions' he added.
With more than 11 million housing units, according to U.S. census data, the average annual per-capita cost of housing and utilities in Texas is $7,540.
North Carolina
North Carolina home to some of the best cities to raise a family, according to U.S. News.
The state is rated as a hotspot for prospective buyers due to its relative affordability, average house prices in the state are $335,000.
'North Carolina, especially areas like Raleigh and Charlotte, offers a balanced mix of affordability, economic growth and quality of life,' Shirshikov said.
North Carolina is a hotspot for prospective buyers due to its relative affordability with the average cost of living at $43,959 per year. (Pictured: Charlotte, North Carolina)
The average cost of living is $43,959 per year and the annual cost of housing and utilities is $7,359.
Irene Ferris had lived in Florida since 1986, but moved to the North Carolina mountains because of the increasing cost of living and increasing natural disasters.
'It's the economics, it's the politics, it's the environment. But at the end of the day, I have to do what's best for the family,' she told ABC Action News.
South Carolina
South Carolina is the nation's fastest growing state and is predicted to see its population soar to 6.4 million by 2042.
The state boasts a strong jobs market which recovered quickly from the pandemic and relatively low cost of living which has already been attracting droves of new residents.
Many new residents have been drawn in by the low cost of living, which is six percent less than the national average and as well as the state's thriving economy.
South Carolina is the nation's fastest growing state due to its low cost of living. (Pictured: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina)
The Economic Policy Institute determined that the monthly cost of living in the state for a married couple with two children is $4,748 or $56,976 annually.
Ryan and Jami Wilson told Business Insider they moved from Florida to Greenville, South Carolina to escape the crowds.
'We stopped going to the beach because you couldn't get there anymore because the traffic would be miles long,' Jami said. 'You could never find a place to park.'
Mexico
An estimated 1.6 million Americans currently live in Mexico, which allows citizens from dozens of countries to stay for up to 180 days without a visa, according to GoBankingRates.
The cost of living in Mexico is 45.7 percent lower than in the U.S. costing an average of $600 to $2,000 a month, RemoteYear.com found.
An estimated 1.6 million Americans currently live in Mexico where the cost of living is 45.7 percent lower than in the U.S. (Pictured: Mexico City, Mexico)
Mexico City, the nation's capital, saw its population grow by three percent between 2019 and 2023, according to The World Population Review.
Immigration data shows the number of Americans who applied for residency visas jumped by seven percent from 2019 to 2022.
Central America
Expats who moved to Central America said they were motivated by financial reasons, to retire and for a better quality of life according to the latest Expat Insider report.
Panama was ranked the best country overall for expats in 2024 with more than four in five people saying they are happy with their life there.
Newcomers reported they are satisfied with the low cost of living, there are lots of affordable housing and outdoor recreation.
A small Midwest town is charming homebuyers with its affordable houses and beautiful surroundings - and the fact it has not charged property tax in almost four decades.
Ballwin, Missouri, which is located around half an hour outside of St Louis, is home to around 31,000 people.
But the area is among the hottest ZIP codes in the US due to its unique tax perk, according to Realtor.com.
Ballwin has not charged a municipal property tax since 1987, which significantly benefits both current residents and potential buyers by reducing the overall cost of homeownership.
Instead, city services are funded through sales taxes, utility gross receipts taxes and recreational revenues.
Ballwin, Missouri, is one of the hottest housing markets in the US due to its unique tax perk
Property taxes are paid by the owner of real estate to county or local tax authorities, and go toward infrastructure improvements, public services and local schooling.
The taxes vary by state and county, and the amount is based on the assessed value of a property.
New Jersey, for example, has the highest property taxes of any state, with an effective tax rate of 2.23 percent, according to the Tax Foundation.
The lack of property tax in Ballwin might particularly appeal to retirees on a fixed income, Realtor.com found.
For other buyers, the lack of additional taxes may mean they can consider purchasing a larger property within their budget.
Homes in Ballwin are slightly more expensive than in surrounding areas, but still tend to be lower than the national average.
The median list price in the suburb is $409,000, Realtor.com found, which is around $35,000 less than $439,500 - the national average for July.
As a result, homes in the town are selling like hotcakes.
On average, listings only stayed on the market for 16 days before being snapped up by a buyer in the first half of this year.
This is more than a month - some 42 days - less than the average for the US as a whole.
Most buyers trying to break into the Ballwin market are from the surrounding area, but 41 percent are from further afield - including a significant portion from Chicago.
Alongside its small-town charm, beautiful surroundings, low crime rate and affordability, Ballwin is also within commutable distance from St Louis.
Realtor.com senior economist Hannah Jones noted that unemployment rates in the St Louis metropolitan area are lower than the national average, 'offering prospective buyers a strong economy nearby.'
Ballwin appeals to 'buyers that are willing to pay for the right combination of size and amenities within commuting distance of the office,' she added.
'The shift toward more in-office work has continued, meaning that many buyers are looking to find some desirable combination of convenience and lifestyle perks.'
Alongside its small-town charm, beautiful surroundings, low crime rate and affordability, Ballwin is also within commutable distance from St Louis
The lack of property tax in Ballwin might particularly appeal to retirees on a fixed income, Realtor.com found
The median list price in Ballwin is $409,000, which is around $35,000 less than $439,500 - the national average for July
Ballwin is located around half an hour outside of St Louis and is home to around 31,000 people
Ballwin ranked second in Realtor.com's ranking of the hottest ZIP codes in the US for 2024, behind another Midwest town.
Gahanna, a leafy suburb of Columbus, Ohio, took the top spot for the second year in a row.
A small town of just 35,000, Gahanna is attracting homebuyers who are making offers at furious speed.
The area boasts affordable homes, with a median list price of $345,000, with good access to the big-city amenities of Columbus where several billion-dollar companies, such as Intel and Google, are expanding.
'The Midwest has enjoyed sustained popularity as elevated homebuying costs concentrated demand in more affordable locales,' Jones said.
Radhika Sarathkumar, a highly respected movie artist in South India, dropped a bombshell on Saturday by accusing some of the leading stars of the Malayalam film industry of making nude visuals of female artists with hidden cameras and blackmailing them later.
Speaking to the media, Radhika, who is married to Tamil superstar Sarath Kumar and is daughter of the iconic Tamil actor M R Radha, said that she has seen the these film stars videographing nude visuals with hidden cameras in the caravans hired for exclusive use by the female artists.
It is done while the artists change their costumes or use the washrooms. I saw this with my own eyes and ever since stopped using the caravans. Though I alerted the director and other crew members, nothing happened. Malayalam film industry is not safe for female artists, said Radhika.
The revelations by the actress come in the wake of the #Me Too movement getting intensified after the release of the Justice K Hema Committee report about the murky happenings in Malayalam film industry. The committee was appointed by the CPI (M)-led Government in 2017 following reports of sexual harassment suffered by female film artists.
It may be recalled that a leading actress of Malayalam films was kidnapped by gangsters led by Pulsor Suni and raped as per the directive of reigning superstar Dileep.
Since Dileep was busy raping other artists, he had outsourced the sexual abuse job to Sunil. Dileep was arrested by the Kerala Police and remained behind bars for three months before managing to get bail and come out of jail.
The disclosures by some of the female artists in the wake of the release of Hema Committee report has seen the police registering nearly 20 cases against actors including Siddique, Mukesh, a CPM legislator, Jayasoorya, Edavela Babu and Babu Raj. Interestingly, Siddique and Babu Raj were elected as general secretary and vice president of AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Actors) last month. Both have quit following the allegations.
Meanwhile, Mohan Lal, who was the president of AMMA till last week broke his silence when he met the Press on Saturday and asked the journalists not to bay for the blood of some of the artists on the basis of isolated allegations. Since I was busy fulfilling certain commitments, I could not meet you people earlier. I myself have appeared before the Hema Committee, which had asked me for some details. What I feel is that all should sit together, discuss the findings of the Hema Committee and present our version of the story to the Chief Minister and the civil society, said Lal while answering queries by a hostile media.
The foundation that supports firefighters and the S.F. firefighters union say the billboards they paid for are only meant to raise awareness about cancer rates. Emily Hoeven/The Chronicle
Back in May, an eye-catching advertisement started popping up across San Francisco.
Plastered on billboards and bus shelters, the ad depicted a firefighter spraying a hose at an imposing wall of red capital letters: FIREFIGHTERS GET CANCER AT 2-3X THE RATE OF THE REST OF US.
Firefighter health had been in the news a lot lately. Citing research showing that cancer is the leading cause of occupational death for firefighters, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in March proposed banning PFAS dangerous forever chemicals known to cause cancer, organ damage and other illnesses in the citys firefighting uniforms and gear. In May, Assembly Member Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, introduced a similar ban at the state level.
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But around the time the ads began appearing, even heavier political activity kicked up a notch.
In late May, Supervisor Catherine Stefani introduced a ballot measure sponsored by the powerful San Francisco Fire Fighters Local 798 union to increase firefighter pension benefits and lower their retirement age from 58 to 55. A city controller analysis found the plan would cost the city more than $10 million in its first year and balloon to more than $21 million down the road.
Whats the rationale for this generous benefit expansion when San Francisco faces a nearly $800 million deficit over the next two years?
Cancer prevention.
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Yet aspects of the ballot measure had only a tenuous connection to reducing cancer risk. One expensive provision, for example, would allow firefighters final compensation, which determines the size of their retirement benefits, to be based on their single highest year of earnings instead of the current average of two or three years.
This got me wondering: Were the ads intended to drum up support for the ballot measure? If so, did that mean they were political advertising masquerading as public service announcements and was that legal?
The ads didnt mention the potential ballot measure or the union. Instead, they featured the logo and website of the San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation, a nonprofit.
But when I called foundation President Tony Stefani a retired firefighter and cancer survivor who is not related to Catherine Stefani he told me the union had conceived of and paid for the ad blitz.
When I noted that the ads started going up right around the time Supervisor Stefani introduced the ballot measure to increase firefighter benefits a proposal brought to her by the firefighters union Tony Stefani replied: That was not brought to our attention at all as far as there being any type of connection between the ads and the ballot measure.
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Regardless, the ads may have helped the measure clear its first hurdle: the Board of Supervisors.
On July 30, the board sent a pared-down version of the measure to the November ballot. Proposition H would lower the firefighter retirement age from 58 to 55 an estimated cost of $3.7 million in the first year and more in the following years.
Floyd Rollins, president of the firefighters union, confirmed to me that the union paid for the ads contracts I reviewed showed the cost was more than $80,000 but said there was no correlation with the initiative.
Rollins said he was inspired to launch the campaign after attending a foundation gala in March and hoped the ads would drive donations to the foundation and bring awareness to whats going on.
He noted that more than 300 active and retired San Francisco firefighters have died of cancer since 2006, 200 others have been diagnosed in the past six years and female firefighters have contracted breast cancer at a rate six times higher than the national average.
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Firefighter cancer rates are indeed a crisis, and they need to be treated like one.
But it strains credulity for the union to maintain that its only goal in funding the billboards was to raise awareness about cancer rates.
Its clear that the ballot measure was top of mind, too.
We knew (cancer) was going to be an important aspect of why were arguing for pension reform, Adam Wood, a retired firefighter who serves as a union officer and on the foundations board of directors, told me.
The ads did serve a purpose of letting us not have to do the work of explaining it like its brand-new information when we go before the public or political boards, Wood said.
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Indeed, the billboards seem designed to sway public opinion without crossing the line into political advertising, which comes with stringent financial reporting and disclosure requirements.
The idea behind these rules is that voters deserve to know when money is being spent to influence their vote and whos spending it.
The ads apparently arent subject to these requirements because they dont mention the ballot measure or advocate for a specific political outcome.
But, by emphasizing high cancer rates in firefighters the unions central argument for pension reform they are priming the pump, Sean McMorris, a campaign finance law expert and Common Causes transparency, ethics and accountability program manager, told me.
The ads also give the impression that they were paid for by a nonpartisan, nonprofit foundation when in reality they were financed by a union with a vested interest in a related political outcome.
Although the foundation and the union have long had a close relationship, Tony Stefani said this campaign was the first time the union proposed using its money to run ads with the foundations name.
This arrangement makes it more difficult for the public to fairly evaluate the ads, Ann Ravel, former chairperson of the Federal Elections Commission and the California Fair Political Practices Commission, told me.
Yet fair, transparent evaluation is exactly whats needed. Prop H is a complex measure the controller estimates will have a significant impact on the cost of government. And it isnt even the only pension expansion measure on the ballot.
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
If the firefighters union wants taxpayers to open their pocketbooks, the least it can do is be transparent about how its spending its money to influence our votes.
Keeping in mind a centuries-old festival of the Bishnoi community, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday deferred the polling date for Haryana Assembly elections to October 5. Earlier, voting was scheduled to be held on October 1. There has been no change in the polling date for the third phase of the Jammu and Kashmir elections slated for October 1. The election results for both Jammu & Kashmir and Haryana will be now declared on October 8 instead of October 4.
The change in the schedule was prompted by the ECI's decision to honour the centuries-old tradition of the Bishnois. The Bishnois, a prominent community in the region, observes the Asoj Amavasya festival, which holds religious importance as it commemorates Guru Jambheshwar. The ECI recognised the need to ensure that the community could fully participate in this important cultural and religious event without forgoing their voting rights. The poll body cited representations from national and State political parties, as well as the All India Bishnoi Mahasabha in this regard.
BJP leaders hailed the poll bodys decision while the Opposition Congress and Aam Aadmi Party have slammed the move.
BJP MP Biplab Kumar Deb who is also the in-charge of Haryana BJP said, ...It is the duty of the Election Commission. At that time the main festival of the Bishnoi community takes place, so the Election Commission wants maximum voting in the elections and we welcome it... We have worked honestly in the State and the people will decide who will win...
In a notification, the EC said, Subsequently, representations have been received from national political parties, State political party and All India Bishnoi Mahasabha regarding mass movement of people of Bishnoi community of Haryana to Rajasthan to participate in centuries old Asoj Amavasya festival celebration.
It may deny voting rights to large number of people and may lead to reduce voters' participation in general election to legislative Assembly of Haryana, the EC notification read. This year, the festival falls on October 2 and thousands of Bishnoi families residing in Sirsa, Fatehabad and Hisar will be travelling to Rajasthan on the day, denying them their voting rights.
The Haryana unit of the BJP had earlier written to the EC requesting to postpone the polling for Assembly elections. In a letter dated August 22, BJP Haryana chief Mohanlal Badoli outlined concerns that the polling date would coincide with an extended holiday period, including the weekend of September 28-29 and Gandhi Jayanti on October 2. Badoli argued that this extended break could lead to a decrease in voter turnout as many residents might be away or on vacation.
The BJP also pointed out that the Bishnoi community, which forms a significant voter base in Haryana, would likely be absent on October 1 due to their annual pilgrimage to Mukam village in Rajasthan.
He had urged the Election Commission to consider rescheduling the polls to a later date to ensure maximum voter turnout, citing past instances where election dates had been changed for similar reasons.
The EC had also received a representation from the national president of All India Bishnoi Mahasabha, Bikaner, Rajasthan for rescheduling the date for the Haryana Assembly elections. He said generations of families from Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana visit their native village Mukam in Rajasthan on amavas in the month of Asoj for the annual festival in Bikaner in the memory of Guru Jambheshwar.
Former Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda had hit out at the BJP, saying that the partys stand showed it already accepted defeat.
The BJP is eyeing a third consecutive term while the Congress is looking to wrest power from the ruling outfit.
In the backdrop of the rape and murder of a Kolkata doctor and sexual assault on two kindergarten girls in Maharashtras Thane region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reiterated the need and urgency to ensure safety of women, particularly at the workplace and called for quick disposal of cases of crimes against women. He said, The faster justice is done in such cases, the greater will be the assurance of safety for half the population.
Speaking at the National Conference of District Judiciary in Delhi, the Prime Minister emphasised that atrocities against women and the safety of children were a serious concern in society today. On this occasion, the Prime Minister also unveiled the stamp and coin commemorating 75 years of the establishment of the Supreme Court of India. The two-day conference was organised by the Supreme Court of India to discuss the issues related to the district judiciary such as infrastructure and human resources, inclusive courtrooms for all, judicial security and judicial wellness, case management and judicial training.
Modi pointed out that many strict laws were enacted to ensure the safety of women in the country. He added that in 2019, the Government had planned to establish fast-track special courts. Explaining further, he said that there was a provision for a deposition center for important witnesses under the fast-track special courts. He further emphasised the important role of district monitoring committees under fast-track special courts, consisting of the district judge, district magistrate and superintendent of police.
Judiciary is considered as the Guardian of our Democracy, said the Prime Minister. Referring to the role of judiciary in protecting the Constitution and the spirit of law, the Prime Minister said the judiciary is considered the guardian of the Constitution, and that the Supreme Court and the judiciary have measured up to this responsibility. He added that the committees role was important in promoting coordination between various aspects of the criminal justice system. Modi stressed on the need to make these committees more active. He added that the quicker the decisions in cases related to atrocities against women, the greater will be the assurance of safety for half the population.
The Kolkata incident has also become a flashpoint between the TMC Government in West Bengal and the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre. On Friday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to Modi, reiterating her request for stringent Central legislation and exemplary punishment for heinous crimes like rape and murder.
In response, Union minister Annapurna Devi asserted that existing laws were stringent enough to tackle violence and crimes against women and urged the West Bengal Government to implement the same in letter and spirit.
The Government launched the Fast Track Special Court (FTSC) scheme in 2019 to tackle pending cases of crimes against women and those filed under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. Since its inception, these courts have disposed of more than 2.53 lakh cases.
Prime Minister Modi highlighted the crucial role of policies and laws along with infrastructural and technological advancements in the transformational journey of the nation. Therefore, Modi said, the nation has made such big and important changes in the legal framework for the first time in 70 years of Independence. Referring to the new Indian judicial system in the form of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Prime Minister said that the spirit of these laws is Citizen First, Dignity First and Justice First.
He pointed out that Indias criminal laws have been freed from the colonial mindset of rulers and slaves. He gave the example of repealing a colonial-era law like sedition. Throwing light on the idea behind the Nyaya Sanhita being to not punish citizens but protect them, PM Modi mentioned the implementation of stricter laws for crimes against women and children, and provisions of community service as punishment for minor crimes for the first time. Modi also spoke about Bhartiya Sakshya Adhiniyam and said that electronic and digital records have been recognised as evidence under the new laws. He also mentioned the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita and said that a system is in place to send summons electronically to reduce the burden of pending cases on the judiciary.
The Prime Minister also urged to take necessary steps to train the district judiciary in this new system under the guidance of the Supreme Court. He also suggested judges and lawyer colleagues become a part of this campaign. Our lawyers and bar associations have an important role in making the public familiar with this new system, he added.
Throwing light on the efforts in the past 10 years to facilitate delivery of justice, the Prime Minister referred to the work being done for the modernisation of courts at the mission level and highlighted the contributions of the Supreme Court and the judiciary.
Pointing out the pendency of about 4.5 crore cases in the district courts, PM Modi said that work has been carried out at multiple levels in the last decade to eliminate this delay in justice. He said that the country has spent about Rs 8,000 crore for the development of judicial infrastructure. He further added that 75 percent of the funds spent on judicial infrastructure in the last 25 years took place only in the last 10 years. In these 10 years, more than 7.5 thousand court halls and 11 thousand residential units have been built for the district judiciary, he added.
Describing the imposition of the Emergency as a dark period, he said the judiciary played a key role in upholding fundamental rights. On matters of national security, Modi said, the judiciary has protected national integrity by keeping national interests paramount. Terming the judiciary as a strong pillar of the vision of a developed India, he said the district judiciary is the foundation of the Indian judicial system.
The common citizen of the country first knocks on your (the lower courts) door for justice. Therefore, this is the first point of justice, this is the first step, Modi said.
On the instructions of Chief Secretary, a meeting was held in the hall of New Collectorate under the chairmanship of Collector Sandeep Makin regarding security arrangements in hospitals in the district.
In the meeting, Makin discussed issues like women safety in hospitals, medical arrangements, transportation, parking, cleanliness etc. He said that a Whatsapp group should be created at the district level in which administrative officers, police officers and medical officers and their team should be added, so that if any problem or trouble arised in the hospitals, it will be brought to notice immediately through this group. This way, it can be resolved immediately.
A QRT team will be formed which will reach within 10 minutes on receiving information about any incident. Makin said that a mock drill of this team will be done in the coming 2-3 days. Taking seriously the increasing security related incidents related to women, Shri Makin instructed the Dean of Medical College, CMHO that a CCTV control room will be established in the district hospital, in which duty will be assigned for five to six hours, if needed, the number of cameras in the hospital should be increased, so that the movement of anti-social elements and unknown persons can be stopped and any incident arising or happening can be monitored.
After the camera installation and the creation of CCTV control room, it will also be audited by the administrative staff within 7 days. Regarding security related arrangements, the government hospitals will be inspected by the Collector, CEO, ADM and private hospitals will be inspected by SDM and Deputy Collectors.
Sarala Birla Public School, Ranchi hosted the Culmination of the Creativity conclave of Ranchi Sahodaya School Complex (RSSC) in its premises with great fervour. The event was a culmination of the month-long series of competitions like Sandarbh- a journey through songs and words, Hasty Tasty- a fireless cooking competition, Torque- Inter school dance dialogues, Inter-school patriotic song and folk dance competitions, etc. organized by the schools of Ranchi under the aegis of RSSC and in which more than 2000 students participated. The entire month was dedicated to mark the incorporation of NEP 2020 with emphasis on art-integration in all walks of academics.
The day commenced with the welcoming of the guests with a graceful Odissi performance. This was followed by the lighting of the ceremonial lamp to mark the inception of the event. The culmination ceremony included two competitions- Inter School TORQUE- Integrated Dance Dialogues and Khelen Khilkhilayein - a toy making competition to experience the concept of learning by doing and joyful learning. Participants from several schools participated with enthusiastic spirit. They were judged by a jury comprising experts from the fields of art and education.
The jury included Vipul Nayak, Guest Faculty, Ranchi University, Deepak Kumar from Pazeb, Ranchi, Dr. Mukesh Kumar Singh, Assistant Professor, Commerce and Business Management, Sarala Birla University Ranchi, and Dr. Atul Kumar Karn, Assistant Professor, Sarala Birla University Ranchi.
The day ended with the vote of thanks and prize distribution ceremony. For the event Torque, DAV Public School, Hehal secured the first position followed by Surendranath Centenary School securing the first runner up position and Firayalal Public School, the second runner up position. For the event Khelen Khilkhilayein, Vivekananda Vidyamandir was declared as the winning team. Firayalal Public School secured the first runner up position and DAV Public School, Bariatu secured the second runner up position.
Principal, Paramjit Kaur, who is also the President of RSSC, expressed her gratitude to all the schools for their active participation without which this series of events would not have been possible. She also added that in this month of August, we celebrate many festivals like Janmashtami, Raksha Bandhan, Friendship and Independence Day. Taking forward this immersive zeal of the august moments, the competitions organised by Ranchi Sahodaya School Complex have reached the successful culmination today. She reinforced that with the implementation of NEP 2020, art-integration will be pivotal and inclusion will be integral. It is also based on Gandhijis Nayi Taleem which emphasises on skill education and learning by doing which are the need of the hour.
DAV Public School Sector-4 has etched its name in history as Jharkhand's first and only school to participate in the prestigious East India Inter-School Space Day Quiz, held in Kolkata. This remarkable achievement reflects the school's commitment to excellence in education and its dedication to fostering a deep interest in space science among its students.
As part of the Space Week celebrations, the school organized a quiz competition today for students of classes 7th to 9th. The event coincided with India's first Space Day, celebrated on August 23, marking the one-year anniversary of the successful landing of the Vikram Lander on the Moon's surface during the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
In line with the Indian government's declaration of Space Day, various competitions are being held across schools nationwide. Representing DAV Public School Sector-4, three studentsAman Sinha, Yuvraj Kumar, and Gyan Kumarserved as brand ambassadors at the quiz competition in Kolkata, showcasing their knowledge and passion for space under the guidance of their mentor, Subhash Kumar.
Principal Sarbendu Shekhar Kar lauded the students' commendable efforts, presenting them with certificates and posters. He emphasized that the purpose of education is not merely to learn facts but to train the mind. "Strive for progress, not perfection. The goal of education is to create progressive individuals, not just those who chase perfection aimlessly. Education is the only essential factor that can transform human society into a civilized one," he said, encouraging the students to continue their pursuit of knowledge and excellence.
A private hospital was vandalised and hospital staff was attacked and injured after a youth died during treatment. he was injured in an accident at Shanti Niketan in Govindpura area on Friday.
There was a massive protest after the death of a youth identified as Rakesh (20). the accident had taken place on Friday night. After this, people immediately took the youth to the City hospital where the doctors declared him dead. The family and the people gathered with the family at hospital, turned violent. They alleged that there was delay in treatment,
There was vandalism in the hospital and the staff was beaten up. The angry crowd also pelted stones. During this, the son of the hospital director opened fired in the air. The police have registered a case against the minor driving the car. However, there is no case of hit and run in this. An FIR has also been lodged regarding vandalism in the hospital.
Later on Saturday, the family protested by placing the body outside the City hospital. After this, a memorandum was submitted. The family ended the protest after the assurance of the police and left for Narsinghgarh with the body. They were demanding to seal the hospital.
During the protest, people raised slogans and demanded action.
There was an argument between the senior police officers who reached the spot and the protesters.
According to eyewitnesses, the speed of the car was so high that it dragged the youth for about 10 meters. The injured was immediately taken to the nearby City Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
The police said that after receiving the news of Rakesh's death in a road accident, his family and the crowd present with them became agitated. The family accused the director of the hospital of collecting money before starting treatment. When the staff opposed this, the uncontrollable crowd started vandalizing the hospital.
When the security guard took the crowd out of the gate, people started pelting stones at the hospital from outside.
To protect themselves amid the vandalism and stone pelting in the hospital, the hospital director and staff left their work station and reached their house near the hospital. As soon as they got the information that the doctor was not in the hospital, the crowd started pelting stones at the first floor house of the hospital director.
The angry crowd entered the house of director Dr. Sabyasachi Gupta and started breaking and throwing the things kept in the balcony. When the hospital director's son and family members tried to stop the crowd from doing so, the furious crowd beat them up as well.
To protect himself and his family from the attack of the uncontrolled crowd that entered the house, the hospital director's son Dr. Ujjwal Gupta started firing with a pistol.
According to eyewitnesses, Dr. Ujjwal fired about 6 rounds. Due to this, the crowd ran away from the hospital director's house and in front of the hospital. On receiving the information, Govindpura police reached the spot and chased away the miscreants standing on the other side of the road.
Hospital director Dr. Ujjwal Gupta said that firing was done with a Tikli gun (toy gun) to drive away the mob that had entered the house. The bullet was not fired from a pistol. All this was done when the mob had entered the house and was attacking me and my family members.
People said that the hospital does not provide treatment in any emergency situation. The same has been done before. People said that the youth injured in the road accident died due to not getting timely treatment.
Hospital owner Dr. Ojwal Gupta said that in the evening, the councillor of the area Rakesh and the owner of Meena Medical Store, whose name he does not know, brought a person in an accident case. We told them that the young man died.
Delhis Minto Bridge which has been witnessing frequent flooding this monsoon and a key link between New Delhi, Old Delhi and Connaught Place has been closed for repair works till September 2, the Delhi traffic police said in an advisory in a social media post on X.
According to an advisory, both the carriageways at Minto Bridge will remain closed till Monday morning due to repair work of deep potholes. It has been closed from August 30 (10 PM) to September 2 (7 am). To minimise any possible inconveniences to travel, travellers have been encouraged to seek other routes. The Ranjeet Singh flyover on Barakhamba Road is the suggested detour. To minimize inconvenience, commuters are highly recommended to schedule their trips appropriately.
The advisory asked the general public and motorists to keep patience, observe traffic rules and road discipline and follow direction of traffic personnel deployed at all intersections and remain updated through their social media channels.
The Minto Bridge has frequently been in the news, especially during this monsoon, due to persistent issues of massive waterlogging.There are still substantial issues for commuters as a result of the unresolved issue, despite several initiatives and attempts by civic agencies. The roads condition has deteriorated due to the frequent waterlogging. There are large potholes on Minto Bridge that need to be fixed right now to make travel safer.
Minto Bridge connects New Delhi Railway Station with Connaught Place, named after Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th Earl of Minto, who was the viceroy and governor-general of India from 1905 to 1910. It was built in 1933, between the flood plains of the Yamuna river and the Delhi Ridge. The Delhi Ridge is the northern extension of the ancient Aravalli hill range, which is surrounded by urban areas.
The Minto Bridge underpass has a catchment area of one kilometre, contributing to the recurring waterlogging issues during heavy rainfall. Water from two roads flows down to the slope, and the DJB sewage line overflows, exacerbating the flooding. Even minimal rain can result in waterlogging, causing buses and other vehicles to get submerged.
The Minto Bridge is of historical and strategic importance in the heart of Delhi. Minto Bridge was built in 1933 after the seat of power of the British Raj moved from Calcutta to Delhi.
The underpass below the bridge is a low-lying patch, surrounded on all sides by areas at a higher elevation. This bowl-like depression is a natural receptacle for rainwater.
Minto Bridge witnessed violence during the riots at the time of Partition. There are several accounts of how those fleeing the walled city on foot and in tongas to refugee camps in Purana Qila and Humanyuns Tomb were ambushed and killed near Minto Bridge.
The Bridge hit the headlines first time in the early 1950s for water-logging. In the late 1960s, Minto Bridge area became Delhis cabaret destination with the opening of Blue Star, a restro-bar. Tucked by the side of the bridge, it soon found thousands of patrons.
In 2008, a report emerged of Northern Railways getting verbal approval from the Ministry of Urban Development to demolish the old bridge and make way for a new one for its elaborate redevelopment plans for the New Delhi railway station, but the plan never took off.
On the second day of the 39th IATO, various sessions were held to deliberate on future prospects, efforts and opportunities in tourism. Delegates shared their views on topics such as increasing the number of tourists in the country and the state, economic growth and promotion of tourist destinations.
Addressing the business session on 'Resurgent India Inbound - Strategy to re-establish India amidst challenging business environment' in the first session of the second day, Principal Secretary Tourism and Culture Sheo Shekhar Shukla said that 50 new offbeat destinations are being developed in the state to manage the crowded tourist destinations and for tourists seeking peace.
More than 40 thousand women are being trained in the tourism sector while making efforts to generate employment in the tourism sector and to connect women of the community with tourism. Special Secretary Tourism Uttar Pradesh Isha Priya, MD of Abercrombie & Kent Vikram Madhok addressed the session. The session was conducted by Secretary (Retired) Government of India Arvind Singh.
Principal Secretary Shukla said that there is a need to set a benchmark for international standards and there should be no compromise from day one. Work is being done to create the right ecosystem for inbound tourism. Resources should be collected through coordination with other departments and they should be used to create infrastructure for tourism development.
Speaking on the topic of Discovering the Undiscovered in the third session of the convention, Managing Director State Tourism Development Corporation Ilaiyaraaja T said that more than 90 properties are being operated by Madhya Pradesh Corporation for hospitality of tourists in the state. Madhya Pradesh is the cleanest, greenest and safest tourist destination in the country.
Madhya Pradesh has a wonderful amalgamation of culture, history, archaeology and geology. To promote sustainable tourism, tie-ups have been done with the Eco Tourism Board, so that infrastructure ie resorts and hotels can be built in a sustainable manner.
Along with Mahakal Lok and Ujjain gaining fame in spiritual tourism, the state is also leading in responsible tourism. Taking community participation in tourism a step forward, Hotel Amaltas in Pachmarhi is being run only by women. Chairman ATOAI Padmashree Ajit Bajaj, MD and CEO CGH Earth Mr. Michael Dominic and Chairman Antara Luxury River Cruise Raj Singh also shared their views in the session.
Special session on Madhya PradeshA special session on Madhya Pradesh was organized during the conference. In this, Additional Managing Director of Tourism Board Bidisha Mukherjee invited various stakeholders including travel agents, tour operators who had come to Bhopal for the convention to visit Madhya Pradesh.
She said that the natural beauty, ancient history, protected heritage, wildlife diversity and forest areas of Madhya Pradesh are attracting tourists from all over the world. With the aim of making the state more safe for women tourists, especially single women tourists, participation of women in the tourism sector is being increased. Women are being trained in 48 job roles in 8 sectors of the tourism sector. She also highlighted various places of cultural and spiritual importance in the state.In another session on Chasing Hotels for Inbound Tourism, representatives of the country's reputed chain hotels ITC, The Leela, Fern, Sarovar and Pride shared their views on the development of the hospitality industry in the country and Madhya Pradesh. Also, in the session based on the topic of Last Mile Connectivity, brainstorming was done on streamlining the air connectivity in the country and the state as per the demand of tourists. Representatives of the country's reputed institutions Air India, STIC, Lotus Aero and ITTA addressed. In the last session of the day, all IATO members were guided on increasing the publicity of tourism and the use of new means of media on the topic of Marketing and Promotion of Inbound Tourism.
Presentations were made on tourism and investment opportunities in Madhya Pradesh and other states.A glimpse of states and reputed brands was seen in the Travel MartTo introduce IATO members and travel and tour operators to tourism products, other states including Madhya Pradesh and reputed brands have set up attractive stalls in the Travel Mart. Delegates are being invited to bring more and more tourists to the state by distributing brochures, booklets, souvenirs and local food of tourist destinations. Reputed brands like Hotel Pride, Palace on Wheels, including Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh have set up stalls.IATO Run for Responsible Tourism at 6 amOn the last day of the IATO conference, on Sunday at 6 am, a 5 km run (IATO Run for Responsible Tourism) is being organized to introduce IATO members to the natural beauty and heritage of Bhopal city. This run will start from VIP Road and will end at Gauhar Mahal via Imperial Segway.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Saturday, flagged off three new Vande Bharat Express trains in Uttar Pradesh. He flagged off three new Vande Bharat Express trains, one of which will run between Meerut and Lucknow.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed his pleasure at the prime ministers gift to Uttar Pradesh. Following the virtual launch event, the chief minister took to social media to extend his gratitude to the prime minister for this new addition for the people of the state.
On his social media account, Chief Minister Yogi wrote, Under the able guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the visionary behind Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, the nations economic, social and cultural development continues to thrive. Today, the prime minister has further advanced this journey by introducing three new Vande Bharat Express trains. The Prime Minister has virtually launched the state-of-the-art, world-class Vande Bharat Express trains between Meerut-Lucknow, Madurai-Bengaluru and Chennai-Nagercoil. Heartfelt thanks to the prime minister for this gift, which will enhance tourism, boost business and improve connectivity.
The introduction of the Vande Bharat Express train between Meerut and Lucknow brings high-speed connectivity to western Uttar Pradesh, significantly enhancing travel options for residents. This new addition will provide a pleasant, smooth and comfortable journey for passengers. Prior to this, Uttar Pradesh already had six Vande Bharat Express trains operating between Delhi-Varanasi, Ranchi-Varanasi, Lucknow-Dehradun, Patna-Lucknow, Anand Vihar-Ayodhya and Gorakhpur-Prayagraj. With the addition of the Meerut-Lucknow Vande Bharat Express, the states high-speed rail network has expanded even further.
Before flagging off the trains, Prime Minister Modi remarked that a new chapter is being added to the countrys development journey from north to south.
Today, we are launching the Vande Bharat train service between Meerut and Lucknow. This expansion marks a significant step towards achieving our goal of a developed India. The three new Vande Bharat trains will connect three key cities, with the Meerut-Lucknow route being particularly notable for the people of western UP, he said.
The prime minister continued, Meerut and western UP have long been centres of revolution and today they are experiencing a new surge in development. While Meerut is being connected to Delhi through the RRTS, the introduction of the Vande Bharat Express train will also reduce the distance to state capital Lucknow. The NCR region exemplifies how modern trains, expressways, expanded air services, and the PM Gati Shakti vision are transforming the countrys infrastructure.
Former President Donald Trump has made a series of conflicting statements about his support for abortion rights over the past week. Scott Olson/TNS
Watching Kamala Harris center her fledgling campaign on reproductive rights and catch him in the polls has triggered Donald Trump to attempt a bizarre act of gaslighting over the past few days. Hes claiming that my administration will be great for women and their reproductive rights.
His previous stint in the White House was just the opposite.
Trump won the presidency in 2016 in part by promising conservative evangelical Christians that he would appoint socially conservative judges who would overturn Roe v. Wade.
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He ran on a platform of selecting Supreme Court justices that would overturn Roe v. Wade, second gentleman Doug Emhoff said Friday at a fundraiser in San Francisco. Donald Trump did this, and now hes trying to backtrack on abortion and IVF. Its outrageous. Its in bad faith. Dont believe him.
Anti-abortion groups ignored their religious values and backed the thrice-married, twice-divorced Trump despite his history of philandering, bragging about sexually assaulting women and changing positions on abortion rights over the years in exchange for getting what Trump promised would be the most pro-life president ever. And he was: He appointed three anti-abortion justices to the Supreme Court, which swiftly overturned Roe v. Wade.
But while this unapologetically transactional deal shows a few signs of cracking in recent days as Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, have made several recent statements hinting that they are straying from their anti-abortion orthodoxy, their bond is unlikely to break as both sides need each other to thrive.
The most recent Trump flip-flop came Thursday when the Florida resident was asked how he will vote on an abortion rights amendment on the states November ballot. It would bar restrictions on abortion before fetal viability, around the 24th week of pregnancy.
I think the six-week is too short, there has to be more time, Trump told NBC, referring to Floridas current six-week abortion ban. Florida is one of 11 states that will have abortion rights measures on the November ballot. After Trump made that comment, his campaign insisted that he didnt specifically say he would vote against the measure and he explicitly said hed vote against it.
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But on Friday, Trump caved to the conservative backlash and promised to support the six-week ban.
Some conservatives blasted Trump for spinelessness.
If Donald Trump loses in November, it will be his improvisational approach to abortion that alienated the pro-life community that costs him victory, Erick Erickson, an influential Georgia-based conservative talk radio host, posted on X.
But in a sign that Trump and anti-abortion groups arent actually splitting up, Kristi Hamrick, vice president of media and policy at Students for Life Action, told the Chronicle on Friday that sometimes in an election, you vote against as in against the most pro-abortion, anti-free speech ticket in American history, Harris-Walz and not necessarily for, though there is plenty of time to hope for that possibility.
Hamrick said abortion opponents want to see Trump urge voters to defeat all of the ballot measures that would enshrine abortion rights.
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Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser, whose support in 2020 was key to evangelicals backing Tump, said Friday that she spoke to Trump hours after he made his initial statement, and she assured supporters that Trump has consistently opposed abortions after five months of pregnancy. Amendment 4 would allow abortion past this point. Voting for Amendment 4 completely undermines his position.
Vance, meanwhile, has been far more consistent in his opposition to abortion. He supports Ohios six-week abortion ban, which doesnt allow for exceptions for rape or incest.
But even Vance said in the last week that Trump would veto a national abortion ban.
Those werent the only statements from the Trump-Vance ticket that have given the anti-abortion movement pause recently. Last week, while Harris was making reproductive rights a centerpiece of her message at the Democratic National Convention, Trump posted on Truth Social that My Administration will be great for women and their reproductive rights.
That was surprising coming from the same person who bragged on that same platform in May that I was able to kill Roe v. Wade, much to the shock of everyone.
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Trump took his gaslighting even further this week when he told NBC that if elected, he would mandate that either the federal government or insurance companies pay for costly in-vitro fertilization treatment. The procedure has had a brighter spotlight on it after Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz spoke publicly about his familys reliance on fertility treatments.
The Republican Party platform, which Trump links to on his campaign website, could effectively ban IVF by establishing fetal personhood. The fringe legal theory got nationwide attention this year when the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos have the same rights as children.
Dannenfelser urged Trump to be cautious: We believe human embryos should not be destroyed. All too often, proposals on this issue go too far by giving blanket immunity to IVF clinics even for rogue practitioners who switch human embryos, fail to follow basic safety standards, or negligently destroy human embryos desired by infertile couples. These are real scenarios for which families in America will have no recourse.
Mini Timmaraju, president of Reproductive Freedom for All, an abortion rights organization formerly known as NARAL Pro-Choice America, said that Trumps flip-flops are part of an effort to whitewash his record.
The majority of Americans support abortion access. They support IVF. They support contraception. He has finally figured it out. And hell do anything to distract from his abysmal, horrifying record on this issue.
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The Supreme Court praised the Central Government's fruitful initiatives for tiger conservation, expressing satisfaction that 75% of the world's tigers are in India.
A bench comprising Justices Sanjeev Khanna and P V Sanjay Kumar acknowledged the Central Government's efforts as "good work" last Friday. Notably, the number of tigers in the country has increased from 2,226 in 2014 to 3,682 now, with good numbers in Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Maharashtra. For Madhya Pradesh, the most encouraging is that the tiger population is increasing even outside tiger reserves. The tiger population in Madhya Pradesh has grown from 526 to 785, the highest in the country. In the past four to five years, the number of tigers has increased by 259.
The task of tiger reintroduction was extremely challenging, but Madhya Pradesh accomplished it with painstaking effort. Tiger counts are conducted every four years. From 2006 to 2010, the tiger population was recorded at 257, necessitating high-level conservation and sensitive measures to boost their numbers.In order to manage human-wildlife conflict, 16 regional rescue squads and district-level rescue squads have been established. For investigating wildlife crimes, 16 specialized canine units have been formed.
The state-level strike force has arrested 550 wildlife criminals from 14 states in the past eight years.Funding has been allocated for wildlife management outside protected areas, and revenue from wildlife tourism has been shared with local communities. These efforts have supported tiger conservation initiatives.
How MP regained Tiger State?
Experts underline four main reasons for Madhya Pradesh achieving the Tiger State title.
1. Scientific Relocation of Villages-Between 2010 and 2022, 200 small villages within tiger reserves were relocated, with the highest number of 75 villages being moved from the Satpura Tiger Reserve.
2.Translocation: The relocation of Barasingha, bison, and wild boar from Kanha to other tiger reserves has expanded the food base for tigers.
3. Habitat Developme nt: Vacant villages and fields within forests have been developed into grasslands and ponds, increasing the population of herbivores and providing more food for tigers.
4. Improved Security Measures: Unprecedented changes in security, including drone surveys and monitoring at Panna Tiger Reserve, have significantly curtailed illegal poaching. Enhanced technology in crime investigation and patrolling has been effectively implemented, exemplified by Panna Tiger Reserves own drone squad with a monthly operational plan.
These measures have also helped Madhya Pradesh lead in leopard population, with 4,100 leopards in the state out of a total of 12,852.
The leopard population has increased by 80% in Madhya Pradesh compared to the national average of 60%, with the state accounting for 25% of the country's leopards.Improved Management of National ParksMadhya Pradesh has the highest number of tigers at 526, followed by Karnataka with 524, and Uttarakhand with 442. The effective management of national parks has played a crucial role in increasing tiger numbers. Over 50 villages have been relocated with state government support, significantly reducing ecological pressure on large tracts of land.
Villages in Kanha, Pench, and Kuno Palpur core areas have been relocated, and more than 90% of the core area of Satpura Tiger Reserve has been relieved of ecological pressure. Madhya Pradesh has achieved top rankings in effective management of national parks and protected areas. Satpura Tiger Reserve has been included in UNESCO's tentative list of World Heritage Sites.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced that the people of Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-nomadic communities in the state will reap all the benefits of welfare schemes. He acknowledged the long history of courage and bravery demonstrated by these communities.
Yadav emphasized that the state government is committed to fully supporting the youth and other talents from nomadic and semi-nomadic castes in their pursuit of education, career-building, and a brighter future.
Yadav was addressing the state-level program of Denotified Tribes Day at Rabindra Bhawan, Bhopal on Saturday. Chief Minister Yadav also saw the exhibition of the Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Welfare Department and dedicated the department's portal 'Samarth'.
The Chief Minister announced that efforts will be made to officially recognize the original residence of nomadic and semi-nomadic castes by documenting one place as their permanent address. This will facilitate the preparation of necessary records, ensuring that those currently excluded from welfare schemes will also receive their benefits. Specific castes such as Bhaat, Charan, Beldar, Pardhi, and Kuchbandiya will be included in these schemes, while a special plan will be created for groups like Kabutari, Kalbelia, Sikligar, and Banchhra.
Housing provisions, including basic amenities like electricity and water under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, will be arranged for castes like Gadariya, Lohar, and others. The youth from these communities will receive necessary training, including opportunities in the Agniveer and other government schemes, as well as in sports.
Additionally, efforts will be made to promote the folk culture of these castes at the divisional level, and they will be integrated with the Geeta Bhawans being established in cities. Manglik buildings will also be constructed, and ongoing dialogues will be held to support their development.
Yadav emphasized the importance of modernizing essential social customs. He stated that the actions of a few individuals involved in crime should not label the entire community as criminals. He noted that, with changing times, the focus has shifted towards punishing the individual offender rather than holding the entire community responsible.
Banjara folk artist Sushri Reena Pawar presented an impressive traditional dance in the programme. Chief Minister Yadav announced an incentive of Rs 21 thousand to her for her effective presentation. Chief Minister Yadav congratulated the department and the organizations for observing Denotifed Tribes Day in the entire state.
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Welfare, Backward Classes, and Minority Welfare, Krishna Gaur, highlighted that on Denotified Tribes Day, a special exhibition was organized to inform about welfare schemes for nomadic and semi-nomadic castes. These communities, once labeled as criminals by the British, were freed from that stigma after independence and are now benefiting from development initiatives. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chief Minister are committed towards the welfare of these castes. The state has made provisions for hostels, scholarships, and house rent assistance for students from these communities, with increased scholarship amounts and special encouragement for girls' education. The state government remains dedicated to the development of these castes, their villages, and settlements.
The Uttar Pradesh government is intensifying its crackdown on misuse of power, negligence and corruption in the Consolidation department. Following Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths firm stance, a series of actions have been taken against officers for their failure to address consolidation matters efficiently and ethically.
In recent developments, as many as 28 consolidation officers across eight divisions have faced punitive measures. This includes suspension, issuing of show-cause notices and initiation of disciplinary actions against 13 settlement officers. Furthermore, a deputy director consolidation has been removed from position, while another has been instructed to give an explanation for his negligence.
Additional measures include disciplinary action against a consolidation officer, and withholding the salary of an assistant consolidation officer pending an explanation. Three more assistant consolidation officers have also faced disciplinary actions. In a notable case, a proposal for a 20 per cent reduction in pension was sent to the government concerning a retired assistant consolidation officer due to service irregularities.
Commissioner of Consolidation department GS Naveen mentioned that under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths zero tolerance policy, regular review meetings are held to address and curb corruption in the department. In a recent review, significant negligence, irregularities and corrupt practices were identified among many officers. The findings were reported to Chief Minister Yogi, who directed stringent actions against those responsible.
As a result, measures have been taken against consolidation officers in eight divisions Prayagraj, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Azamgarh, Gorakhpur, Basti, Ayodhya and Devipatan. Notably, settlement officers from Bareilly, Hardoi, Lalitpur, Unnao, Chitrakoot and Jaunpur Pawan Kumar Singh, Shriprakash Chandra Uttam, Rakesh Kumar, Suresh Kumar Sagar, Manohar Lal and Swatantra Veer Singh Yadav have been summoned to explain their lack of progress in consolidation tasks.
Deputy Director Consolidation/Chief Revenue Officer Rakesh Kumar Gupta of Pratapgarh has been asked to clarify his failure to fulfill supervisory duties, while a letter has been sent to the Appointment department recommending the removal of Gorakhpurs Deputy Director Consolidation Officer Raj Narayan Tripathi for not providing necessary work progress updates.
Additionally, a proposal has been submitted to the government to reduce the pension of retired assistant consolidation officer Ramesh Pal Singh Rana by 20 per cent due to service irregularities.
Naveen further highlighted significant disciplinary actions against several consolidation officers for their negligence and irregularities. Settlement Officer (Consolidation) Santosh Kumar of Kushinagar has been suspended for negligence of work and a letter has been sent to the government recommending further departmental action.
Disciplinary action has also been initiated against Settlement Officer (Consolidation) Pawan Kumar Sidhu of Varanasi for failing to complete the consolidation work in village Ajgara, as mandated under the relevant law and for not releasing the transferred consolidation lekhpals. His salary has been withheld as part of the action.
Further, Settlement Officers Mohan Lal, Narendra Singh, Shashikant Shukla and Pawan Pandey, stationed in Shahjahanpur, Mirzapur, Gorakhpur and Deoria respectively, have faced disciplinary action for their laxity in performing their duties.
In addition, Settlement Officer (Consolidation) Dharmendra Singh of Kannauj, Consolidation Officer Shiv Narayan Gupta of Barabanki and junior assistant Umashankar of Barabanki face disciplinary action for irregularities in their investigations. Assistant Consolidation Officer Mahendra Singhs salary has been withheld for failing to meet the target for village Lalauti in Fatehpur and an explanation has been sought from him.
Disciplinary action has also been taken against Assistant Consolidation Officer Sandeep Yadav of Balrampur for not completing the work in village Mosque.
In response to delays and incomplete work in various villages, the Uttar Pradesh government has taken decisive disciplinary actions against several consolidation officers. In Prayagraj, disciplinary measures have been taken for failure to complete work in village Rajepur Sarai Arjani. Similarly, in Pratapgarh, action has been taken following incomplete work in village Dhami. The assistant consolidation officers in both cases have faced disciplinary action.
In Jaunpur, Assistant Consolidation Officer Sanjay Maurya, along with the consolidator and consolidation lekhpal, has been suspended due to the incomplete work in village Tiira. Additionally, instructions have been issued for further departmental action. In Azamgarh, the assistant consolidation officer responsible for village Mahua has been asked to provide an explanation for the failure to complete the assigned work. Disciplinary action has also been taken against the consolidator and consolidation lekhpal involved.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday said the 'Raj Bhavan Chalo' was organised by the Congress party to protest against the alleged misuse of the office of the Governor.
Shivakumar, who is the Congress Karnataka unit president, said the march is mainly to ensure that Raj Bhavan should not become the office of a political party. "I want to clarify that we organised 'Raj Bhavan Chalo' not on behalf of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The matter is in the court of law..." the Deputy CM said.
"This 'Raj Bhavan Chalo' is to make sure that the Governor's office should not become an office of a party. We are going there (Raj Bhavan) with a demand to protect the sanctity of this constitutional post," he said.
Shivakumar lamented that there were many pending petitions, seeking permission to prosecute some individuals, with the Governor. Holding placards, banners, posters and raising slogans condemning Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, the Congress leaders led by Shivakumar took out a march, which saw the participation of several ministers, Congress MLAs and MPs.
Later, they handed over a memorandum to Gehlot. Earlier, Siddaramaiah, his cabinet colleagues, Congress MLAs and MPs staged a sit-in demonstration near the Gandhi statue on the Vidhana Soudha premises here. The Congress government is at loggerheads with Gehlot after he granted permission to investigate and prosecute the CM in the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment scam.
Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi is accused of getting compensatory sites in the Mysuru upmarket against the 'illegal acquisition' of 3 Acres and 16 guntas of her agricultural land in Kesare village in Mysuru by the MUDA. The Chief Minister has been alleging that the Governor's office was misused to 'destabilise' the Congress government in the state.
Siddaramaiah has also accused Gehlot of discriminating against him while granting permission for prosecution. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on August 16 accorded sanction for prosecution of the CM under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for the commission of the alleged offences as mentioned in the petitions of three social activists.
The Election Commission on Saturday deferred the Haryana assembly poll date to October 5 from October 1, saying the decision was taken keeping in mind a centuries-old festival of the Bishnoi community.
The counting of votes for Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana assembly polls will now be held on October 8 instead of October 4, the poll body said.
It has been a practice of the EC to hold the counting of votes on the same day for assemblies which go to polls together as the results of one state could affect trends in others.
Before the revision of the date, the Haryana polls were to be held along with the third and last phase of the Jammu and Kashmir elections.
The decision to postpone the Haryana elections has been taken to honour both the voting rights and traditions of the Bishnoi community which has upheld a 300-400-year-old practice in remembrance of their Guru Jambheshwar, the EC said.
It said it had received a representation from the national president of the All India Bishnoi Mahasabha, Bikaner, Rajasthan for rescheduling the Haryana assembly elections.
He said generations of families from Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana visit their native village Mukam in Rajasthan on 'amavas' in the month of 'Asoj' for the annual festival in Bikaner in the memory of Guru Jambheshwar, according to the EC.
This year, the festival falls on October 2 and thousands of Bishnoi families residing in Sirsa, Fatehabad and Hisar will be travelling to Rajasthan on the day, denying them their voting rights.
Separately, the ruling BJP and the opposition INLD in Haryana had urged the EC to revise the polling date keeping in mind the long weekend which might result in poor voter turnout as people tend to go out on extended weekends.
The revised polling day would also resolve any concerns about a six-day holiday by taking a day's leave on September 30, sources pointed out.
They said the chief electoral officer (CEO) of Haryana sent a report on Saturday wherein he confirmed after holding consultations with the deputy commissioners of Hisar, Sirsa and Fatehabad that the Bishnoi community's annual festival falls on 'amavas' during the month of "Asoj" on October 2 this year.
The CEO noted that thousands of Bishnoi families reside in these three districts, and they have been visiting their native place in Mukam, Rajasthan during this time for the last three centuries.
Families from these districts are expected to start their journey on October 1, he said.
In the past too, the EC has adjusted election dates keeping in mind the sentiments of various communities.
The EC had postponed the 2022 Punjab assembly elections by a week to accommodate devotees travelling to Varanasi for Guru Ravidas Jayanti.
Similarly, the commission changed the dates for the 2022 Manipur polls to respect the Christian community's Sunday prayers. In the 2023 Rajasthan assembly elections, it rescheduled polling as it was originally scheduled to be held on Devuthani Ekadashi, a day significant for mass weddings in Rajasthan.
In the 2012 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the poll date was changed due to Barawafat.
Actor Mohanlal on Saturday said he was not part of any power group in the Malayalam film industry and he has no knowledge of the existence of any such group in the sector.
He said Malayalam cinema is a huge industry where thousands of people work and the actors's association AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) could not address issues that cropped up there. He said the executive panel of the Association headed by him resigned recently in the wake of allegations being raised against it after the release of the report by Justice Hema Committee.
It was for the first time that Mohanlal, former president of AMMA, was addressing the media following the release of the expert panel report which shed light on the alleged harassment and exploitation of women professionals in the Malayalam film industry.
"Wrongdoers should be punished if there is evidence against them," the "Kireedam" actor said while referring to the allegations of sexual misconduct and assaults that surfaced against some of the members of the Association.
"I am not part of any power group in Malayalam cinema and not aware of the existence of any such group," the actor said. He also said the release of Hema Committee report was a good decision of the government.
The NIA on Saturday conducted searches at multiple locations in the Gariyaband district of Chhattisgarh in the 2023 state assembly polls IED blast case, it said in a statement.
The blast was carried out by CPI (Maoist) cadres while a convoy of polling and security personnel was returning from Badegobra village after voting on November 17.
A head constable of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police's (ITBP) ADHOC 615 Battalion was killed in the attack, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) statement said.
NIA teams on Saturday conducted searches at premises linked with nine suspects in the Maoist-infested sensitive areas of the remote Chhotegobra village under Mainpur police station, it said.
Several mobile phones and digital devices were seized during the operation, the agency said.
The NIA, which took over the case in March, has identified certain supporters/overground workers of the banned CPI (Maoist) as suspects involved in supporting the outfit in executing the attack, it added.
Teachers of various schools held a protest march in Kolkata on Saturday, demanding exemplary punishment for those behind the rape and murder of the doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
They walked under the banner 'Teachers for RG Kar' from Sealdah station to Shyambazar, near which the state-run hospital is situated, shouting slogans such as "we want justice" and "justice for RG Kar".
Demanding that the accused be punished as soon as possible, the teachers said they want women's security at workplaces to be ensured.
They said that anyone found guilty of shielding the culprits should also be given exemplary punishment.
This was the second rally organised by teachers in protest against the rape and murder of the postgraduate trainee doctor, whose body was found in the hospital on August 9.
The Centre on Saturday appointed senior IAS officer Dharmendra as the new Delhi government chief secretary.
Dharmendra, a 1989-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the AGMUT cadre, was Arunachal Pradesh chief secretary before being transferred to Delhi.
He is among the senior-most Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre officers and is taking charge as the Delhi chief secretary ahead of the assembly polls due in February.
"With the approval of the competent authority, Dharmendra, IAS (AGMUT 1989), is hereby transferred from Arunachal Pradesh to Delhi and posted as chief secretary, GNCTD, wef 01.09.2024 or with effect from the date of joining, whichever is later," according to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs order issued on Saturday.
Incumbent Naresh Kumar, a 1987-batch officer, who was given two extensions in the past, completes his tenure on August 31.
Dharmendra's appointment came on the day his predecessor's three-month extended tenure came to an end. There was speculation over a further extension in view of the polls.
Kumar, who achieved the age of superannuation last November, was given his first six-month extension after a legal battle with the ruling AAP.
As chief secretary, Kumar was at loggerheads with the AAP dispensation over a host of issues, with the ruling party fiercely attacking him and levelling allegations of corruption against him.
Dharmendra, bureaucrats in the Delhi government asserted, would require fine balancing skills, being the crucial link between the "warring" AAP dispensation and the Lt Governor's Office.
During his previous stint in the Delhi government, Dharmendra -- a civil engineer by training -- held various posts, including secretary in the revenue; irrigation and flood control; and industries departments.
He was chairman of the New Delhi Municipal Council before being transferred to Arunachal Pradesh in April 2022.
He has also served in the housing and urban affairs and the consumer affairs ministries, as development commissioner for Dadra and Nagar Haveli/Daman and Diu, and resident commissioner of Aizawl.
Honda Motor (NYSE:HMC Get Free Report) and Suzuki Motor (OTCMKTS:SZKMF Get Free Report) are both consumer cyclical companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, risk, institutional ownership, profitability, valuation, analyst recommendations and dividends.
Institutional & Insider Ownership
5.3% of Honda Motor shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 16.5% of Suzuki Motor shares are held by institutional investors. 0.0% of Honda Motor shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.
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Analyst Recommendations
This is a breakdown of recent ratings for Honda Motor and Suzuki Motor, as reported by MarketBeat.
Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Honda Motor 0 0 1 0 3.00 Suzuki Motor 0 0 0 0 N/A
Dividends
Honda Motor pays an annual dividend of $1.15 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.5%. Suzuki Motor pays an annual dividend of $19.11 per share and has a dividend yield of 169.1%. Honda Motor pays out 24.4% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Suzuki Motor pays out 9.8% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Suzuki Motor is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio.
Profitability
This table compares Honda Motor and Suzuki Motors net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Honda Motor 5.46% 8.79% 3.97% Suzuki Motor N/A N/A N/A
Valuation & Earnings
This table compares Honda Motor and Suzuki Motors gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Honda Motor $21,208.66 billion 0.00 $7.64 billion $4.72 6.98 Suzuki Motor N/A N/A N/A $195.69 0.06
Honda Motor has higher revenue and earnings than Suzuki Motor. Suzuki Motor is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Honda Motor, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Summary
Honda Motor beats Suzuki Motor on 7 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Honda Motor
(Get Free Report)
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. develops, manufactures, and distributes motorcycles, automobiles, power, and other products in Japan, North America, Europe, Asia, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Motorcycle Business, Automobile Business, Financial Services Business, and Power Product and Other Businesses. The Motorcycle Business segment produces motorcycles, including sports, business, and commuter models; and various off-road vehicles, such as all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides. The Automobile Business segment offers passenger cars, light trucks, and mini vehicles. The Financial Services Business segment provides various financial services, including retail lending and leasing services to customers, as well as wholesale financing services to dealers. The Power Product and Other Businesses manufactures and sells power products, such as general purpose engines, lawn mowers, generators, water pumps, brush cutters, tillers, outboard marine engines, and snow throwers. This segment also offers HondaJet aircraft. The company also sells spare parts; and provides after-sale services through retail dealers directly, as well as through independent distributors and licensees. Honda Motor Co., Ltd. was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
About Suzuki Motor
(Get Free Report)
Suzuki Motor Corporation engages in the manufacturing and marketing of automobiles, motorcycles, and marine products in Japan, rest of Asia, Europe, North America, and internationally. It offers mini-vehicles, sub-compact vehicles, standard-sized vehicles, outboard motors, motorized wheelchairs, and electro senior vehicles. The company is also involved in solar power generation and logistics business, as well as provides other services. Suzuki Motor Corporation was founded in 1909 and is headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan.
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Parts of the Youth 1st building in San Francisco were painted over after the discovery of racist graffiti Friday. San Francisco District Attorneys Office
A Black-led nonprofit in San Franciscos Lakeview neighborhood was found vandalized with graffiti containing racial epithets Friday morning, prompting city officials to condemn the incident.
Racial epithets were found spray-painted across the blue walls of Youth 1st, a nonprofit that provides academic enrichment for at-risk youth, according to District 11 Supervisor Ahsha Safai. A rope noose was also found tied to the nonprofits yellow door, he said.
The graffiti was removed immediately, and city officials condemned the vandalism as unacceptable.
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There is no place for hate in our public spaces, San Francisco Recreation and Park Department General Manager Phil Ginsburg said in a statement. Our parks and rec centers belong to everyone and welcome everyone equally.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins called the graffiti a hate crime and said it is evidence of persistent racist beliefs.
San Francisco has to recognize how much work it still needs to do, Jenkins said at a news conference Friday. We must come together and march through the streets against something like that. That didnt just happen against an organization and a man that happened against our children.
The racist vandalism came two days after a woman spewed racial epithets at the nonprofits director, Renard Monroe, during a confrontation in a nearby playground, according to Safai.
Monroe, who is Black, had asked the woman to walk her dog in the dog run area of the park, prompting her to lash out. She said that he was a dirty N-word, said we never should have given your people books, and she said, Im gonna dedicate myself to shutting you guys down, Safai said.
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On Wednesday, state licensing officials went to Youth 1st based on an anonymous tip that the nonprofit was operating as an unlicensed child care facility, Safai said. On Thursday, the Rec and Park department was called to the site on a noise complaint.
Both complaints are baseless, Safai said, noting that Youth 1st is categorized as an after-school program, not a child care facility. Though the incident is still under investigation, Safai said he thinks the actions against the nonprofit are absolutely related.
The San Francisco Police Department is investigating the vandalism. After the incident, city officials ordered additional security cameras to be installed on-site, Safai said.
Jenkins also said her office will work with law enforcement to investigate the incident.
On the day that it is submitted to my office, we will do everything to make sure that the person or persons responsible for this are held accountable, she said.
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Safai said the graffiti is evidence that racism is alive and well in San Francisco and called for the city to unite around opposing it.
Azzad Asset Management Inc. ADV raised its holdings in shares of Corteva, Inc. (NYSE:CTVA Free Report) by 0.4% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 48,200 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 203 shares during the quarter. Azzad Asset Management Inc. ADVs holdings in Corteva were worth $2,600,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in CTVA. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Corteva during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Acadian Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Corteva during the first quarter valued at $25,000. Rise Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Corteva by 2,522.2% in the first quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 472 shares of the companys stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 454 shares during the period. Albion Financial Group UT lifted its holdings in shares of Corteva by 77.2% in the 1st quarter. Albion Financial Group UT now owns 505 shares of the companys stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 220 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ironwood Wealth Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Corteva by 106.1% during the 1st quarter. Ironwood Wealth Management Inc. now owns 544 shares of the companys stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 280 shares during the period. 81.54% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several analysts have issued reports on CTVA shares. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on shares of Corteva from $64.00 to $67.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, May 3rd. Oppenheimer boosted their price objective on Corteva from $67.00 to $69.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, May 3rd. OTR Global reaffirmed a negative rating on shares of Corteva in a research report on Friday, June 7th. Argus downgraded Corteva from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a buy rating and issued a $65.00 price target on shares of Corteva in a report on Wednesday, June 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $61.67.
Corteva Stock Up 0.5 %
NYSE CTVA traded up $0.30 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $57.30. 4,229,108 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,343,962. Corteva, Inc. has a 52 week low of $43.22 and a 52 week high of $58.76. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $53.49 and its 200-day simple moving average is $54.54. The company has a market cap of $39.94 billion, a PE ratio of 71.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 0.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10, a current ratio of 1.72 and a quick ratio of 0.97.
Corteva (NYSE:CTVA Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 31st. The company reported $1.83 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.74 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $6.11 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.15 billion. Corteva had a return on equity of 7.30% and a net margin of 5.31%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.60 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Corteva, Inc. will post 2.73 earnings per share for the current year.
Corteva Increases Dividend
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 17th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 3rd will be paid a dividend of $0.17 per share. This represents a $0.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.19%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 3rd. This is a positive change from Cortevas previous quarterly dividend of $0.16. Cortevas payout ratio is 86.08%.
Corteva Profile
(Free Report)
Corteva, Inc operates in the agriculture business. It operates through two segments, Seed and Crop Protection. The Seed segment develops and supplies advanced germplasm and traits that produce optimum yield for farms. It offers trait technologies that enhance resistance to weather, disease, insects, and herbicides used to control weeds, as well as food and nutritional characteristics.
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Canaccord Genuity Group set a C$90.00 target price on BRP (TSE:DOO Free Report) in a research note released on Wednesday morning, BayStreet.CA reports. The brokerage currently has a hold rating on the stock.
Several other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Stifel Nicolaus cut BRP from a buy rating to a hold rating and cut their price target for the company from C$106.00 to C$97.00 in a research note on Wednesday, August 21st. National Bankshares cut BRP from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and cut their price target for the company from C$109.00 to C$100.00 in a research note on Wednesday, August 21st. TD Securities cut their target price on BRP from C$100.00 to C$98.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research note on Monday, June 3rd. National Bank Financial cut BRP from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 20th. Finally, Citigroup upped their target price on BRP from C$100.00 to C$110.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 16th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, BRP has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of C$101.92.
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BRP Price Performance
BRP has a 12-month low of C$77.42 and a 12-month high of C$109.96. The firm has a market capitalization of C$3.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.87, a PEG ratio of 2.05 and a beta of 2.33. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is C$92.20 and its 200 day simple moving average is C$91.35. The company has a current ratio of 1.35, a quick ratio of 0.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 461.35.
BRP (TSE:DOO Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, May 31st. The company reported C$0.95 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of C$0.88 by C$0.07. BRP had a return on equity of 94.59% and a net margin of 5.83%. The company had revenue of C$2.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of C$2.02 billion. As a group, research analysts anticipate that BRP will post 9.1208251 EPS for the current fiscal year.
BRP Dividend Announcement
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, July 12th. Investors of record on Friday, July 12th were issued a $0.21 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 28th. This represents a $0.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of . BRPs payout ratio is 11.28%.
About BRP
(Get Free Report)
BRP Inc, together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, distributes, and markets powersports vehicles and marine products in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Asia Pacific, Mexico, Austria, and internationally. The Powersports segment offers year-round products, such as Can-Am all-terrain vehicles, side-by-side vehicles, and three-wheeled vehicles; and seasonal products, including Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Sea-Doo personal watercrafts and pontoons, Rotax engines for karts and recreational aircraft, and Pinion gearboxes with smart shift systems.
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Comstock Resources, Inc. (NYSE:CRK Get Free Report) traded down 7.6% during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $10.07 and last traded at $10.19. 2,110,032 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 46% from the average session volume of 3,922,510 shares. The stock had previously closed at $11.03.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several brokerages recently issued reports on CRK. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on shares of Comstock Resources from $9.00 to $10.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 28th. Truist Financial raised their price objective on Comstock Resources from $8.00 to $9.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Monday, July 22nd. Capital One Financial downgraded Comstock Resources from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 15th. Piper Sandler cut Comstock Resources from a neutral rating to an underweight rating and lowered their price target for the company from $8.00 to $5.00 in a report on Thursday, August 15th. Finally, KeyCorp initiated coverage on shares of Comstock Resources in a research note on Thursday, June 27th. They set a sector weight rating for the company. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $9.75.
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Comstock Resources Stock Down 1.2 %
The company has a current ratio of 0.59, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.21. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.10 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.30 and a beta of 0.51. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $10.33 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $9.90.
Comstock Resources (NYSE:CRK Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The oil and gas producer reported ($0.20) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.16) by ($0.04). Comstock Resources had a negative net margin of 1.48% and a negative return on equity of 1.38%. The business had revenue of $246.80 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $296.02 million. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 14.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts expect that Comstock Resources, Inc. will post -0.13 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Insider Activity at Comstock Resources
In related news, major shareholder Drilling L.P. Arkoma acquired 592,246 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, August 26th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $11.54 per share, with a total value of $6,834,518.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 208,219,992 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,402,858,707.68. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, major shareholder Drilling L.P. Arkoma purchased 592,246 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, August 26th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $11.54 per share, for a total transaction of $6,834,518.84. Following the acquisition, the insider now directly owns 208,219,992 shares in the company, valued at $2,402,858,707.68. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, major shareholder Star Exploration Corp Blue acquired 825,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, August 5th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $8.16 per share, with a total value of $6,732,000.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 195,646,429 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,596,474,860.64. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have acquired 6,712,733 shares of company stock worth $67,816,851. 1.50% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Institutional Trading of Comstock Resources
Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its holdings in Comstock Resources by 26.3% in the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 11,696,540 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $121,414,000 after purchasing an additional 2,438,252 shares during the last quarter. KGH Ltd raised its position in shares of Comstock Resources by 8.7% in the 2nd quarter. KGH Ltd now owns 12,125,000 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $125,858,000 after purchasing an additional 975,000 shares in the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC raised its position in shares of Comstock Resources by 775.4% in the 2nd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 875,371 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $9,086,000 after purchasing an additional 775,371 shares in the last quarter. HITE Hedge Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Comstock Resources during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $6,544,000. Finally, Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Comstock Resources during the first quarter worth approximately $5,643,000. 36.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
About Comstock Resources
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Comstock Resources, Inc, an independent energy company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of natural gas and oil properties in the United States. Its assets are located in the Haynesville and Bossier shales located in North Louisiana and East Texas. The company was incorporated in 1919 and is headquartered in Frisco, Texas.
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First Personal Financial Services boosted its stake in Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO Free Report) by 41.6% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,191 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 350 shares during the period. First Personal Financial Services holdings in Altria Group were worth $54,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Altria Group by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter. Catalyst Financial Partners LLC now owns 11,269 shares of the companys stock worth $513,000 after buying an additional 217 shares during the last quarter. Conning Inc. boosted its position in Altria Group by 2.3% in the second quarter. Conning Inc. now owns 9,794 shares of the companys stock worth $446,000 after purchasing an additional 219 shares during the last quarter. Patten & Patten Inc. TN grew its stake in shares of Altria Group by 1.6% during the 1st quarter. Patten & Patten Inc. TN now owns 14,293 shares of the companys stock valued at $623,000 after purchasing an additional 224 shares during the period. Hilltop National Bank grew its stake in shares of Altria Group by 1.6% during the 2nd quarter. Hilltop National Bank now owns 14,667 shares of the companys stock valued at $668,000 after purchasing an additional 226 shares during the period. Finally, Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. increased its position in shares of Altria Group by 12.1% during the 1st quarter. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. now owns 2,150 shares of the companys stock valued at $95,000 after purchasing an additional 232 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 57.41% of the companys stock.
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Altria Group Stock Performance
Shares of Altria Group stock traded up $0.41 on Friday, hitting $53.77. 7,950,990 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 10,355,649. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $49.19 and a 200 day simple moving average of $45.40. Altria Group, Inc. has a 52 week low of $39.06 and a 52 week high of $53.82. The stock has a market capitalization of $92.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.25, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.07 and a beta of 0.66.
Altria Group Increases Dividend
Altria Group ( NYSE:MO Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The company reported $1.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates 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 company had revenue of $6.21 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.39 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.31 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 14.2% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts expect that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.11 earnings per share for the current year.
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 10th. Investors of record on Monday, September 16th will be paid a dividend of $1.02 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 16th. This is a positive change from Altria Groups previous quarterly dividend of $0.98. This represents a $4.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.59%. Altria Groups dividend payout ratio is presently 85.36%.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of research firms recently issued reports on MO. Argus raised shares of Altria Group to a hold rating in a report on Friday, May 31st. StockNews.com raised shares of Altria Group from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, June 28th. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Altria Group from $37.00 to $43.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a report on Wednesday, August 14th. Bank of America increased their price objective on shares of Altria Group from $47.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 10th. Finally, 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. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Altria Group has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $47.08.
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Altria Group Company 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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Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH lifted its holdings in shares of ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW Free Report) by 3.0% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,904 shares of the information technology services providers stock after purchasing an additional 112 shares during the quarter. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OHs holdings in ServiceNow were worth $3,071,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. OMC Financial Services LTD acquired a new position in ServiceNow in the 2nd quarter valued at $2,209,000. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. raised its stake in ServiceNow by 10.4% in the second quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. now owns 220,986 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $173,843,000 after purchasing an additional 20,843 shares in the last quarter. Hudson Value Partners LLC bought a new stake in ServiceNow during the second quarter worth about $1,145,000. Peregrine Capital Management LLC grew its stake in ServiceNow by 2.2% during the second quarter. Peregrine Capital Management LLC now owns 105,973 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $83,366,000 after buying an additional 2,256 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Callahan Advisors LLC increased its holdings in ServiceNow by 1.5% in the 2nd quarter. Callahan Advisors LLC now owns 4,189 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $3,295,000 after buying an additional 62 shares during the period. 87.18% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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Insiders Place Their Bets
In related news, insider Christopher Bedi sold 215 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $700.00, for a total transaction of $150,500.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 15,892 shares of the companys stock, valued at $11,124,400. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, insider Christopher Bedi sold 215 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $700.00, for a total value of $150,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 15,892 shares of the companys stock, valued at $11,124,400. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Nicholas Tzitzon sold 1,857 shares of ServiceNow stock in a transaction on Monday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $829.68, for a total value of $1,540,715.76. Following the sale, the insider now owns 3,649 shares in the company, valued at $3,027,502.32. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 7,129 shares of company stock valued at $5,759,436 in the last three months. 0.25% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
ServiceNow Stock Up 2.9 %
Shares of NYSE NOW traded up $23.73 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $855.00. 1,916,043 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,294,300. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a current ratio of 1.12. ServiceNow, Inc. has a one year low of $527.24 and a one year high of $857.25. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $789.70 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $760.16. The company has a market cap of $175.28 billion, a PE ratio of 91.44, a P/E/G ratio of 4.82 and a beta of 0.99.
ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The information technology services provider reported $3.13 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.85 by $0.28. The business had revenue of $2.63 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.61 billion. ServiceNow had a net margin of 11.51% and a return on equity of 14.52%. ServiceNows quarterly revenue was up 22.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.77 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that ServiceNow, Inc. will post 6.84 EPS for the current year.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
NOW has been the topic of several analyst reports. William Blair reiterated an outperform rating on shares of ServiceNow in a research report on Tuesday, May 7th. TD Cowen boosted their price target on ServiceNow from $870.00 to $900.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on ServiceNow from $830.00 to $860.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Truist Financial boosted their target price on ServiceNow from $750.00 to $780.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC restated a buy rating and issued a $900.00 price target on shares of ServiceNow in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and twenty-five have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $849.62.
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About ServiceNow
(Free Report)
ServiceNow, Inc provides end to-end intelligent workflow automation platform solutions for digital businesses in the North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company operates the Now platform for end-to-end digital transformation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotic process automation, process mining, performance analytics, and collaboration and development tools.
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Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH raised its holdings in Motorola Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:MSI Free Report) by 5.6% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 603 shares of the communications equipment providers stock after buying an additional 32 shares during the period. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OHs holdings in Motorola Solutions were worth $233,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Motorola Solutions in the 4th quarter valued at $646,341,000. Swedbank AB grew its position in Motorola Solutions by 215.7% during the second quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 1,023,956 shares of the communications equipment providers stock worth $395,298,000 after buying an additional 699,615 shares in the last quarter. Groupama Asset Managment acquired a new position in Motorola Solutions in the 4th quarter valued at $178,361,000. Alphinity Investment Management Pty Ltd lifted its position in shares of Motorola Solutions by 36.5% during the 1st quarter. Alphinity Investment Management Pty Ltd now owns 1,478,757 shares of the communications equipment providers stock valued at $524,929,000 after acquiring an additional 395,096 shares during the period. Finally, Janus Henderson Group PLC grew its holdings in shares of Motorola Solutions by 1,477.3% during the 1st quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 358,206 shares of the communications equipment providers stock worth $127,149,000 after purchasing an additional 335,496 shares in the last quarter. 84.17% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of research analysts recently commented on MSI shares. Evercore ISI boosted their price target on Motorola Solutions from $450.00 to $500.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Friday. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of Motorola Solutions from $372.00 to $467.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of Motorola Solutions from $436.00 to $440.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price objective on shares of Motorola Solutions from $385.00 to $440.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 6th. Finally, Bank of America upped their target price on Motorola Solutions from $370.00 to $440.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, July 18th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $457.40.
Motorola Solutions Price Performance
Shares of MSI traded up $4.89 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $442.04. The company had a trading volume of 909,093 shares, compared to its average volume of 662,132. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $402.31 and its 200 day simple moving average is $368.29. The company has a market capitalization of $73.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.64, a P/E/G ratio of 3.48 and a beta of 0.94. Motorola Solutions, Inc. has a 1-year low of $269.64 and a 1-year high of $443.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 11.16, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a current ratio of 1.19.
Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The communications equipment provider reported $3.24 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.01 by $0.23. The firm had revenue of $2.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.59 billion. Motorola Solutions had a net margin of 14.04% and a return on equity of 378.15%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 9.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.41 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Motorola Solutions, Inc. will post 12.09 EPS for the current year.
Motorola Solutions Dividend Announcement
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 15th. Investors of record on Friday, September 13th will be given a dividend of $0.98 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 13th. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.89%. Motorola Solutionss dividend payout ratio is currently 48.45%.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 690 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $373.11, for a total value of $257,445.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 8,141 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,037,488.51. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, Director Kenneth D. Denman sold 690 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $373.11, for a total transaction of $257,445.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 8,141 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,037,488.51. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, COO John P. Molloy sold 23,985 shares of Motorola Solutions stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $407.50, for a total transaction of $9,773,887.50. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 46,821 shares in the company, valued at approximately $19,079,557.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 29,949 shares of company stock valued at $12,002,807 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 1.50% of the companys stock.
About Motorola Solutions
(Free Report)
Motorola Solutions, Inc provides public safety and enterprise security solutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Products and Systems Integration, and Software and Services. The Products and Systems Integration segment offers a portfolio of infrastructure, devices, accessories, and video security devices and infrastructure, as well as the implementation and integration of systems, devices, software, and applications for government, public safety, and commercial customers who operate private communications networks and video security solutions, as well as manage a mobile workforce.
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Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH raised its stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS Free Report) by 13.4% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 784,061 shares of the casino operators stock after buying an additional 92,398 shares during the quarter. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH owned about 0.11% of Las Vegas Sands worth $34,695,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of LVS. Bank & Trust Co bought a new stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands in the 2nd quarter worth about $29,000. Delos Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Las Vegas Sands during the 4th quarter worth $33,000. Accent Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Las Vegas Sands in the 4th quarter worth approximately $39,000. Fidelis Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in Las Vegas Sands in the first quarter worth $43,000. Finally, Vestor Capital LLC purchased a new position in Las Vegas Sands during the 4th quarter worth $42,000. Institutional investors own 39.16% of the companys stock.
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Las Vegas Sands Stock Up 0.9 %
Shares of LVS stock traded up $0.35 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $38.99. 11,354,873 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,540,399. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.29, a current ratio of 1.58 and a quick ratio of 1.29. Las Vegas Sands Corp. has a 12-month low of $36.62 and a 12-month high of $55.73. The firm has a market capitalization of $29.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.84, a P/E/G ratio of 1.04 and a beta of 1.12. The businesss fifty day moving average is $40.99 and its two-hundred day moving average is $46.16.
Las Vegas Sands Dividend Announcement
Las Vegas Sands ( NYSE:LVS Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The casino operator reported $0.55 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.56 by ($0.01). Las Vegas Sands had a net margin of 14.08% and a return on equity of 44.41%. The company had revenue of $2.76 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.82 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.46 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 8.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that Las Vegas Sands Corp. will post 2.48 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 14th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, August 6th were paid a $0.20 dividend. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.05%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 6th. Las Vegas Sandss dividend payout ratio is currently 38.65%.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price objective on Las Vegas Sands from $53.00 to $47.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 11th. Susquehanna reduced their price objective on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $59.00 to $51.00 and set a positive rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price on Las Vegas Sands from $58.00 to $53.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on shares of Las Vegas Sands from $59.00 to $55.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 12th. Finally, Argus lowered shares of Las Vegas Sands from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, August 15th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Las Vegas Sands has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $55.67.
Read Our Latest Analysis on LVS
Las Vegas Sands Profile
(Free Report)
Las Vegas Sands Corp., together with its subsidiaries, develops, owns, and operates integrated resorts in Macao and Singapore. It owns and operates The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel, the Londoner Macao, The Parisian Macao, The Plaza Macao and Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip, and the Sands Macao in Macao, the People's Republic of China; and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.
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Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH lessened its holdings in shares of Chubb Limited (NYSE:CB Free Report) by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 7,918 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 164 shares during the period. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OHs holdings in Chubb were worth $2,020,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Beacon Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Chubb by 76.4% during the second quarter. Beacon Capital Management LLC now owns 97 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 42 shares during the period. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC bought a new position in Chubb in the first quarter worth approximately $25,000. Wellington Shields Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Chubb during the 1st quarter worth $29,000. Ables Iannone Moore & Associates Inc. bought a new stake in Chubb during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, Eagle Bay Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Chubb by 82.2% in the 1st quarter. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC now owns 133 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 60 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 83.81% of the companys stock.
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Insider Transactions at Chubb
In other Chubb news, EVP Juan Luis Ortega sold 2,400 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $260.98, for a total transaction of $626,352.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 44,632 shares of the companys stock, valued at $11,648,059.36. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, EVP Peter C. Enns sold 8,200 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $266.06, for a total transaction of $2,181,692.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 45,853 shares in the company, valued at $12,199,649.18. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Juan Luis Ortega sold 2,400 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $260.98, for a total value of $626,352.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 44,632 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,648,059.36. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 14,521 shares of company stock valued at $3,878,712 in the last three months. 0.86% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Chubb Stock Performance
Shares of CB stock traded up $2.08 on Friday, hitting $284.06. The company had a trading volume of 2,343,472 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,606,921. The firm has a market cap of $115.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.21 and a beta of 0.66. Chubb Limited has a twelve month low of $198.67 and a twelve month high of $284.49. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $265.92 and a 200-day moving average price of $259.13. The company has a quick ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 0.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20.
Chubb (NYSE:CB Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The financial services provider reported $5.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.04 by $0.34. The firm had revenue of $13.36 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $13.04 billion. Chubb had a net margin of 18.14% and a return on equity of 15.77%. The businesss revenue was up 11.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $4.92 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Chubb Limited will post 21.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Chubb Announces Dividend
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 4th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 13th will be given a $0.91 dividend. This represents a $3.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.28%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 13th. Chubbs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 16.16%.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Roth Mkm boosted their price target on shares of Chubb from $280.00 to $300.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their target price on Chubb from $304.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, July 29th. JMP Securities increased their target price on Chubb from $280.00 to $300.00 and gave the company a market outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Bank of America boosted their price target on Chubb from $257.00 to $264.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Chubb from $266.00 to $286.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven 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, Chubb currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $270.79.
Check Out Our Latest Report on CB
Chubb Profile
(Free Report)
Chubb Limited provides insurance and reinsurance products worldwide. The company's North America Commercial P&C Insurance segment offers commercial property, casualty, workers' compensation, package policies, risk management, financial lines, marine, construction, environmental, medical risk, cyber risk, surety, and casualty; and group accident and health insurance to large, middle market, and small commercial businesses.
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UMB Bank n.a. lifted its position in shares of General Motors (NYSE:GM Free Report) (TSE:GMM.U) by 14.5% during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 7,010 shares of the auto manufacturers stock after purchasing an additional 887 shares during the quarter. UMB Bank n.a.s holdings in General Motors were worth $326,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. LifeSteps Financial Inc. acquired a new stake in General Motors during the 1st quarter worth $25,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC boosted its stake in General Motors by 56.1% during the 2nd quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 626 shares of the auto manufacturers stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 225 shares during the last quarter. Cape Investment Advisory Inc. boosted its stake in General Motors by 75.9% during the 4th quarter. Cape Investment Advisory Inc. now owns 832 shares of the auto manufacturers stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 359 shares during the last quarter. Montag A & Associates Inc. purchased a new position in shares of General Motors during the 1st quarter worth $30,000. Finally, YHB Investment Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in shares of General Motors during the 1st quarter worth $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.67% of the companys stock.
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Insider Buying and Selling
In other General Motors news, CEO Mary T. Barra sold 326,305 shares of General Motors stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $48.33, for a total value of $15,770,320.65. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 898,648 shares in the company, valued at approximately $43,431,657.84. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In other General Motors news, CEO Mary T. Barra sold 326,305 shares of General Motors stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $48.33, for a total value of $15,770,320.65. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 898,648 shares in the company, valued at approximately $43,431,657.84. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Rory Harvey sold 12,795 shares of General Motors stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $49.02, for a total value of $627,210.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 8,513 shares in the company, valued at $417,307.26. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 391,402 shares of company stock worth $18,818,536. 0.72% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
General Motors Price Performance
General Motors stock traded up $0.28 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $49.75. The companys stock had a trading volume of 15,734,303 shares, compared to its average volume of 15,498,768. General Motors has a fifty-two week low of $26.30 and a fifty-two week high of $50.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a current ratio of 1.18. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $46.04 and its 200 day simple moving average is $44.34. The firm has a market capitalization of $56.76 billion, a PE ratio of 6.09, a P/E/G ratio of 0.44 and a beta of 1.43.
General Motors (NYSE:GM Get Free Report) (TSE:GMM.U) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The auto manufacturer reported $3.06 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.67 by $0.39. General Motors had a return on equity of 15.77% and a net margin of 6.22%. The business had revenue of $47.97 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $45.13 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.91 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 7.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts forecast that General Motors will post 9.94 earnings per share for the current year.
General Motors declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share buyback plan on Tuesday, June 11th that allows the company to repurchase $6.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the auto manufacturer to repurchase up to 10.8% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are often an indication that the companys leadership believes its stock is undervalued.
General Motors Announces Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 19th. Investors of record on Friday, September 6th will be given a dividend of $0.12 per share. This represents a $0.48 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.96%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 6th. General Motorss dividend payout ratio is presently 5.87%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price objective on shares of General Motors from $58.00 to $54.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 9th. Bank of America restated a buy rating and issued a $75.00 price objective on shares of General Motors in a report on Wednesday, June 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of General Motors from $60.00 to $61.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. StockNews.com lowered shares of General Motors from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of General Motors from $32.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, General Motors presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $55.17.
View Our Latest Research Report on General Motors
General Motors Company Profile
(Free Report)
General Motors Company designs, builds, and sells trucks, crossovers, cars, and automobile parts; and provide software-enabled services and subscriptions worldwide. The company operates through GM North America, GM International, Cruise, and GM Financial segments. It markets its vehicles primarily under the Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Baojun, and Wuling brand names.
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Golden State Equity Partners bought a new stake in International Business Machines Co. (NYSE:IBM Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 11,729 shares of the technology companys stock, valued at approximately $2,028,000.
A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in IBM. Modera Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of International Business Machines by 1.1% during the 2nd quarter. Modera Wealth Management LLC now owns 19,499 shares of the technology companys stock worth $3,372,000 after buying an additional 205 shares in the last quarter. Investors Asset Management of Georgia Inc. GA ADV boosted its position in International Business Machines by 1.0% in the second quarter. Investors Asset Management of Georgia Inc. GA ADV now owns 8,482 shares of the technology companys stock worth $1,467,000 after purchasing an additional 87 shares during the last quarter. Smith Salley Wealth Management increased its position in shares of International Business Machines by 1.8% during the 2nd quarter. Smith Salley Wealth Management now owns 8,982 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $1,554,000 after purchasing an additional 160 shares during the last quarter. Armbruster Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in International Business Machines by 2.3% during the second quarter. Armbruster Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,500 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $432,000 after purchasing an additional 56 shares during the period. Finally, Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV raised its stake in shares of International Business Machines by 9.5% in the second quarter. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV now owns 17,834 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $3,085,000 after buying an additional 1,540 shares during the period. 58.96% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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International Business Machines Price Performance
Shares of NYSE IBM traded up $3.17 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $202.07. 4,750,676 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,243,869. International Business Machines Co. has a 52 week low of $135.87 and a 52 week high of $202.17. The companys 50 day moving average price is $185.98 and its 200 day moving average price is $181.83. The stock has a market capitalization of $185.62 billion, a PE ratio of 22.89, a PEG ratio of 4.24 and a beta of 0.71. The company has a quick ratio of 1.08, a current ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.20.
International Business Machines Dividend Announcement
International Business Machines ( NYSE:IBM Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The technology company reported $2.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.16 by $0.27. The firm had revenue of $15.77 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.62 billion. International Business Machines had a return on equity of 40.59% and a net margin of 13.52%. The companys revenue was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.18 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that International Business Machines Co. will post 10.06 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 9th will be paid a $1.67 dividend. This represents a $6.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.31%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 9th. International Business Machiness dividend payout ratio is currently 75.65%.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
IBM has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on shares of International Business Machines in a research note on Monday, June 24th. They issued a buy rating and a $200.00 price objective for the company. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on International Business Machines from $190.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. StockNews.com raised International Business Machines from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, June 19th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on International Business Machines from $190.00 to $205.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on International Business Machines from $190.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $184.93.
Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on IBM
About International Business Machines
(Free Report)
International Business Machines Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated solutions and services worldwide. The company operates through Software, Consulting, Infrastructure, and Financing segments. The Software segment offers a hybrid cloud and AI platforms that allows clients to realize their digital and AI transformations across the applications, data, and environments in which they operate.
Further Reading
Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IBM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for International Business Machines Co. (NYSE:IBM Free Report).
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San Franciscos next poet laureate, Genny Lim, at her daughters Orinda home on Aug. 29. Lim, an author of five poetry collections and SFJAZZs former poet laureate, will be the citys first Chinese American poet laureate. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle
Following an acclaimed career, Genny Lim, 77, will become San Franciscos first Chinese American poet laureate during a ceremony Friday at the Asian Art Museum.
Its taken a truly long time for them to recognize a Chinese American poet, said Lim, who was previously the poet laureate at SFJAZZ, a jazz appreciation nonprofit in Hayes Valley. So Im really proud to be the first and Im positive I will not be the last.
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Appointed by the mayor at the recommendation of an eight-person committee organized by the Mayors Office and the San Francisco Public Library, Lim will organize poetry programs and events in collaboration with the library, Arts Commission and other community partners.
Selection committee member and former poet laureate devorah major, who writes her name without capitalization, said Lim was chosen because of the strength of her work, her international track record and her ability to engage people through poetry.
Each poet laureate somewhat sets their own agenda, major said. You get various poets to create a vision of how they think poetry can or should serve the city.
When major served as poet laureate from 2002 to 2004, her theme was, War and Peace on our Streets, and she collected poems from the public about social justice.
As the citys ninth poet laureate since 1998, Lim said she wants to make San Francisco the mecca of world poetry, with plans for a festival that incorporates a diversity of voices and geography. The grandmother of three said she hopes to push people out of their comfort zones by introducing them to writers from across cultures, including from emerging artists of Southeast Asian heritage, and in neighborhoods they might not otherwise visit, such as the Tenderloin.
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Art, said Lim, means inclusivity instead of exclusivity.
Poet laureates are paid $35,000 a year by the city and serve three-year terms, with the exception of pandemic-era poet laureate Kim Shuck, who served from 2017 to 2021.
Lim was born in San Francisco to parents from the city of Toishan in Chinas southern Guangdong Province. She grew up speaking the Toishan dialect with her late mother, who never learned English, and traces her lineage back to the Chinese immigrant detainees on Angel Island who were the focus of her 1980 book.
I see myself as a direct descendant of the first Chinese poets in America, Lim said, referring to the Angel Island detainees. Her mother, who immigrated to the U.S. in 1935, was detained at Angel Island with Lims eldest sister, who was 5 at the time.
The poems, written in classical Chinese style, were discovered by a park ranger in 1970 in the former barracks. Lim worked with her co-editor, Him Mark Lai, to translate the poems into English.
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America has power, but not justice. / In prison, we were victimized as if we were guilty, the English translation of one poem read.
This place is called an island of immortals, / When, in fact, this mountain wilderness is a prison, another translation of a poem read.
The youngest of seven children growing up in a working-class family, Lim was a shy child with a stutter, she said. Her dad worked as a janitor at the Fairmont Hotel and her mom was a seamstress. Her parents saved up and opened a small sewing factory at Powell and Vallejo streets, where Lim worked after school, ironing and folding blouses.
It was around that time that Lim started experimenting with writing, testing the limits of her vocabulary through meter and verse. Her older sister would bring home jazz records from the radio station where she worked. Lim listened to Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk, and later fell into the work of jazz poets like Langston Hughes.
City Lights Bookstore, a stones throw from her family home in North Beach, became her library. She became enamored with beat poets like Diane di Prima and the confessional poetry of Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton.
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I loved the rhythms, the tonality, the rebelliousness in the tone and the defiance, Lim said. It was really exciting and thrilling for me to pretend that I could one day express myself in this bold, defiant manner.
She said her poetry today borrows from many traditions, including the Japanese haiku, the 8th-century Tang dynasty Chinese poet Du Fu and the 13th-century Sufi mystic Rumi.
Citing the wars in Ukraine and Palestine that have killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions, and what she called the erosion of civil liberties by the U.S. Supreme Court, Lim said she thinks we are living in a dangerous time where the importance of poetry is that much greater.
As a poet, it is our duty, our moral responsibility to provide the moral conscience of humanity, she said. You have to speak your truth no matter the cost and consequences.
Industria de Diseno Textil (OTCMKTS:IDEXY Get Free Report) and FBC (OTCMKTS:FBCD Get Free Report) are both consumer cyclical companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, earnings, institutional ownership, dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations and risk.
Profitability
This table compares Industria de Diseno Textil and FBCs net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
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Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Industria de Diseno Textil 15.09% 31.68% 16.27% FBC N/A N/A N/A
Analyst Recommendations
This is a breakdown of current ratings and recommmendations for Industria de Diseno Textil and FBC, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Industria de Diseno Textil 0 1 1 0 2.50 FBC 0 0 0 0 N/A
Earnings & Valuation
This table compares Industria de Diseno Textil and FBCs gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Industria de Diseno Textil $38.90 billion 4.34 $5.82 billion $0.96 28.24 FBC N/A N/A N/A -0.20 N/A
Industria de Diseno Textil has higher revenue and earnings than FBC. FBC is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Industria de Diseno Textil, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Insider and Institutional Ownership
8.6% of FBC shares are held by institutional investors. 68.4% of FBC shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Summary
Industria de Diseno Textil beats FBC on 7 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Industria de Diseno Textil
(Get Free Report)
Industria de Diseno Textil, S.A. engages in the retail and online distribution of clothing, footwear, accessories, and household products. The company sells its products under the Zara, Pull & Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho, and Zara Home brands. It is also involved in the textile manufacturing, logistics, design, insurance, construction, and real estate businesses, as well as provides financial services. The company operates in Spain, rest of Europe, the Americas, Asia, and internationally. Industria de Diseno Textil, S.A. was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in A Coruna, Spain.
About FBC
(Get Free Report)
FBC Holding, Inc. markets and sells streetwear clothing, headwear, and accessories for high school students in the United States. It offers shirts, jackets, hoodies, crewnecks, sweatpants, hats, and beanies under the FormRunner Apparel brand name. The company sells its product through 2 retail locations located in Scottsdale, Arizona, as well as through the online store FormRunnerApparel.com. FBC Holding, Inc. is based in Scottsdale, Arizona.
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iA Global Asset Management Inc. decreased its holdings in Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM Free Report) by 5.3% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 242,865 shares of the companys stock after selling 13,722 shares during the period. iA Global Asset Management Inc.s holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $24,610,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Philip Morris International by 684.4% during the second quarter. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC now owns 251 shares of the companys stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 219 shares during the last quarter. Boyd Watterson Asset Management LLC OH grew its stake in shares of Philip Morris International by 250.0% in the 1st quarter. Boyd Watterson Asset Management LLC OH now owns 322 shares of the companys stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 230 shares during the period. Fortitude Family Office LLC increased its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International by 57.4% during the 2nd quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 318 shares of the companys stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 116 shares during the last quarter. Northwest Financial Advisors purchased a new stake in shares of Philip Morris International during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Olistico Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Philip Morris International in the second quarter valued at approximately $34,000. 78.63% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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Insider Buying and Selling
In other Philip Morris International news, 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 sale, the insider now directly owns 158,447 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $17,906,095.47. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, insider Massimo Andolina sold 9,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $115.35, for a total transaction of $1,038,150.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 85,629 shares in the company, valued at $9,877,305.15. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 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 transaction of $2,260,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 158,447 shares in the company, valued at $17,906,095.47. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.13% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Philip Morris International Stock Performance
Shares of NYSE:PM traded up $0.74 during trading on Friday, hitting $123.29. The companys stock had a trading volume of 5,547,532 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,291,041. Philip Morris International Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $87.23 and a fifty-two week high of $123.45. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $111.05 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $100.75. The company has a market capitalization of $191.66 billion, a PE ratio of 24.08, a P/E/G ratio of 2.35 and a beta of 0.58.
Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The company reported $1.59 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.57 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $9.47 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.19 billion. Philip Morris International had a negative return on equity of 113.32% and a net margin of 9.41%. Philip Morris Internationals revenue for the quarter was up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.60 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Philip Morris International Dividend Announcement
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 8th. Investors of record on Friday, June 21st were issued a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, June 21st. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.22%. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 101.56%.
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of research firms have commented on PM. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on Philip Morris International from $116.00 to $118.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. Barclays increased their target price on shares of Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 14th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on shares of Philip Morris International from $115.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Bank of America increased their price objective on shares of Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $118.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 24th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $125.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $109.80.
Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on PM
Philip Morris International 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.
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Industrial Alliance Investment Management Inc. cut its holdings in Howmet Aerospace Inc. (NYSE:HWM Free Report) by 86.8% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 920 shares of the companys stock after selling 6,025 shares during the quarter. Industrial Alliance Investment Management Inc.s holdings in Howmet Aerospace were worth $71,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Cultivar Capital Inc. acquired a new position in Howmet Aerospace in the 2nd quarter valued at about $26,000. Versant Capital Management Inc increased its holdings in shares of Howmet Aerospace by 1,209.1% in the second quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 432 shares of the companys stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 399 shares during the period. Whittier Trust Co. raised its stake in shares of Howmet Aerospace by 81.4% during the first quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 508 shares of the companys stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 228 shares during the last quarter. AlphaCentric Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Howmet Aerospace during the second quarter worth $36,000. Finally, West Oak Capital LLC purchased a new position in Howmet Aerospace in the 2nd quarter valued at $39,000. 90.46% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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Howmet Aerospace Price Performance
Shares of NYSE HWM traded down $0.30 on Friday, hitting $96.66. The companys stock had a trading volume of 3,153,456 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,138,775. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $86.31 and a 200-day moving average of $77.00. The company has a market capitalization of $39.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 1.45. Howmet Aerospace Inc. has a 12-month low of $42.94 and a 12-month high of $98.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a current ratio of 1.53 and a quick ratio of 0.92.
Howmet Aerospace Increases Dividend
Howmet Aerospace ( NYSE:HWM Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The company reported $0.67 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.60 by $0.07. Howmet Aerospace had a return on equity of 23.02% and a net margin of 13.15%. The firm had revenue of $1.88 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.83 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.44 EPS. Howmet Aerospaces revenue was up 14.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts predict that Howmet Aerospace Inc. will post 2.6 EPS for the current year.
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 26th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 9th were issued a dividend of $0.08 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 9th. This is an increase from Howmet Aerospaces previous quarterly dividend of $0.05. This represents a $0.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.33%. Howmet Aerospaces payout ratio is 15.46%.
Insider Activity at Howmet Aerospace
In related news, CFO Ken Giacobbe sold 154,909 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $96.58, for a total transaction of $14,961,111.22. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 155,135 shares in the company, valued at $14,982,938.30. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, EVP Neil Edward Marchuk sold 70,637 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $96.94, for a total value of $6,847,550.78. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 92,687 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,985,077.78. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CFO Ken Giacobbe sold 154,909 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $96.58, for a total value of $14,961,111.22. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 155,135 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $14,982,938.30. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 258,160 shares of company stock valued at $24,556,718. Company insiders own 1.12% of the companys stock.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
HWM has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of Howmet Aerospace from $83.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. BTIG Research increased their price target on shares of Howmet Aerospace from $95.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, August 5th. Robert W. Baird lifted their price objective on Howmet Aerospace from $84.00 to $113.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Argus increased their target price on Howmet Aerospace from $75.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, May 6th. Finally, Northcoast Research reissued a sell rating and issued a $70.00 price target on shares of Howmet Aerospace in a report on Friday, June 14th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $90.67.
Read Our Latest Report on HWM
Howmet Aerospace Company Profile
(Free Report)
Howmet Aerospace Inc provides advanced engineered solutions for the aerospace and transportation industries in the United States, Japan, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Italy, Canada, Poland, China, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Engine Products, Fastening Systems, Engineered Structures, and Forged Wheels.
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Industrial Alliance Investment Management Inc. trimmed its holdings in shares of Occidental Petroleum Co. (NYSE:OXY Free Report) by 69.0% during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 660 shares of the oil and gas producers stock after selling 1,470 shares during the period. Industrial Alliance Investment Management Inc.s holdings in Occidental Petroleum were worth $42,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.
Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of OXY. Swedbank AB acquired a new stake in Occidental Petroleum in the first quarter worth $12,547,000. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC grew its stake in shares of Occidental Petroleum by 139.4% in the 1st quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 78,529 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $5,104,000 after buying an additional 45,722 shares during the period. Bridgefront Capital LLC bought a new stake in Occidental Petroleum in the 4th quarter valued at about $763,000. Alberta Investment Management Corp raised its stake in Occidental Petroleum by 143.2% during the 4th quarter. Alberta Investment Management Corp now owns 36,475 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $2,178,000 after buying an additional 21,475 shares during the period. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its holdings in Occidental Petroleum by 1.0% in the first quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 904,081 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $58,757,000 after acquiring an additional 8,863 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.70% of the companys stock.
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Occidental Petroleum Stock Performance
Shares of Occidental Petroleum stock traded down $0.23 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $56.98. 9,613,670 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 8,303,792. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $59.88 and a 200-day simple moving average of $62.05. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 0.75. The stock has a market capitalization of $50.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.57 and a beta of 1.61. Occidental Petroleum Co. has a 12-month low of $55.04 and a 12-month high of $71.18.
Occidental Petroleum Dividend Announcement
Occidental Petroleum ( NYSE:OXY Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 7th. The oil and gas producer reported $1.03 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.77 by $0.26. Occidental Petroleum had a net margin of 16.62% and a return on equity of 17.91%. The business had revenue of $6.88 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.93 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.68 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts anticipate that Occidental Petroleum Co. will post 3.7 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 10th will be issued a dividend of $0.22 per share. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.54%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 10th. Occidental Petroleums dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 24.04%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several equities research analysts have recently commented on OXY shares. Stephens reaffirmed an overweight rating and set a $76.00 target price on shares of Occidental Petroleum in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on shares of Occidental Petroleum in a report on Thursday, July 18th. They set an outperform rating and a $81.00 price objective on the stock. Scotiabank decreased their target price on shares of Occidental Petroleum from $90.00 to $80.00 and set a sector outperform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 12th. Truist Financial dropped their price target on shares of Occidental Petroleum from $67.00 to $65.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, August 12th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on Occidental Petroleum from $68.00 to $65.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 9th. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $71.69.
View Our Latest Analysis on OXY
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other news, major shareholder Petroleum Corp /De/ Occidental sold 19,500,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.75, for a total transaction of $697,125,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 165,681,578 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,923,116,413.50. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, major shareholder Berkshire Hathaway Inc bought 334,461 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, June 17th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $59.75 per share, for a total transaction of $19,984,044.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 255,281,524 shares in the company, valued at approximately $15,253,071,059. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, major shareholder Petroleum Corp /De/ Occidental sold 19,500,000 shares of Occidental Petroleum stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.75, for a total value of $697,125,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 165,681,578 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,923,116,413.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders bought 4,656,747 shares of company stock valued at $278,664,028 over the last ninety days. 0.31% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Occidental Petroleum Profile
(Free Report)
Occidental Petroleum Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of oil and gas properties in the United States, the Middle East, and North Africa. It operates through three segments: Oil and Gas, Chemical, and Midstream and Marketing. The company's Oil and Gas segment explores for, develops, and produces oil and condensate, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and natural gas.
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UMB Bank n.a. boosted its position in Iron Mountain Incorporated (NYSE:IRM Free Report) by 4,109.2% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 40,913 shares of the financial services providers stock after acquiring an additional 39,941 shares during the quarter. UMB Bank n.a.s holdings in Iron Mountain were worth $3,667,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in IRM. Cohen & Steers Inc. raised its stake in shares of Iron Mountain by 202.1% in the 4th quarter. Cohen & Steers Inc. now owns 22,475,614 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,572,936,000 after purchasing an additional 15,035,937 shares in the last quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Iron Mountain by 11.6% in the 1st quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 4,562,165 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $365,931,000 after purchasing an additional 475,849 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Iron Mountain in the 4th quarter valued at about $228,391,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Iron Mountain by 2.7% in the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 3,157,681 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $220,975,000 after purchasing an additional 81,741 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its stake in shares of Iron Mountain by 0.3% in the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 2,126,237 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $190,553,000 after purchasing an additional 6,562 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.13% of the companys stock.
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Insider Activity
In other news, EVP Greg W. Mcintosh sold 13,923 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $87.41, for a total value of $1,217,009.43. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 18,107 shares in the company, valued at $1,582,732.87. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, EVP Greg W. Mcintosh sold 13,923 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $87.41, for a total value of $1,217,009.43. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 18,107 shares in the company, valued at $1,582,732.87. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CAO Daniel Borges sold 3,095 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $86.83, for a total transaction of $268,738.85. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 99,634 shares of company stock worth $8,874,690 over the last three months. Corporate insiders own 2.10% of the companys stock.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
IRM has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Iron Mountain from $110.00 to $120.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on shares of Iron Mountain from $106.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price objective on shares of Iron Mountain from $86.00 to $103.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of Iron Mountain from $82.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $99.83.
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Iron Mountain Stock Performance
NYSE IRM traded up $1.28 on Friday, hitting $113.27. The stock had a trading volume of 2,390,425 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,646,848. Iron Mountain Incorporated has a one year low of $56.51 and a one year high of $114.93. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 674.63. The stock has a market cap of $33.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 168.41, a P/E/G ratio of 6.49 and a beta of 0.98. The companys 50-day moving average is $101.03 and its two-hundred day moving average is $86.52.
Iron Mountain (NYSE:IRM Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The financial services provider reported $0.42 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.01 by ($0.59). Iron Mountain had a return on equity of 595.44% and a net margin of 3.94%. The firm had revenue of $1.53 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.50 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.94 EPS. Iron Mountains revenue for the quarter was up 13.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that Iron Mountain Incorporated will post 4.22 earnings per share for the current year.
Iron Mountain Increases Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 3rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 16th will be issued a $0.715 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 16th. This is a boost from Iron Mountains previous quarterly dividend of $0.65. This represents a $2.86 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.52%. Iron Mountains dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 433.33%.
Iron Mountain Profile
(Free Report)
Iron Mountain Incorporated (NYSE: IRM) is a global leader in information management services. Founded in 1951 and trusted by more than 240,000 customers worldwide, Iron Mountain serves to protect and elevate the power of our customers' work. Through a range of offerings including digital transformation, data centers, secure records storage, information management, asset lifecycle management, secure destruction and art storage and logistics, Iron Mountain helps businesses bring light to their dark data, enabling customers to unlock value and intelligence from their stored digital and physical assets at speed and with security, while helping them meet their environmental goals.
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iShares S&P/TSX Canadian Dividend Aristocrats Index ETF Common Class (TSE:CDZ Get Free Report) were up 0.4% on Friday . The stock traded as high as C$33.88 and last traded at C$33.87. Approximately 8,410 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 45% from the average daily volume of 15,281 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$33.72.
iShares S&P/TSX Canadian Dividend Aristocrats Index ETF Common Class Stock Up 0.4 %
The business has a 50-day moving average of C$32.57 and a 200-day moving average of C$31.79.
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Principal Financial Group Inc. decreased its position in shares of Crane (NYSE:CR Free Report) by 6.4% during the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 459,438 shares of the conglomerates stock after selling 31,182 shares during the quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc.s holdings in Crane were worth $66,609,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Covestor Ltd lifted its stake in shares of Crane by 150.6% during the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 218 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 131 shares during the last quarter. ORG Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Crane during the 2nd quarter worth $31,000. Blue Trust Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Crane by 29.9% during the 2nd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 487 shares of the conglomerates stock worth $66,000 after purchasing an additional 112 shares during the last quarter. Picton Mahoney Asset Management purchased a new stake in shares of Crane during the 4th quarter worth $90,000. Finally, Hobbs Group Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Crane during the 2nd quarter worth $123,000. 75.14% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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Crane Stock Up 1.6 %
Crane stock traded up $2.42 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $158.35. The companys stock had a trading volume of 144,072 shares, compared to its average volume of 232,208. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $149.32 and its 200-day simple moving average is $140.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.29, a current ratio of 1.18 and a quick ratio of 0.88. Crane has a 52-week low of $82.57 and a 52-week high of $162.34. The stock has a market capitalization of $9.05 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.45, a PEG ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 0.78.
Crane Dividend Announcement
Crane ( NYSE:CR Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, July 29th. The conglomerate reported $1.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.24 by $0.06. Crane had a return on equity of 24.45% and a net margin of 13.10%. The firm had revenue of $581.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $568.33 million. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.10 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 14.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Crane will post 7.87 EPS for the current year.
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 11th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be paid a $0.205 dividend. This represents a $0.82 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.52%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. Cranes dividend payout ratio is presently 21.98%.
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of brokerages recently weighed in on CR. Bank of America upped their price objective on Crane from $140.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on Crane from $170.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price target on Crane from $157.00 to $168.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, July 18th. Finally, UBS Group increased their price target on Crane from $120.00 to $152.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 15th. Two research 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, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $155.00.
View Our Latest Research Report on Crane
About Crane
(Free Report)
Crane Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells engineered industrial products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, and internationally. The company operates in three segments: Aerospace & Electronics, Process Flow Technologies, and Engineered Materials.
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VAALCO Energy, Inc. (NYSE:EGY Free Report) Equities research analysts at Roth Capital raised their Q3 2024 earnings estimates for shares of VAALCO Energy in a report issued on Tuesday, August 27th. Roth Capital analyst J. White now anticipates that the energy company will post earnings per share of $0.18 for the quarter, up from their prior estimate of $0.12. The consensus estimate for VAALCO Energys current full-year earnings is $0.41 per share. Roth Capital also issued estimates for VAALCO Energys Q4 2024 earnings at $0.13 EPS, FY2024 earnings at $0.65 EPS, Q4 2025 earnings at $0.12 EPS and FY2025 earnings at $0.53 EPS.
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Other analysts have also issued reports about the stock. StockNews.com lowered shares of VAALCO Energy from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, June 6th. Roth Mkm increased their target price on shares of VAALCO Energy from $7.25 to $8.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, June 11th.
VAALCO Energy Price Performance
EGY opened at $6.51 on Thursday. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $6.56 and its 200 day moving average price is $6.15. VAALCO Energy has a 12-month low of $3.80 and a 12-month high of $7.51. The firm has a market cap of $673.50 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.85 and a beta of 1.19. The company has a current ratio of 1.19, a quick ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15.
VAALCO Energy (NYSE:EGY Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The energy company reported $0.22 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.13 by $0.09. VAALCO Energy had a return on equity of 16.00% and a net margin of 17.82%. The business had revenue of $116.78 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $119.30 million. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.11 earnings per share.
Institutional Trading of VAALCO Energy
Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Mackenzie Financial Corp purchased a new position in VAALCO Energy in the second quarter valued at $110,000. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of VAALCO Energy by 60.0% in the 2nd quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 235,330 shares of the energy companys stock valued at $1,476,000 after acquiring an additional 88,276 shares during the last quarter. Caxton Associates LP purchased a new stake in VAALCO Energy during the second quarter worth approximately $653,000. Squarepoint Ops LLC lifted its stake in VAALCO Energy by 40.8% during the second quarter. Squarepoint Ops LLC now owns 94,619 shares of the energy companys stock worth $593,000 after purchasing an additional 27,408 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV purchased a new position in VAALCO Energy in the second quarter valued at approximately $220,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 50.32% of the companys stock.
VAALCO Energy Dividend Announcement
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 23rd will be given a $0.063 dividend. This represents a $0.25 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.87%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 23rd. VAALCO Energys dividend payout ratio is currently 41.67%.
VAALCO Energy Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
VAALCO Energy, Inc, an independent energy company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in Gabon, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, and Canada. The company holds 58.8% interest in the Etame production sharing contract related to the Etame Marin block covering an area of approximately 46,200 gross acres located offshore in the Republic of Gabon in West Africa.
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TD Securities cut shares of Bank of Montreal (NYSE:BMO Free Report) (TSE:BMO) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report issued on Tuesday morning, MarketBeat.com reports.
BMO has been the topic of a number of other research reports. UBS Group assumed coverage on Bank of Montreal in a research note on Tuesday, July 2nd. They set a neutral rating on the stock. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods downgraded Bank of Montreal from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $137.00 to $124.00 in a research report on Monday, June 3rd. Desjardins downgraded Bank of Montreal from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 29th. Jefferies Financial Group downgraded Bank of Montreal from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada downgraded Bank of Montreal from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 30th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $119.75.
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View Our Latest Stock Analysis on BMO
Bank of Montreal Price Performance
NYSE:BMO opened at $83.62 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.99, a current ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $84.68 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $89.70. The firm has a market capitalization of $60.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.89, a P/E/G ratio of 2.04 and a beta of 1.12. Bank of Montreal has a 12-month low of $73.98 and a 12-month high of $100.12.
Bank of Montreal (NYSE:BMO Get Free Report) (TSE:BMO) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, August 27th. The bank reported $2.64 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.76 by ($0.12). The firm had revenue of $8.21 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.25 billion. Bank of Montreal had a return on equity of 11.60% and a net margin of 8.25%. Bank of Montreals revenue for the quarter was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.08 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Bank of Montreal will post 7.91 earnings per share for the current year.
Bank of Montreal Cuts Dividend
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, November 26th. Investors of record on Wednesday, October 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.123 per share. This represents a $4.49 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.37%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, October 30th. Bank of Montreals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 75.25%.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Bank of Montreal
Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Dorsey & Whitney Trust CO LLC raised its position in Bank of Montreal by 2.1% during the 4th quarter. Dorsey & Whitney Trust CO LLC now owns 5,739 shares of the banks stock worth $568,000 after purchasing an additional 116 shares during the last quarter. Signaturefd LLC raised its position in Bank of Montreal by 1.5% during the 2nd quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 8,581 shares of the banks stock worth $720,000 after purchasing an additional 123 shares during the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in Bank of Montreal by 39.0% during the 4th quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 463 shares of the banks stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 130 shares during the last quarter. IAG Wealth Partners LLC raised its position in Bank of Montreal by 28.0% during the 1st quarter. IAG Wealth Partners LLC now owns 635 shares of the banks stock worth $62,000 after purchasing an additional 139 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its position in Bank of Montreal by 4.4% during the 2nd quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 3,580 shares of the banks stock worth $300,000 after purchasing an additional 151 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 45.82% of the companys stock.
Bank of Montreal Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. It operates through Canadian P&C, U.S P&C, BMO Wealth Management, and BMO Capital Markets segments. The companys personal banking products and services include deposits, mortgages, home lending, consumer credit, small business lending, credit cards, cash management, financial and investment advice, and other banking services; and commercial banking products and services comprise various of financing options and treasury and payment solutions, as well as risk management products.
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Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH increased its stake in shares of The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (NYSE:IPG Free Report) by 0.0% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 937,651 shares of the business services providers stock after buying an additional 346 shares during the quarter. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH owned about 0.25% of Interpublic Group of Companies worth $27,276,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of IPG. Voisard Asset Management Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Interpublic Group of Companies during the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new stake in Interpublic Group of Companies during the 1st quarter valued at $42,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC increased its stake in Interpublic Group of Companies by 2,024.6% during the 1st quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC now owns 1,296 shares of the business services providers stock worth $42,000 after buying an additional 1,235 shares during the period. Assetmark Inc. lifted its holdings in Interpublic Group of Companies by 27.5% in the 4th quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 1,706 shares of the business services providers stock worth $56,000 after buying an additional 368 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Quarry LP lifted its holdings in Interpublic Group of Companies by 26.0% in the 4th quarter. Quarry LP now owns 2,052 shares of the business services providers stock worth $67,000 after buying an additional 423 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.43% of the companys stock.
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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Macquarie lowered their price objective on Interpublic Group of Companies from $33.00 to $31.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on Interpublic Group of Companies from $37.00 to $36.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 12th. Morgan Stanley lowered Interpublic Group of Companies from an equal weight rating to an underweight rating and lowered their target price for the company from $34.00 to $28.00 in a report on Monday, July 22nd. Bank of America reduced their price objective on Interpublic Group of Companies from $38.00 to $37.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, June 25th. Finally, Barclays reduced their price target on shares of Interpublic Group of Companies from $35.00 to $34.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Interpublic Group of Companies has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $34.13.
Interpublic Group of Companies Price Performance
NYSE:IPG traded up $0.22 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $32.60. 3,583,878 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,885,696. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $30.28 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $31.04. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75. The company has a market capitalization of $12.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.60, a P/E/G ratio of 3.29 and a beta of 1.12. The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. has a one year low of $27.20 and a one year high of $35.17.
Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE:IPG Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 24th. The business services provider reported $0.61 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.59 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $2.71 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.33 billion. Interpublic Group of Companies had a return on equity of 27.98% and a net margin of 9.46%. The companys revenue was up 1.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.74 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. will post 2.8 EPS for the current year.
Interpublic Group of Companies Dividend Announcement
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 17th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 3rd will be paid a dividend of $0.33 per share. This represents a $1.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.05%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 3rd. Interpublic Group of Companiess dividend payout ratio is presently 46.98%.
Interpublic Group of Companies Profile
(Free Report)
The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc provides advertising and marketing services worldwide. It operates in three segments: Media, Data & Engagement Solutions, Integrated Advertising & Creativity Led Solutions, and Specialized Communications & Experiential Solutions. The Media, Data & Engagement Solutions segment provides media and communications services, digital services and products, advertising and marketing technology, e-commerce services, data management and analytics, strategic consulting, and digital brand experience under the IPG Mediabrands, UM, Initiative, Kinesso, Acxiom, Huge, MRM, and R/GA brand names.
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Maldives president celebrates 6th anniversary of China-Maldives Friendship Bridge
Xinhua) 10:49, August 31, 2024
COLOMBO, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu extended his congratulations on Friday in honor of the sixth anniversary of the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge.
The bridge, which was inaugurated on August 30, 2018, has become a symbol of the close relationship between the two nations, he said in a post shared on the social media platform X.
Muizzu highlighted that this impressive engineering achievement not only connects the Maldivian islands but also represents the enduring partnership and mutual trust between China and the Maldives. He added that the bridge stands as a testament to the shared vision of progress, unity, and prosperity between the two countries.
Muizzu also expressed hope that the bridge would continue to serve as a beacon of cooperation for generations to come.
Wang Lixin, Chinese ambassador to the Maldives, also on Friday said in a post on social media that over the past six years, the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge has greatly promoted the social and economic development of the Maldives and brought transformative changes to its people's life, which has vividly shown how Belt and Road Initiative and friendly cooperation with China benefit the local people.
The ambassador added that she looks forward to a more fruitful collaboration in the future.
(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Hongyu)
A San Francisco State University student reads a statement from the schools president on May 15 following an agreement over student demands. San Francisco State has now sold investments in three companies under pressure from pro-Palestinian activists. Benjamin Fanjoy/Special to the Chronicle
San Francisco State University has pulled investments from three companies it says dont meet its human rights standards after pressure from pro-Palestinian student activists.
The moves resulted in changes to the universitys $163 million investment portfolio.
The San Francisco State University Foundation confirmed that it has sold its Lockheed Martin corporate bond position and stock positions in Leonardo, an Italian multinational defense company, and Palantir Technologies, a U.S.-based data analysis firm that has worked with the Israeli Defense Ministry.
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The foundation also screened out a fourth company, the construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar, based on a pre-existing policy that steers the foundation away from investments in fossil fuels. The company has become a target of groups advocating divestment from Israel. They claim Caterpillars heavy equipment has been turned into weapons by Israel in the Palestinian territory.
College students around the country have pushed universities to remove companies aligned with Israel from investment portfolios. Student activists have met resistance from California State University system officials, who have said they wont tinker with investment policies in reaction to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Instead, students on some campuses have focused their energy on school-level foundation endowments, but say their goal remains to influence the entire systems investment policies.
San Francisco State students made headway by training their attention on the university foundations investment screens, standards used to make sure investments are consistent with school values such as racial justice, social justice and climate change. The SF State Foundation shed investments in the four companies as the result of implementing those screens and not because it agreed to sell specific companies.
The changes come following a summer of Zoom meetings held by a work group composed of representatives from Students for Gaza, the SF State Foundation investment committee, faculty and administrators.
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The work group proposed a revised investment policy that says the foundation will not invest in arms makers and will strive not to invest in companies that consistently, knowingly and directly facilitate or enable severe violations of international law and human rights. The draft does not name any specific country or conflict.
The proposed policy is slated for a final vote in December. The foundations investment committee decided to act on the suggested revisions in the meantime, identifying the investments in Lockheed Martin, Leonardo and Palantir under the human rights screens.
The foundation also will unveil a new website disclosing more information about its endowment by the end of September.
Through the work of the many students involved in GUPS (General Union of Palestine Students) at SFSU and SFG (Students for Gaza), we have been able to successfully ensure our money is not funding GENOCIDE an announcement on Instagram by the group Students for Gaza at San Francisco State said.
Sheldon Gen, a faculty representative to the SF State Foundation, said the work group landed on draft policy language that aligns the universitys investment policies with its values, without singling out a specific conflict, country or geographic area.
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What we did at San Francisco State isnt going to end the conflict in Gaza, but we did find some space where students can have agency and be heard and not only that, but really, honestly improve our university, he said.
Jeff Jackanicz, the president of the SF State Foundation, thanked students who participated in the work group in an Aug. 22 email to the campus outlining proposed changes to the foundations environmental, social and governance, or ESG, strategies.
We have been lauded for being a leader in ESG investment before, and with credit to Students for Gaza, our revised policy affirms our leading role in values-driven advising, Jackanicz wrote.
A tangible bid for divestment
The decision to tighten investment screens at San Francisco State follows a wave of campus protests calling on Israel to end an assault on Gaza that has killed more than 40,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The fighting started on Oct. 7 when Hamas and other militants attacked Israel, killing more than 1,000 people and abducting hundreds more.
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Rama Ali Kased, an associate professor of race and resistance studies and an adviser to students in the work group, said some on her campus were surprised to learn the university had any investments in arms makers. Asking the university to cut ties with those firms was tangible and understandable, she said which made the case to drop those investments easier.
The SF State Foundation is the auxiliary organization responsible for raising private funding for the university and managing the universitys endowment, money the university funnels into facilities, scholarships and other university programs.
The foundations endowment spent $8.9 million of its income across the university in the 2022-23 fiscal year, according to Cal State records, and ranked as the seventh-largest in the Cal State system by market value.
This is not the first time that San Francisco State has revised its foundation investment criteria following feedback from student activists. In 2013, the foundation limited direct investments in coal and tar sands, a step Cal State says was a first among U.S. public universities.
Each of the 23 campuses in the California State University system, as well as the Chancellors Office, has a separate endowment managed by an auxiliary organization. Together, the CSU endowments had a market value of $2.5 billion in the 2022-23 fiscal year, growing roughly 8.7% year-over-year.
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The Chancellors Office on April 30 released a statement saying that Cal State does not intend to alter existing investment policies related to Israel or the Israel-Hamas conflict because such divestment impinges on the academic freedom of our students and faculty and the unfettered exchange of ideas on our campuses.
Campus leaders nonetheless have some flexibility to manage their own endowments.
Sacramento State on May 8 announced new investment policy language as a concession to pro-Palestinian student groups. That language does not mention Israel specifically but instead directs the schools foundation to investigate socially responsible investment strategies which include not having direct investments in corporations and funds that profit from genocide, ethnic cleansing, and activities that violate fundamental human rights.
Less than a week after the Sacramento State announcement, San Francisco State agreed to revise its investment policies in consultation with student encampment representatives, setting in motion this summers work group.
But an incident at another Cal State campus suggests there are limits to how much leeway campus leaders have to negotiate with student protesters.
Mike Lee, then-president of Sonoma State University, announced on May 14 that he had reached an accord with protesters to review the school foundations investments and form an advisory council that would include a local chapter of the group Students for Justice in Palestine.
Lee was forced to backpedal soon afterward. The CSU placed him on administrative leave the following day, saying he announced the agreement without proper approvals. Lee decided to go back into retirement soon afterward.
The path to a deal
To Lynn Mahoney, the president of San Francisco State, the student encampment pitched on her campus for roughly two weeks this spring had roots in a range of student concerns, from Bay Area housing costs to the climate change crisis.
If these young people arent angry, theyre not paying attention, Mahoney said.
That perspective shaped the way Mahoney responded when students organized protests in April. Mahoney agreed to participate in an open bargaining session held in the schools Malcolm X Plaza, fielding questions from students and sharing information about the universitys investment practices.
I just strongly urge presidents: Approach the students with respect, even if theyre out there hollering horrible things about you, she said. Approach them with respect. Theyre your students.
Kased said that by meeting with students at the encampment this spring, Mahoney and student protest leaders set a tone that allowed for the work group to continue over the summer.
That move provided a space for students to feel empowered, but to say, Look, we may not agree with President Mahoney on everything, but were going to sit down, Kased said.
The summers work group also benefited from a governance structure students developed during the spring encampment, Kased said, when students elected leaders to represent them and similarly identified faculty to act as spokespeople and liaisons in negotiations with the administration.
People who attended the meetings said they tended to be collegial rather than confrontational, and that rare moments of tension between students and campus officials were quickly quelled.
These were tough discussions, Gen said. Its the kind of discussion that professors aspire to have with their students in classes, quite honestly challenging ones, where they raise tough questions, explore implications of perspectives and, most importantly, find some route for agency.
Gen said the discussions with students this summer echoed previous debates within the foundations investment committee regarding whether to divest from specific countries due to their records on human rights. The committee has avoided naming specific countries in its policies, he said, instead articulating values its investments should reflect.
We have a diversity of students who are on all sides of this specific issue here, too, and we werent going to alienate one student group for another, he said. Theyre all our students.
Not about money
Some foundation investments are easier to screen than others.
Noam Perry, who works with activists leading divestment campaigns as part of his role at the American Friends Service Committee, acted as a de facto translator between San Francisco State students and university officials this summer.
He said one place where the work group made progress was by identifying specific investments held in separately managed accounts, an investment vehicle tailored to the university.
A foundation document dated Aug. 14 says the foundation will screen out any company deriving more (than) 5% of revenue from weapons manufacturing, involved in the private prison industry, or engaging in detention at borders from separately managed accounts.
But it can be harder to get a clear picture of other investment vehicles. Perry said that the foundation works with some asset managers that apply quantitative investment strategies. That means the manager buys and sells stocks dynamically and the stock holdings change every day.
Thats where conversations became really tense, said Perry. Because from the students perspective this is unacceptable, because theres no way that this vendor could ever be aligned with the responsible investment policy that the university is seeking. And from the universitys perspective, thats where theres revenue to be lost. They never said they had zero tolerance for having these companies. Its always about minimizing exposure and reducing the risk that theyre invested in these companies.
Perry said how the foundation should handle such investments in the future remains an open question.
Principal Financial Group Inc. reduced its position in shares of The Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE:WMB Free Report) by 1.9% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 1,540,184 shares of the pipeline companys stock after selling 30,356 shares during the quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. owned about 0.13% of Williams Companies worth $65,458,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Western Pacific Wealth Management LP bought a new position in Williams Companies during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Rise Advisors LLC bought a new position in Williams Companies during the 1st quarter valued at $27,000. Fairman Group LLC bought a new position in Williams Companies during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Alaska Permanent Fund Corp bought a new position in Williams Companies during the 1st quarter valued at $46,000. Finally, EntryPoint Capital LLC bought a new position in Williams Companies during the 1st quarter valued at $50,000. 86.44% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
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Williams Companies Stock Up 0.6 %
Shares of WMB traded up $0.28 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $45.77. The companys stock had a trading volume of 7,165,846 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,437,417. The business has a fifty day moving average of $43.25 and a 200 day moving average of $40.17. The company has a market cap of $55.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.25 and a beta of 1.05. The Williams Companies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $32.49 and a 1 year high of $45.81. The company has a quick ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 0.45 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.64.
Williams Companies Announces Dividend
Williams Companies ( NYSE:WMB Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 5th. The pipeline company reported $0.43 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.38 by $0.05. Williams Companies had a net margin of 27.11% and a return on equity of 16.17%. The business had revenue of $2.34 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.46 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.42 earnings per share. Williams Companiess revenue for the quarter was down 5.9% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts forecast that The Williams Companies, Inc. will post 1.93 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 13th will be paid a $0.475 dividend. This represents a $1.90 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.15%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 13th. Williams Companiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 79.83%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on WMB shares. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price objective on Williams Companies from $40.00 to $43.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 8th. Truist Financial increased their price objective on Williams Companies from $40.00 to $42.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 18th. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded Williams Companies from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and increased their price objective for the company from $38.00 to $46.00 in a research report on Tuesday, June 4th. Scotiabank increased their price objective on Williams Companies from $43.00 to $48.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Finally, CIBC increased their price objective on Williams Companies from $38.00 to $39.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $42.83.
Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on WMB
Williams Companies Profile
(Free Report)
The Williams Companies, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy infrastructure company primarily in the United States. It operates through Transmission & Gulf of Mexico, Northeast G&P, West, and Gas & NGL Marketing Services segments. The Transmission & Gulf of Mexico segment comprises natural gas pipelines; Transco, Northwest pipeline, MountainWest, and related natural gas storage facilities; and natural gas gathering and processing, and crude oil production handling and transportation assets in the Gulf Coast region.
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UMB Bank n.a. cut its holdings in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO Free Report) by 6.7% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 42,212 shares of the companys stock after selling 3,030 shares during the period. UMB Bank n.a.s holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S were worth $6,025,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. First PREMIER Bank bought a new position in Novo Nordisk A/S in the first quarter valued at about $25,000. 1620 Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Novo Nordisk A/S in the second quarter valued at about $25,000. Dixon Mitchell Investment Counsel Inc. bought a new position in Novo Nordisk A/S in the first quarter valued at about $26,000. Orion Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Novo Nordisk A/S in the first quarter valued at about $26,000. Finally, Gilliland Jeter Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Novo Nordisk A/S by 200.0% in the second quarter. Gilliland Jeter Wealth Management LLC now owns 180 shares of the companys stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 120 shares during the period. 11.54% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
NVO has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating and issued a $160.00 target price on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Monday, August 19th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price objective on Novo Nordisk A/S from $170.00 to $160.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on Novo Nordisk A/S in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. They issued a buy rating and a $156.00 price objective on the stock. Argus raised their price objective on Novo Nordisk A/S from $125.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, June 10th. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded Novo Nordisk A/S from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Monday, August 19th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $145.17.
Novo Nordisk A/S Price Performance
NVO traded up $1.63 on Friday, hitting $139.15. 2,714,705 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,368,564. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $135.81 and its 200-day simple moving average is $131.93. The firm has a market cap of $624.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.99, a P/E/G ratio of 1.33 and a beta of 0.41. Novo Nordisk A/S has a one year low of $86.96 and a one year high of $148.15. The company has a current ratio of 0.70, a quick ratio of 0.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17.
Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The company reported $0.65 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.71 by ($0.06). The business had revenue of $9.82 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.91 billion. Novo Nordisk A/S had a net margin of 36.56% and a return on equity of 91.70%. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 3.38 EPS for the current year.
Novo Nordisk A/S Cuts Dividend
The firm also recently announced a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 26th. Investors of record on Friday, August 16th were paid a dividend of $0.5126 per share. This represents a yield of 0.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 16th. Novo Nordisk A/Ss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 24.83%.
Novo Nordisk A/S Company Profile
(Free Report)
Novo Nordisk A/S, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research and development, manufacture, and distribution of pharmaceutical products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, North America, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Diabetes and Obesity Care, and Rare Disease.
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UMB Bank n.a. decreased its holdings in EMCOR Group, Inc. (NYSE:EME Free Report) by 93.1% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 979 shares of the construction companys stock after selling 13,125 shares during the period. UMB Bank n.a.s holdings in EMCOR Group were worth $357,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Matrix Trust Co purchased a new position in EMCOR Group during the second quarter valued at $26,000. Proffitt & Goodson Inc. purchased a new position in EMCOR Group during the second quarter valued at $27,000. Innealta Capital LLC purchased a new position in EMCOR Group during the second quarter valued at $29,000. V Square Quantitative Management LLC purchased a new position in EMCOR Group during the first quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, ORG Partners LLC purchased a new position in EMCOR Group during the second quarter valued at $31,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.59% of the companys stock.
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Analyst Ratings Changes
Separately, DA Davidson raised their price objective on EMCOR Group from $410.00 to $430.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, July 26th.
EMCOR Group Stock Performance
Shares of EME traded up $7.61 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $392.78. The company had a trading volume of 552,031 shares, compared to its average volume of 453,774. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $367.48 and a 200-day moving average price of $353.20. The stock has a market capitalization of $18.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.73 and a beta of 1.06. EMCOR Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $191.50 and a 52-week high of $401.98.
EMCOR Group (NYSE:EME Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The construction company reported $5.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.76 by $1.49. The firm had revenue of $3.67 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.52 billion. EMCOR Group had a return on equity of 32.73% and a net margin of 6.01%. EMCOR Groups quarterly revenue was up 20.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.95 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that EMCOR Group, Inc. will post 19.5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
EMCOR Group Dividend Announcement
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, July 30th. Investors of record on Monday, July 15th were issued a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, July 15th. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.25%. EMCOR Groups payout ratio is 6.60%.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other EMCOR Group news, Director Robin A. Walker-Lee sold 1,300 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $370.79, for a total transaction of $482,027.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 8,637 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,202,513.23. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, Director Robin A. Walker-Lee sold 1,300 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $370.79, for a total transaction of $482,027.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 8,637 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,202,513.23. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Carol P. Lowe sold 1,245 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $374.23, for a total value of $465,916.35. Following the transaction, the director now owns 16,807 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,289,683.61. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.26% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
About EMCOR Group
(Free Report)
EMCOR Group, Inc provides construction and facilities, building, and industrial services in the United States and the United Kingdom. It offers design, integration, installation, start-up, operation, and maintenance services related to power transmission, distribution, and generation systems; energy solutions; premises electrical and lighting systems; process instrumentation; low-voltage systems; voice and data communications systems; roadway and transit lighting, signaling, and fiber optic lines; computerized traffic control systems, and signal and communication equipment; heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, and geothermal solutions; clean-room process ventilation systems; fire protection and suppression systems; plumbing, process, and high-purity piping systems; controls and filtration systems; water and wastewater treatment systems; central plant heating and cooling systems; crane and rigging services; millwright services; and steel fabrication, erection, and welding services.
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UMB Bank n.a. cut its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY Free Report) by 2.7% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 120,828 shares of the companys stock after selling 3,363 shares during the quarter. Eli Lilly and Company makes up about 1.8% of UMB Bank n.a.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 10th largest position. UMB Bank n.a.s holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $109,395,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 1.6% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 72,745,011 shares of the companys stock worth $56,592,709,000 after acquiring an additional 1,133,810 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors grew its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 26,949,773 shares of the companys stock worth $15,709,466,000 after acquiring an additional 89,720 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in Eli Lilly and Company during the 4th quarter worth approximately $5,992,890,000. Capital Research Global Investors grew its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 6.0% during the 1st quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 8,031,531 shares of the companys stock worth $6,248,210,000 after acquiring an additional 453,939 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Capital International Investors grew its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 5.1% during the 1st quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 6,972,393 shares of the companys stock worth $5,424,243,000 after acquiring an additional 335,560 shares during the last quarter. 82.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Several equities analysts recently issued reports on LLY shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $900.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. Guggenheim lifted their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $884.00 to $1,030.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, August 16th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded Eli Lilly and Company from a hold rating to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $725.00 to $1,025.00 in a research report on Monday, August 12th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $875.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Friday, August 9th. Finally, Berenberg Bank lifted their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,000.00 to $1,050.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 14th. Two investment 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 company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $961.76.
Insider Buying and Selling at Eli Lilly and Company
In other Eli Lilly and Company news, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 750 shares of Eli Lilly and Company stock in a transaction on Monday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $819.47, for a total transaction of $614,602.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 7,130 shares in the company, valued at $5,842,821.10. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In other Eli Lilly and Company news, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 750 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $819.47, for a total transaction of $614,602.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 7,130 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,842,821.10. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 210,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $939.82, for a total value of $197,362,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 96,943,810 shares in the company, valued at $91,109,731,514.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 1,097,883 shares of company stock worth $972,022,568. 0.13% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Eli Lilly and Company Stock Up 2.1 %
Shares of LLY traded up $19.82 on Friday, reaching $960.02. The stock had a trading volume of 2,456,992 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,070,253. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $891.13 and a 200-day simple moving average of $819.99. The firm has a market capitalization of $912.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 141.39, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.41. Eli Lilly and Company has a 12-month low of $516.57 and a 12-month high of $972.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a current ratio of 1.35.
Eli Lilly and Company Dividend Announcement
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 15th will be paid a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.54%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 15th. Eli Lilly and Companys payout ratio is 76.58%.
Eli Lilly and Company Company Profile
(Free Report)
Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. The company offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; Jardiance, Mounjaro, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes; and Zepbound for obesity.
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Atlas Capital Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF (NYSEARCA:VGK Free Report) by 27.1% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 285,162 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after buying an additional 60,862 shares during the period. Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF makes up 2.5% of Atlas Capital Advisors LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 5th biggest position. Atlas Capital Advisors LLCs holdings in Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF were worth $19,040,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of VGK. White Lighthouse Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF by 1.2% in the 1st quarter. White Lighthouse Investment Management Inc. now owns 12,420 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $836,000 after acquiring an additional 148 shares in the last quarter. POM Investment Strategies LLC increased its position in shares of Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF by 69.5% during the 2nd quarter. POM Investment Strategies LLC now owns 378 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 155 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF by 2.6% during the 1st quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 6,405 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $431,000 after purchasing an additional 161 shares in the last quarter. Family Firm Inc. grew its stake in shares of Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF by 1.5% in the second quarter. Family Firm Inc. now owns 11,738 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $784,000 after buying an additional 177 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Blair William & Co. IL increased its holdings in Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF by 0.7% during the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 27,951 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $1,882,000 after buying an additional 187 shares during the last quarter.
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Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF Price Performance
VGK stock traded up $0.16 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $70.93. The stock had a trading volume of 1,452,754 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,205,156. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $68.11 and a 200 day simple moving average of $67.50. Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF has a fifty-two week low of $55.06 and a fifty-two week high of $71.11. The stock has a market capitalization of $20.60 billion, a PE ratio of 14.09 and a beta of 0.85.
About Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF
Vanguard European Stock Index Fund is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of stocks issued by Companies located in the markets of Europe. The Fund on focuses indexing investment approach by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the common stocks included in the FTSE Developed Europe All Cap Index.
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International Business Machines Co. (NYSE:IBM Free Report) Analysts at Zacks Research dropped their Q2 2025 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of International Business Machines in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, August 27th. Zacks Research analyst S. Bose now anticipates that the technology company will post earnings of $2.50 per share for the quarter, down from their prior forecast of $2.51. The consensus estimate for International Business Machines current full-year earnings is $10.06 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for International Business Machines Q2 2026 earnings at $2.92 EPS and FY2026 earnings at $11.00 EPS.
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International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The technology company reported $2.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.16 by $0.27. International Business Machines had a return on equity of 40.59% and a net margin of 13.52%. The company had revenue of $15.77 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.62 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.18 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 1.9% on a year-over-year basis.
IBM has been the subject of several other research reports. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on International Business Machines from $200.00 to $211.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Hsbc Global Res upgraded International Business Machines to a moderate sell rating in a report on Friday, July 26th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their target price on International Business Machines from $190.00 to $205.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. StockNews.com raised International Business Machines from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, June 19th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on International Business Machines from $190.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $184.93.
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International Business Machines Trading Up 1.6 %
Shares of IBM stock opened at $202.07 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.20, a quick ratio of 1.08 and a current ratio of 1.12. International Business Machines has a 1 year low of $135.87 and a 1 year high of $202.17. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $185.98 and a two-hundred day moving average of $181.83. The firm has a market capitalization of $185.62 billion, a PE ratio of 22.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.24 and a beta of 0.71.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On International Business Machines
A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in IBM. Arden Trust Co increased its holdings in shares of International Business Machines by 2.8% during the 1st quarter. Arden Trust Co now owns 1,973 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $377,000 after acquiring an additional 54 shares during the last quarter. Armbruster Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in International Business Machines by 2.3% in the 2nd quarter. Armbruster Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,500 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $432,000 after buying an additional 56 shares during the last quarter. CVA Family Office LLC grew its holdings in International Business Machines by 3.3% in the 2nd quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 1,796 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $311,000 after buying an additional 57 shares during the last quarter. Mill Creek Capital Advisors LLC grew its holdings in International Business Machines by 5.1% in the 2nd quarter. Mill Creek Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,165 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $201,000 after buying an additional 57 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC grew its holdings in International Business Machines by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Chicago Partners Investment Group LLC now owns 7,528 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $1,309,000 after buying an additional 58 shares during the last quarter. 58.96% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
International Business Machines Announces Dividend
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 9th will be paid a dividend of $1.67 per share. This represents a $6.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.31%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 9th. International Business Machiness dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 75.65%.
About International Business Machines
(Get Free Report)
International Business Machines Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated solutions and services worldwide. The company operates through Software, Consulting, Infrastructure, and Financing segments. The Software segment offers a hybrid cloud and AI platforms that allows clients to realize their digital and AI transformations across the applications, data, and environments in which they operate.
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Maryland State Retirement & Pension System cut its stake in shares of American Tower Co. (NYSE:AMT Free Report) by 0.5% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 432,710 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 2,130 shares during the period. American Tower comprises approximately 1.6% of Maryland State Retirement & Pension Systems holdings, making the stock its 7th largest position. Maryland State Retirement & Pension Systems holdings in American Tower were worth $84,110,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of AMT. Navalign LLC boosted its holdings in shares of American Tower by 6.2% in the second quarter. Navalign LLC now owns 4,498 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $874,000 after buying an additional 263 shares during the last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. purchased a new position in shares of American Tower during the 2nd quarter worth $5,829,000. Kings Path Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of American Tower during the 2nd quarter valued at $50,000. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd lifted its position in American Tower by 3.3% during the second quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd now owns 54,398 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $10,574,000 after purchasing an additional 1,749 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Atlas Capital Advisors LLC grew its holdings in American Tower by 116.7% during the second quarter. Atlas Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,300 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $253,000 after purchasing an additional 700 shares during the period. 92.69% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
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American Tower Price Performance
NYSE AMT traded up $0.54 during trading on Friday, hitting $224.06. 1,796,764 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,323,528. The company has a market capitalization of $104.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 50.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.52 and a beta of 0.81. American Tower Co. has a 12-month low of $154.58 and a 12-month high of $236.13. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $212.27 and a 200-day simple moving average of $197.59. The company has a quick ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.42.
Insider Activity
American Tower ( NYSE:AMT Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The real estate investment trust reported $1.92 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.44 by ($0.52). The business had revenue of $2.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.82 billion. American Tower had a net margin of 21.95% and a return on equity of 23.06%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.46 earnings per share. As a group, analysts predict that American Tower Co. will post 10.04 EPS for the current year.
In other news, EVP Sanjay Goel sold 3,504 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $200.36, for a total value of $702,061.44. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 28,413 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,692,828.68. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, EVP Olivier Puech sold 10,005 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $233.27, for a total transaction of $2,333,866.35. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 51,746 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,070,789.42. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Sanjay Goel sold 3,504 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $200.36, for a total transaction of $702,061.44. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 28,413 shares in the company, valued at $5,692,828.68. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 37,227 shares of company stock worth $8,497,458. 0.18% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several research analysts have recently commented on the company. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on American Tower from $225.00 to $245.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Barclays decreased their target price on shares of American Tower from $234.00 to $223.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. TD Cowen upped their price target on shares of American Tower from $226.00 to $239.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price objective on shares of American Tower from $212.00 to $235.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 14th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on shares of American Tower in a report on Monday, July 1st. They issued a buy rating and a $230.00 target price for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $231.14.
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American Tower Profile
(Free Report)
American Tower, one of the largest global REITs, is a leading independent owner, operator and developer of multitenant communications real estate with a portfolio of over 224,000 communications sites and a highly interconnected footprint of U.S. data center facilities.
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Ascent Wealth Partners LLC boosted its position in MSCI Inc. (NYSE:MSCI Free Report) by 1,068.8% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 10,367 shares of the technology companys stock after buying an additional 9,480 shares during the period. Ascent Wealth Partners LLCs holdings in MSCI were worth $4,994,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of MSCI. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of MSCI during the 4th quarter worth approximately $496,541,000. Principal Financial Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of MSCI by 74.9% during the 2nd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,456,194 shares of the technology companys stock worth $701,522,000 after buying an additional 623,712 shares during the last quarter. PineStone Asset Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of MSCI by 129.4% in the 2nd quarter. PineStone Asset Management Inc. now owns 730,986 shares of the technology companys stock worth $352,153,000 after buying an additional 412,389 shares in the last quarter. Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado grew its stake in MSCI by 3,600.0% in the 4th quarter. Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado now owns 253,636 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $143,469,000 after acquiring an additional 246,781 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Findlay Park Partners LLP acquired a new stake in MSCI in the 1st quarter valued at about $114,836,000. 89.97% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several brokerages have issued reports on MSCI. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $638.00 price target on shares of MSCI in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Barclays upped their target price on MSCI from $600.00 to $650.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Redburn Atlantic upgraded MSCI from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $485.00 target price on the stock in a report on Monday, May 13th. Wells Fargo & Company raised MSCI to a hold rating in a report on Tuesday, August 13th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on MSCI from $615.00 to $640.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $584.79.
MSCI Stock Down 0.3 %
Shares of MSCI traded down $1.50 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $580.59. The company had a trading volume of 325,424 shares, compared to its average volume of 570,385. MSCI Inc. has a 1-year low of $439.95 and a 1-year high of $617.39. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $527.06 and its 200-day simple moving average is $522.18. The stock has a market cap of $46.00 billion, a PE ratio of 39.63, a P/E/G ratio of 3.00 and a beta of 1.10.
MSCI (NYSE:MSCI Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The technology company reported $3.64 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.55 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $707.90 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $696.41 million. MSCI had a net margin of 43.86% and a negative return on equity of 143.09%. MSCIs revenue for the quarter was up 14.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $3.26 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that MSCI Inc. will post 14.78 earnings per share for the current year.
MSCI Announces Dividend
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 16th were given a dividend of $1.60 per share. This represents a $6.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.10%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 16th. MSCIs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 43.69%.
About MSCI
(Free Report)
MSCI Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides critical decision support tools and solutions for the investment community to manage investment processes worldwide. The Index segment provides indexes for use in various areas of the investment process, including indexed financial product, such as ETFs, mutual funds, annuities, futures, options, structured products, and over-the-counter derivatives; performance benchmarking; portfolio construction and rebalancing; and asset allocation, as well as licenses GICS and GICS Direct.
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Bath & Body Works (NYSE:BBWI Get Free Report) had its target price reduced by Raymond James from $51.00 to $42.00 in a report issued on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an outperform rating on the stock. Raymond James target price would suggest a potential upside of 36.54% from the companys previous close.
BBWI has been the subject of several other reports. Evercore ISI lowered their price target on shares of Bath & Body Works from $45.00 to $35.00 and set an in-line rating for the company in a report on Wednesday. Barclays lowered their target price on Bath & Body Works from $45.00 to $32.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Bath & Body Works from an underweight rating to a neutral rating and lifted their price target for the company from $40.00 to $53.00 in a research note on Friday, May 17th. UBS Group lowered their price objective on Bath & Body Works from $52.00 to $38.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Thursday. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of Bath & Body Works from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, June 5th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $42.50.
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Bath & Body Works Stock Down 0.8 %
Shares of BBWI stock opened at $30.76 on Thursday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $35.46 and a 200 day simple moving average of $42.59. The company has a market cap of $6.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.93, a P/E/G ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.85. Bath & Body Works has a twelve month low of $27.30 and a twelve month high of $52.99.
Bath & Body Works (NYSE:BBWI Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, June 4th. The company reported $0.38 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.33 by $0.05. The firm had revenue of $1.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.37 billion. Bath & Body Works had a net margin of 11.92% and a negative return on equity of 40.00%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down .9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.33 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Bath & Body Works will post 3.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Bath & Body Works
Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Bath & Body Works by 4.2% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 27,398,192 shares of the companys stock worth $1,370,458,000 after purchasing an additional 1,102,124 shares in the last quarter. Lone Pine Capital LLC grew its position in shares of Bath & Body Works by 15.8% during the 2nd quarter. Lone Pine Capital LLC now owns 11,315,515 shares of the companys stock worth $441,871,000 after buying an additional 1,547,399 shares during the period. Anomaly Capital Management LP bought a new stake in shares of Bath & Body Works in the 2nd quarter valued at $113,995,000. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Bath & Body Works during the 4th quarter valued at $101,669,000. Finally, Sound Shore Management Inc. CT boosted its stake in Bath & Body Works by 10.0% during the second quarter. Sound Shore Management Inc. CT now owns 2,088,703 shares of the companys stock worth $81,564,000 after acquiring an additional 189,889 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 95.14% of the companys stock.
About Bath & Body Works
(Get Free Report)
Bath & Body Works, Inc operates a specialty retailer of home fragrance, body care, and soaps and sanitizer products. It sells its products under the Bath & Body Works, White Barn, and other brand names through retail stores and e-commerce sites located in the United States and Canada, as well as through international stores operated by partners under franchise, license, and wholesale arrangements.
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Biechele Royce Advisors grew its holdings in shares of Robert Half Inc. (NYSE:RHI Free Report) by 9.8% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 220,019 shares of the business services providers stock after acquiring an additional 19,640 shares during the period. Robert Half comprises approximately 4.8% of Biechele Royce Advisors holdings, making the stock its 9th largest position. Biechele Royce Advisors owned about 0.21% of Robert Half worth $14,077,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the business. Capital World Investors boosted its holdings in Robert Half by 6.7% in the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 14,574,944 shares of the business services providers stock worth $1,281,429,000 after buying an additional 917,311 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Robert Half by 3.0% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 12,795,282 shares of the business services providers stock worth $1,014,410,000 after buying an additional 366,978 shares during the period. Boston Partners boosted its holdings in Robert Half by 14.7% in the 1st quarter. Boston Partners now owns 3,749,749 shares of the business services providers stock worth $296,963,000 after buying an additional 479,384 shares during the period. Mawer Investment Management Ltd. boosted its holdings in Robert Half by 105.4% in the 1st quarter. Mawer Investment Management Ltd. now owns 3,655,626 shares of the business services providers stock worth $289,818,000 after buying an additional 1,875,476 shares during the period. Finally, Fiduciary Management Inc. WI boosted its holdings in Robert Half by 3.4% in the 4th quarter. Fiduciary Management Inc. WI now owns 1,944,057 shares of the business services providers stock worth $170,921,000 after buying an additional 64,114 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 92.41% of the companys stock.
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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
Several analysts have commented on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Robert Half from $74.00 to $70.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their price target on shares of Robert Half from $72.00 to $64.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. BNP Paribas upgraded shares of Robert Half from an underperform rating to an outperform rating and set a $80.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, June 11th. Barclays decreased their target price on shares of Robert Half from $70.00 to $60.00 and set an underweight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Finally, StockNews.com cut shares of Robert Half from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, July 5th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Robert Half has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $67.86.
Insider Activity
In other news, Director Dirk A. Kempthorne sold 1,300 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $63.09, for a total transaction of $82,017.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 13,342 shares in the company, valued at $841,746.78. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 3.00% of the companys stock.
Robert Half Stock Down 0.3 %
Robert Half stock traded down $0.16 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $62.67. The stock had a trading volume of 1,130,205 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,444,458. The firm has a market cap of $6.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.91 and a beta of 1.25. The company has a fifty day moving average of $63.05 and a 200 day moving average of $69.45. Robert Half Inc. has a 52-week low of $57.05 and a 52-week high of $88.39.
Robert Half (NYSE:RHI Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The business services provider reported $0.66 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.71 by ($0.05). The company had revenue of $1.47 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.49 billion. Robert Half had a return on equity of 20.41% and a net margin of 5.26%. Robert Halfs revenue was down 10.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.00 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that Robert Half Inc. will post 2.58 EPS for the current year.
Robert Half Dividend Announcement
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 23rd will be paid a dividend of $0.53 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 23rd. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.38%. Robert Halfs dividend payout ratio is presently 63.47%.
About Robert Half
(Free Report)
Robert Half Inc provides talent solutions and business consulting services in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The company operates through Contract Talent Solutions, Permanent Placement Talent Solutions, and Protiviti segments. The Contract Talent Solutions segment provides contract engagement professionals in the fields of finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal and administrative, and customer support.
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August 30, 2024: The Russian war in Ukraine is currently not popular with most Russians. The government cannot hide the large number of Russian men who have died in Ukraine or returned disabled. After two years of futile fighting in Ukraine the Russians found that they could not get enough Russian men to join or stay in the military. Russian mothers are in an uproar over the government using conscripts to fight in Ukraine. The law specifies that conscripts cannot be used in a foreign war, only for the defense of Russia. Putin declared Ukraine to be a wayward part of Russia where conscripted soldiers must fight to make it part of Russia once more.
Few Russian soldiers were willing to fight in Ukraine and the government solution was to pay the reluctant soldiers to do so. Military men were also offered large sums of cash to join the army. In major cities, men of military age often have the financial means to leave the country, legally or illegally, if the recruiters come after them. Many of these men have technical or professional skills that the government needs, so the military recruiters have to concentrate on rural areas where there are more men who need jobs and money. In the countryside the Russian practice of buying soldiers was more effective. The amount of money offered, which was often $20,000 or more, was a life changing sum for most Russians. Even if the soldiers died or were disabled, that amount of cash took care of his family. If the soldier returned from Ukraine, which some did early in the war, they had enough money to start a business.
After the first year of the Ukraine War, the money offered increased, but so did the chances of getting killed in Ukraine. By 2024, there were few men in the provinces willing to fight in Ukraine for any amount of money. At that point the government began looking at men from other former parts of the Soviet Union. The five Central Asian states had plenty of poor, Russian speaking locals looking for work. They were willing to take the money to fight in Ukraine because Russia offered them residency permits to live and work in Russia after their military service. This attracted some recruits, even though these men knew their chances of surviving Ukrainian service were not high.
Russia ultimately recruited soldiers from African or Asian countries, often without telling the local governments. These countries often exported, via local brokers, men for jobs in foreign countries. There were more applicants than jobs so when the Russian military recruiters showed up there were some men willing to take the money and fight in Ukraine. When a lot of these men got killed in Ukraine, it became a political embarrassment back home and the local governments began to ban the Russian recruiters. With large enough bribes, the local authorities could be persuaded to ignore Russian recruiting. This only lasted until a lot of local men were getting killed in Ukraine. At that point too many locals actively opposed the Russian recruiting and that was that. With all these problems, Russian personnel experts believe Russia will be out of soldiers by 2026.
Boston Financial Mangement LLC lifted its stake in shares of Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK Free Report) by 17.4% in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,308 shares of the utilities providers stock after purchasing an additional 637 shares during the period. Boston Financial Mangement LLCs holdings in Duke Energy were worth $432,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC acquired a new position in Duke Energy in the 1st quarter valued at about $25,000. Altshuler Shaham Ltd acquired a new position in Duke Energy in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Private Wealth Management Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Duke Energy in the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 69.6% in the 2nd quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 290 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 119 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Riverview Trust Co acquired a new position in shares of Duke Energy in the 1st quarter worth approximately $30,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 65.31% of the companys stock.
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Duke Energy Stock Up 0.8 %
DUK stock opened at $113.94 on Friday. Duke Energy Co. has a one year low of $83.06 and a one year high of $116.67. The stock has a market capitalization of $87.94 billion, a PE ratio of 28.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.09 and a beta of 0.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54, a quick ratio of 0.50 and a current ratio of 0.78. The company has a fifty day moving average of $107.68 and a 200-day moving average of $101.11.
Duke Energy Increases Dividend
Duke Energy ( NYSE:DUK Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 6th. The utilities provider reported $1.18 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.02 by $0.16. Duke Energy had a net margin of 10.78% and a return on equity of 9.25%. The firm had revenue of $7.17 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.84 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.91 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 9.0% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts expect that Duke Energy Co. will post 5.97 EPS for the current year.
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 16th. Investors of record on Friday, August 16th will be paid a $1.045 dividend. This is a boost from Duke Energys previous quarterly dividend of $1.03. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 16th. This represents a $4.18 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.67%. Duke Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 105.03%.
Insider Activity at Duke Energy
In related news, EVP Louis E. Renjel sold 540 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $113.64, for a total value of $61,365.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 19,884 shares in the company, valued at $2,259,617.76. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.10% of the companys stock.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several brokerages have recently commented on DUK. Scotiabank upped their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $104.00 to $113.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Tuesday, August 20th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $99.00 to $114.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday, August 15th. KeyCorp increased their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $114.00 to $117.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, August 14th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $135.00 target price on shares of Duke Energy in a report on Thursday. Finally, Bank of America increased their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $116.00 to $118.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Duke Energy has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $113.92.
Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on DUK
Duke Energy Company Profile
(Free Report)
Duke Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company in the United States. It operates through two segments: Electric Utilities and Infrastructure (EU&I), and Gas Utilities and Infrastructure (GU&I). The EU&I segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity in the Carolinas, Florida, and the Midwest.
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British American Tobacco p.l.c. (OTCMKTS:BTAFF Get Free Report) was the target of a large drop in short interest during the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 131,300 shares, a drop of 41.1% from the July 31st total of 223,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 8,200 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 16.0 days.
British American Tobacco Price Performance
OTCMKTS:BTAFF opened at $36.56 on Friday. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $34.21 and a 200 day simple moving average of $31.55. British American Tobacco has a 1-year low of $28.00 and a 1-year high of $37.95.
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About British American Tobacco
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British American Tobacco p.l.c. engages in the provision of tobacco and nicotine products to consumers worldwide. It also offers vapour, heated, and modern oral nicotine products; combustible cigarettes; and traditional oral products, such as snus and moist snuff. The company offers its products under the Vuse, glo, Velo, Grizzly, Kodiak, Dunhill, Kent, Lucky Strike, Pall Mall, Rothmans, Camel, Natural American Spirit, Newport, Vogue, Viceroy, Kool, Peter Stuyvesant, Craven A, State Express 555 and Shuang Xi brands.
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Brookfield Business Partners L.P. (NYSE:BBU Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest in the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 24,200 shares, an increase of 60.3% from the July 31st total of 15,100 shares. Currently, 0.0% of the companys stock are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 14,500 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.7 days.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Brookfield Business Partners
A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of BBU. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company boosted its holdings in Brookfield Business Partners by 1.5% in the 2nd quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 40,726 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $770,000 after purchasing an additional 608 shares during the period. AYAL Capital Advisors Ltd boosted its stake in shares of Brookfield Business Partners by 97.4% in the second quarter. AYAL Capital Advisors Ltd now owns 45,000 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $848,000 after buying an additional 22,200 shares during the period. BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp grew its position in Brookfield Business Partners by 12.7% during the second quarter. BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp now owns 681,562 shares of the business services providers stock worth $12,910,000 after buying an additional 77,017 shares in the last quarter. Bank of Montreal Can increased its stake in Brookfield Business Partners by 3.1% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 767,726 shares of the business services providers stock worth $15,036,000 after acquiring an additional 22,886 shares during the period. Finally, Principal Financial Group Inc. raised its holdings in Brookfield Business Partners by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 90,242 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $1,701,000 after acquiring an additional 1,808 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 85.04% of the companys stock.
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Brookfield Business Partners Stock Performance
Shares of NYSE BBU traded down $0.04 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $20.40. 19,030 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 14,198. Brookfield Business Partners has a twelve month low of $12.22 and a twelve month high of $23.75. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 3.20 and a beta of 1.47. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $19.69 and its 200-day simple moving average is $20.04. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.23.
Brookfield Business Partners Dividend Announcement
Brookfield Business Partners ( NYSE:BBU Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, August 2nd. The business services provider reported ($0.09) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.86 by ($0.95). The firm 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 company posted $0.85 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Brookfield Business Partners will post 4.16 earnings per share for the current year.
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be given a dividend of $0.0625 per share. This represents a $0.25 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.23%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. Brookfield Business Partnerss payout ratio is 3.92%.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of analysts have recently commented on the company. Cibc World Mkts upgraded Brookfield Business Partners to a strong-buy rating in a report on Tuesday, May 7th. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $32.00 target price on shares of Brookfield Business Partners in a report on Monday, August 5th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on shares of Brookfield Business Partners from $30.00 to $31.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Monday, May 6th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $31.40.
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About Brookfield Business Partners
(Get Free Report)
Brookfield Business Partners L.P. is a private equity firm specializing in acquisition. The firm typically invests in business services, infrastructure services, construction, energy, and industrials sector. It prefers to take majority stake in companies. The firm seeks returns of at least 15% on its investments.
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Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE:BBW Get Free Report) issued its earnings results on Thursday. The specialty retailer reported $0.64 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.57 by $0.07, RTT News reports. The company had revenue of $111.80 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $107.90 million. Build-A-Bear Workshop had a return on equity of 38.87% and a net margin of 10.33%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.57 earnings per share.
Build-A-Bear Workshop Stock Performance
NYSE:BBW opened at $33.38 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $460.81 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.56 and a beta of 1.63. Build-A-Bear Workshop has a 1 year low of $21.24 and a 1 year high of $34.80. The business has a fifty day moving average of $26.34 and a 200-day moving average of $27.01.
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Build-A-Bear Workshop Announces Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, July 11th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, June 27th were paid a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.40%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, June 27th. Build-A-Bear Workshops payout ratio is currently 22.92%.
Insider Activity at Build-A-Bear Workshop
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
In related news, Director George Carrara sold 2,600 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.34, for a total value of $68,484.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 17,473 shares in the company, valued at approximately $460,238.82. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link . In other news, CEO Sharon Price John sold 41,034 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $25.99, for a total value of $1,066,473.66. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 515,004 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $13,384,953.96. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link . Also, Director George Carrara sold 2,600 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.34, for a total value of $68,484.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 17,473 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $460,238.82. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Company insiders own 7.90% of the companys stock.
A number of research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Northland Securities boosted their price objective on Build-A-Bear Workshop from $36.00 to $38.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Friday. StockNews.com lowered shares of Build-A-Bear Workshop from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, June 14th.
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About Build-A-Bear Workshop
(Get Free Report)
Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc operates as a multi-channel retailer of plush animals and related products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Direct-to-Consumer, Commercial, and International Franchising. Its merchandise comprises various styles of plush products to be stuffed, pre-stuffed plush products, and sounds and scents that can be added to the stuffed animals, as well as range of clothing, shoes and accessories, and other toy and novelty items, including family sleepwear.
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Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (TSE:CP Get Free Report) (NYSE:CP) Senior Officer John Kenneth Brooks sold 21,700 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$112.01, for a total value of C$2,430,629.59.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City Trading Up 0.8 %
TSE:CP opened at C$111.87 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of C$110.14 and a two-hundred day moving average price of C$112.74. The stock has a market capitalization of C$104.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.99, a PEG ratio of 2.32 and a beta of 0.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 50.47, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a current ratio of 0.51. Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited has a 1 year low of C$94.45 and a 1 year high of C$123.37.
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Canadian Pacific Kansas City (TSE:CP Get Free Report) (NYSE:CP) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The company reported C$1.05 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of C$1.01 by C$0.04. Canadian Pacific Kansas City had a return on equity of 8.10% and a net margin of 24.46%. The business had revenue of C$3.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of C$3.55 billion. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited will post 4.2741935 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City Announces Dividend
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Stockholders of record on Monday, October 28th will be given a $0.19 dividend. This represents a $0.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.68%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 27th. Canadian Pacific Kansas Citys dividend payout ratio is currently 20.38%.
CP has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their price objective on Canadian Pacific Kansas City from C$122.00 to C$126.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Desjardins increased their price objective on Canadian Pacific Kansas City from C$131.00 to C$132.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Scotiabank raised Canadian Pacific Kansas City from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating and increased their price objective for the company from C$124.00 to C$130.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Canadian Pacific Kansas City from C$123.00 to C$136.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Finally, ATB Capital upped their price target on Canadian Pacific Kansas City from C$130.00 to C$133.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of C$123.87.
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Canadian Pacific Kansas City Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited, together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates a transcontinental freight railway in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The company transports bulk commodities, including grain, coal, potash, fertilizers, and sulphur; merchandise freight, such as forest products, energy, chemicals and plastics, metals, minerals, consumer products, and automotive; and intermodal traffic comprising retail goods in overseas containers.
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Catalytic Wealth RIA LLC lessened its stake in shares of BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III, Inc. (NYSE:MYI Free Report) by 31.4% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 25,242 shares of the investment management companys stock after selling 11,556 shares during the period. Catalytic Wealth RIA LLCs holdings in BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III were worth $282,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Strategies Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III by 5.3% in the second quarter. Strategies Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 25,755 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $288,000 after purchasing an additional 1,300 shares in the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III during the 2nd quarter valued at about $42,000. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III by 2.1% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 200,177 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $2,294,000 after acquiring an additional 4,151 shares during the last quarter. American National Bank bought a new position in shares of BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III in the 1st quarter valued at about $53,000. Finally, Cambridge Trust Co. grew its position in BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III by 24.0% in the first quarter. Cambridge Trust Co. now owns 57,010 shares of the investment management companys stock worth $653,000 after acquiring an additional 11,050 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 34.01% of the companys stock.
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BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III Stock Performance
NYSE:MYI traded up $0.05 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $11.58. 126,879 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 219,982. The firms fifty day moving average is $11.37 and its 200-day moving average is $11.26. BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III, Inc. has a 12-month low of $9.32 and a 12-month high of $11.70.
BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III Announces Dividend
BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III Profile
The firm also recently announced a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 15th will be paid a $0.0555 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 15th. This represents a $0.67 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.75%.
(Free Report)
BlackRock MuniYield Quality Fund III, Inc is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by BlackRock, Inc It is managed by BlackRock Advisors, LLC. The fund invests in fixed income markets. It invests primarily in a portfolio of long-term investment-grade municipal obligations exempt from federal income taxes.
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WESPAC Advisors LLC reduced its position in EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG Free Report) by 25.4% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 5,170 shares of the energy exploration companys stock after selling 1,761 shares during the period. WESPAC Advisors LLCs holdings in EOG Resources were worth $651,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Wright Investors Service Inc. raised its stake in EOG Resources by 0.8% during the 1st quarter. Wright Investors Service Inc. now owns 10,163 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $1,299,000 after acquiring an additional 80 shares during the last quarter. CVA Family Office LLC raised its stake in shares of EOG Resources by 11.0% during the 2nd quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 820 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $103,000 after buying an additional 81 shares in the last quarter. Bailard Inc. grew its holdings in shares of EOG Resources by 0.4% in the 2nd quarter. Bailard Inc. now owns 19,899 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $2,505,000 after acquiring an additional 81 shares during the period. Field & Main Bank grew its holdings in shares of EOG Resources by 1.4% in the 1st quarter. Field & Main Bank now owns 6,163 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $788,000 after acquiring an additional 83 shares during the period. Finally, PDS Planning Inc grew its holdings in shares of EOG Resources by 4.1% in the 1st quarter. PDS Planning Inc now owns 2,152 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $275,000 after acquiring an additional 84 shares during the period. 89.91% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on EOG shares. Benchmark restated a hold rating on shares of EOG Resources in a report on Tuesday, May 7th. Sanford C. Bernstein lowered their target price on EOG Resources from $139.00 to $125.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Wolfe Research initiated coverage on EOG Resources in a report on Thursday, July 18th. They set a peer perform rating on the stock. KeyCorp assumed coverage on EOG Resources in a report on Thursday, June 27th. They set an overweight rating and a $157.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Citigroup raised their price objective on EOG Resources from $124.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday, May 24th. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, EOG Resources presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $144.00.
EOG Resources Stock Down 0.9 %
NYSE:EOG traded down $1.16 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $128.82. The company had a trading volume of 2,820,225 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,136,932. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $126.70 and a 200-day simple moving average of $125.51. The company has a current ratio of 2.32, a quick ratio of 2.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. EOG Resources, Inc. has a 1 year low of $108.94 and a 1 year high of $139.67. The firm has a market capitalization of $74.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.17, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 1.30.
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 the consensus estimate of $2.98 by $0.18. EOG Resources had a return on equity of 25.65% and a net margin of 30.33%. The company had revenue of $6.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.07 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.49 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 8.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that EOG Resources, Inc. will post 12.13 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
EOG Resources Dividend Announcement
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 paid a $0.91 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, October 17th. This represents a $3.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.83%. EOG Resourcess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 28.75%.
Insider Buying and Selling at EOG Resources
In other EOG Resources news, Director Charles R. Crisp sold 6,500 shares of EOG Resources stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $125.60, for a total value of $816,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 60,892 shares in the company, valued at $7,648,035.20. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, EVP Michael P. Donaldson sold 11,037 shares of EOG Resources stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $129.50, for a total transaction of $1,429,291.50. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 74,250 shares of the companys stock, valued at $9,615,375. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Charles R. Crisp sold 6,500 shares of EOG Resources 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 sale, the director now directly owns 60,892 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,648,035.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 21,537 shares of company stock worth $2,751,612 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.30% of the companys stock.
About EOG Resources
(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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Essex Property Trust (NYSE:ESS Free Report) had its price objective raised by Evercore ISI from $268.00 to $283.00 in a research note released on Wednesday morning, Benzinga reports. They currently have an in-line rating on the real estate investment trusts stock.
ESS has been the topic of a number of other reports. Mizuho upped their price objective on Essex Property Trust from $250.00 to $266.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Essex Property Trust from $230.00 to $250.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 14th. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on shares of Essex Property Trust from $315.00 to $355.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, August 26th. Wedbush raised their target price on shares of Essex Property Trust from $264.00 to $301.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Monday, August 5th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Essex Property Trust from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, May 1st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Essex Property Trust currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $276.70.
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View Our Latest Analysis on Essex Property Trust
Essex Property Trust Price Performance
ESS stock opened at $301.79 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 3.19 and a current ratio of 1.62. The companys fifty day moving average price is $281.81 and its 200-day moving average price is $260.04. Essex Property Trust has a one year low of $203.85 and a one year high of $302.05. The company has a market capitalization of $19.38 billion, a PE ratio of 36.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.96 and a beta of 0.86.
Essex Property Trust (NYSE:ESS Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The real estate investment trust reported $1.45 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.85 by ($2.40). Essex Property Trust had a net margin of 30.31% and a return on equity of 9.14%. The firm had revenue of $442.36 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $433.26 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $3.77 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Essex Property Trust will post 15.53 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In related news, CEO Angela L. Kleiman sold 3,780 shares of Essex Property Trust stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $278.27, for a total value of $1,051,860.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 9,494 shares in the company, valued at $2,641,895.38. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, Director Keith R. Guericke sold 10,000 shares of Essex Property Trust stock in a transaction on Friday, June 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $274.57, for a total transaction of $2,745,700.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 16,118 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,425,519.26. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Angela L. Kleiman sold 3,780 shares of Essex Property Trust stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $278.27, for a total value of $1,051,860.60. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 9,494 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,641,895.38. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 3.80% of the stock is owned by company insiders.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System grew its stake in shares of Essex Property Trust by 2.6% in the 1st quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System now owns 81,456 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $19,941,000 after purchasing an additional 2,083 shares during the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. grew its position in Essex Property Trust by 11.1% in the 4th quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 49,277 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $12,218,000 after buying an additional 4,943 shares during the last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board increased its stake in Essex Property Trust by 8.7% in the 1st quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 225,045 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $55,093,000 after buying an additional 18,000 shares during the period. Mizuho Markets Americas LLC raised its position in Essex Property Trust by 107.9% during the 1st quarter. Mizuho Markets Americas LLC now owns 43,802 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $10,723,000 after buying an additional 22,736 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Essex Property Trust by 10.5% in the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 62,067 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $15,389,000 after acquiring an additional 5,887 shares during the period. 96.51% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
About Essex Property Trust
(Get Free Report)
Essex Property Trust, Inc, an S&P 500 company, is a fully integrated real estate investment trust (REIT) that acquires, develops, redevelops, and manages multifamily residential properties in selected West Coast markets. Essex currently has ownership interests in 252 apartment communities comprising approximately 62,000 apartment homes with an additional property in active development.
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Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH trimmed its position in shares of RTX Co. (NYSE:RTX Free Report) by 7.9% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 1,808,427 shares of the companys stock after selling 154,596 shares during the period. RTX accounts for 1.2% of Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OHs investment portfolio, making the stock its 21st biggest holding. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OHs holdings in RTX were worth $181,548,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Briaud Financial Planning Inc grew its position in RTX by 64.1% during the 2nd quarter. Briaud Financial Planning Inc now owns 256 shares of the companys stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Lynx Investment Advisory purchased a new position in RTX during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Alaska Permanent Fund Corp purchased a new position in RTX during the 1st quarter worth approximately $42,000. Stephens Consulting LLC grew its position in RTX by 34.1% during the 2nd quarter. Stephens Consulting LLC now owns 448 shares of the companys stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 114 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fairman Group LLC purchased a new position in RTX during the 4th quarter worth approximately $38,000. 86.50% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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RTX Stock Performance
RTX stock traded up $1.07 on Friday, reaching $123.36. 6,370,957 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,146,997. The stock has a market cap of $164.01 billion, a PE ratio of 48.38, a PEG ratio of 2.09 and a beta of 0.82. The company has a current ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. RTX Co. has a twelve month low of $68.56 and a twelve month high of $123.70. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $110.19 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $103.20.
RTX Announces Dividend
RTX ( NYSE:RTX Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The company reported $1.41 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.30 by $0.11. The firm had revenue of $19.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.29 billion. RTX had a net margin of 3.12% and a return on equity of 11.37%. The businesss revenue was up 7.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.29 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that RTX Co. will post 5.45 EPS for the current year.
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 16th will be given a dividend of $0.63 per share. This represents a $2.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.04%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 16th. RTXs dividend payout ratio is currently 98.82%.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several equities analysts have weighed in on RTX shares. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on shares of RTX from $94.00 to $104.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Susquehanna boosted their price target on shares of RTX from $119.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a positive rating in a report on Friday, July 26th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on shares of RTX from $102.00 to $115.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Friday, July 26th. StockNews.com lowered shares of RTX from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday. Finally, TD Cowen lifted their price objective on shares of RTX from $115.00 to $142.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have given a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, RTX has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $153.47.
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Insider Activity
In other news, CEO Christopher T. Calio sold 4,235 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.00, for a total transaction of $482,790.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 88,509 shares of the companys stock, valued at $10,090,026. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, CEO Christopher T. Calio sold 4,235 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.00, for a total value of $482,790.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 88,509 shares of the companys stock, valued at $10,090,026. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Chairman Gregory Hayes sold 134,887 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $117.74, for a total transaction of $15,881,595.38. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman now directly owns 566,723 shares in the company, valued at approximately $66,725,966.02. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 178,333 shares of company stock valued at $20,861,880. Insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.
RTX Company Profile
(Free Report)
RTX Corporation, an aerospace and defense company, provides systems and services for the commercial, military, and government customers in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon. The Collins Aerospace Systems segment offers aerospace and defense products, and aftermarket service solutions for civil and military aircraft manufacturers and commercial airlines, as well as regional, business, and general aviation, defense, and commercial space operations.
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Frederick County Bancorp (MD) (OTCMKTS:FCBI Get Free Report) crossed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $36.00 and traded as low as $36.00. Frederick County Bancorp (MD) shares last traded at $36.00, with a volume of 600 shares changing hands.
Frederick County Bancorp (MD) Stock Performance
The firm has a fifty day moving average of $36.00 and a 200-day moving average of $36.00. The stock has a market capitalization of $57.85 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.35 and a beta of 0.34.
About Frederick County Bancorp (MD)
(Get Free Report)
Frederick County Bancorp, Inc operates as the holding company for Frederick County Bank that provides various banking services to individuals and commercial enterprises in the Frederick County, Maryland. It offers deposit products, including personal checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, individual retirement accounts, and health savings accounts; and business checking accounts, savings and money market accounts, and certificates of deposits.
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August 30, 2024: After the Russians invaded Ukraine in early 2022, the invaders suffered unexpectedly heavy casualties. Then the war continued and is now in its third year. In Russian occupied areas of Ukraine, military-age men were eventually forced to accept Russian citizenship documents and then conscripted into the Russian army. These men were warned that if they refused to join, they would be shot and things would go badly for their families. This caused resistance among the civilians in these areas who were told that the Special Military Operation in Ukraine would be over quickly and the lives of civilians, especially military age men, would not be disturbed. That was all a lie. The war is now in its third year and the civilians in Russia as well as those in Russian occupied territories are angry at Vladimir Putin for the war and the way it was mishandled. Putin promised a short war, but 30 months of combat is definitely not short. Worse, the fighting has been stalemated for over a year. Then, in early August 2024, Ukrainian forces invaded the Kurk region of Russia. The Ukrainians encountered no resistance at first and over a hundred thousand Russian civilians fled. This fighting took place in northern Ukraine while most of the fighting since early 2022 has been in eastern and southern Ukraine.
Ukraine forces suffered few casualties because there were few Russian soldiers, or even police, to oppose them. This Ukrainian incursion was completely unexpected and when Russian forces did arrive, they didnt counterattack but instead got to work building defensive structures like trenches for defending troops and ditches deep enough to prevent tanks or other vehicles from crossing. Apparently the Russians in the Kursk region have no defenses against Ukrainian drones, which closely monitor Russian operations and make attacks on targets that could pose a danger to Ukrainian troops. The Ukrainian drones also began attacks against military targets in the Kursk region ten days before the August 6 Ukrainian advance into Russia.
This Ukrainian attack not only surprised Russians in general but made it clear that most of Russias border with Ukraine was similarly undefended.
While the Ukrainians were invading Russia, fighting along the thousand kilometer-long front line intensified in eastern Ukraine where Russian attacks since May have left over 50,000 Russian soldiers dead or disabled in attacks that gained little or no ground. Russia currently has about 170,000 troops inside Ukraine, most of them in the east where Russian and Ukrainian forces have been confronting each other since 2014. Ukraines military numbers at least 500,000, though that includes many support and supply troops whose Russian equivalents are outside Ukraine. 2014 was when Russia seized the Crimean Peninsula and sought to attack out of the portions of Luhansk and Donetsk provinces in eastern Ukraine. Russia always insisted that the fighting in the east was between separatist citizens of Luhansk and Donetsk who wanted their provinces to become part of Russia. That was always a lie but the Russians continue to support it with propaganda and increasing military aid and Russian soldiers who, initially, pretended to be Ukrainian separatists. The Russian soldiers in eastern Ukraine are no longer pretending to be Ukrainian separatists but the fighting in this area has quieted down in the last year.
The war had been mostly a stalemate for a year prior to the August 6 Ukrainian invasion of Russia. Inside Russia, civilian and military leaders are criticizing Vladimir Putin and his failed effort to conquer Ukraine. The Ukrainian invasion of Russia made Putins failure seem even worse. Putin called the Ukrainian advance into Russia a terrorist act while his invasion of Ukraine was an effort to reincorporate the Ukrainian region into Russia. Putin insists Ukraine is not an independent country but a troublesome part of Russia. Putin blames NATO nations for supporting this illegal Ukrainian separatism.
Ukrainians point out that Ukraine was one of the fourteen new countries to appear when the Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991. Back then, the Russian government went along with the dissolution. The areas that separated from Russia never wanted to be part of Russia and by the late 1980s the Russian government was bankrupt and on the brink of a ruinous civil war. The alternative to that was allowing the regions that did not want to be part of a Russian empire, and put together two hundred years ago and maintained by coercion and force, to become independent. Vladimir Putin, a KGB lieutenant colonel when the Soviet Union broke up, considered this development a disaster that should be rectified. Putin became the leader of Russia in 1999 and has ruled ever since. His tenure as Russian leader is exceeded only by that of Josef Stalin, who ruled Russia from 1924 until his death in 1953. Between the 1950s and the 1980s, Russia was ruled by a series of inept communist leaders whose failures led to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Putin finally revived the Russian government in 1999 but his attempts to reassemble the Soviet Union have come to nothing. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 brought with it economic sanctions by NATO nations that have crippled the Russian economy. NATO aid to the Ukrainian military led to the defeat of the Russian 2022 invasion. Putin blames all his problems on NATO and believes that NATO is trying to weaken and isolate Russia. Putin ignores the fact that it was his aggressive actions that got Russia into so much trouble. With the recent Ukrainian invasion of Russia, many Russians are calling for Putin to resign or be removed and replaced by a ruler who will work for the benefit of Russia. Putins actions have brought only death and misery to Russia. Nearly half a million Russian soldiers have been killed, wounded or missing inside Ukraine since 2022 and now the Ukrainians are invading Russia and the Russian military is having a hard time stopping the invaders.
Putin has lost power and prestige since 2022 and now Russians and Ukrainians both agree that everyone would be better off if Putin were gone.
StockNews.com upgraded shares of Frontline (NYSE:FRO Free Report) to a sell rating in a research report report published on Tuesday.
A number of other brokerages also recently issued reports on FRO. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a buy rating and set a $30.00 price target on shares of Frontline in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. Evercore ISI reduced their price target on Frontline from $33.00 to $32.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, July 23rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Frontline has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $27.58.
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Frontline Price Performance
Shares of NYSE FRO opened at $24.15 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $5.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.44 and a beta of 0.03. The company has a current ratio of 1.75, a quick ratio of 1.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.59. Frontline has a 1-year low of $15.94 and a 1-year high of $29.39. The businesss 50 day moving average is $24.19 and its 200-day moving average is $24.49.
Frontline (NYSE:FRO Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 30th. The shipping company reported $0.62 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.86 by ($0.24). The firm had revenue of $578.40 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $380.73 million. Frontline had a return on equity of 23.14% and a net margin of 32.94%. Frontlines revenue for the quarter was up 16.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.87 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Frontline will post 3.06 earnings per share for the current year.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Frontline
Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. ICA Group Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Frontline in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Frontline during the 2nd quarter valued at $31,000. Summit Securities Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Frontline by 75.0% during the 2nd quarter. Summit Securities Group LLC now owns 1,400 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 600 shares in the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Frontline by 17,866.7% during the 2nd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 2,156 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $56,000 after acquiring an additional 2,144 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Russell Investments Group Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of Frontline by 169.2% during the 4th quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 3,928 shares of the shipping companys stock valued at $79,000 after acquiring an additional 2,469 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 22.70% of the companys stock.
About Frontline
(Get Free Report)
Frontline plc, a shipping company, engages in the seaborne transportation of crude oil and oil products worldwide. It owns and operates oil and product tankers. As of December 31, 2022, the company operated a fleet of 70 vessels. It is also involved in the charter, purchase, and sale of vessels. The company was founded in 1985 and is based in Limassol, Cyprus.
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Global Financial Private Client LLC grew its stake in The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA Free Report) by 59.8% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,902 shares of the aircraft producers stock after acquiring an additional 1,460 shares during the period. Global Financial Private Client LLCs holdings in Boeing were worth $710,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
A number of other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Argent Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Boeing by 3.9% in the second quarter. Argent Advisors Inc. now owns 4,538 shares of the aircraft producers stock valued at $826,000 after purchasing an additional 171 shares in the last quarter. Emprise Bank increased its stake in shares of Boeing by 12.6% in the 2nd quarter. Emprise Bank now owns 1,793 shares of the aircraft producers stock valued at $326,000 after buying an additional 200 shares during the period. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. raised its position in shares of Boeing by 1.3% during the second quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 14,536 shares of the aircraft producers stock worth $2,646,000 after acquiring an additional 185 shares during the last quarter. Washington Trust Bank lifted its stake in shares of Boeing by 8.9% during the second quarter. Washington Trust Bank now owns 63,521 shares of the aircraft producers stock valued at $11,561,000 after acquiring an additional 5,189 shares during the period. Finally, Crewe Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Boeing by 2.5% in the second quarter. Crewe Advisors LLC now owns 3,978 shares of the aircraft producers stock valued at $724,000 after acquiring an additional 96 shares during the last quarter. 64.82% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
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Boeing Stock Performance
Boeing stock traded up $1.59 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $173.85. The stock had a trading volume of 4,144,066 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,852,250. The stock has a market capitalization of $106.72 billion, a P/E ratio of -48.97 and a beta of 1.56. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $178.18 and its 200-day simple moving average is $182.46. The Boeing Company has a 1-year low of $159.70 and a 1-year high of $267.54.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Boeing ( NYSE:BA Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 31st. The aircraft producer reported ($2.90) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($1.00) by ($1.90). The firm had revenue of $16.87 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $17.35 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned ($0.82) EPS. The firms revenue was down 14.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that The Boeing Company will post -2.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Several analysts have weighed in on BA shares. UBS Group dropped their price objective on Boeing from $250.00 to $240.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Friday, June 7th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a buy rating and issued a $225.00 price objective on shares of Boeing in a report on Tuesday, June 25th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on shares of Boeing from $190.00 to $185.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Susquehanna reissued a positive rating and issued a $230.00 price target on shares of Boeing in a research note on Wednesday, August 14th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein decreased their price objective on Boeing from $222.00 to $207.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research note on Monday, August 5th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $215.18.
View Our Latest Research Report on Boeing
Boeing Company Profile
(Free Report)
The Boeing Company, together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, sells, services, and supports commercial jetliners, military aircraft, satellites, missile defense, human space flight and launch systems, and services worldwide. The company operates through Commercial Airplanes; Defense, Space & Security; and Global Services segments.
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Schrum Private Wealth Management LLC trimmed its stake in shares of Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:GSLC Free Report) by 1.8% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,559 shares of the companys stock after selling 120 shares during the quarter. Schrum Private Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF were worth $702,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the business. Kings Path Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $12,939,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $143,000. Morris Financial Concepts Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF by 2.2% in the 2nd quarter. Morris Financial Concepts Inc. now owns 5,138 shares of the companys stock worth $550,000 after purchasing an additional 112 shares in the last quarter. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC raised its holdings in shares of Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF by 44.6% in the 2nd quarter. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC now owns 6,170 shares of the companys stock worth $660,000 after purchasing an additional 1,902 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF by 354.1% in the 2nd quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. now owns 495 shares of the companys stock worth $53,000 after purchasing an additional 386 shares in the last quarter.
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Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF Stock Up 0.9 %
Shares of Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF stock traded up $1.00 during trading on Friday, hitting $110.96. The stock had a trading volume of 114,235 shares, compared to its average volume of 271,948. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $107.82 and a 200 day simple moving average of $104.25. The company has a market capitalization of $12.83 billion, a PE ratio of 22.89 and a beta of 0.98. Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF has a 1 year low of $80.74 and a 1 year high of $111.03.
About Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF
The Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF (GSLC) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in large cap equity. The fund tracks an index of US large-cap stocks comprising 4 sub-indexes: value, momentum, quality, and low volatility. The index uses multiple factors to pick stocks, and each sub-index receives equal weight.
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Bank of America upgraded shares of Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico (NYSE:PAC Free Report) from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research note published on Wednesday morning, Marketbeat Ratings reports.
Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico Price Performance
Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico stock opened at $177.68 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $8.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 1.46. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $160.21 and a 200-day simple moving average of $164.11. Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico has a 12-month low of $107.25 and a 12-month high of $197.31. The company has a current ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.56.
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Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico (NYSE:PAC Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, July 22nd. The transportation company reported $2.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.01 by ($0.46). The firm had revenue of $421.54 million for the quarter. Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico had a return on equity of 47.50% and a net margin of 29.26%. Equities analysts expect that Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico will post 9.81 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico Increases Dividend
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico
The company also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 2nd. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 22nd were given a dividend of $3.8657 per share. This is a boost from Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacificos previous semi-annual dividend of $2.09. This represents a dividend yield of 4.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, July 22nd. Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacificos payout ratio is 33.75%.
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Creative Planning acquired a new stake in Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico during the 2nd quarter worth $348,000. Mackenzie Financial Corp raised its stake in Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico by 5.6% during the 2nd quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 70,614 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $11,000,000 after acquiring an additional 3,754 shares in the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP raised its stake in Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico by 9.7% during the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 15,787 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $2,459,000 after acquiring an additional 1,391 shares in the last quarter. 1832 Asset Management L.P. acquired a new stake in Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico during the 2nd quarter worth $13,976,000. Finally, Sei Investments Co. raised its stake in Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico by 7.4% during the 2nd quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 13,373 shares of the transportation companys stock worth $2,083,000 after acquiring an additional 927 shares in the last quarter. 11.73% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico, SAB. de C.V., together with its subsidiaries, holds concessions to develop, operate, and manage airports in Mexico and Jamaica. The company operates twelve international airports in Guadalajara and Tijuana areas, Mexico; and two international airports in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
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Hantz Financial Services Inc. bought a new position in W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 4,749 shares of the industrial products companys stock, valued at approximately $4,284,000.
Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Bfsg LLC bought a new position in shares of W.W. Grainger during the 1st quarter worth $26,000. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in W.W. Grainger by 170.0% during the 1st quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 27 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 17 shares during the period. Scarborough Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of W.W. Grainger in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Washington Trust Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of W.W. Grainger by 225.0% during the first quarter. Washington Trust Advisors Inc. now owns 39 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $39,000 after purchasing an additional 27 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new position in W.W. Grainger during the first quarter valued at approximately $41,000. 80.70% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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W.W. Grainger Stock Up 1.7 %
W.W. Grainger stock opened at $984.92 on Friday. W.W. Grainger, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $674.41 and a fifty-two week high of $1,034.18. The company has a market cap of $48.33 billion, a PE ratio of 27.19, a PEG ratio of 1.85 and a beta of 1.17. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50, a quick ratio of 1.33 and a current ratio of 2.30. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $947.00 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $953.16.
W.W. Grainger Dividend Announcement
W.W. Grainger ( NYSE:GWW Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The industrial products company reported $9.76 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $9.58 by $0.18. W.W. Grainger had a net margin of 10.86% and a return on equity of 53.25%. The company had revenue of $4.31 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.35 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $9.28 EPS. W.W. Graingers quarterly revenue was up 3.1% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that W.W. Grainger, Inc. will post 39.1 EPS for the current year.
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 12th will be given a dividend of $2.05 per share. This represents a $8.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.83%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 12th. W.W. Graingers dividend payout ratio is currently 22.64%.
Insider Transactions at W.W. Grainger
In related news, SVP Matt Fortin sold 511 shares of W.W. Grainger stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $915.20, for a total transaction of $467,667.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 1,848 shares in the company, valued at $1,691,289.60. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 9.50% of the companys stock.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
A number of research firms have weighed in on GWW. Robert W. Baird lowered W.W. Grainger from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and lowered their target price for the stock from $1,000.00 to $975.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 29th. Erste Group Bank reaffirmed a hold rating on shares of W.W. Grainger in a research report on Friday, June 14th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of W.W. Grainger from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, May 29th. Baird R W cut shares of W.W. Grainger from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, May 29th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of W.W. Grainger from $1,000.00 to $1,015.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, W.W. Grainger presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $1,017.13.
Read Our Latest Analysis on W.W. Grainger
About W.W. Grainger
(Free Report)
W.W. Grainger, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, distributes maintenance, repair, and operating products and services primarily in North America, Japan, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company operates through two segments, High-Touch Solutions N.A. and Endless Assortment. The company provides safety, security, material handling and storage equipment, pumps and plumbing equipment, cleaning and maintenance, and metalworking and hand tools.
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iA Global Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ Free Report) by 89.9% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 251,415 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 119,054 shares during the quarter. iA Global Asset Management Inc.s holdings in Johnson & Johnson were worth $36,747,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.
Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Innealta Capital LLC bought a new stake in Johnson & Johnson during the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. Christopher J. Hasenberg Inc bought a new stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson during the first quarter valued at approximately $31,000. MFA Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson in the second quarter valued at approximately $43,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC bought a new position in Johnson & Johnson in the 4th quarter worth approximately $44,000. Finally, Grayhawk Investment Strategies Inc. lifted its holdings in Johnson & Johnson by 528.6% during the 4th quarter. Grayhawk Investment Strategies Inc. now owns 308 shares of the companys stock worth $48,000 after buying an additional 259 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 69.55% of the companys stock.
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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of research firms have recently weighed in on JNJ. Sanford C. Bernstein boosted their target price on Johnson & Johnson from $161.00 to $171.00 in a research report on Thursday, July 18th. StockNews.com raised Johnson & Johnson from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Friday, August 16th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $167.00 to $169.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday, July 18th. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $175.00 price objective on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. Finally, TD Cowen lowered their target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $195.00 to $185.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 18th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $173.21.
Johnson & Johnson Trading Up 1.0 %
JNJ stock traded up $1.63 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $165.86. 7,441,042 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,271,470. Johnson & Johnson has a one year low of $143.13 and a one year high of $165.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 1.07. The company has a market cap of $399.17 billion, a PE ratio of 10.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 0.52. The stocks fifty day moving average price is $155.34 and its 200-day moving average price is $153.45.
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 17th. The company reported $2.82 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.71 by $0.11. The business had revenue of $22.45 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $22.33 billion. Johnson & Johnson had a return on equity of 36.60% and a net margin of 46.34%. Johnson & Johnsons revenue for the quarter was up 4.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.80 EPS. Research analysts predict that Johnson & Johnson will post 10.07 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Johnson & Johnson Dividend Announcement
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Investors of record on Tuesday, August 27th will be given a $1.24 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, August 27th. This represents a $4.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.99%. Johnson & Johnsons dividend payout ratio is currently 30.92%.
About Johnson & Johnson
(Free Report)
Johnson & Johnson, together with its subsidiaries, researches, develops, manufactures, and sells various products in the healthcare field worldwide. The company's Innovative Medicine segment offers products for various therapeutic areas, such as immunology, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and psoriasis; infectious diseases comprising HIV/AIDS; neuroscience, consisting of mood disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, and schizophrenia; oncology, such as prostate cancer, hematologic malignancies, lung cancer, and bladder cancer; cardiovascular and metabolism, including thrombosis, diabetes, and macular degeneration; and pulmonary hypertension comprising pulmonary arterial hypertension through retailers, wholesalers, distributors, hospitals, and healthcare professionals for prescription use.
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Intact Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in KeyCorp (NYSE:KEY Free Report) by 2.3% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 284,650 shares of the financial services providers stock after buying an additional 6,450 shares during the period. Intact Investment Management Inc.s holdings in KeyCorp were worth $4,045,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Pathway Financial Advisers LLC purchased a new position in KeyCorp in the first quarter worth $25,000. First United Bank & Trust purchased a new position in KeyCorp during the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Crewe Advisors LLC acquired a new position in KeyCorp during the 1st quarter valued at about $32,000. Quarry LP acquired a new position in KeyCorp during the 4th quarter valued at about $38,000. Finally, Fidelis Capital Partners LLC purchased a new stake in KeyCorp in the first quarter valued at about $39,000. Institutional investors own 79.69% of the companys stock.
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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Several research firms have recently issued reports on KEY. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on shares of KeyCorp from $18.00 to $19.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, August 19th. Citigroup upped their price target on shares of KeyCorp from $18.00 to $19.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 13th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $17.00 price objective on shares of KeyCorp in a research note on Tuesday, August 13th. Wedbush boosted their price objective on shares of KeyCorp from $16.00 to $17.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, August 13th. Finally, UBS Group lowered KeyCorp from a buy rating to a neutral rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $16.00 to $15.00 in a research note on Monday, July 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $16.65.
Insider Buying and Selling at KeyCorp
In other news, Director Carlton L. Highsmith sold 10,000 shares of KeyCorp stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.21, for a total value of $162,100.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 46,864 shares of the companys stock, valued at $759,665.44. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.61% of the companys stock.
KeyCorp Stock Performance
NYSE KEY traded up $0.18 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $17.06. 12,129,062 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 15,029,072. The company has a market capitalization of $16.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.59, a P/E/G ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 1.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 0.85. The businesss 50 day moving average is $15.39 and its 200-day moving average is $14.86. KeyCorp has a 1 year low of $9.50 and a 1 year high of $17.20.
KeyCorp (NYSE:KEY Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 18th. The financial services provider reported $0.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.24 by $0.01. KeyCorp had a net margin of 7.35% and a return on equity of 8.64%. The business had revenue of $1.53 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.52 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.27 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 4.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts forecast that KeyCorp will post 1.09 EPS for the current fiscal year.
KeyCorp Announces Dividend
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 13th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, August 27th will be paid a dividend of $0.205 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, August 27th. This represents a $0.82 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.81%. KeyCorps dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 103.80%.
KeyCorp Profile
(Free Report)
KeyCorp operates as the holding company for KeyBank National Association that provides various retail and commercial banking products and services in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer Bank and Commercial Bank. The company offers various deposits, investment products and services; commercial leasing, investment management, consumer finance; and personal finance and financial wellness, student loan refinancing, mortgage and home equity, lending, credit card, treasury, business advisory, wealth management, asset management, cash management, portfolio management, and trust and related services to individuals and small and medium-sized businesses.
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Jaffetilchin Investment Partners LLC lowered its holdings in shares of Shopify Inc. (NYSE:SHOP Free Report) (TSE:SHOP) by 1.5% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 63,285 shares of the software makers stock after selling 984 shares during the quarter. Jaffetilchin Investment Partners LLCs holdings in Shopify were worth $4,180,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Benedict Financial Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Shopify by 85.5% during the second quarter. Benedict Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 8,316 shares of the software makers stock worth $549,000 after buying an additional 3,833 shares in the last quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System grew its holdings in shares of Shopify by 105.6% during the second quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 125,135 shares of the software makers stock worth $8,271,000 after buying an additional 64,269 shares in the last quarter. Bryn Mawr Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Shopify during the second quarter worth about $654,000. Hantz Financial Services Inc. bought a new position in shares of Shopify during the second quarter worth about $17,248,000. Finally, Moloney Securities Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Shopify by 2.5% during the second quarter. Moloney Securities Asset Management LLC now owns 42,670 shares of the software makers stock worth $2,818,000 after buying an additional 1,025 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 69.27% of the companys stock.
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Analyst Ratings Changes
SHOP has been the subject of a number of research reports. Wedbush reiterated a neutral rating and set a $72.00 price objective (up from $68.00) on shares of Shopify in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. Barclays increased their price objective on Shopify from $63.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Atb Cap Markets upgraded Shopify from a sector perform rating to an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 8th. Needham & Company LLC restated a hold rating on shares of Shopify in a research note on Thursday, May 9th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $85.00 price target on shares of Shopify in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have assigned a hold rating, twenty-three have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned 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 $77.30.
Shopify Price Performance
Shares of SHOP traded up $0.80 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $74.07. The companys stock had a trading volume of 3,019,334 shares, compared to its average volume of 10,078,813. Shopify Inc. has a one year low of $45.50 and a one year high of $91.57. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $66.47 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $68.99. The company has a quick ratio of 7.32, a current ratio of 7.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10. The stock has a market capitalization of $95.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -435.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.50 and a beta of 2.30.
Shopify (NYSE:SHOP Get Free Report) (TSE:SHOP) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The software maker reported $0.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.20 by $0.06. Shopify had a return on equity of 10.88% and a net margin of 16.40%. The company had revenue of $2.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.01 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted ($0.08) EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 20.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts expect that Shopify Inc. will post 0.76 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Shopify Company Profile
(Free Report)
Shopify Inc, a commerce company, provides a commerce platform and services in Canada, the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, Australia, China, and Latin America. The company's platform enables merchants to displays, manages, markets, and sells its products through various sales channels, including web and mobile storefronts, physical retail locations, pop-up shops, social media storefronts, native mobile apps, buy buttons, and marketplaces; and enables to manage products and inventory, process orders and payments, fulfill and ship orders, new buyers and build customer relationships, source products, leverage analytics and reporting, manage cash, payments and transactions, and access financing.
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Jaffetilchin Investment Partners LLC lessened its stake in Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (NYSE:ADM Free Report) by 45.3% during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,309 shares of the companys stock after selling 2,743 shares during the period. Jaffetilchin Investment Partners LLCs holdings in Archer-Daniels-Midland were worth $200,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. International Assets Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland by 4,646.1% in the 4th quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 198,816 shares of the companys stock worth $143,580,000 after purchasing an additional 194,627 shares during the period. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC grew its holdings in Archer-Daniels-Midland by 2.7% during the 4th quarter. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC now owns 17,850 shares of the companys stock worth $1,289,000 after acquiring an additional 464 shares during the period. Certuity LLC bought a new position in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland in the 4th quarter worth about $208,000. Victory Capital Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland by 50.3% in the 4th quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 414,643 shares of the companys stock valued at $29,946,000 after purchasing an additional 138,806 shares during the period. Finally, Essex Financial Services Inc. boosted its position in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland by 27.3% during the 4th quarter. Essex Financial Services Inc. now owns 13,645 shares of the companys stock valued at $985,000 after purchasing an additional 2,928 shares in the last quarter. 78.28% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
ADM has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Citigroup lowered their target price on Archer-Daniels-Midland from $64.00 to $63.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Monday, July 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland from $65.00 to $66.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and fifteen have given a hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $64.62.
Archer-Daniels-Midland Stock Up 0.2 %
ADM stock traded up $0.15 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $60.99. 3,369,054 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,677,056. The stock has a market cap of $30.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.70 and a beta of 0.74. Archer-Daniels-Midland Company has a fifty-two week low of $50.72 and a fifty-two week high of $81.70. The firms 50 day moving average price is $61.31 and its 200 day moving average price is $60.20. The company has a quick ratio of 0.88, a current ratio of 1.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37.
Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE:ADM Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The company reported $1.03 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.22 by ($0.19). The company had revenue of $22.25 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $23.12 billion. Archer-Daniels-Midland had a net margin of 2.93% and a return on equity of 12.06%. The companys quarterly revenue was down 11.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.89 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Archer-Daniels-Midland Company will post 5.41 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Archer-Daniels-Midland Dividend Announcement
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, September 11th. Investors of record on Wednesday, August 21st will be issued a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.28%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 21st. Archer-Daniels-Midlands dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 35.09%.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In related news, CEO Juan R. Luciano sold 3,683 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $61.00, for a total transaction of $224,663.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 265,210 shares of the companys stock, valued at $16,177,810. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 1.20% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Archer-Daniels-Midland Profile
(Free Report)
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company engages in the procurement, transportation, storage, processing, and merchandising of agricultural commodities, ingredients, flavors, and solutions in the United States, Switzerland, the Cayman Islands, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It operates in three segments: Ag Services and Oilseeds, Carbohydrate Solutions, and Nutrition.
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JPMorgan Japan Small Cap Growth & Income plc (JPS.L) (LON:JPS Get Free Report) shares crossed below its 50 day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 50 day moving average of GBX 561 ($7.40) and traded as low as GBX 557.60 ($7.35). JPMorgan Japan Small Cap Growth & Income plc (JPS.L) shares last traded at GBX 561 ($7.40), with a volume of 104,535 shares.
JPMorgan Japan Small Cap Growth & Income plc (JPS.L) Price Performance
The company has a current ratio of 11.53, a quick ratio of 11.53 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 13.65. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is GBX 561 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is GBX 561. The firm has a market cap of 305.80 million and a price-to-earnings ratio of -48.36.
JPMorgan Japan Small Cap Growth & Income plc (JPS.L) Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
JPMorgan Japan Smaller Companies Trust plc is an open-ended equity mutual fund launched by JPMorgan Funds Limited. The fund is co-managed by JPMorgan Asset Management (UK) Limited and JPMorgan Asset Management (Japan) Limited. It invests in the public equity markets of Japan. The fund seeks to invest in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors.
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August 31, 2024: Back in mid-2023, NATO members agreed to work with Ukraine to achieve defensive capabilities that can deter future Russian aggression once the current war with Russia is over. In early August 2024, Ukraine sent several thousand troops and hundreds of vehicles into Russia. This incursion into the Kursk region, which borders northern Ukraine, was meant to demonstrate, especially to the Russian people, how weak the Russian military had become.
The Russian military was very slow in reacting and after eleven days, the Ukrainians managed to seize 1,150 square kilometers of Russian territory with 82 towns and villages. This included the town of Sudzha. Russian leaders promise to halt the Ukrainian offensive and push them out, but that has not happened yet and may never happen. Russia is losing the war that it started in early 2022 by invading Ukraine. Captured documents revealed that the Russian government believed that victory would be quick because the Ukrainians lacked the will to resist. That turned out to be a major mistake. The Ukrainians not only fought back but largely destroyed the Russian force that was heading for Kiev, the Ukrainian capital. Russia withdrew the remnants of that force and sent them to eastern Ukraine where Russian and Ukrainian forces had been facing and skirmishing with each other since 2014.
Currently Russia has another major offensive underway in eastern Ukraine and it is not making much progress. The Ukrainians have become very good at defeating these offensives and doing so in a way that gets a lot of Russian attackers killed or disabled. Typically the Russian attackers suffer three to four times as many casualties as the Ukrainian defenders. Since early 2022, Russian forces have suffered nearly half a million soldiers killed, wounded or missing. A growing number of Russian troops are surrendering to the Ukrainian forces. Morale among Russian troops is low and getting worse while the Ukrainians have lost far fewer troops since 2022, and many Ukrainian soldiers have been in action for over two years and are far more experienced and better trained than their Russian counterparts. Captured Russian soldiers are surprised at how well off the Ukrainian troops are and how well they treat the Russian prisoners. The Ukrainians observe the Geneva Convention rules for the treatment of prisoners, including allowing prisoners to let their families know they are safe and well. Russia tries to prevent Ukraine from notifying families of prisoners, but in the age of widespread internet use, its impossible to block all of those messages.
Over two years of this have demoralized Russian military age men to the point where Russia cannot recruit many Russians to serve in Ukraine. Increasingly, Russia is trying to hire foreign mercenaries, or pay very high cash bonuses to reluctant Russians to fight in Ukraine. Neither is working. The sustained support Ukraine has provided for its forces is in sharp contrast to the dearth of support for Russian troops.
International economic sanctions imposed on Russia after the invasion have gradually reduced the support the Russian economy could provide for the war effort. That support is now reduced to a trickle while NATO support for Ukraine never faltered. The current Ukrainian incursion into Russia convinced doubters that Russia was no longer able to fight effectively. Inside Russia, business and political leaders are openly and privately calling on their President Vladimir Putin to get out of Ukraine and get the Russian economy free of the crippling sanctions. The pressure on Putin is now very visible but he still refuses to quit. That has led to more rumors from inside Russia that Putins political, economic and military advisers are urging their president to back down before the situation inside Russia gets out of control.
Key Financial Inc raised its position in ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP Free Report) by 21.6% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 564 shares of the energy producers stock after buying an additional 100 shares during the quarter. Key Financial Incs holdings in ConocoPhillips were worth $65,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of COP. Sachetta LLC purchased a new stake in shares of ConocoPhillips in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Cooksen Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of ConocoPhillips in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Cape Investment Advisory Inc. increased its position in shares of ConocoPhillips by 96.0% in the 4th quarter. Cape Investment Advisory Inc. now owns 247 shares of the energy producers stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 121 shares during the last quarter. Stephens Consulting LLC increased its position in shares of ConocoPhillips by 69.3% in the 2nd quarter. Stephens Consulting LLC now owns 254 shares of the energy producers stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 104 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Richardson Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of ConocoPhillips in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $31,000. 82.36% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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ConocoPhillips Stock Performance
Shares of NYSE COP opened at $113.79 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $133.08 billion, a PE ratio of 12.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 1.24. ConocoPhillips has a 12 month low of $102.27 and a 12 month high of $135.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a current ratio of 1.33 and a quick ratio of 1.19. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $111.68 and a 200-day simple moving average of $116.97.
ConocoPhillips Cuts Dividend
ConocoPhillips ( NYSE:COP Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The energy producer reported $1.98 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.96 by $0.02. The business had revenue of $14.14 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.96 billion. ConocoPhillips had a net margin of 18.18% and a return on equity of 20.81%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 9.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.84 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts anticipate that ConocoPhillips will post 8.64 earnings per share for the current year.
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 12th will be issued a dividend of $0.58 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 12th. This represents a $2.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.04%. ConocoPhillipss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 26.27%.
Insider Transactions at ConocoPhillips
In related news, Director Timothy A. Leach sold 55,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $108.11, for a total value of $6,000,105.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 455,909 shares of the companys stock, valued at $49,288,321.99. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.34% of the companys stock.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of equities research analysts have commented on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on shares of ConocoPhillips from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 15th. Argus upgraded shares of ConocoPhillips to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, June 7th. Raymond James restated a strong-buy rating and issued a $159.00 target price (up previously from $155.00) on shares of ConocoPhillips in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. Bank of America restated a buy rating and issued a $147.00 target price on shares of ConocoPhillips in a research note on Friday, June 14th. Finally, Wolfe Research began coverage on shares of ConocoPhillips in a research note on Thursday, July 18th. They issued an outperform rating and a $145.00 target price for the company. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $143.65.
View Our Latest Research Report on COP
ConocoPhillips Company Profile
(Free Report)
ConocoPhillips explores for, produces, transports, and markets crude oil, bitumen, natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and natural gas liquids in the United States, Canada, China, Libya, Malaysia, Norway, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company's portfolio includes unconventional plays in North America; conventional assets in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia; global LNG developments; oil sands assets in Canada; and an inventory of global exploration prospects.
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Kingfisher plc (LON:KGF Get Free Report)s share price crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of GBX 252.43 ($3.33) and traded as high as GBX 286 ($3.77). Kingfisher shares last traded at GBX 283 ($3.73), with a volume of 3,257,289 shares traded.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Kingfisher to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from GBX 245 ($3.23) to GBX 310 ($4.09) in a research report on Tuesday, July 9th. Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a hold rating and set a GBX 250 ($3.30) price objective on shares of Kingfisher in a research report on Friday, July 12th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed an underweight rating on shares of Kingfisher in a research report on Friday, July 12th.
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Kingfisher Price Performance
About Kingfisher
The companys 50 day moving average is GBX 269.14 and its 200 day moving average is GBX 252.89. The company has a current ratio of 1.29, a quick ratio of 0.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 37.49. The stock has a market capitalization of 5.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1,578.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.18 and a beta of 0.98.
(Get Free Report)
Kingfisher plc, together with its subsidiaries, supplies home improvement products and services primarily in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, and internationally. It also operates retail stores under the B&Q, Castorama, Brico Depot, Screwfix, TradePoint, and Koctas brands. The company sells its products through stores and e-commerce channels.
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Maryland State Retirement & Pension System cut its holdings in B2Gold Corp. (NYSE:BTG Free Report) by 26.4% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 642,968 shares of the companys stock after selling 230,779 shares during the period. Maryland State Retirement & Pension Systems holdings in B2Gold were worth $1,725,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of BTG. Raymond James Trust N.A. increased its stake in shares of B2Gold by 69.3% in the second quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 22,615 shares of the companys stock worth $61,000 after buying an additional 9,258 shares during the period. Continuum Advisory LLC bought a new position in B2Gold during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $40,000. Baader Bank Aktiengesellschaft bought a new position in shares of B2Gold during the second quarter valued at approximately $42,000. KG&L Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in B2Gold by 9.6% in the second quarter. KG&L Capital Management LLC now owns 207,500 shares of the companys stock valued at $560,000 after acquiring an additional 18,200 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank increased its position in B2Gold by 7.7% during the 2nd quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 308,605 shares of the companys stock valued at $828,000 after purchasing an additional 22,028 shares during the period. 61.40% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the stock. CIBC boosted their price target on shares of B2Gold from $3.40 to $3.50 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. Cibc World Mkts upgraded B2Gold from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 14th. Scotiabank cut B2Gold from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, August 9th. StockNews.com upgraded B2Gold from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Saturday, August 17th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on shares of B2Gold from $3.50 to $4.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, July 12th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, two have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $3.75.
B2Gold Trading Down 1.1 %
B2Gold stock traded down $0.03 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $2.80. The company had a trading volume of 8,401,878 shares, compared to its average volume of 11,450,552. B2Gold Corp. has a 12 month low of $2.34 and a 12 month high of $3.46. The company has a quick ratio of 1.97, a current ratio of 2.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $2.82. The company has a market capitalization of $3.66 billion, a P/E ratio of -93.50, a PEG ratio of 0.42 and a beta of 1.12.
B2Gold Dividend Announcement
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 23rd. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 10th will be issued a $0.04 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 10th. This represents a $0.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.71%. B2Golds dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -533.33%.
B2Gold Profile
(Free Report)
B2Gold Corp. operates as a gold producer company. It operates the Fekola Mine in Mali, the Masbate Mine in the Philippines, and the Otjikoto Mine in Namibia. The company also has an 100% interest in the Gramalote gold project in Colombia; 24% interest in the Calibre Mining Corp.; and approximately 19% interest in BeMetals Corp.
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Mezzasalma Advisors LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of American Express (NYSE:AXP) by 46.8% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 966 shares of the payment services companys stock after selling 849 shares during the period. Mezzasalma Advisors LLCs holdings in American Express were worth $224,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Sawgrass Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of American Express by 0.4% in the second quarter. Sawgrass Asset Management LLC now owns 10,384 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $2,404,000 after purchasing an additional 41 shares in the last quarter. Spire Wealth Management boosted its stake in shares of American Express by 1.0% during the 1st quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 4,315 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $983,000 after buying an additional 42 shares during the period. Ignite Planners LLC grew its holdings in shares of American Express by 0.9% during the 2nd quarter. Ignite Planners LLC now owns 4,682 shares of the payment services companys stock valued at $1,103,000 after acquiring an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. Willner & Heller LLC increased its stake in shares of American Express by 4.1% in the second quarter. Willner & Heller LLC now owns 1,087 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $252,000 after acquiring an additional 43 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Beacon Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of American Express by 18.9% during the second quarter. Beacon Capital Management LLC now owns 271 shares of the payment services companys stock worth $63,000 after acquiring an additional 43 shares in the last quarter. 84.33% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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American Express Stock Performance
NYSE AXP traded down $1.19 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $258.65. The company had a trading volume of 3,442,125 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,963,967. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $241.85 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $232.27. The stock has a market cap of $186.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.31, a P/E/G ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 1.21. The company has a quick ratio of 1.66, a current ratio of 1.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.74. American Express has a fifty-two week low of $140.91 and a fifty-two week high of $261.75.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
American Express ( NYSE:AXP Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Friday, July 19th. The payment services company reported $3.49 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.26 by $0.23. The business 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 revenue for the quarter was up 9.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.89 earnings per share. Equities analysts forecast that American Express will post 13.24 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
A number of brokerages have commented on AXP. William Blair restated an outperform rating on shares of American Express in a research note on Monday, June 3rd. Bank of America downgraded American Express from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $263.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Wednesday, August 21st. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods lifted their target price on shares of American Express from $265.00 to $280.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, July 8th. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price 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, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of American Express from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, July 9th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have given a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, American Express currently has an average rating of Hold and an average 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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Shares of OGE Energy Corp. (NYSE:OGE Get Free Report) have been assigned a consensus rating of Hold from the six brokerages that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating. The average twelve-month price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $35.33.
Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Argus downgraded OGE Energy from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, May 23rd. Evercore ISI increased their target price on OGE Energy from $36.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. Finally, Barclays boosted their target price on shares of OGE Energy from $36.00 to $39.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Monday, August 12th.
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Institutional Investors Weigh In On OGE Energy
OGE Energy Trading Up 0.5 %
Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Donoghue Forlines LLC bought a new position in shares of OGE Energy during the 1st quarter worth $656,000. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new position in OGE Energy during the 2nd quarter worth about $619,000. SG Americas Securities LLC increased its position in OGE Energy by 2,815.6% during the 1st quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 121,115 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $4,154,000 after purchasing an additional 116,961 shares during the period. TD Asset Management Inc bought a new stake in shares of OGE Energy in the 4th quarter valued at about $1,965,000. Finally, Wedge Capital Management L L P NC raised its holdings in shares of OGE Energy by 6.2% in the 2nd quarter. Wedge Capital Management L L P NC now owns 391,027 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $13,960,000 after purchasing an additional 22,899 shares in the last quarter. 71.84% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Shares of OGE opened at $39.57 on Friday. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $37.77 and its 200-day simple moving average is $35.64. The company has a market cap of $7.94 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.09, a P/E/G ratio of 3.68 and a beta of 0.74. The company has a current ratio of 0.71, a quick ratio of 0.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.08. OGE Energy has a twelve month low of $31.25 and a twelve month high of $40.36.
OGE Energy (NYSE:OGE Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The utilities provider reported $0.51 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $662.60 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $837.51 million. OGE Energy had a net margin of 14.83% and a return on equity of 9.15%. The firms revenue was up 9.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.44 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that OGE Energy will post 2.13 EPS for the current year.
OGE Energy Company Profile
(Get Free Report
OGE Energy Corp., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy services provider in the United States. The company generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric energy. In addition, it provides retail electric service to approximately 896,000 customers, which covers a service area of approximately 30,000 square miles in Oklahoma and western Arkansas; and owns and operates coal-fired, natural gas-fired, wind-powered, and solar-powered generating assets.
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Outfitter Financial LLC increased its position in shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD Free Report) by 2.4% during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 20,470 shares of the consumer goods makers stock after acquiring an additional 470 shares during the quarter. Outfitter Financial LLCs holdings in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV were worth $1,190,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other large investors have also made changes to their positions in BUD. Westside Investment Management Inc. grew its position in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 15.1% during the second quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,381 shares of the consumer goods makers stock valued at $80,000 after purchasing an additional 181 shares in the last quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC grew its position in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 50.7% during the second quarter. GPS Wealth Strategies Group LLC now owns 550 shares of the consumer goods makers stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 185 shares in the last quarter. Lake Street Advisors Group LLC grew its position in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 1.8% during the first quarter. Lake Street Advisors Group LLC now owns 10,268 shares of the consumer goods makers stock valued at $624,000 after purchasing an additional 186 shares in the last quarter. CHICAGO TRUST Co NA grew its position in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 1.9% in the first quarter. CHICAGO TRUST Co NA now owns 10,579 shares of the consumer goods makers stock worth $643,000 after acquiring an additional 196 shares in the last quarter. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC grew its position in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV by 20.6% in the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 1,151 shares of the consumer goods makers stock worth $67,000 after acquiring an additional 197 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 5.53% of the companys stock.
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Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several analysts have commented on BUD shares. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV from $70.00 to $68.50 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, July 2nd. UBS Group raised shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report on Monday, June 24th. Three research 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, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $72.13.
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV Stock Performance
Shares of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV stock traded down $0.08 on Friday, reaching $61.44. The stock had a trading volume of 702,439 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,719,976. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $60.51 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $61.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.80, a quick ratio of 0.48 and a current ratio of 0.63. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV has a fifty-two week low of $51.66 and a fifty-two week high of $67.49. The stock has a market cap of $110.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.82, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.10.
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE:BUD Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The consumer goods maker reported $0.90 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.84 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $15.33 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $15.21 billion. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV had a net margin of 9.89% and a return on equity of 21.74%. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.72 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV will post 3.35 EPS for the current year.
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV Company Profile
(Free Report)
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV produces, distributes, exports, markets, and sells beer and beverages. It offers a portfolio of approximately 500 beer brands, which primarily include Budweiser, Corona, and Stella Artois; Beck's, Hoegaarden, Leffe, and Michelob Ultra; and Aguila, Antarctica, Bud Light, Brahma, Cass, Castle, Castle Lite, Cristal, Harbin, Jupiler, Modelo Especial, Quilmes, Victoria, Sedrin, and Skol brands.
Further Reading
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Pine Valley Investments Ltd Liability Co lowered its stake in shares of L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX Free Report) by 7.3% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,762 shares of the companys stock after selling 139 shares during the period. Pine Valley Investments Ltd Liability Cos holdings in L3Harris Technologies were worth $396,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Bfsg LLC purchased a new position in shares of L3Harris Technologies in the 1st quarter worth $25,000. Transcendent Capital Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of L3Harris Technologies in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. EntryPoint Capital LLC grew its holdings in shares of L3Harris Technologies by 70.4% during the 1st quarter. EntryPoint Capital LLC now owns 167 shares of the companys stock worth $36,000 after purchasing an additional 69 shares during the period. Versant Capital Management Inc grew its holdings in shares of L3Harris Technologies by 77.7% during the 2nd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 183 shares of the companys stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 80 shares during the period. Finally, Family Firm Inc. purchased a new position in L3Harris Technologies in the second quarter valued at approximately $45,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.76% of the companys stock.
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Insider Activity at L3Harris Technologies
In other L3Harris Technologies news, VP Sean J. Stackley sold 3,354 shares of L3Harris Technologies stock in a transaction on Friday, June 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $218.00, for a total value of $731,172.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 17,540 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,823,720. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Christopher E. Kubasik sold 26,190 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $225.70, for a total transaction of $5,911,083.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 120,326 shares of the companys stock, valued at $27,157,578.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, VP Sean J. Stackley sold 3,354 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $218.00, for a total value of $731,172.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 17,540 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,823,720. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 59,312 shares of company stock valued at $13,523,822. Corporate insiders own 0.82% of the companys stock.
L3Harris Technologies Stock Up 1.3 %
LHX traded up $2.99 during trading on Friday, hitting $236.67. The company had a trading volume of 698,437 shares, compared to its average volume of 963,611. The company has a market cap of $44.89 billion, a PE ratio of 38.42, a P/E/G ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 0.72. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56, a current ratio of 0.90 and a quick ratio of 0.74. L3Harris Technologies, Inc. has a 1-year low of $160.25 and a 1-year high of $245.60. The business has a 50-day moving average of $229.66 and a 200-day moving average of $219.79.
L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The company reported $3.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.18 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $5.30 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.30 billion. L3Harris Technologies had a net margin of 5.73% and a return on equity of 13.02%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 12.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.97 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that L3Harris Technologies, Inc. will post 13.04 earnings per share for the current year.
L3Harris Technologies Dividend Announcement
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 6th will be issued a $1.16 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 6th. This represents a $4.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.96%. L3Harris Technologiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 75.32%.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on shares of L3Harris Technologies from $262.00 to $260.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Susquehanna raised their price objective on L3Harris Technologies from $260.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a positive rating in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Royal Bank of Canada downgraded L3Harris Technologies from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $250.00 to $240.00 in a research report on Wednesday, August 14th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered L3Harris Technologies from a buy rating to a hold rating and increased their target price for the company from $245.00 to $257.00 in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut L3Harris Technologies from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $275.00 to $257.00 in a report on Friday, August 9th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $247.08.
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L3Harris Technologies Profile
(Free Report)
L3Harris Technologies, Inc provides mission-critical solutions for government and commercial customers worldwide. The company's Integrated Mission Systems segment provides intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) systems, passive sensing and targeting, electronic attack, autonomy, power and communications, and networks and sensors, as well as advanced combat systems for air, land, and sea sectors.
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Pinnacle Associates Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Bank of Montreal (NYSE:BMO Free Report) (TSE:BMO) by 11.3% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 33,600 shares of the banks stock after acquiring an additional 3,400 shares during the period. Pinnacle Associates Ltd.s holdings in Bank of Montreal were worth $2,817,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System grew its position in Bank of Montreal by 12.9% during the 2nd quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 42,328 shares of the banks stock worth $3,553,000 after acquiring an additional 4,825 shares during the last quarter. GoalVest Advisory LLC grew its position in Bank of Montreal by 2.9% during the 2nd quarter. GoalVest Advisory LLC now owns 6,983 shares of the banks stock worth $586,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Bank of Montreal during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $80,915,000. Signaturefd LLC boosted its position in Bank of Montreal by 1.5% in the 2nd quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 8,581 shares of the banks stock valued at $720,000 after buying an additional 123 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank boosted its position in Bank of Montreal by 14.3% in the 2nd quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 264,432 shares of the banks stock valued at $22,191,000 after buying an additional 33,078 shares during the last quarter. 45.82% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
A number of brokerages have commented on BMO. Royal Bank of Canada lowered Bank of Montreal from an outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 30th. StockNews.com lowered Bank of Montreal from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Thursday. Jefferies Financial Group downgraded Bank of Montreal from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday. Barclays cut their price target on Bank of Montreal from $132.00 to $126.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, TD Securities downgraded Bank of Montreal from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Bank of Montreal currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $119.75.
Bank of Montreal Stock Up 0.8 %
Shares of NYSE BMO traded up $0.66 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $83.62. The company had a trading volume of 537,032 shares, compared to its average volume of 879,631. The company has a market capitalization of $60.98 billion, a PE ratio of 13.89, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.04 and a beta of 1.12. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $84.68 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $89.63. The company has a current ratio of 0.99, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12. Bank of Montreal has a one year low of $73.98 and a one year high of $100.12.
Bank of Montreal (NYSE:BMO Get Free Report) (TSE:BMO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 27th. The bank reported $2.64 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.76 by ($0.12). The company had revenue of $8.21 billion during 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% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.08 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Bank of Montreal will post 7.91 EPS for the current year.
Bank of Montreal Cuts Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, November 26th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, October 30th will be issued a $1.123 dividend. This represents a $4.49 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.37%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, October 30th. Bank of Montreals payout ratio is 74.58%.
Bank of Montreal Company Profile
(Free Report)
Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. It operates through Canadian P&C, U.S P&C, BMO Wealth Management, and BMO Capital Markets segments. The companys personal banking products and services include deposits, mortgages, home lending, consumer credit, small business lending, credit cards, cash management, financial and investment advice, and other banking services; and commercial banking products and services comprise various of financing options and treasury and payment solutions, as well as risk management products.
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Pinnacle Associates Ltd. lowered its stake in Enbridge Inc. (NYSE:ENB Free Report) (TSE:ENB) by 7.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 85,239 shares of the pipeline companys stock after selling 6,452 shares during the quarter. Pinnacle Associates Ltd.s holdings in Enbridge were worth $3,034,000 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. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System raised its holdings in shares of Enbridge by 1.5% during the second quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 2,707,761 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $96,342,000 after acquiring an additional 39,662 shares in the last quarter. Hantz Financial Services Inc. bought a new position in shares of Enbridge during the second quarter valued at approximately $8,559,000. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd bought a new position in shares of Enbridge during the second quarter valued at approximately $727,000. Signaturefd LLC raised its holdings in shares of Enbridge by 1.9% during the second quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 39,439 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $1,404,000 after acquiring an additional 728 shares in the last quarter. Finally, KCM Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in shares of Enbridge by 5.9% during the second quarter. KCM Investment Advisors LLC now owns 9,094 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $324,000 after acquiring an additional 509 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 54.60% of the companys stock.
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Enbridge Trading Up 1.6 %
Shares of Enbridge stock traded up $0.62 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $40.18. 4,767,545 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 5,393,787. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $37.30 and a 200-day moving average of $36.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 0.68. The company has a market cap of $85.74 billion, a PE ratio of 20.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.55 and a beta of 0.92. Enbridge Inc. has a 12 month low of $31.03 and a 12 month high of $40.32.
Enbridge Cuts Dividend
Enbridge ( NYSE:ENB Get Free Report ) (TSE:ENB) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, August 2nd. The pipeline company reported $0.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.45 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $8.29 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.28 billion. Enbridge had a return on equity of 10.53% and a net margin of 13.59%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.51 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts expect that Enbridge Inc. will post 2.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 15th will be issued a $0.669 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 15th. This represents a $2.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.66%. Enbridges dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 134.01%.
About Enbridge
(Free Report)
Enbridge Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy infrastructure company. The company operates through five segments: Liquids Pipelines, Gas Transmission and Midstream, Gas Distribution and Storage, Renewable Power Generation, and Energy Services. The Liquids Pipelines segment operates pipelines and related terminals to transport various grades of crude oil and other liquid hydrocarbons in Canada and the United States.
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Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE:AIT Get Free Report) had its target price raised by investment analysts at Robert W. Baird from $205.00 to $210.00 in a report released on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an outperform rating on the industrial products companys stock. Robert W. Bairds target price would suggest a potential upside of 2.38% from the companys previous close.
A number of other brokerages have also recently commented on AIT. Loop Capital raised their target price on Applied Industrial Technologies from $215.00 to $230.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, August 16th. StockNews.com downgraded Applied Industrial Technologies from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Saturday, August 24th. KeyCorp boosted their price objective on Applied Industrial Technologies from $210.00 to $215.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, August 16th. Finally, Northcoast Research started coverage on shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in a research note on Monday, July 1st. They set a neutral rating on the stock. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $222.50.
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Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on AIT
Applied Industrial Technologies Price Performance
AIT opened at $205.12 on Thursday. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $199.95 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $193.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a quick ratio of 2.70 and a current ratio of 3.77. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.50, a P/E/G ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 1.06. Applied Industrial Technologies has a 52-week low of $149.59 and a 52-week high of $223.15.
Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE:AIT Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 15th. The industrial products company reported $2.64 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.52 by $0.12. Applied Industrial Technologies had a net margin of 8.36% and a return on equity of 23.69%. The business had revenue of $1.16 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.19 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.35 EPS. The companys quarterly revenue was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that Applied Industrial Technologies will post 9.62 EPS for the current year.
Insider Transactions at Applied Industrial Technologies
In related news, VP Kurt W. Loring sold 3,366 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, August 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $209.02, for a total transaction of $703,561.32. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 19,315 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,037,221.30. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other news, CEO Neil A. Schrimsher sold 3,703 shares of Applied Industrial Technologies stock in a transaction on Monday, August 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $202.24, for a total transaction of $748,894.72. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 205,708 shares in the company, valued at $41,602,385.92. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, VP Kurt W. Loring sold 3,366 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, August 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $209.02, for a total transaction of $703,561.32. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 19,315 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,037,221.30. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 2.20% of the companys stock.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of AIT. Quadrature Capital Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies in the 1st quarter valued at about $593,000. American International Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Applied Industrial Technologies by 232.6% during the first quarter. American International Group Inc. now owns 69,901 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $13,809,000 after buying an additional 48,883 shares during the period. Hennessy Advisors Inc. boosted its position in Applied Industrial Technologies by 18.3% during the 1st quarter. Hennessy Advisors Inc. now owns 185,300 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $36,606,000 after acquiring an additional 28,700 shares in the last quarter. Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC increased its holdings in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies by 116.3% in the 4th quarter. Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC now owns 7,623 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $1,316,000 after acquiring an additional 4,098 shares during the period. Finally, Stifel Financial Corp raised its position in shares of Applied Industrial Technologies by 24.4% in the 4th quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 34,551 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $5,967,000 after acquiring an additional 6,775 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 93.52% of the companys stock.
Applied Industrial Technologies Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc distributes industrial motion, power, control, and automation technology solutions in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. It operates in two segments, Service Center Based Distribution, and Engineered Solutions. The company distributes bearings, power transmission products, engineered fluid power components and systems, specialty flow control solutions, advanced automation products, industrial rubber products, linear motion components, automation solutions, tools, safety products, oilfield supplies, and other industrial and maintenance supplies; and motors, belting, drives, couplings, pumps, hydraulic and pneumatic components, filtration supplies, valves, fittings, process instrumentation, actuators, and hoses, filtration supplies, as well as other related supplies for general operational needs of customers' machinery and equipment.
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Searle & CO. lifted its stake in shares of Dover Co. (NYSE:DOV Free Report) by 10.1% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,652 shares of the industrial products companys stock after acquiring an additional 152 shares during the quarter. Searle & CO.s holdings in Dover were worth $298,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. LRI Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Dover in the first quarter worth approximately $27,000. McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Dover by 4,400.0% during the 2nd quarter. McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 180 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 176 shares in the last quarter. Northwest Financial Advisors bought a new position in Dover in the 4th quarter worth $36,000. Transcendent Capital Group LLC increased its stake in Dover by 208.0% in the 1st quarter. Transcendent Capital Group LLC now owns 231 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $41,000 after buying an additional 156 shares in the last quarter. Finally, North Star Investment Management Corp. raised its holdings in Dover by 93.0% during the first quarter. North Star Investment Management Corp. now owns 249 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $44,000 after acquiring an additional 120 shares during the period. 84.46% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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Insider Buying and Selling at Dover
In other news, SVP Ivonne M. Cabrera sold 1,220 shares of Dover stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $185.00, for a total value of $225,700.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 47,060 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,706,100. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other Dover news, CEO Richard J. Tobin sold 25,004 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $181.96, for a total value of $4,549,727.84. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 182,928 shares of the companys stock, valued at $33,285,578.88. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, SVP Ivonne M. Cabrera sold 1,220 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $185.00, for a total value of $225,700.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 47,060 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,706,100. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 30,565 shares of company stock worth $5,576,733 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 1.30% of the companys stock.
Dover Price Performance
Shares of DOV traded up $3.53 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $186.03. 1,631,907 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 975,561. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $180.50 and a two-hundred day moving average of $177.33. Dover Co. has a 52-week low of $127.25 and a 52-week high of $192.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a current ratio of 1.53. The company has a market cap of $25.57 billion, a PE ratio of 17.87, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.13 and a beta of 1.22.
Dover (NYSE:DOV Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The industrial products company reported $2.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.21 by $0.15. Dover had a net margin of 17.58% and a return on equity of 24.94%. The company had revenue of $2.18 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.15 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.05 earnings per share. Dovers revenue was up 3.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that Dover Co. will post 9.15 earnings per share for the current year.
Dover Increases Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be paid a dividend of $0.515 per share. This is a boost from Dovers previous quarterly dividend of $0.51. This represents a $2.06 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.11%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. Dovers payout ratio is presently 19.79%.
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Mizuho upped their price objective on Dover from $185.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on Dover from $192.00 to $193.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Robert W. Baird reissued an outperform rating and issued a $208.00 target price on shares of Dover in a report on Monday, July 22nd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $192.63.
Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on DOV
Dover Company Profile
(Free Report)
Dover Corporation provides equipment and components, consumable supplies, aftermarket parts, software and digital solutions, and support services worldwide. The company's Engineered Products segment provides various equipment, component, software, solution, and services that are used in vehicle aftermarket, waste handling, industrial automation, aerospace and defense, industrial winch and hoist, and fluid dispensing end-market.
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Standard Bank Group Limited (OTCMKTS:SGBLY Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decrease in short interest during the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 22,400 shares, a decrease of 29.6% from the July 31st total of 31,800 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 106,300 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.2 days.
Standard Bank Group Price Performance
Shares of Standard Bank Group stock traded down $0.01 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $13.57. 22,561 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 29,154. Standard Bank Group has a 1 year low of $8.69 and a 1 year high of $13.81. The business has a 50-day moving average of $12.18 and a 200-day moving average of $10.84.
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About Standard Bank Group
(Get Free Report)
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Standard Bank Group Limited provides banking and financial products and services in South Africa and internationally. It offers transactional accounts and digital banking platforms; personal and business lending solutions to enhance cash flow; finance for buying, building, and maintaining home; foreign exchange services; trusts and third-party administration accounts; workplace solutions, such as payroll and HR, financial planning, and employer value banking; merchant solutions, including point-of-sale, ecommerce, digital payments, payment processing, and small business support; and cash management services.
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Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd lifted its position in UDR, Inc. (NYSE:UDR Free Report) by 3.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 86,275 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after buying an additional 2,986 shares during the quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltds holdings in UDR were worth $3,550,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hummer Financial Advisory Services Inc grew its position in shares of UDR by 2.9% in the 1st quarter. Hummer Financial Advisory Services Inc now owns 12,057 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $451,000 after acquiring an additional 335 shares during the period. Integrity Wealth Solutions LLC raised its stake in UDR by 8.2% in the 1st quarter. Integrity Wealth Solutions LLC now owns 6,409 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $240,000 after acquiring an additional 484 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd raised its stake in UDR by 18.3% in the 1st quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 3,336 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $125,000 after acquiring an additional 515 shares during the period. Telos Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in UDR by 1.6% during the 1st quarter. Telos Capital Management Inc. now owns 34,759 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,300,000 after purchasing an additional 547 shares during the last quarter. Finally, State of Alaska Department of Revenue boosted its position in UDR by 0.3% during the first quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue now owns 189,355 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $7,083,000 after purchasing an additional 551 shares during the period. 97.84% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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UDR Stock Performance
NYSE UDR opened at $44.51 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $41.50 and a 200 day simple moving average of $39.04. UDR, Inc. has a twelve month low of $30.95 and a twelve month high of $44.53. The company has a market capitalization of $14.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.25, a PEG ratio of 9.49 and a beta of 0.83. The company has a quick ratio of 5.82, a current ratio of 5.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.57.
UDR Dividend Announcement
UDR ( NYSE:UDR Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.08 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.61 by ($0.53). The company had revenue of $415.30 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $413.75 million. UDR had a net margin of 8.34% and a return on equity of 3.70%. The businesss revenue was up 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.61 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that UDR, Inc. will post 2.46 EPS for the current year.
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 31st. Investors of record on Wednesday, July 10th were issued a $0.425 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, July 10th. This represents a $1.70 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.82%. UDRs payout ratio is 123.19%.
Insider Buying and Selling at UDR
In other news, CEO Thomas W. Toomey sold 90,000 shares of UDR stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $39.52, for a total value of $3,556,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 849,716 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $33,580,776.32. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 3.73% of the companys stock.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of UDR from $42.00 to $43.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, June 17th. Mizuho raised their price objective on shares of UDR from $35.00 to $38.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. Evercore ISI boosted their price objective on UDR from $40.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a report on Wednesday. Scotiabank increased their target price on UDR from $43.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research note on Monday, August 26th. Finally, Piper Sandler boosted their price target on UDR from $40.00 to $46.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, August 26th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, UDR presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $42.65.
Read Our Latest Report on UDR
UDR Profile
(Free Report)
UDR, Inc (NYSE: UDR), an S&P 500 company, is a leading multifamily real estate investment trust with a demonstrated performance history of delivering superior and dependable returns by successfully managing, buying, selling, developing and redeveloping attractive real estate communities in targeted U.S.
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Sage Rhino Capital LLC boosted its stake in shares of Terreno Realty Co. (NYSE:TRNO Free Report) by 10.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 28,648 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after buying an additional 2,633 shares during the quarter. Sage Rhino Capital LLCs holdings in Terreno Realty were worth $1,695,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Mather Group LLC. purchased a new position in Terreno Realty during the 1st quarter valued at about $31,000. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of Terreno Realty by 337.2% during the 4th quarter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 529 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 408 shares during the last quarter. Whittier Trust Co. lifted its stake in Terreno Realty by 123.4% in the 1st quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 610 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $40,000 after buying an additional 337 shares in the last quarter. EntryPoint Capital LLC grew its holdings in Terreno Realty by 80.3% during the 1st quarter. EntryPoint Capital LLC now owns 941 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $62,000 after buying an additional 419 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CWM LLC grew its holdings in Terreno Realty by 58.2% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 1,191 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $70,000 after buying an additional 438 shares during the last quarter.
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Terreno Realty Trading Up 1.5 %
Shares of Terreno Realty stock traded up $0.99 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $69.04. The stock had a trading volume of 537,197 shares, compared to its average volume of 699,351. The company has a current ratio of 2.34, a quick ratio of 2.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24. Terreno Realty Co. has a 1 year low of $50.42 and a 1 year high of $71.63. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.96, a P/E/G ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 0.89. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $65.73 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $61.78.
Terreno Realty Increases Dividend
Insider Transactions at Terreno Realty
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 11th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 30th will be given a dividend of $0.49 per share. This represents a $1.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.84%. This is a boost from Terreno Realtys previous quarterly dividend of $0.45. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 30th. Terreno Realtys payout ratio is 102.08%.
In related news, President Michael A. Coke sold 7,500 shares of Terreno Realty stock in a transaction on Friday, August 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $68.53, for a total transaction of $513,975.00. Following the transaction, the president now owns 402,164 shares in the company, valued at approximately $27,560,298.92. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, President Michael A. Coke sold 7,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $68.53, for a total transaction of $513,975.00. Following the transaction, the president now directly owns 402,164 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $27,560,298.92. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Jaime Jackson Cannon sold 4,998 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $68.39, for a total transaction of $341,813.22. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 101,927 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,970,787.53. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 18,643 shares of company stock valued at $1,277,581 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 2.40% of the companys stock.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several analysts have recently issued reports on TRNO shares. StockNews.com downgraded Terreno Realty from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Thursday. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on shares of Terreno Realty from $60.00 to $68.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, August 12th. BNP Paribas began coverage on shares of Terreno Realty in a report on Tuesday, June 4th. They set an outperform rating and a $68.00 price target for the company. Scotiabank upped their price objective on shares of Terreno Realty from $59.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Monday, August 26th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company cut shares of Terreno Realty from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $71.00 to $75.00 in a research note on Wednesday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $69.56.
Check Out Our Latest Analysis on TRNO
Terreno Realty Company Profile
(Free Report)
Terreno Realty Corporation (Terreno, and together with its subsidiaries, the Company) acquires, owns and operates industrial real estate in six major coastal U.S. markets: Los Angeles, Northern New Jersey/New York City, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Miami, and Washington, DC All square feet, acres, occupancy and number of properties disclosed in these notes to the consolidated financial statements are unaudited.
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Skyline Advisors Inc. cut its stake in shares of World Kinect Co. (NYSE:WKC Free Report) by 4.7% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 8,961 shares of the companys stock after selling 445 shares during the period. Skyline Advisors Inc.s holdings in World Kinect were worth $231,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Innealta Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of World Kinect during the second quarter valued at about $65,000. Legato Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of World Kinect by 19.5% during the second quarter. Legato Capital Management LLC now owns 47,454 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,224,000 after acquiring an additional 7,755 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in shares of World Kinect by 2.0% during the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 754,761 shares of the companys stock valued at $19,473,000 after acquiring an additional 14,754 shares during the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System grew its holdings in shares of World Kinect by 1.3% in the second quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 30,200 shares of the companys stock valued at $779,000 after purchasing an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. Finally, SG Americas Securities LLC grew its holdings in shares of World Kinect by 1,182.1% in the second quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 49,273 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,271,000 after purchasing an additional 45,430 shares in the last quarter. 97.06% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Separately, Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on shares of World Kinect from $35.00 to $33.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 26th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $28.00.
Insider Activity at World Kinect
In other World Kinect news, Director John L. Manley sold 16,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.28, for a total value of $452,480.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 49,614 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,403,083.92. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other World Kinect news, CEO Michael J. Kasbar sold 58,948 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $27.92, for a total value of $1,645,828.16. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,019,063 shares in the company, valued at approximately $28,452,238.96. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director John L. Manley sold 16,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.28, for a total transaction of $452,480.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 49,614 shares in the company, valued at $1,403,083.92. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 2.90% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
World Kinect Stock Up 0.7 %
Shares of WKC stock traded up $0.21 during trading on Friday, reaching $28.79. The companys stock had a trading volume of 809,410 shares, compared to its average volume of 556,289. The company has a market capitalization of $1.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.96, a P/E/G ratio of 1.05 and a beta of 1.24. World Kinect Co. has a 1-year low of $17.69 and a 1-year high of $28.88. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $26.74 and its 200 day moving average price is $25.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 0.98.
World Kinect (NYSE:WKC Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 25th. The company reported $0.48 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.56 by ($0.08). The business had revenue of $10.97 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.98 billion. World Kinect had a net margin of 0.29% and a return on equity of 6.26%. World Kinects revenue was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.48 earnings per share. On average, research analysts anticipate that World Kinect Co. will post 2.16 EPS for the current year.
World Kinect Announces Dividend
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, July 16th. Investors of record on Monday, June 17th were paid a $0.17 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 17th. This represents a $0.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.36%. World Kinects payout ratio is 73.12%.
World Kinect Profile
(Free Report)
World Kinect Corporation operates as an energy management company in the United States, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. This segment also offers fuel management, price risk management, ground handling, dispatch services, and trip planning services, such as flight planning and scheduling, weather reports and overflight permits; payment and processing services; and operates a web-based marketplace platform.
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The government is failing miserably to get to grips with the GP crisis as new figures from doctors organisation, the Irish College of GPs (ICGP) shows there has been a reduction in the numbers operating in Louth, according to Sinn Fein TD Ruairi O Murchu.
In a new study published last week, ICGP showed how there are 106 GPs available in Louth in 2023, a reduction of 2.8% from the previous years figure of 109. That equates to one GP per 76 GPs per 100,000 people and shows that doctor numbers are not growing fast enough to meet demand.
The worst place in the State for GP numbers is Meath, with 54 per 100,000 population, while the best places were Galway and Waterford, with 102 GPs in each county per 100,000 people. The World Health Organisation says an adequate number of GPs per 100,000 population is 100.
The Louth TD said the report showed a worrying trend in Louth, with a reduction in the number of doctors. He said he had raised the issue of the lack of availability of GPs a number of times in Leinster House.
Deputy O Murchu said: The government is failing miserably on this issue. I have seen in it my constituency office where people come to us looking for help in getting a GP in the Dundalk area. They have tried eight, ten places and are told they are not taking any new patients on.
Its particularly difficult for private patients, or those without a medical card, because those who qualify for a medical card will be allocated a GP by the HSE when they are approved for the GMS scheme.
The government needs to get its act together and ensure there is proper workforce planning so that there is an increase in GP numbers. They also need to focus on the fact that the private practice model of doctors surgeries is not working in modern Ireland and the solution will involve greater State intervention.
A Cork couple who first met in Australia enjoyed their wedding ceremony recently in the Algarve, overlooking the ocean.
Karen Cronin, from Glanmire, is a beauty therapist and works in The Pamper Pot in Ballincollig. Kieran Lehane is from Urhan in West Cork and works in construction.
Bride Karen recalled how they first met.
We met in Australia in 2011 as friends. I moved home in 2013. Kieran was visiting home in 2018 and we went on a few dates, he then decided to up and leave Australia for us to give our relationship a go, and the rest is history.
The couple at their wedding reception at The Grande Real Santa Eulalia in the Algarve.
We moved into our new house in Knockraha just over a year ago. We got engaged on May 14, 2023 (the day we moved into the house).
A lot has happened in a year, with moving in, the engagement, and getting married in Portugal.
They were wed on May 23, in the Algarve, just ten minutes outside Albufeira in The Grande Real Santa Eulalia.
Our ceremony was on the hotel grounds overlooking the ocean. We had 93 guests attend, said Karen.
The wedding party, Ali Cronin (Maid of Honour and sister) Jen Cronin (sister) Sarah Reid (best friend), Stephen McCarthy ( best man), Ian Harrington ( groomsman), and John Lehane (groomsman).
They used wedding planners Carolina and Catarina of @bloom__eventplanner
The brides dress was from White and Gold Bridal boutique in Kinsale, while Kierans suit and the groomsmens suits were from Simply Suits (Kinsale Road, Cork).
The couple were joined by almost 100 family and friends, who travelled from home to celebrate their wedding day abroad.
Key family members in attendance were Karens parents, Denis and Joan, her sisters and bridesmaids, Ali, Jen, Sarah, and her brother Kevin and all of their partners. Her aunts, uncles, cousins, and very close friends also joined in the special day.
Bride Karen Cronin with her bridal party, Ali Cronin (Maid of Honour and sister) Jen Cronin (bridesmaid and sister), and Sarah Reid.
Kierans mother, Eileen, his siblings Patrick, John, Martin, Vince, Caroline, Carmel, Claire, and Mary, and all their partners were also present, as well as nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and close friends. Kierans groomsmen were Stephen, Ian and John.
Karen said: The ceremony was absolutely beautiful, it was on a balcony below the hotel overlooking the ocean. We also had our drinks reception here.
The dinner/speeches were on the waterfront/beach, we were covered over by stunning fairy lights. It was like a fairytale and the full moon came out for us that night.
We partied into the early hours of the morning. We had the most talented band called Six Irish Men (they are six Portuguese men that play/sing a lot of Irish music), they are super-talented! They had the dance floor rocking all night long.
The couple at their wedding reception.
Their first dance was to Dolly Parton/Kenny Rodgers Islands In The Stream.
The most memorable thing about our wedding day is being surrounded by our closest friends and family and the effort they all made to be with us abroad for our special day. We had the best wedding thanks to all of them, said Karen.
Actress Saoirse Ronan is seeking permission to demolish and rebuild her waterfront home in West Cork.
An application was originally submitted to Cork County Council earlier this month by Ms Ronans production company, but was marked as incomplete due to a request for further information made by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Slaney Production ULC, which has an address in Dublin, where Ms Ronan acts as a director, re-submitted the application to the council earlier this week.
The newlywed celebrity is seeking to demolish the existing 125 sq metres house in Foilnamuck, Ballydehob, and to further construct a replacement single-storey three-bedroomed house to the size of 332 sq metres.
The Irish-American actress, star of Brooklyn, Little Women, and Lady Bird, married actor Jack Lowden in a ceremony in Scotland last month.
The plans will also see the relocation of the existing access and private laneway from the north of the site to the north-west for improved sightlines.
Further included in the plans is hard and soft landscaping, boundary treatment, and all associated site development works above and below ground.
The development will also be connected to a new wastewater treatment system that has been granted permission in accordance with Cork County Council regulations, but has not yet been implemented.
The charming stone cottage is situated near the waters edge of Roaringwater Bay, and is accompanied by an external guesthouse, which is not included in the demolition plans submitted to the local authority.
Ms Ronan purchased the home in West Cork in 2020, following the sale of her Greystones estate in Wicklow for 1.6m in 2019.
Cork County Council is due to make a decision on the application by November 21.
Fourteen people from throughout Cork and Kerry travelled with relatives yesterday on a bus bound for Northern Ireland to get life transforming treatment to save their eyesight.
The trip comes before the September 1 deadline when a reduced reimbursement under the Cross Border Health scheme comes into effect.
On Sunday, a reimbursement of 1,173, rather than the 1,950 up to now, will be available to those availing of the scheme because of a determination by Health Pricing Office that the price for this operation has reduced generally.
Mary O'Callaghan, Youghal making the trip with her son John, at Bishopstown, Cork. Pic Larry Cummins
However, Michael Collins, the Cork South West TD and Independent Ireland leader who has organised 165 trips for the treatment since 2017 has received no indication that the private hospital in Belfast to which he has been bringing patients will be reducing its prices.
Speaking after the bus had left it was actually heading for Derry as the Belfast hospital it normally goes to, the Kingsbridge, has a sister hospital in that city, Mr Collins said that this was the tenth trip he had organised in the past two weeks in advance of the deadline.
Why should people here in Cork have to wait for up to four or five years to get it [the operation] carried out?
In the absence of the service locally, they have to travel to Belfast and get the treatment there and get reimbursed but now the reimbursement is being reduced it will cost them 1,700 extra to get the cataracts done on both eyes as a result, he claimed.
Mary O'Regan with her father Patrick O'Regan making the trip to Derry.Pic Larry Cummins
Vera Murphy from Clonakilty was travelling on the bus to get a second eye done, having had the first eye operated on last year. I did have a seriously ill husband and we buried him two weeks ago, that was hard but all this was made easier for me, she said, expressing her thanks to the Cork South West TD.
Wed be lost without our sight, when youre getting older, you need someone to help with organising this, she said.
May Cummins from The Lough was also on the bus and she told The Echo that she had had one eye done and was looking to get the other eye done before the current reimbursement ran out. Im very angry, there are many people who havent got the money, why should they suffer?
A lot of people are going to lose their sight because of this.
Denis Hegarty accompanying his father Denis Hegary (snr), from Glanmire, Co Cork. Pic Larry Cummins
Denis Hegarty from Glanmire was travelling with his son. He was hopeful that hed be going back soon to get the second eye done while Patrick ORegan from Youghal was anxious to get the operation so he could enjoy going to hurling matches again. Sean O'Regan from Goleen said that all he could see at present was a blur and that he would be going to Belfast in a few weeks to get the second cataract operation.
A Cork woman is marking the loss of two family members in infancy by taking on a charity swim.
Orlagh Patterson, who is raising funds for the LauraLynn foundation, plans to undertake a 1.8km swim around Sandycove Island on the western entrance to Kinsale Harbour on September 6.
The LauraLynn foundation is Irelands only childrens hospice that provides palliative care to children and their families living with life-altering conditions.
Ms Patterson is undertaking the fundraising event to mark the anniversary of the death of her twin brother, who died just one day after they were born, and the death of her nieces son, who died five days after his birth in December, 2022.
The Grattan Street native said: I wanted to mark the death of my twin brother Michael Vincent Cassidy on the 50th anniversary of his death, a day after what should have been our 50th birthday celebrations.
We were due to be born in November, 1974, but were delivered prematurely at just 26 weeks. Both the hospital and my mother thought it was a single pregnancy and no-one knew she was actually pregnant with twins.
In those days, there were very few support services and my mother in particular had to cope with a traumatic birth, a premature baby who remained in hospital for another 14 weeks, and the loss of her son as best she could, she added.
Ms Patterson said her family was once again starkly reminded of the devastation this kind of loss can cause when her nieces son, Liam, died at just five days old in December, 2022.
I knew I wanted to do something to mark both deaths and I asked my niece what organisation gave her and her family the most support after their loss, and she said the LauraLynn.
They are still helping her and her family now. My mom didnt have that support when she lost her son, she added.
I really hope people can get behind me and support this worthy cause while remembering my brother Micheal and my nieces son Liam.
To support Ms Pattersons charity swim, make a donation via the iDonate page: https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/OrlaghPatterson
A man in his 20s is due to appear in court at noon today, charged in connection with an incident on the northside of Cork city last Friday.
Gardai were investigating an incident of criminal damage at a property in Shanakiel and a subsequent road traffic collision on the Churchfield Road last Friday - August 23.
A pedestrian aged in his 60s was taken to hospital in serious condition following this incident.
During the week, gardai arrested a man in his 20s, who was detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939.
He has now been charged in connection with this incident, and is expected to appear before a special sitting of Cork City District Court at 12pm today.
Gardai say investigations are ongoing.
Gardai can be contacted at Gurranabraher Garda Station on 021 494 6200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
A 23-year-old man has appeared before Cork District Court charged in connection with a number of serious incidents which occurred on the northside of the city on the same day earlier this month.
Jamie Russell formerly of Harbour View Road in Knocknaheeny, Cork city, is charged with reckless discharge of a firearm, possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition, dangerous driving causing injury and driving without insurance or a drivers licence.
He also faces charges of theft and unauthorised taking of a vehicle, hit and run and criminal damage. All of the alleged offences occurred on August 23 last.
Evidence of arrest, charge and caution was given by Det Garda Mick Dolan. He told Judge John King that at 10.41pm last night (Friday) at Gurranabraher Garda Station he charged Mr Russell with ten offences. He said that the defendant made no reply when the charges were put to him under caution.
DPP directions are awaited in the case. Inspector Dave Noonan said that there was no objection to bail in the case. However, no application was made for bail at this juncture.
Barrister Mahon Corkery made an application for legal aid for his client. It was granted as Mr Russell is on social welfare. Judge King remanded Mr Russell in custody to appear before Cork District Court again on September 6 next by video link.
No outline of the facts of the case were given at this juncture.
Gordon Deegan
The numbers suspected to have cheated in this years Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Applied has almost doubled to 114 students.
This follows the State Examinations Commission (SEC) revealing that 71 Leaving Cert students found to be cheating in this year's State exams have had their results permanently withheld by the SEC.
The new figures provided by the SEC show that along with the 71 exam results from the Leaving Cert/Leaving Cert Applied permanently withheld, the SEC has confirmed that it has provisionally withheld an additional 43 Leaving Cert results, on a without prejudice basis, pending further communication with the schools and candidates concerned.
The combined 114 figure is a 90 per cent increase on the 60 suspected to have cheated at this time last year in the Leaving Cert where 39 students had their exam results permanently withheld with an additional 21 Leaving Cert results withheld, on a without prejudice basis, pending further communication with the schools and candidates.
A spokeswoman for the SEC said on Friday: The SEC would strongly caution any student that might be tempted to cheat that serious consequences can result.
She said: They could lose marks or the full result in a subject; they could lose the results of the entire examination; or they could be debarred from entering for any of the State examinations for a specified period.
On the 71 exam results permanently withheld, the SEC spokeswoman said: This includes full results withheld, or marks withheld, from candidates found to be in breach of the SEC's examinations regulations. A decision to withhold a result or marks is open to appeal.
The spokeswoman said: Due to the small number of candidates involved, for privacy reasons, we do not provide any regional or gender breakdown.
The combined 114 students found to be, or suspected to be, in breach of SEC exam regulations this year is a tiny fraction of the 60,839 candidates who received their Leaving Certificate results last week.
The SEC spokeswoman explained: "The most common penalty applied is the withholding of the result in the subject in question. Where a more serious breach of the regulations occurs such as copying in more than one subject, withholding of all results and/or debarring from repeating the examination may be applied."
Evidence
She stated: Any incidence of suspected copying, improper assistance from another party, plagiarism or procurement of pieces prepared by another party are thoroughly investigated by the SEC and the candidate is liable to have penalties imposed as provided for in the Rules and Programme for Secondary Schools."
Cases of suspected cheating can come to light in a number of ways, according to the SEC.
These include where an examiner may detect similar work from more than one candidate when correcting work from the same centre or while marking an examination script, an examiner may discover a memorandum, notes or paper brought in by a candidate in an attempt to gain an advantage in the examination.
The SEC spokeswoman said: The principles of natural justice are applied when following up such cases. Details of the evidence available, such as superintendents reports, confiscated material or items, notes or work prepared that exhibits evidence of collusion, is given to the candidate through his/her school.
The candidate is invited to offer a response to the evidence presented and the school authorities are also free to offer comment if they consider it appropriate. The final decision is communicated in writing to the candidate again via his/her school. A decision to withhold a result is open to appeal.
She added: While every effort is made to conclude an investigation prior to the issue of the examination results, it is not always possible to do so. In these circumstances results are withheld on a without prejudice basis pending further communication with the schools and candidates concerned.
"In the interest of being fair to all candidates, the SEC must be satisfied that marks awarded have been gained fairly and will investigate any suggestion, suspicion or allegation of cheating or other impropriety in relation to the examinations.
This is essential in order to uphold the integrity of the Irish State examinations system and to underpin equity and fairness within the system in order to enable all candidates to display their achievements on an equal footing.
By David Young, Cillian Sherlock and Grainne Ni Aodha, PA
Thousands of protesters have heard calls for Ireland to introduce immediate sanctions on Israel as a major demonstration took place in Dublin.
Crowds of activists made their way across the city and assembled outside the Dail on Saturday afternoon for the rally organised by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC).
The event, billed as a National Demonstration for Palestine, took place a day after Taoiseach Simon Harris revealed that he had sought legal advice around continued trade with Israel.
Look at the view from the stage at our huge National Demonstration for Palestine today. The streets are with Palestine! #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/4Yx3Ny17KE IPSC (@ipsc48) August 31, 2024
Mr Harris acknowledged that international trade policy is an EU competency, but he said he wanted fresh legal advice from Attorney General Rossa Fanning in light of a recent ruling by the International Court of Justice.
In July, the UNs top court declared Israels presence in the occupied Palestinian territories unlawful and called for settlement construction to stop immediately.
Mr Harris said every lever must be pulled to maximise pressure on the Israeli government to stop the violence in Gaza.
The leaders of Irelands three coalition parties decided on Thursday that the state would not procure any further defence or military equipment and contracts from Israel.
Under EU treaties and common commercial policy, the European Commission represents Ireland and all other member states in international trade negotiations.
Attorney General Rossa Fanning (Damien Storan/PA)
However, Mr Harris said the decision around suspending imports of defence equipment is legally possible under the context of the ICJ ruling.
He added that he was seeking advice from Mr Fanning on whether the rulings had any implications for other areas of trade with Israel.
Meanwhile, the Department of Transport continues to engage with an airline at the centre of reports that multiple flights carrying ammunition and explosives to Israel had passed through Irish airspace.
It is prohibited to transport munitions of war on civil aircraft across Irish airspace without an exemption from the Minister for Transport.
Saturdays rally in Dublin heard demands for more government action against Israel.
IPSC chairwoman Zoe Lawlor spoke of the toll suffered by children in Gaza.
The horrific figure of 40,000 dead includes almost 17,000 children, 33% of all fatalities, meaning that 1.5% of all children in Gaza are now dead, she said.
Over 20,000 children are estimated to be lost, disappeared, detained, buried under rubble or in mass graves, 34,000 children have been wounded, 17,000 have been orphaned.
Eight hundred thousand traumatised and damaged children are in desperate need of psychological help, 620,000 children have been denied their right to education, while creches, schools, universities and hospitals have been obliterated.
Children are one of the most at-risk demographics when it comes to the dangers posed by disease, famine and thirst, all of which are rampant in Gaza.
With 7% of Gazas children now murdered, lost or wounded, its clear that children are deliberate targets of apartheid Israels genocidal onslaught.
Saturdays event was organised by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC/PA)
The Israeli embassy in Ireland has criticised Mr Harriss comments about the EU trade agreement.
In a statement, the embassy said: We keep following statements and actions taken by the Irish Government which will achieve nothing but souring further the two countries bilateral relations.
We follow with dismay the continued rise in anti-Israeli rhetoric and actions bordering vilification of Israel.
This tragic war was launched by Hamas and is being perpetuated by Hamas, which still holds in captivity over a hundred Israelis while at the same time abusing its own population.
Israel is facing an enemy committed to its annihilation. Its unfortunate that the Irish Government prefers to ignore basic realities.
In its fight against terror orchestrated by Iran, Israel is committed to international law and the rules of war, while fighting a genocidal enemy.
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.
Construction of the Gemini solar project on federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management in Clark County, Nevada on Jan. 24, 2023. Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
The Biden-Harris administration announced on Thursday the finalization of a plan for solar energy expansion on federal lands in the Western states of Arizona, Nevada, California, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
As part of President Joe Bidens Investing in America agenda and a wider plan to decarbonize the power sector and fight climate change, the administration is accelerating project approvals for wind and solar farms and power transmission.
Weve been really pushing ourselves to use our executive authority wherever possible to improve the federal permitting process, said Natalie Quillian, White House deputy chief of staff, in an interview, as Reuters reported.
The administration announced two new actions to help build more projects faster, a press release from The White House said.
The first is a roadmap, announced by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to support the expansion of solar energy by improving siting and permitting processes on public lands, making them more efficient. It will steer projects toward areas with low land and wildlife conflicts and high solar potential, lessening burdens on solar developers.
BLM will make more than 31 million public lands acres available in the 11 western states for solar development to deliver green energy to millions of residences.
The second action involves the conditional approval by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of a new rule to allow offsets creating clean air credits in Arizonas Maricopa County.
Companies with vehicle fleets can now generate credits by replacing or retrofitting diesel-burning vehicles with electric vehicles. Manufacturers or other new emitters can then purchase those credits to balance out their future emissions. This will allow the county, which is now a center of semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S., to continue to build semiconductor fabs essential to our nations future and ensure that residents continue to have clean air, the press release said.
The EPA must approve state pollution reduction plans in Maricopa County home to Arizonas capital Phoenix and other areas due to their elevated ozone emissions, reported Reuters.
The White House said Maricopa County has attracted investments associated with federal incentives from chip manufacturers. The credits will help companies like Taiwans TSMC and Intel get started.
The time it takes to complete an environmental review has already been shortened, and the Biden-Harris administration said the new plan will further streamline the process.
The Biden-Harris Administration has cut 6 months off the median time it takes for agencies to complete environmental impact statements, the most comprehensive form of environmental review, representing 16% in time savings compared to the previous Administration and we are continuing to make more improvements, the White House said.
Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.
The striking and social lemur is native to Madagascar. Primarily herbivores, these wooly primates spend most of their time high up in tree branches eating fruit, leaves, bark, insects and other foods; resting; and raising their young.
A new study has found that lemurs use social cues, smell and long-term memory to find hidden fruit strategies that may have long-established evolutionary roots.
Our study provides evidence that lemurs can integrate sensory information with ecological and social knowledge, which demonstrates their ability to consider multiple aspects of a problem, said Elena Cunningham, the studys lead author who is an anthropologist and New York University (NYU) College of Dentistry professor of molecular pathobiology, in a press release from NYU.
Animals rely on a combination of their senses and social and environmental knowledge in locating food and water.
Historically, there have been two schools of thought on why primates developed bigger brains: ecological pressures, such as needing to find scarce fruit in the forest, and the social pressures of living in a group where everyone is trying to outsmart one another, Cunningham said in the press release. I have long been interested in the interplay between social and ecological factors when it comes to cognition it seems like a given that these would have evolved in relation to each other.
Cunningham visited the Lemur Conservation Foundation in Florida a reserve dedicated to protecting and researching the primates to get a better understanding of how they integrate these factors to locate food.
Several lemur species live at the foundation, including brown lemurs, who eat mostly fruit and have a much keener sense of smell than humans.
All of the lemurs come from the same genus Eulemur which are sometimes referred to as brown lemurs. Individuals came from four Eulemur species: mongoose lemurs, collared brown lemurs, common brown lemurs, and Sanfords brown lemurs. In nature the species associate with each other and can hybridize these lemurs are known for behavioral flexibility, Cunnngham told EcoWatch in an email. In some species females are consistently dominant to males and in other species dominance between males and females is not consistent: males are dominant in some groups and in other groups females are dominant. We also had some mixed-species groups.
The researchers conducted experiments with pairs of brown lemurs and groups of three in which they hid pieces of cantaloupe inside cardboard takeout containers, then placed both empty and fruit-filled containers in the primates environments. They observed how the lemurs investigated then opened the containers, making note of their interactions.
A mongoose lemur looks for food in a takeout container at the Lemur Conservation Foundation. Elena Cunningham / New York University
In a competitive situation, smell is not the fastest way if you know where the food is. Even going quickly from one container to the other would be faster, Cunningham told EcoWatch.
Even though the empty containers outnumbered those containing cantaloupe, the lemurs did not have much trouble finding the fruit, with several factors seeming to be working together to achieve this.
The lemurs are constantly watching each other. When they see another lemur approach a baited container, or open a container or eat cantaloupe, they go there, Cunningham said.
The lemurs were quick to learn which of the containers had food inside, and were able to remember the location of those that held fruit days, weeks and months later. They approached fruit-filled containers with an accuracy of roughly 50 percent higher than chance, and opened the containers with cantaloupe in them 98 percent of the time, suggesting they used their keen sense of smell to find the fruit at close range.
The first five trials were conducted after delays of two hours or one day. Their performance improved as they learned the locations of the baited containers. Then we increased the time between each trial: 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 5 days, 7 days, 14 days. We also waited one, two, and four months between trials. The lemurs performance never got worse, no matter how long the delay, Cunningham explained.
Elena Cunningham / New York University
The researchers observed that social factors influenced the individual strategies the lemurs used to find the fruit. Some more egalitarian groups willingly shared their information and melon. In others that were more hierarchical, dominant members of the group took advantage of subordinates who discovered cantaloupe by helping themselves to the found fruit. The subordinates, who were more likely to discover the fruit, sometimes put their finders advantage to use by eating more of the melon.
In egalitarian groups both lemurs may get a piece of cantaloupe (there were two pieces in each container). In hierarchical groups the dominant lemurs displace the subordinates at the containers, Cunningham told EcoWatch. There was a lot of variation in the behavior of individual dominant and subordinate individuals. Some dominants mostly followed subordinates and displaced them. Some dominants wanted to eat all the cantaloupe and found their own containers and displaced subordinates at baited containers. Subordinates had interesting strategies. Some always entered the enclosure first so they could eat as much cantaloupe as possible before the dominant lemur entered. On one occasion a subordinate threw cantaloupe on the ground when he saw the dominant approaching and got the cantaloupe later. Other subordinates rarely approached baited containers and ate very little cantaloupe.
The study, Brown Lemur (Eulemur spp.) Use of Olfaction, Memory, and Social Strategies to Obtain Cantaloupe, was published in the International Journal of Primatology.
What our study shows is that these three factors are all operating at the same time the lemurs have memories of where the food is and they are considering olfactory information and social factors, Cunningham said in the press release. We still have much to learn about how this interplay and the evolution of cognition, but its important to look at these factors not in isolation, but in conversation.
Could the results of the study be used to improve the conservation of lemurs and their habitat?
Most important for the conservation of lemurs is protecting their habitats and not hunting them or capturing them to sell as pets or for use in biomedical research. But, the results of the study could inform reintroduction projects and provide ideas for enriching the lives of lemurs in captivity. I hope that understanding the complexity of lemur thinking may give lemurs more intrinsic value in the minds of humans and lead to greater consideration of their welfare, Cunningham told EcoWatch.
How are lemur populations faring in the face of habitat destruction, hunting and climate change?
All lemur species are in decline so the time to protect them is now. In terms of the specific species in the study, the IUCN Red List categorizes common brown lemurs as vulnerable, Sanfords and collared lemurs as endangered, and mongoose lemurs as critically endangered (the next category is extinct in the wild), Cunningham said.
What can people do to help protect lemurs and ensure their populations survive and hopefully thrive in the future?
There is so much people can do! People should lower their carbon footprints. One powerful way is by reducing the amount of meat and dairy we eat. People should shop sustainably. They should buy wood products that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Cunningham told EcoWatch. They should never click on cute photos of primates who seem to be pets primates are being hunted for internet content. Primates should never be pets and legislation has been introduced to outlaw private pet ownership: write to your representatives to support the Primate Captive Safety Act. Donate to the Lemur Conservation Foundation and other conservation organizations in the future.
(Photo: INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION/NASA)Astronaut Tracy Dyson
Two NASA astronauts on the International Space Station are members of the same Texan church and have joined services and prayer meetings online from their delayed stay deep in outer space.
Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Tracy Dyson, both attend the Providence Baptist Church in Pasadena, have even given the congregation a virtual tour of the space station while in space, the Church Times reported on Aug. 30.
Wilmore is an elder in the church, and had his original eight-day space mission unexpectedly extended by up to eight months due to technical glitches with the first flight of the Boeing Starliner capsule.
The church's pastor, Tommy Dahn, told the Church Times this week that Wilmore's faith supports him during the "unplanned" sojourn, and that "he ministers to us" by making support calls from the space station to the congregation.
About 10 miles (16 kilometers) from Johnson Space Center, their Houston-area church takes a moment during midweek Bible studies and Sunday evening services to pray for the two absent members, The Associated Press reported on Aug. 4.
There's no way on Earth for astronauts Wilmore and Dyson to appear at Providence Baptist Church as they orbit the planet.
Before the inaugural flight of the Starliner in June, Wilmore told reporters: "Our families have been a part of this from the beginning. . . As far as preparing them, they're prepared. We trust in sovereign God. Whatever the plan is, we're ready for it, whatever that might be."
The space capsule had helium leaks and thrusters that stopped working on the initial leg of its first crewed test flight to the ISS.
The fate of the two astronauts, Wilmore and Suni Williams, had remained uncertain for weeks until NASA announced at the weekend that a Space X capsule had offered them a lift back to Earth next February.
Dyson, who had always been scheduled for a six-month stay on the ISS, is expected to return to Earth in September.
Wilmore is a Navy test pilot who has previously been on long missions in space.
Dyson had always been prepared to spend six months on the ISS, and remains there until September.
The families of both astronauts are also part of the congregation.
China's development insights inspire young people from Africa
Xinhua) 13:19, August 31, 2024
BEIJING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Amr Wahba, 31, loves the weather in southern China, calling it "warm and pleasant" compared to the climate in his hometown in Egypt.
Since arriving in Beijing to pursue doctoral study in pharmaceutical science at Tsinghua University last year, Wahba has traveled to various places in China, including Hangzhou city in the Yangtze Delta, where he celebrated the Spring Festival. His most recent trip to Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in August marked his first journey to a northern region outside the Chinese capital.
Wahba's travel opportunity came through the Tsinghua Global Youth Dialogue (TGYD), an intercultural initiative established by Tsinghua in 2023. TGYD invites young people from around the world to participate in tours and forums in China, fostering mutual understanding, promoting cooperation and encouraging engagement in addressing global challenges.
The main forum of the second TGYD took place on Aug. 29 and 30 at the Tsinghua campus, featuring two days of keynote speeches and discussions after the participants completed their tours to different parts of China earlier in the month.
Beginning their journey with a four-day visit to Shanghai on Aug. 19, 100 young participants, which include students, researchers and entrepreneurs from 35 countries, were later divided into three groups to explore southwestern province of Guizhou, eastern province of Zhejiang, and Inner Mongolia in the north.
In Inner Mongolia, Wahba was inspired by the solutions to desertification in Ordos, a city with approximately one-sixth of China's proven coal reserves, which, however, is shifting towards green economic development. He said it reminded him of similar efforts in Egypt, where over 90 percent of the land is desert.
"When they are changing the desert to become more green, they are thinking about adding more traditional medicine," he said, referring to the various herbs planted to combat sand encroachment, including some placed beneath solar panels in the desert.
Wahba, whose brother works in Egypt's new energy sector and is eager to explore potential collaboration with China, finally saw the widely used photovoltaic equipment he had heard about before.
According to statistics from the Ordos government, the value added in the city's wind and photovoltaic equipment manufacturing sectors experienced a 5.6-fold increase year on year in the first half of this year.
"Transferring the technology (related to new energy) will be very helpful for us," Wahba said, adding that the trip to Inner Mongolia served as a very useful experience for him.
According to Zhang Runzhou, deputy director of the Center for Global Competence Development at Tsinghua University, the TGYD tours have allowed young people to witness firsthand China's efforts in poverty alleviation, building a harmonious society and advancing green development.
Jenipher Asiimwe, a master's student majoring in film and television production at the Communication University of China, echoed Zhang's views. She said she was deeply impressed by her tour to Zhejiang, a province that was once part of ancient China's fertile Jiangnan region and is now a major innovation powerhouse.
Asiimwe, who hails from Uganda and has worked as a journalist in Africa for many years, highlighted the inclusiveness of innovation and the abundant opportunities for young people that she observed during her visits to science parks, technology companies, ancient towns, and a prosperous village known for its economic development success.
"Instead of looking for white-collar jobs, which is one of the norms of most African youth, what I've learned from here is that after graduating from university, you don't need to be employed by someone, you can create your own company and employ fellow youths in those companies," she said.
Asiimwe noted that she expects to see more cooperation between China and Africa, not just in infrastructure -- where Ugandans have already benefited from several projects -- but also in the digital economy, media and communication, and people-to-people exchanges.
"Let more young people come and experience what the real China is. I've already experienced it and now know the real China, not what we read on the internet," she said.
"Civilization flourishes through exchange and mutual learning," said Shi Zongkai, deputy chairperson of the University Council of Tsinghua University, at the opening ceremony of the TGYD main forum.
"We aim to create a global network for youth cooperation and communication, a community encouraging more profound interactions and collaborations and leading to a safer, more prosperous, and peaceful coexistence for humanity," he added.
For Hashim Amir Bashir, a 25-year-old Nigerian graduate of Beijing-based Beihang University, the significance of such an exchange opportunity is "huge" because it gives an opportunity to sit together, talk, and realize that people from across the world can work collaboratively.
This year, Bashir launched his business in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) with Chinese partners. During his visits to Shanghai and Zhejiang, the young entrepreneur felt "excited" and "motivated" by visiting technology companies, which deepened his understanding of entrepreneurship in China.
"It also proved to me that China is willing to help international people to come and start up their businesses, and also help them at the same time to connect with the rest of the world," he said.
Bashir plans to encourage more African youth to work and engage in entrepreneurship in China. He said he hopes that the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, scheduled for Sept. 4 to 6, will foster greater consensus on cooperation, including increased people-to-people exchanges.
He noted that Africa is one of China's key partners and vice versa, expressing optimism about achieving significant milestones and enhancing their relationship in the future.
(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Hongyu)
In its last edition, the News of the World, rocked by shameful scandals, had this headline: Thank you & Goodbye.
I will explain as you go through the piece why the directors and owners of one of the leading newspapers in the world, dubbed King of Sunday tabloids decided to close it. Those who have been around, seen that and done that; have a mammoth task to share wisdom and insights with souls needed for the future.We have to impart knowledge to the young ones so that they do not go astray during perilous times.
I mentioned last week that we needed to understand the attitudes of some of the great and democratic States towards journalists. Oftentimes, States, of course, I agree, do harass journalists, and the Committee to Protect Journalists compile annual reports on injured and killed scribes. The United Nations, rightfully so, condemn the harassment of journalists in the strongest possible terms. Developed and democratic States like the USA, UK and France, at some point, had to deal with their journalists.
Before I delve into this subject, I have a brief story to tell.In 2017, I, and then editor of the Times SUNDAY were taken to the High Court of Eswatini where we were interdicted from publishing what was referred to as top secrets for the exclusive attention for the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS). I recalled a prior boardroom meeting with the police executives, with Deputy Commissioner Sula Dlamini, in attendance as well, trying to explain why it would jeopardise national security to publish such a sensitive story.
I told them I am going to write the story. In fact, I had written the story. Police did not hesitate as they took me to court where I was cited as Respondent No.2. The High Court ruled in favour of the police. It meant we had been barred from publishing the story. I cannot disclose the moral of the story because the interdict is still valid. Basically, I did not understand why the international community was silent on the issue. In his Facebook post of January 13, 2017, Wander Mkhonza, a senior union executive, praised us for standing for what we believed in, and I was humbled by that post.
My encounter with the police reminds me of Julian Paul Assange, an Australian editor, publisher and activist who founded WikiLeaks in 2006. Assanges case may be different from mine as he was dealt with by the Department of Justice in the United States. He was arrested at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in 2019 after he had taken refuge there in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden over a sexual assault case that was later dropped. He felt the case in Sweden was a carefully calculated ploy to get him extradited to the United States to face an espionage case a conspiracy case related to one of the largest ever leaks of government secrets.
The USs Department of Justice alleged that he conspired with former US intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to download classified databases.He faced up to five years in US prison if convicted on the charges of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion. On June 24, 2024, Assange was released from the London prison on bail and boarded a flight to a US territory in the Pacific to formalise a plea deal. On June 25, 2024, the editor formally pleaded guilty to one count of breaching the Espionage Act and in return is allowed to walk free and return to his native Australia.
The journalists stay at the Embassy was equated to a prison term and the only hurdle for him now is his detention record which will obstruct his travel around the world. Established in 1843, the News of the World, which was published every Sunday in the United Kingdom, decided to shut down in 2011 after it had to endure a mountain of journalistic embarrassments. It was the world's highest-selling English-language newspaper. It still had one of the highest English-language circulations in the world at closure. Established as a broadsheet by John Browne Bell who identified crime, sensation and vice as the themes that would sell most copies, the News of the World was dogged by scandals that ruined its 160 years of history.
I was one of its ardent readers. Its closure came amid a major scandal over phone-hacking, juicy fabrications and alleged payments to police officers.Due to public, market and Parliament pressure, former Prime Minister David Cameron called for inquiries into the News of the World's behaviour. I must point to the fact that jurisdictions deal with their journalists differently. To me, I thought the phone-hacking case was illegal and pardonable, but the directors of the newspaper felt they had to close the paper since advertisers were refusing to do business with them. The tabloid was under intense pressure after reports had emerged that it had hacked into the cell phone of missing 13-year-old Milly Dowler in 2002.
It deleted messages and gave her parents and police false hope that the girl was still alive. Sadly, Milly had been abducted and murdered. The search for the little one had transfixed Britain at that time. On November 3, 2011, Metropolitan Police reported that they had identified 5 795 victims of the phone hacking who included politicians, celebrities and members of the British royal family. The News of the World would get a story from a two-man conversation. This created mistrust among people as they began to accuse one another of leaking sensitive information. The hacking almost divided the British royal family.
Police had to take action against the journalists who were responsible for the phone hacking. They were arrested.Clive Goodman is an English journalist, former royal editor and reporter for the News of the World who was arrested in August 2006. Goodman was jailed in January 2007 for intercepting mobile phone messages involving members of the Royal household. Other journalists from the defunct newspapers who were arrested by the UK police included Andy Coulson, Bob Bird, Neville Thurlbeck, Ian Edmondson, Nick Parker, James Weatherup and Lucy Panton.
In Africa, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant of arrest for Kenyan journalist Walter Barasa. The United Nations (UN) calls for the protection of journalists, but the ICC says it has evidence that Barasa attempted to bribe witnesses. According to the charge sheet, the journalist faces three counts of offences against the administration of justice consisting in corruptly influencing or attempting to corruptly influence three ICC witnesses regarding cases from the situation in Kenya.
10 DISGRACED JOURNALISTS
Let us now look at unacceptable professional conduct by some journalists around the world. I sourced this information from statements, Washington Post, New York Times, Thought.com, Politico and other media outlets.
Jayson Blair
Jayson Blair was a young rising star at The New York Times until, in 2003, the paper discovered he had systematically plagiarised or fabricated information for dozens of articles. In an article detailing Blair's misdeeds, the Times called the scandal "a profound betrayal of trust and a low point in the 152-year history of the newspaper." Blair got the boot.
Jack Kelley
In 2004, star USA Today reporter Jack Kelley quit after editors discovered he had been fabricating information in stories for more than a decade. Acting on an anonymous tip, the paper had launched an investigation that uncovered Kelley's actions.
Stephen Glass
Stephen Randall Glass (born September 15, 1972) is an American former journalist. He worked for The New Republic from 1995 to 1998 until it was revealed many of his published articles were fabrications. An internal investigation by The New Republic determined the majority of stories he wrote either contained false information or were fictitious.
Juan Thompson
The Intercept, an investigative publication, fired Juan Thompson for alleged faking of quotes around various news events, all of them race-related and highly inflammatory. It was reported that he went as far as creating fake email accounts to impersonate sources.
Gabriela Miranda
USA Today deleted 23 articles from its website after an investigation found that the reporter who wrote them used fabricated sources. Miranda, a breaking news reporter, had to resign from the newspaper.
Patricia Smith
Patricia Smith was a columnist for the Boston Globe who was infamously fired in 1998 for making up sources and completely fabricating stories.
Louis Seibold
In 1921, New York World reporter Louis Seibold won a Pulitzer Prize for an interview he conducted with former USA President Woodrow Wilson. It turned out Wilson was incapacitated because of a stroke. The interview was faked with the help of the presidents wife and chief of staff.
Christopher Newton
Christopher Newton, a reporter for The Associated Press, was fired in 2002 after the wire service discovered he made up stories for at least 40 of his stories.Most of the fictional sources were supposed subject-matter experts, and worked at real-sounding organisations like the Education Alliance, Voice for the Disabled and the Western Alliance For Immigration Rights.
Janet Cooke
Janet Cooke won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing in 1981 for her Washington Post profile of an eight-year-old heroin addict, Jimmys World.Jimmy turned out not to exist (although then-D.C. Mayor Marion Barry claimed to have located the child). Cooke admitted making up the story after editors at the Toledo Blade where Cooke had previously worked noticed she had inflated her resume.
Mzilikazi wa Afrika and Stephan Hofstatter
In 2018, Sunday Times of South Africa parted ways with its celebrated investigative journalists, Mzilikazi wa Afrika and Stephen Hofstatter and return awards it had won for the articles wrote by the two journalists. Sunday Times announced in a piece published in the newspaper that it apologised for the articles. The newspaper said it would return all awards and prize money received for the reports. It accepted that "there was clearly a parallel political project aimed at undermining democratic values and destroying state institutions and removing individuals who were seen as obstacles to this project. Sunday Times admitted that its stories might have been used for this purpose. Young journalists in the country must learn, and I am learning.
(Reuters/NASA TV/Handout)The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer 02 is moved to the International Space Station aboard the station's robot arm for installation on the orbiting laboratory with the shuttle Endeavour and the Earth's horizon as a backdrop is this still image from NASA TV May 19, 2011.
GENEVA (Reuters) - Scientists say they may be close to tracking down the mysterious "dark matter" which makes up more than a quarter of the universe but has never been seen.
A final identification of what makes up the enigmatic material would solve one of the biggest mysteries in physics and open up new investigations into the possibility of multiple universes and other areas, said researchers on Wednesday.
Members of an international team had picked up what might be the first physical trace left by dark matter while studying cosmic rays recorded on the International Space Station, said the head of the Europe- and U.S.-based research project Samuel Ting.
He told a packed seminar at the CERN research center, near Geneva, the team had found a surge of positron particles that might have come from dark matter.
In the coming months, he said, the CERN-built AMS particle detector on the space station "will be able to tell us conclusively whether these positrons are a signal for dark matter or if they have some other origin".
Dark matter, once the stuff of science fiction, "is one of the most important mysteries of physics today," Ting, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and 1976 Nobel physics prize winner, has written.
Sometimes called the sculptor of the universe's millions of galaxies because of the way its gravity shapes their formation, its existence has long been recognized because of the way it pushes visible stars and planets around.
But efforts in laboratories on earth and in deep underground caverns to find concrete evidence that it is there, and to establish what it is, have so far proven fruitless.
Ting said it was also possible the surges came from pulsars - rotating neutron stars that emit a pulsing radiation.
But CERN physicist Pauline Gagnon told Reuters after hearing Ting that the precision of the AMS could make it possible "to get a first hold on dark matter really soon".
"That would be terrific, like discovering a completely new continent. It would really open the door to a whole new world," said Gagnon, a Canadian physicist on ATLAS, one of the two CERN teams that believe they found evidence of the elusive Higgs particle in the centre's Large Hadron Collider.
NEW PHYSICS
John Conway, a physics professor from the University of California, Davis, working at CERN, said a confirmed discovery would push scientists into uncharted realms of research.
He said fresh insights could be gained into super-symmetry, a theory that says the current known 17 elementary particles have heavier but invisible counterparts, and dimensions beyond the currently known length, breadth and height, and time.
Other scientists, especially cosmologists now trying to peer back beyond the Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago, suggest identification of dark matter could give new clues to whether the universe itself is alone or one of many.
New research could start at CERN's Large Hadron Collider when the vast machine resumes operations in early 2015.
The huge subterranean complex running under the Franco-Swiss border at the foot of the Jura mountains was shut down in February to double its power and multiply the millions of "mini-Big Bang" particle collisions it can stage daily.
Until last week, dark matter was thought to make up around 24 percent of the universe, with normal matter - galaxies, stars and planets - accounting for about 4.5 percent.
But then the European Space Agency's Planck satellite team reported that mapping of echoes of the early cosmos showed dark matter made up 26.8 percent and ordinary matter 4.9 percent - together the total of the material of the universe.
The dominant constituent is the non-material "dark energy", as mysterious as dark matter and believed to be the driver of cosmic expansion.
(Editing by Andrew Heavens)
MAFUTSENI - Members of the Imbali regiment, who cut the reed at Mpisi Farm, had to be transported in buses and cars from the farm due to the weather.
These maidens are those who were led by Inkhosatana yeMbali Princess Sakhizwe to cut the Reed at Mpisi Farm and they included Nomcebo, who is a daughter to former South African President Jacob Zuma. Usually, when leaving Mpisi Farm, they would engage on a pilgrimage for about eight kilometres to Mafutseni Police Station, where they are served with water, before boarding buses to Ngabezweni Royal Residence.
Arrived
As the Imbali was preparing to leave their camp at Mpisi Farm, where they had arrived on Wednesday night, the buses, which usually wait for them at Mafutseni Police Station, were seen parking next to the road. When this publication enquired from some of those who were senior and part of those who administer the proceedings of the ceremony, it was gathered that a concern was raised regarding the harsh weather conditions; as it was raining and temperatures were between eight and 13 degrees Celsius yesterday. They said since Imbali had already spent two nights under such harsh temperatures, and if they embark on a pilgrimage from Mpisi Farm to Mafutseni Police Station, they might risk getting flu. This, they said, might affect attendance of the Reed Dance main day, where the maidens dance before Their Majesties and their guests, including tourists, as the Umhlanga is regarded as one of the cultural activities which attracts tourists into the country.
Embark
Therefore, they said it was suggested that they should not embark on the pilgrimage; instead, the buses should pick them up at Mpisi Farm. Meanwhile, Umfana weNkhosi Hlangabeza Mdluli, who was reluctant to comment about the matter, hinted that there was a concern that if they engage on a pilgrimage as usual, Imbali might fall sick, yet they are supposed to dance before Their Majesties and their guests during the main day. Some of the maidens, who talked briefly to this publication before they boarded the buses, expressed their excitement and said the new developments show that Labadzala care about them. They said they appreciated the effort they made to put their health first.
Dancing
However, they highlighted that they would miss the fun of marching and dancing the long distance (from Mpisi Farm to Mafutseni Police Station). This, they said, was because embarking on a pilgrimage was part of the fun of attending the Reed Dance. They said the good thing was that the main day was still coming and hopefully the temperatures would have improved by then. Today the maidens are expected to rest and then on Sunday, deliver the Reed at Ludzidzini Royal Residence and rest before being joined by Their Majesties and the nation for the colourful event on Monday, which is the Reed Dance main day.
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Welcome back to another Engadget Review Recap (or as I prefer to call it, ERR). This is the second edition of a mostly bi-weekly series rounding up the reviews that our team has published, as well as some insight on what's coming, what we skipped and how we do our testing. Plus, fun team trivia! If you missed a review in the last two weeks or simply didn't have the time to read every single thing we publish (how dare you), let this roundup be your quick catch-up.
This week, we're looking back at the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro reviews, as well as the Dell XPS 13 Copilot+ PC, which is a mouthful of a name if I ever saw one. Other Pixel devices are also being tested as we speak, and the reviews team is pretty busy behind the scenes. On Monday, Apple announced an "It's Glowtime" event for September 9, which means we're also expecting new iPhones and Apple Watches to play with soon.
For now, though, here's what's been happening on the Engadget reviews team.
Pixel 9 review: A solid, not-too-pricey Android flagship
by Sam Rutherford
Engadget 91 100 The default Android flagship phone Google Pixel 9 Thanks to a slick new design, improved software, upgraded cameras and a vibrant display, while Samsungs Galaxy S line might be more popular, the Pixel 9 is the true Android phone to beat. Pros New ultrasonic fingerprint sensor
Upgraded cameras
Super bright OLED display
Solid performance
Slick design
Excellent software and AI tools Cons No Qi2 magnetic wireless charging
Zoom Enhance is only available on Pixel 9 Pro
AI can still hallucinate or be manipulated to produce unsavory results $799 at Google
First of all, huge news from the Engadget team: Our senior writer Sam Rutherford just had a baby! Sam will be off on parental leave for a bit, and has managed to keep himself extremely busy right down to the wire, filing hands-ons and helping with reviews up until he went off to the hospital. We will be lost without Sam, but are extremely happy for him and his family as they welcome the lovely addition to their lives.
The Pixel 9 review is the last full review you'll see from Sam for a while, and in it he clearly explains how impressed he is by Google's premium-ish handset. To him, it's the go-to Android phone, overshadowing Samsung's S24 and any other Android flagship worth considering. It's got a grown-up vibe to it like the Pixel 9 Pros, and has great camera and battery performance. At $799, it delivers plenty for the money.
It's a little tricky to consider the Pixel 9 in the shadow of its Pro counterparts, since there's also the Pixel 8a or the future Pixel 9a possibly nipping at its toes with a great set of features for a lower price. If you have the $200 or so to spare, you might be considering the Pros, which we also reviewed last week.
Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL review: Holy 94 points for a Pixel?
by Mat Smith
Google 94 100 A smaller pro-level Pixel phone Pixel 9 Pro With a refined design, much-improved telephoto camera and great battery-life, the Pixel 9 Pro cements its status as the smartphone with the best camera. Pros Great camera features and improved telephoto camera
A year of Gemini Advanced for free
Incredible battery life
A beautiful, bright screen thats easy to use outdoors
Tensor G4 runs cooler than its predecessor Cons Slower charging speeds than the XL
Not the best phone for gaming $999 at Google Explore More Buying Options $999 at Amazon$999 at Best Buy
I kid you not: My jaw dropped when I saw the score that Mat Smith, UK bureau chief, proposed for the Pixel 9 Pro. It's possibly the highest we've ever given any Google-made phone, not to mention also arguably the first time a Pixel has been scored in iPhone territory. In fact, both Mat and myself found ourselves mistaking the Pixel 9 Pro for our own iPhones by touch and when their screens were facing up. Sam also thought the Pixel 9 looked and felt remarkably similar to Apple's flagships, which is, in a weird way, a compliment to Google.
These phones feel grown up, refined and classy. Gone is the glossy finish that the Pixel 6 and newer came in, and with it also went the tendency for these devices to slide off any non-stable surface. The camera bar also looks more elegant, and the straight edges give the Pixel 9 Pros that iPhone vibe that older models lacked.
I love how Google was able to give its latest flagships the iPhone treatment while retaining its character with the camera bar. I adore the new colors, too, especially the pair of pink Pros I received.
A huge part of why we scored the Pixel 9 Pro as high as we did is the fact that the new smaller Pro doesn't have many compromises due to its size. The Pixel 9 Pro XL and the smaller version both have the same camera setup and are really only different in display and battery size. The larger flagship charges slightly faster, but the baby Pro lasts so. danged. long. It beat pretty much every recent phone we've on our video rundown battery test.
As usual, Google's cameras beat the competition (especially at night), and while we don't know if we'd pay to use its Gemini AI services ourselves, the fact that they're available for free for now means it's not a downside. Some of the new software, like the Pixel Screenshots app or the Add Me tool in the camera, are nifty and generally effective. Others, like Pixel Studio and Reimagine in the photo editing tools, are somewhat problematic, as detailed by Allison Johnson at The Verge.
If you can avoid using those features, which I think is remarkably easy to do, then you'll find the rest of the Pixel 9 Pro satisfying. Its upgraded display is bright and beautiful, though Mat, who only slightly bragged in his review that he had larger-than-average hands, didn't like that the Pro XL had a bigger screen than last year's model. He's not wrong, that thing is hard to maneuver, especially for those of us cursed with smaller extremities. For that reason, we took a point off the Pro XL's score compared to last year's Pixel 8 Pro. We also wish Google had kept its flagships more competitively priced for one more year, since the Pixel 9 lineup costs pretty much the same as the corresponding devices from Samsung and Apple, instead of a hundred or so dollars cheaper in prior years.
Go on over to Mat's review for the details and camera samples. For now, suffice to say that the Engadget team is very impressed with the Pixel 9 lineup, and we eagerly await our own verdicts on the other products in the family, like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2.
Dell XPS 13 Copilot+ PC: Good, but Intel variants might be better
by Devindra Hardawar
Dell 84 100 Dell XPS 13 Copilot+ AI PC The XPS 13 is a capable and stylish Copilot+ PC, but its still slower than the Intel model at times and doesnt run some games and apps. Battery life is also surprisingly average. Pros Faster than the Intel XPS 13 in some benchmarks
45TOPS NPU is better equipped for future AI features
Gorgeous design
Excellent thin-bezel screen
Excellent battery life Cons Windows on Arm still runs some apps slowly and fails to launch some games
Current AI features are fairly middling
Contentious trackpad and capacitive function buttons $1,299 at Dell
Feels like we might be getting several iterations of the Dell XPS 13 soon. The XPS 13 Copilot+ PC that Devindra reviewed this week feels like one such variant, as if we're in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's the XPS 13 we reviewed earlier this year but instead of an Intel Core Ultra processor, it uses an Arm-based Snapdragon X Elite chip. That means it lasts a lot longer than your typical PC using x86 system architecture, but also is more likely to encounter potential compatibility issues.
If you don't plan on gaming on your laptop or need it to run obscure apps, a Snapdragon notebook might work for you, especially if you want long battery life. Gamers who plan on playing Fortnite or League of Legends will need to opt for an x86 system. because the anti-cheat features on those titles will prevent them from working on Arm-based machines.
Considering we'll likely be getting an XPS 13 with Intel's Lunar Lake CPU later this year, those who want greater software compatibility in an AI PC with Dell's premium design won't have long to wait. The Lunar Lake processors also have neural processing units (NPUs) that are faster than the Snapdragon X Elite's, too. If you don't mind waiting, you'll likely find a variant that satisfies your needs (or your prime timeline) soon enough.
Elsewhere on Engadget: Interviews, gaming news and hands-ons
Speaking of AI PCs powered by Intel, let's not forget AMD. Devindra had a chat with AMD's product leads for Ryzen AI and published an article last week around the company's AI PC strategy. This type of interview informs our coverage and reviews of devices with these components, and they're a great opportunity for us to unleash our inner nerds (innerds? never mind).
We also got the chance to nerd out with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman on the Engadget Podcast this week, getting an inside look at what Apple might be unveiling at its event on September 9.
Gamescom took place last week, and the Engadget team covered the event live, with news around titles from franchises like Dune, Indiana Jones, Marvel, Call of Duty and Civilization. Sam published a hands-on with "King of Meat," which he called a "monstrous mash-up of a co-op platformer."
Not enough gaming coverage? We've got you. Mat published a piece on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which looks like a beautiful RPG from French studio Sandfall Interactive. Our team also produced a series of lists and roundups of various types of games, from the best Apple Arcade options and Netflix games to titles for specific consoles like the Playdate and puzzle and word games you can play daily.
Senior reporter Jess Conditt checked out Razer's new Wolverine V3 Pro controller for Xbox and PC this week, which is the company's first fully wireless controller for Xbox consoles and also its first with Hall effects joysticks. Jess spent a few days with the V3 Pro, mostly playing Overwatch 2, and she found it "snappy and surprisingly compact." She said "the joysticks are precise they require a little more force than the wireless Forza Horizon 5 Xbox controller I generally use, but theyre nice and accurate."
On the horizon: Upcoming reviews and how we decide what to cover
We continue to test Pixel devices that are becoming available to the public later in September, while working on testing more AI PCs, leftover Samsung Galaxy products and more. I'm personally extremely excited to check out the new Barbie flip phone from HMD, because I can type so much more quickly on a T9 keypad than on a touchscreen. I think I can, anyway.
Many products are announced every week, not to mention every year, and just this week we saw new gadgets like that Barbie phone, as well as a new AI wearable called the NotePin. Whether we review these devices depends largely on how important they are to our audience (which is usually determined by our understanding of reader interest and how likely they are to want to buy something). Whether a product is ever going to make it to a larger market also matters, so vaporware or mini personal projects on Kickstarter aren't things we typically review.
Finally, our individual staff members' workload and desire to test these things also contribute to the decision-making process if someone on the team liked something so much they bought it with their own money, they are always welcome to write up their experience for the site, as part of our ongoing series around things we bought.
As always, it is shaping up to be a busy few weeks ahead for our team, so please send good thoughts and vibes. Thank you as always for giving us your time, and have a fantastic weekend!
Note: This review was originally published during Sundance 2024. We're reposting it because Seeking Mavis Beacon is now out in theaters.
With a healthy dose of heart and whimsy, the Sundance documentary Seeking Mavis Beacon follows two young Black women who are devoted to finding the original model for Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing. If you touched a computer during the '80s or '90s, there's a good chance that Mavis helped you get comfortable with a keyboard. Or at the very least, you might remember her from the program's original 1987 cover: a smiling, elegant Black woman dressed in a cream-colored outfit. She embodied style and professional poise it was as if you could be just as capable as her if you bought that program.
It's no spoiler to say that "Mavis Beacon" didn't really exist she was a marketing idea crafted by a group of white dudes from Silicon Valley. But the program's cover star was real: Her name was Renee L'Esperance, a Haitian model who was discovered while working at Saks Fifth Avenue in Los Angeles. After her image helped make Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing a success, she retreated from the spotlight, reportedly heading back to retire in the Caribbean.
Seeking Mavis Beacon
The documentary's director and writer, Jazmin Jones, as well as her collaborator, Olivia McKayla Ross, start with those basic details and set out to find L'Esperance like a pair of digital detectives. From a home base in a rundown Bay Area office surrounded by tech ephemera, a variety of art pieces and images of influential black women they lay out L'Esperance's reported timeline, follow leads and even host a spiritual ceremony to try and connect with the model.
I won't say if the pair actually end up finding L'Esperance because it's the journey that makes Seeking Mavis Beacon such a joy to watch. Jones and Ross both grew up with the typing program and felt a kinship toward the character of Mavis Beacon. It was the first program to prominently feature a Black woman on the cover (a move that reportedly caused some suppliers to cut their orders), so it made the technology world seem like somewhere young Black women could actually fit in. Beacon's digital hands also appear on-screen, as if she's gently guiding your fingers to the correct letters and positioning.
To help uncover more details about the whereabouts of Mavis Beacon, Jones and Ross set up a hotline and website for anyone to submit clues. Some of those calls are featured in the film, and they make it clear that her digital presence inspired many people. The film opens with references to Beacon throughout culture, including one of my favorite bits from Abbott Elementary, where Quinta Brunson's over-achieving teacher is far too excited to spot the typing icon in a school crowd. I was reminded of my own childhood experience with Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, spending free periods at school and idle time at home trying to get my typing speed up. By middle school, typing felt as natural as breathing. And yes, I would also have freaked out if I saw the real Beacon in person.
While the documentary doesn't seem out of place at Sundance, which is known for innovative projects, it also sometimes feels like a piece of experimental media meant for YouTube or an art show filled with impossibly cool twenty-somethings. (At one point, Ross attends a farewell ceremony for one of her friends' dead laptops, which was hosted in an art space filled with people dressed in white. That's the sort of hip weirdness that will either turn you off of this film, or endear you to it more.)
Yeleen Cohen
Jones shows us screen recordings of her own desktop, where she may be watching a TikTok alongside her notes. Instead of a full-screen video chat with another person, sometimes we just see a FaceTime window (and occasionally that reflects Jones' own image looking at the screen). Finding Mavis Beacon tells its story in a way that digital natives will find natural, without locking itself exclusively into screens like the film Searching.
As is true for many first features, the film could use some narrative tightening. Jones and Ross's investigation stalls at several points, and we're often just left adrift as they ponder their next steps. The pair also occasionally appear too close to the story, or at least, that's how it seems when we see Jones tearing up while pleading to meet with L'Esperance.
But I'd argue that's also part of the charm of Seeking Mavis Beacon. Jones and Ross aren't some true crime podcast hosts looking to create content out of controversy. They're young women who found comfort in one of the few faces in tech that looked like them. With this film, Jones and Ross could be similarly inspirational for a new generation of underrepresented techies.
The Starliner is scheduled to undock from the International Space Station and to make its way back to Earth at 6:04PM Eastern time today, September 6. If the weather cooperates and the spacecraft leaves the ISS as planned, it will be landing at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico with the help of parachutes to slow its descent and inflated airbags at around 12:03AM ET on September 7. While the ground teams at Starliner Mission Control in Houston and at Boeing Mission Control Center in Florida can control the spacecraft remotely if needed, it will be an uncrewed, fully autonomous flight for the Starliner.
NASA recently announced that Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, the astronauts that headed to the ISS aboard the Starliner for its first crewed flight, will be coming home on a SpaceX Crew Dragon instead. Wilmore and Williams flew to the ISS in June and were only supposed to spend a little more than a week on the orbiting laboratory. On the way there, however, five of the spacecraft's maneuvering thrusters had failed, and its helium leak problem that previously caused its launch to be pushed back had worsened. Engineers on the ground conducted tests with help from the astronauts on the ISS to determine whether the Starliner was safe for the crew to ride back to Earth. In the end, NASA decided that it's safer for Wilmore and Williams to come home on a SpaceX vehicle, because "there was too much uncertainty" around the Starliner's thrusters.
The space agency will cover Starliner's return live on NASA+, the NASA app, its website, and you can also watch it below. Coverage of the undocking procedure will start at 5:45PM ET, while coverage for the spacecraft's deorbit burn, entry and landing will start at 10:50PM. NASA will also livestream Starliner's landing on September 7, starting at 12AM ET.
As for the SpaceX Crew-9 mission that's replacing the Boeing's vehicle on the ISS, it's scheduled to launch no earlier than September 24. Instead of flying with four astronauts as planned, it will fly with two NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov to leave two seats empty for its return flight with Wilmore and Williams in February 2025.
Ukrainian rockets hit the Russian city of Belgorod and its surroundings on late Friday, killing five people and injuring 37, said regional govenor Vyacheslav Gladkov. The region borders northern Ukraine ans comes under drone or artillery attacks almost daily.
Women are joining the ranks of Ukrainian mobile air-defense units to shoot down drones as more men are drawn to the battles on the eastern front line. In Kyiv's suburb of Bucha, 70 new female recruits have joined in recent months, working in shifts and rushing to duty when air raid sirens blare.
MBABANE The catch phrase, unamatsela kuze kuse is what is being used to sell a dangerous sex-booster called Congo Dust.
The phrase, loosely translated could mean, you will last longer, often targeting men with sexual health problems. Congo Dust, which is allegedly said to be originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), is said to be sold on the streets, as well as in some pharmacies in that country, in powder form. It is said that in DRC, the substance is said to be available on the streets. The sexbooster is sold in powder form and users claim that only a pinch of it is required for the day. The powder is not consumable, but one applies it externally.
Now, the product is said to be illegally available in the kingdom, and local men are already trying it. Some pharmacies in Manzini are illegally selling the powder. It is said that majority of the buyers are older men, who desire more energy in their love relationships.
One of the distributors of the product claimed that because of the demand for it, they sometimes deliver it to their clients. One pharmacy owner, who wished to remain anonymous, as he is aware that the drug is illegal, described the surge in demand: We have had more customers coming in, asking specifically for Congo Dust. The news seems to be spreading about the product, this could be a sign that there are many people with sexual health problems out there and that they are looking for solutions, he said. When he was asked why many people were asking for the powder, instead of other available sex-boosters, he said he was of the view that the word Congo appears to be attracting the buyers. He said the word Congo sounded mystic and also, it was new in the Eswatini market.
Expensive
Some users of the product, however, expressed concern that that it was expensive, as it was being sold for at least E140 in a small sachet. A man in his late 50s narrated his experience, adding that he bought it when he saw a poster about it on the internet. I have been using Congo Dust for a few months now, and it has definitely made a difference, he stated. He said he did it to save his marriage, as he recently married a young wife. According to a pharmacy consultant *Sydney, from one of the pharmacies where the product is being sold, he stated that many people are already buying the product. He said it is being distributed in sachets. You only use a pinch, added Sydney.
Sydney said the pinch is enough to last for two to three days, but that one had to constantly keep hydrating by drinking at least two litres of water daily. Asked about the possible side effects, he said so far, he was not aware of any. However, research on med.nealth.com on Congo Dust shows a dark side to it , due to some side effects which could eventually lead to death, such as cancer. While the packaging and advertisements promise enhanced sexual stamina and satisfaction, the reality, according to experts, may be far more perilous. Some of the long-term side effects are reportedly permanent erectile dysfunction and worse, cancer. Meanwhile, Congo Dust has found a substantial market in countries such as Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Zambia and DRC. In these countries, the product is widely available on the streets and in some pharmacies.
Safety
According to reports in Nigeria, for instance, Congo Dust has become a common sight in urban markets, with vendors promoting its supposed benefits. The Nigerian National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has issued public advisories, urging consumers to avoid such products due to the lack of safety and efficacy data. Similarly, in South Africa, the product is often sold in informal settings, appealing to those who may not have access to or prefer not to seek out medical advice for sexual health issues. Just like in Nigeria, there has been warnings from South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) about substances like Congo Dust. The agency highlighted the dangers of using unregistered sexual enhancers, stressing the importance of consulting healthcare professionals before using any medication.
A comment was also sought from the local Ministry of Health, to find out how such a substance is being regulated and if they are aware that it has infiltrated even the pharmacies.
The questionnaire was sent on Thursday morning, but they had not responded by the time of compiling this article on Friday 1pm. However, in the past, the Ministry of Health had warned members of the public about using over-the-counter medication, which otherwise could have side effects.
*Not real name to protect source from harm.
Saturday, August 31, 2024
Attend the 2024 Deathcare Superconference!
The vibrant city of Seattle will play host to the much-anticipated 2024 Deathcare Superconference, September 27-29, 2024. This gathering is designed to bring together professionals across the deathcare industry, from funeral directors and cemetery managers to grief counselors and cremation specialists. This event promises to be a cornerstone for advancing practices, sharing knowledge, and building lasting relationships within this essential sector.
Sponsors
A Good Goodbye is a co-sponsor of this event, which is being put on by the National Home Funeral Alliance, the National End of Life Doula Alliance, the Funeral Consumers Alliance, and Peoples Memorial Association. Gail Rubin, The Doyenne of Death, founder of A Good Goodbye and the Before I Die New Mexico Festival, will be attending the event in person.
You can attend either in-person or online. CLICK HERE to learn more and register. Watch parties are being organized in multiple cities, so people can gather to experience the event by zoom. Learn about watch parties here.
Other sponsors include Compassion & Choices, Keeper Memorials / Talk Death, Cremation Association of North America, End of Life Washington, Final Exit Network, Fitting Tribute Funeral Services, LLC, A Good Goodbye, Green Burial Council, Passages International, and Titan Casket.
A Vision for Unity and Growth
This years theme, Building Bridges in the Deathcare Landscape, speaks to the conferences mission to foster collaboration across the diverse fields within the deathcare industry. In an era where the industry is rapidly evolving due to technological advancements, changing societal norms, and increasing demand for personalized services, the conference aims to bridge gaps between traditional practices and modern innovations. Attendees will explore ways to enhance their services, support grieving families, and navigate the complexities of todays deathcare environment.
The goal of this event is for alternative deathcare and funeral care providers to share resources and have high-level conversations about what we want the future of deathcare to look like, from death doulas to hospice to home funerals to green burials and alternative disposition options to protecting consumer funerary rights.
Keynote Speakers and Sessions
The 2024 Deathcare Superconference will feature an impressive lineup of keynote speakers, each bringing unique insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the industry. Highlights include:
Dr. Jessica Caldwell, a renowned thanatologist, who will discuss the psychology of grief in the digital age, offering strategies for supporting families through virtual and in-person channels.
Michael Hansen, CEO of GreenPath Memorial Services, will present on sustainable deathcare practices, emphasizing the importance of eco-friendly options in todays environmentally-conscious market.
Samantha Lee, a cultural anthropologist, will lead a session on the diverse cultural perspectives on death and how these can inform more inclusive and respectful deathcare practices.
In addition to keynote presentations, the conference will offer a wide array of workshops, panels, and roundtable discussions. Topics will range from the latest in cremation technology and digital memorialization to legal updates affecting the industry and innovative approaches to end-of-life planning.
Networking and Collaboration Opportunities
One of the key features of the Deathcare Superconference is the opportunity for attendees to network and collaborate. The conference will include several networking events, including a welcome reception, industry-specific roundtables, and a closing gala. These events are designed to facilitate meaningful connections, allowing professionals to share experiences, discuss common challenges, and explore pottial partnerships.
Additionally, the conference will host an exhibition hall showcasing the latest products, services, and technologies in the deathcare industry. From casket manufacturers to software developers, exhibitors will present their offerings, giving attendees the chance to explore new tools and solutions that can enhance their services.
Location and Accessibility
Seattle, known for its stunning natural scenery and rich cultural landscape, is the ideal location for this years conference. The event will take place at the Central Library located in the heart of downtown Seattle. The venue is easily accessible, with a variety of accommodations, dining options, and attractions nearby, making it convenient for both local and international attendees.
Registration and Further Information
Registration for the 2024 Deathcare Superconference is now open. For more information, including the full conference agenda, speaker bios, and registration details, visit the official conference website.
As the deathcare industry continues to evolve, the 2024 Deathcare Superconference in Seattle offers an invaluable opportunity for professionals to come together, share knowledge, and build the bridges needed to navigate the future successfully. Whether youre a seasoned industry veteran or new to the field, this conference promises to provide the insights, connections, and inspiration you need to thrive in this vital sector.
Related
Claire Danes is proud of the enduring appeal of 'My So-Called Life'.
Claire Danes is thrilled by the continued appeal of My So-Called Life
The 45-year-old actress played the central character Angela Chase - a 15-year-old high school student who lives in the fictional Pittsburgh suburb of Three Rivers with her family - in the 1994 teen drama series and is "grateful" that its appeal has stretched across the generations.
Speaking to PEOPLE magazine: "I'm so grateful for its resilience, and that it can be shared from one generation to another."
The 'Romeo and Juliet' actress is now able to look at the series in a different light as her eldest son, 11-year-old Cyrus - who she has with husband Hugh Dancy approaches adolescence.
She said: "It's a really rich and harrowing phase of life that we all go through. My eldest son is 11 and a half, and I'm just bracing myself. We're on the edge of it, and I'm a little anxious."
Claire was 14 when she landed the lead role in the series - with Angela also acting as the narrator for each episode - and was struck by how much Winnie Holzman's initial script resonated with her at the time as it addressed teen angst and the tribulations of school, dating and coping with your parents.
She said: "I don't think I had ever read a more accurate account of the experience that I was having in that moment.
"I was just so thrilled to have my internal life articulated for me."
Despite its popularity, 'My So-Called Life' which also launched the career of 'House of Gucci' actor Jared Leto - was axed after just a single season and Danes felt the show was too pioneering for many viewers to "register".
She said: "I think 'My So-Called Life' was a first, and I think that's why it had such a limited lifespan. It was so new I think people didn't immediately know how to register it."
Gemma Arterton was worried her young son didn't recognise her when she was filming the second series of Funny Woman.
Gemma Arterton was worried her young son wouldnt recognise her when filming second series of Funny Woman
The 38-year-old English actress - who is married to 'Peaky Blinders' star Rory Keenan - took her 20-month-old son with her when filming the second series of the TV comedy-drama TV and was worried he wouldn't recognise her as she dyed her hair blonde for the role.
Speaking to OK! magazine, she said: "So he was with me. I dyed my hair blonde this season and it sounds ridiculous, but I was convinced he didn't recognise me!
"He'd see me for an hour or something a day, I'd be dressed as Sophie and I just don't look like myself when I'm playing her - with the costumes and the hair and make up - so I was convinced he didn't know I was his mum. I found that quite hard.
"The good thing about this job is that it's intense when you're filming for three or four months, but then you might have months off where you can just be with your child. It was hard not to be with him but its ok. He's forgiven me. He recognises me."
Discussing the trajectory of her acting career, Gemma previously revealed she was told to drop her hometown accent or she would spend the rest of her career playing "maids".
The former Bond girl - who grew up in a working class family in Gravesend, Kent, South East England - studied acting at London's prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and her teachers warned her to improve her elocution and lose her Kent brogue because it could have a negative impact on her prospects.
Speaking to The Guardian newspaper, she explained: "[My accent] was associated with people from less affluent backgrounds. Its different now at drama school but in my day, we were told to lose the accent or youd only play maids or whatever. Its a shame because I did have a strong working-class estuary accent. I feel a bit sad that its gone."
However, Gemma admits her Kent accent does return after she's enjoyed some alcoholic refreshments or when she's spending time with her family.
She shared: "Yes [it comes out after a few drinks]! Or around my family. If Im on the phone to my dad, my husband says my accent really changes."
Jude Law has admitted his new film about a white supremacist group is sadly relevant.
Jude Law has admitted his new film about a white supremacist group is sadly relevant
The 51-year-old actor is promoting his latest movie The Order at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, with the project competing for the prestigious Golden Lion.
Jude said during a press conference in Venice about the film, which centres around a white supremacist mob: Sadly, the relevance speaks for itself. It felt like a piece of work that needed to be made now.
Its always interesting finding a piece from the past that has some relevant relationship to the present day.
Judes fellow cast member Nicholas Hoult, 34, added about the importance of the movie: Hopefully the film, perhaps, if people see it, can shed more light on how these sorts of events occur and on the people that are instigating them, (and can) help prevent it happening anymore in the future.
The Order is an adaptation of the 1989 non-fiction book The Silent Brotherhood by Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt, which tells the story of a string of increasingly violent bank robberies as well as counterfeiting operations and armoured car heists that terrify frightens communities throughout the Pacific Northwest in 1983.
A synopsis of the book says: As baffled law enforcement agents scrambled for answers, a lone FBI agent, stationed in the sleepy, picturesque town of Coeur dAlene, Idaho, comes to believe the crimes are not the work of traditional, financially motivated criminals, but of a group of dangerous domestic terrorists, inspired by a radical, charismatic leader, plotting a devastating war against the federal government of the United States.
Jude also told Deadline the film was political and delicate as well as controversial, but said it was vital for art to got to those dark places and approach dark subject matter with a very level head and a non-judgemental perspective.
Kate Winslet knew her husband was her soulmate when he rescued her and her daughter from a fire on his uncle Sir Richard Bransons island.
Kate Winslet knew her husband was her soulmate when he rescued her and her daughter from a fire on his uncle Sir Richard Bransons island
The mother-of-three Titanic actress, 47, married Ned Rocknroll born Edward Abel Smith 12 years ago and they has now opened up about how she grew to love him a few days after they met on Sir Richards Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands.
Kate was there with her actress daughter Mia, 23, when a storm struck, leading to the house they were staying in catching fire when it was hit by lightning with Ned helping them escape.
Kate told The Daily Telegraph about the dramatic incident: It was very clear to me that this was the person I was supposed to follow through life. And I still feel exactly that way now.
(Ned) looks after everybody. Hes wonderful. We literally do life together, we really do.
Hes always jumped from project to project, and when I met him he was setting up a music festival.
The actress also told how she thought Neds self-adopted Rocknroll surname which he has now ditched for his original one of Abel Smith was brilliant.
She added: When someone told me I thought, thats brilliant, because the funny thing is, hes not remotely rock and roll.
Hes Mr Vegan Yoga. Hes just the life and soul. Ned and I, we are real-life optimists.
When you live with someone who wakes up, opens the curtains, and says, Hello, the world! you just think, Yes, I am going to sign up for life.
The actress has son Bear, 10, with Ned and gave him the middle name Blaze in a reference to the fire drama.
Kate had Mia with her first husband Jim Threapleton, 50, and also has son Joe, 20, with her second husband, 59-year-old filmmaker Sam Mendes.
Noel Gallagher has joked he fell out with his brother Liam as he stole his teddy bear decades ago.
Noel Gallagher has joked he fell out with his brother Liam as he stole his teddy bear decades ago
The Wonderwall songwriter, 57, made the claim on Saturday (31.08.24) after he and Liam announced Oasis would be reforming for a series of comeback gigs in 2025 and as fans waited in online queues for hours to buy up tickets for the shows.
He was in London store Stone Island when he was approached by a father and his children who then started to grill Noel on why he and Liam fought so much before their infamous 2009 bust-up in Paris led to the band breaking up.
A clip of the interaction posted to X by Steve Sheward shows him explaining who Noel was to his kids.
He is heard saying: This is Noel, that this is dads legendary band.
His daughter then asks: Wait, is he getting back with his brother? before one of the fans sons asks Noel: Why did you fall out with your brother?
Noel laughed as he replied: Why did I fall out with him?
When he noticed one of the kids was clutching a soft Winnie-the-Pooh toy, the rocker added: Cause he stole my teddy bear. Im not lying. He stole it. 1978.
The boy holding the stuffed bear then tells Noel: Youre fake, see you leaving the musician and the fan laughing.
Liam, 51, has previously said he believes Noel harboured hatred for him for years after he drunkenly peed on his stereo equipment when they were growing up in Manchester.
Oasis announced on Tuesday (27.08.24) they were reforming for a string of stadium concerts 15 years after the Gallagher brothers famously broke up after a backstage argument at Paris Rock en Seine festival.
The brothers said in a statement about their comeback: The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.
They added in an Instagram post about their reunion: This is it, this is happening.
Noel and Liam Gallagher can be seen smiling together in new images released by Oasis.
Noel and Liam Gallagher picture smiling together in new Oasis photoshoot [c Simon Emmett]
The pictures - from the siblings' recent photoshoot to announce Oasis' highly-anticipated reunion tour - show Noel, 57, laughing as he stands next to his smiling younger brother Liam, 51.
Liam and Noel had been estranged since the band split in 2009, following a bust-up between the brothers at a gig in Paris, but the smiling black-and-white pictures - taken by photographer Simon Emmett - will go some way to reassuring fans that they have put the acrimony behind them.
Simon wrote on X: "Such a privilege to have captured this moment. #Oasis #LiamGallagher #NoelGallagher."
Oasis will play 17 shows across London, Cardiff, Manchester, Edinburgh and Dublin as part of their 2025 comeback tour of the UK and Ireland.
Tickets went on sale at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK on Saturday (31.08.24) but many fans were left frustrated as ticket sites crashed due to the huge demand.
Many tickets were quickly advertised on resale sites at hugely inflated prices, leading Oasis to issue a warning to fans.
A message on Oasis' X account read: "Please note. Oasis Live '25 tickets can only be resold at face value via TicketmasterUK and Twickets! Tickets appearing on other secondary ticketing sites are either counterfeit or will be cancelled by the promoters."
MBABANE It is common cause that civil servants do not earn much.
Noncedo Ndlangamandla of Mabila Attorneys made this submission before Principal Magistrate Fikile Nhlabatsi when moving an application for bail on behalf of Njabulo Thwala of Mpolonjeni. Thwala is one of the seven employees of the Ministry of Home Affairs, who were arrested on Thursday and charged with a combined 89 charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act No.3 of 2006. Thwala is implicated in 46 of the 89 charges. The accused persons are alleged to have, among other things, unlawfully given foreign nationals refugee identity (ID) numbers.
The other accused persons are Mbhekwa Ncongwane, Dumsile Lukhele, Phumzile Mdluli, Jean Khangezile Sitsebe, Faith Matse and Nqobile Helen Dlamini. They made their first court appearance before the principal magistrate yesterday. They were all represented by an attorney. One of the legal representatives was former High Court Judge Sipho Nkosi, who represented Matse. The prosecutor, Ngcebo Lukhele, applied that the accused persons be remanded in custody, pending their committal to the High Court. The accused persons applied for bail. Ndlangamandla, on behalf of Thwala, told the court that the accused is a breadwinner and is married with five children. The lawyer said Thwalas wife was unemployed and his family depended on him for their livelihood.
Ndlangamandla prayed that the court should grant Thwala bail in the sum of E5 000. Its common cause that civil servants dont earn much, she said. She further submitted that her client undertook to abide by all the bail conditions if he were to be released on bail. Ndlangamandla mentioned that Thwala appeared on the 44th count to the 88th count. She implored the court not to treat him differently because of that.
Risk
Ben Simelane of Ben J. Simelane and Associates represented Mdluli and Lukhele. He also applied for bail on their behalf. Simelane said Mdluli (52) was approaching retirement and had been a loyal civil servant for the past 25 years. He submitted that she was not a flight risk. The state owes her a lot in terms of pension. She wont fly away and lose her pension. She will appear in court for this matter. All her assets and family are firmly in Eswatini; she wont leave the country just because of this case, Simelane submitted. On behalf of Lukhele (35), Simelane told the court she had been a reliable and hard working civil servant. He submitted that the court has discretion to grant them bail.
He argued that the court should not grant an excessive amount, because that would amount to a denial of bail. According to Simelane, his clients cooperated with the investigators. Nkosi submitted that Matse (44) has three children and is only facing two counts. Nkosi told the court that Matse was unlikely to evade trial, as she was not a flight risk. He implored the court to fix her bail amount at E5 000. Nqobile also asked that her bail amount be fixed at E5 000. Nqobile was represented by Linda Dlamini of Linda Dlamini and Associates. Linda submitted that Nqobile appreciated the seriousness of the offence she has been charged with. She is facing one charge. Ncongwane told the court that he would plead not guilty. He was represented by Sivesonkhe Ngwenya of Sivesonkhe Ngwenya and Associates. Ngwenya submitted on Ncongwanes behalf that the main consideration was whether his client would attend the trial or not.
Married
He tendered an amount of E5 000 as bail. He said that would be an appropriate amount. He also told the court that Ncongwane was not a flight risk. He said Ncongwane is married and in his family, he was the only one employed. Vuyo Mbingo of Robinson Bertram submitted on behalf of Sitsebe that she will plead not guilty to all the charges. She faces five of the 89 counts. He submitted that she had never been arrested or charged for any act of misconduct. He said she would abide by all bail conditions. The Crown said a cash amount of E10 000 would suffice as bail.
The principal magistrate granted the accused persons bail applications. Nqobile was ordered to pay E5 000 bail and others E6 000. According to the court, those who were charged with more than one offence were to pay E6 000 and E5 000 was to be paid by those who face one offence. Nqobile was charged with only one offence. The immigration officers charges stem from their alleged contravention of the Prevention of Corruption Act No.3 of 2006. The basis of their charges is that they allegedly, directly or indirectly, gave and/or offered to give several foreign nationals the advantage of registration and/or issuance of refugee identity numbers.
Benefitted
This, they are alleged to have done, for the benefit of the foreign nationals to be recognised as refugees in Eswatini. The foreign nationals who allegedly benefitted from the purported acts of corruption by the accused persons are from African and overseas countries. According to the charge sheet, the accused persons allegedly abused their position of authority, which amounted to a breach of trust, amounting to a violation of their legal duty and/or set of rules. The accused were rounded up on Thursday by a joint operation by members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The offences were committed between November 2017 and March 2023 in Mbabane. A bulk of the offences were committed in March 2023. As reflected in the charge sheet, on some days in March 2023, various offences were committed in one day. The accused persons are accused of contravening Section 42(1)(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act read with Section 42(2)(b)(i). Alternatively read with Section 42(2)(b)(ii).
Princess Diana has been remembered by her brother Charles Spencer on the 27th anniversary of her death.
Princess Diana has been remembered by her brother Charles Spencer on the 27th anniversary of her death
The royal was killed in a Paris car crash on 31 August aged 36, and her 60-year-old sibling, the 9th Earl Spencer, paid an emotional tribute to her on social media on Saturday. (31.08.24)
He shared an image that showed various photographs and newspaper clippings focusing on Diana including an article about her christening and a snap of the late royal playing outside as a young girl.
But Charles refrained from including a caption on the moving post.
He is the youngest of five children born to John Spencer and Frances Shand Kydd.
Charles grew up with his three older sisters Sarah, the eldest, born in 1955, followed by Jane in 1957 and Diana in 1961.
He also had an older brother named John, who was born in 1960 but died just hours later.
Charles admitted after Dianas death he was haunted by the feeling he could have done more to save her from her tragic end.
He told People: You always think, God, I wish I couldve protected her. It was just... it was devastating.
I always felt intensely protective towards her.
Charles famously gave the eulogy at Dianas funeral on 6 September, 1997, at which Sir Elton John, 77, sang his now iconic version of Candle in the Wind.
He said he was acting as the representative of a family in grief, in a country in mourning, before a world in shock, before hailing Diana as the very essence of compassion, duty, style and beauty and saying she was the most hunted person of the modern age.
Along with Charles online tribute, thousands of tourists and royal fans laid flowers and photos of Diana on Saturday at the gates of her former residence Kensington palace.
Diana was killed in the Paris tunnel crash alongside her partner Dodi Fayed, while her sons Prince William, then 15, and Harry, who was 12 at the time, were on holiday with their father, then Prince Charles at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
Princess Dianas former royal bodyguard has said she would have eventually accepted Charles relationship with Camilla if she was still alive.
Princess Dianas former royal bodyguard has said she would have eventually accepted Charles relationship with Camilla if she was still alive
The mother-of-two was guarded for years by former Scotland Yard officer Ken Wharfe, and he has now spoken out about how he thinks she would have come to terms with her ex-husband marrying now-Queen Camilla as thousands of royal fans flocked to her former residence of Kensington Palace in London to lay flowers outside on the 27th anniversary of her death.
Ken told The Sun: Part of Dianas problem was that she naively believed that the relationship with Camilla would fade away.
But lets be honest, Camilla was there from day one. Camilla from my time, I went there in the mid-1980s, was very much the discussion at the time.
And (with) Dianas openness she felt it necessary to give me the complete low down of the relationship.
I questioned that at the time, but actually having listened to her, it made me understand Diana a lot better.
And she naively believed that it would end. There is no doubt in my mind that Diana did love Charles. I mean, she said that to me repeatedly.
Diana, who was killed aged 36 in a Paris car crash on 31 August, 1997 five years after she and then-Prince Charles split, before they finalised their divorce in 1996.
Two years after Diana was killed in a horror car crash Camilla and Charles publicly revealed their relationship.
Diana famously told of their affair in her TV interview with journalist Martin Bashir, saying: There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.
Ken added if Diana not been killed, she and Charles wouldnt have restarted their relationship at any point.
But he says about how he is convinced she would have accepted it: From my own experience in life, you move on and you change, you mellow slightly, and you deal with situations in a much calmer way.
And I'm sure Diana would have done that. She was very good at that.
Time, as everyone says, is a great healer. Diana was angry with the Prince of Wales, angry with her circumstances, angry with Camilla, angry with everybody.
But you know you know, things heal. And as time progressed, she would have been in her 60s now, she would have accepted.
Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth are now engaged, and fans cant wait to witness their wedding which they anticipate will be as dreamy as the two look together.
Talking about Siddharth, the actress said, Ive not been in too many relationships because when I see someone, I instantly know if this is my person. When I met Siddhu, thats what I felt and had no doubt about it. Of course, there is a process of growing together in a relationship but I had none of that going on in my mind when I met him, it was all about that moment.
Speaking about her wedding, Aditi said, the wedding will be centred around a 400-year-old temple in Wanaparthy that is of significance to my family.
Chiyaan Vikram's outstanding performance in Thangalaan is simply too good to miss. With a well-studded gripping story, captivating plot, mesmerizing canvas and mind-blowing performances, the film started to create waves ever since its release in other languages and it also released in Hindi yesterday. Vikram has given his heart and soul to perfect his character on the screen as he played three different roles.
The actor underwent significant transformation as he is seen portraying three different characters in the film. He portrayed Thangalaan Muni, Kaadaiyan, Thangalaan's great-grandfather, and Arasan "Aaran" (The Protector of Gold). For one of the roles, he lost weight and only wore a langot as the character's costume, which is a very rare thing for any actor to attempt. He also went half-bald for another role. For yet another role, he had to sit for 4 to 5 hours of makeup before reaching the set and starting the shoot. Moreover, to maintain the film's raw and authentic feel, the actors had to drench themselves in mud, making it very difficult to shoot in the real outdoor locations. This indeed speaks volumes about Chiyaan Vikram's dedication and perseverance, which is clearly evident in his fabulous performance in the film. Speaking about his character in the film, Vikram says, One is a great-great-grandfather, his portion is a little lengthy. You have to show travel through time and the different generations of Thangalaan. He had to look like me but how different can we make him look? Ranjit was always there to inspire me and give me guidelines of what the person could look like.
Directed by Pa. Ranjith, the film stars Chiyaan Vikram and Malavika Mohanan in prominent roles following the real story of the Kolar Gold Fields (KGF) when they were discovered by the British, who exploited and looted them for their own purposes. The film continues the South Indian film industry's trend of bringing unique concepts to audiences. Its yet another film from the South with an unusual concept. The film hit the theatres worldwide on August 15, 2024 releasing in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 30, 2024) - Defence Therapeutics Inc. (CSE: DTC) (OTCQB: DTCFF) (FSE: DTC) ("Defence" or the "Company"), announces that Kwin Grauer has been appointed interim Chief Executive Officer replacing Sebastien Plouffe as President and Chief Executive Officer. This change comes as the Company moves from the preclinical stage toward a clinical stage.
Mr. Grauer joined the Board of Directors of the Company in December, 2022. He is a CPA, CA, and has more than 20 years' experience operating, buying and selling small and medium-size businesses. Mr. Grauer is a seasoned professional in financing, financial modeling and corporate restructuring. He has over 10 years of active board work to go along with his business experience and Chartered Professional Accountant Designation. He has served as a Board Member of Langara College, where he was Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee for 5 years and Board Chair for 2 years.
Mr. Plouffe will continue to act as a director of the Company. The Company acknowledges Mr. Plouffe's hard work and dedication over the past few years and thanks him for his exceptional contribution to Defence's growth and development.
About Defence:
Defence Therapeutics is a publicly-traded clinical-stage biotechnology company working on engineering the next generation vaccines and ADC products using its proprietary platform. The core of Defence Therapeutics platform is the ACCUM technology, which enables precision delivery of vaccine antigens or ADCs inside target cells and favoring their processing and activities. As a result, increased efficacy and potency can be reached against catastrophic illness such as cancer and infectious diseases.
Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information
This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions, market prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.
Neither the CSE nor its market regulator, as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE, 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/221734
SOURCE: Defence Therapeutics Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 31, 2024) - Bell Copper Corporation (TSXV: BCU) (OTCQB: BCUFF) ("Bell Copper" or the "Company") reports that it has temporarily suspended diamond drilling operations on hole BS-4 at the Company's 100% owned Big Sandy porphyry copper project. Continuation of the hole is planned once additional funding is secured. The Company is currently discussing opportunities for strategic investments with a number of major copper producers in order to fund further drilling. The project involves the exploration of a large, truncated porphyry copper-molybdenum deposit located in northwestern Arizona, approximately 30 kilometers from the Company's Perseverance project.
The maximum depth achieved in hole BS-4 of 1372 meters did not fully penetrate post-mineral gravels due to setbacks occurring with stuck drill tooling. No bedrock has yet been encountered in BS-4, but encouraging mineralized gravel clasts including chalcocite, native copper, and native silver have been observed.
The Company's drilling of BS-4 follows up on the previous drill hole, BS-3 which had an intersection of 200 meters of chalcocite-bearing porphyry (see June 7, 2022 news release). Drillhole BS-3 cut 200 meters from 1302 meters to 1502 meters grading 0.42 percent copper (8.4 lbsCu/st) and 2.4 grams of silver per tonne as supergene chalcocite hosted in strongly pyritic, sericitized porphyry. The hole was terminated in strongly pyritic, sericitized porphyry at an inclined depth of 2026.33 meters when the mechanical limits of the drill were reached. Metallurgical testing of the 200-meter BS-3 intersection showed that the copper was amenable to recovery via either froth flotation or acid leaching (see July 21, 2022 news release). Molybdenum and rhenium were also concentrated from the interval via froth flotation.
Bell Copper had been drilling BS-4 since March 2023 from a new drill pad approximately 900 meters from the previous BS-3 drill site. A combination of mud motor drilling followed by core drilling was used to try to advance hole BS-4 through thick gravel and into expected porphyry bedrock, however the obstacles encountered and lack of adequate funding has led the Company to suspend the work until sufficient additional funding is secured. In the meantime, the Company is working to extend drill permits for eight additional holes through October 2025.
Drillhole BS-4 encountered the most encouraging gravel sequence yet seen at Big Sandy. Mineralized porphyry clasts carrying supergene chalcocite, native copper, and trace native silver were found scattered through the gravel column over more than 600 meters. Exotic neotocite (copper-manganese oxide), native copper, and native silver were observed in faults and in selectively mineralized sand strata. Cobble-sized clasts near the bottom of the hole included common pervasively sericitized leached capping stained with fertile, earthy red hematite and cut by quartz veinlets.
Big Sandy Science
The Arizona Geological Survey ("AGS") and the University of Arizona ("UA") are now studying Big Sandy drill cores to assess their role in addressing the US's supply of critical elements, notably copper, molybdenum, and rhenium. On September 22, 2024 at the Anaheim, California annual meeting of the Geological Society of America, the AGS in collaboration with UA and Bell Copper will present "Geochronologic and Mineralogic Constraints Connecting the Diamond Joe Porphyry Root to the Big Sandy Porphyry Copper Prospect, Northwestern Arizona, USA" in Technical Session T-5 "Linking Mineral Resources and Their Geologic Framework I: The USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) and Related Critical Minerals Research". Results of independent age dating of zircon from porphyry in Bell's BS-3 porphyry intersection and zircon from the Diamond Joe porphyry root will be discussed. The results have broader implications for copper exploration at the Company's Perseverance project 30 kilometers to the north.
"Bell Copper believes that we are delivering at Big Sandy and Perseverance the big, new copper discoveries in friendly jurisdictions required for the global transition to cleaner electrical energy. With conventional capital markets distracted away from critical minerals supply, Bell is turning to the most closely aligned investors to keep our Big Sandy drill turning - the major copper miners. When our financing flows at a scale commensurate with the copper opportunity at Big Sandy, we will once again deploy downhole mud motors to rapidly put challenging gravel deposits behind casing and deliver the bedrock cores required for resource estimation. In the meantime, we expect our partner at Perseverance to initiate a Typhoon IP survey late in Q3 to flesh out the eastern MT target identified in 2020."
- Dr. Tim Marsh, Bell Copper President & CEO.
Qualified Person
The technical content of this release has been reviewed and approved by Timothy Marsh, PhD, PEng., the Company's CEO and President. No mineral resource has yet been identified on the Big Sandy Project. There is no certainty that the present exploration effort will result in the identification of a mineral resource or that any mineral resource that might be discovered will prove to be economically recoverable.
About Bell Copper
Bell Copper is a mineral exploration company focused on the identification, exploration and discovery of large copper deposits located in Arizona. Bell Copper is exploring its 100% owned Big Sandy Porphyry Copper Project and the Perseverance Porphyry Copper Project which is under a Joint Venture - Earn In.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of
Bell Copper Corporation
"Timothy Marsh"
Timothy Marsh, President, CEO & Director
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward Looking Statements
This news release includes "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including, but not limited to, the ability of Bell to identify a mineral resource at the Perseverance or Big Sandy Projects. There is no certainty that the present exploration effort will result in the identification of a mineral resource or that any mineral resource that might be discovered will prove to be economically recoverable. All statements included in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "potential", "target", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof.
Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management based on the business and markets in which Bell Copper operates, are inherently subject to significant operational, economic, and competitive uncertainties, risks and contingencies. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include actual exploration results, interpretation of metallurgical characteristics of the mineralization, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, uninsured risks, regulatory changes, delays or inability to receive required approvals, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators, including those described in the Company's most recently filed MD&A. The Company does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable law.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/221771
SOURCE: Bell Copper Corporation
MBABANE As the kingdom prepares for what promises to be a hectic weekend of events, there are health concerns related to sex workers and the monkeypox threat.
The country will be hosting a triple-header of high-profile events, including the Reed Dance Ceremony, Eswatini International Trade Fair and the bike event to be hosted at the Riders Ranch at Sidvokodvo. It is anticipated that a number of visitors from different countries will attend some of these events. There was an indaba for sex workers in the country yesterday, at SibaneSami Hotel, in Ezulwini, where they raised a number of concerns. They complained of being excluded from important health discussions, alleging that they are not educated about how they can protect themselves from diseases like HIV/AIDS and Mpox formerly known as monkeypox. Important to note is that the Ministry of Health was represented during this indaba, along with the Human Rights Commission and Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
Vulnerability
It has also been gathered that police were invited to be part of the meeting, but allegedly did not show up, according to Lungile Khumalo, who handles sex workers issues in the country.
Khumalo admitted to Eswatini News that sex workers are vulnerable to diseases because they are not educated or capacitated on how to protect themselves. She said due to financial vulnerability, some sex workers are allegedly raped and abused by clients, exposing them to infections like HIV/AIDS. Socially, sex workers are treated badly, which explains why they are not included in educational health programmes. We have noted a sharp rise in HIV/AIDS infections among them, because they are not educated on health preventative measures, she said. Khumalo said it was time for government to change the mindset towards sex workers and embrace them as part of society. She stated that during the indaba, the sex workers admitted that they feel left out, not just on health education, but job opportunities as well.
Deaths
The International Health Regulations (IHR) National Focal Point (NFP) of South Africa, notified the World Health Organisation (WHO) of 20 confirmed Mpox cases between May 8 and July 2, 2024, including three deaths (case fatality ratio of 15 per cent). The cases were reported in three of nine provinces, being Gauteng (10 cases, one death), Western Cape (1 case) and KwaZulu- Natal (9 cases, two deaths). These were the first cases of Mpox reported in South Africa since 2022, when the country had reported five cases, none of which were severe and no deaths reported from them.
It is being suggested that there is potential for increased health impact should wider dissemination among these and other vulnerable groups in South Africa and neighbouring countries, continue. Mpox is largely spread through person-to-person contact, having physical contact with infected bodily fluids, rashes, sores, scabs or blisters. It could also spread through touching, kissing or sexual contact, touching contaminated objects used by an infected person such as bedding, towels or clothing. According to research, people who closely interact with an infectious person, such as healthcare workers, household members (including children), sexual partners and sex workers are vulnerable.
Newborn babies, children, people who are pregnant and people with underlying immune deficiencies, such as from advanced HIV disease, may be at higher risk of contracting Mpox.
Sex workers trade business is making money through sleeping with different kinds of people on a daily basis. Some of them are said to be sleeping with 10 clients in 24 hours. Eswatini is one of the countries known to have this kind of business, even though it is not legal in terms of the countrys laws.This kind of business is mostly prevalent in areas like Mbabane, Ezulwini, Matsapha and Manzini. There are reports of such happening even in the remote towns like Nhlangano, Piggs Peak and Siteki, among others.
The Eswatini News has also previously reported such business happening even in rural areas of the country, where syndicates operating in sex-for-money exchange jobs are known to be in existence by community members. The National Library of Medicines reported in a recent article that within six months (May 6 to October 3, 2022); the global outbreak of human Mpox virus had spread to 99 non-endemic countries and disproportionately affected marginalised communities.
Vaccination
Although Mpox virus poses considerable risk to sex workers, there has been little to no attention to sex workers in the public health response. To date, sex workers have not been prioritised in vaccination campaigns in most settings, with uneven access and prioritisation for men who have sex with men, being reported. The HIV and COVID-19 pandemics have highlighted the disproportionate burden of infection to sex workers across diverse settings and the urgent need to address the unmet occupational needs of sex workers that must be considered in the Mpox virus response, reads the article in part. Noteworthy is that there have been no known campaigns in the country by health authorities to capacitate local sex workers on their vulnerability to the Mpox threat, especially when dealing with visitors from other countries.
Ministry of Healths Communications Officer Nsindiso Tsabedze was asked through a questionnaire, about the concerns that sex workers in the country are being left out on the Mpox discussions, yet they make a living through sex with different clients, on a daily basis. He was also asked if the ministry had considered ways of educating sex workers about how they can protect themselves from this virus, especially because some of their clients are known to be from outside the country.
This was his response: The Ministry of Health, through the health promotion unit, has been actively and robustly educating the nation about Mpox. This is being done through various media platforms such as radio, television and social media, as well as during community engagements. Such efforts are made so that everyone, including the sex workers, gets the information relating to this disease, in order to make informed decisions. Adding, Tsabedze said as a ministry, they are advising all emaSwati to seek information on the disease online, so that they remain in the know and can be able to protect themselves. Quizzed further if the sex workers were part of the workshop held over a week ago to sensitise emaSwati about the dangers of Mpox, the communications officers response was to the negative.
The recently-held workshops were to capacitate health workers only. These health workers from various regions and departments, now qualified trainers, will then transfer the knowledge to other workers at facilities countrywide. The ministry, through the aid of the World Health Organisation, has seen the need to upscale preparations for potential Mpox outbreak, by ensuring that health workers are intellectually prepared to deal with Mpox, he further said.
Dangers
Tsabedze also assured that there are programmes in place to educate people about the dangers of this virus at the border gates. He said the ministry, through workers at strategically picked ports of entry, has been educating travellers about the Mpox disease. He said their environmental health unit further uses that port health desks to collect information from travellers through the health screening programme, he said, the ministry has been sensitising the public through local media and social media, due to its importance. Tsabedze then implored all travellers to allocate time in going through the health screening, so that they assist the country in its effort to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.
We will soon be launching a campaign meant to sensitise travellers about Mpox and other communicable diseases, he said. On the other hand, Chief Police Information and Communication Officer Senior Superintendent Phindile Vilakati was asked why they did not honour the invitation to be part of the indaba, as the sex workers raised concerns about how police treat them. This included allegations of physical assault ,derogatory language and even rape. Vilakati said she would have to check if indeed there was such an invitation. However, she advised the workers to bring their grievances to the national commissioner of police (NATCOM).
It will not help them to generalise such issues, but they must come to see the national commissioner of police and state their concerns, not in platforms where we are not present. We do not want to assume that they are part of the people who hate police. If they were raped or abused by police, they should come forward with proof, Vilakati said.
Three-Day Mega Event Concludes, Attracting 300 exhibitors from across the world, 100000 Footfalls, 1000 Speakers
MUMBAI, India, Aug. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- India's Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Mr. Piyush Goyal said on Friday that the Indian fintech ecosystem had turned into a hotbed for innovation. Addressing the Global Fintech Fest 2024 in Mumbai, he said, "As our country is poised to become the third largest economy, the success story of a developed India rests on the wonderful work being done by fintech sector."
The Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2024 was presented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Ministry of External Affairs, Department of Financial Services (DFS), Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA). The conference was jointly organised by the Payments Council of India (PCI), the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), and the Fintech Convergence Council (FCC).
GFF 2024 featured over 1000 speakers from 70 countries, more than 350 sessions, over 60 product launches, more than 300 exhibitors, and attracted 100,000 footfalls over the three days.
The Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2024, one of the world's largest fintech gatherings, concluded here on Friday, August 30, showcasing emerging opportunities and issues in the sector. The three-day event, in its fifth edition, brought together global policymakers, regulators, central bankers, industry leaders, and academicians to explore the future of financial technology, aligned with this year's theme- 'Blueprint for the Next Decade of Finance: Responsible AI | Inclusive | Resilient'.
In his keynote at the conference, Mr. Shaktikanta Das, Governor, Reserve Bank of India, said, "India is now a fast-growing economy, economic powerhouse with an increasingly tech savvy population. India's financial sector has witnessed a remarkable transformation, driven, among other factors, by the FinTech sector."
Mr. Das further emphasized India's engagement in international fora and bilateral agreements to foster economic cooperation with many countries and said, "Going forward, strengthening financial infrastructure, including cross-border payment systems, will be our key focus areas. India, with its tech talent and evolved financial fintech ecosystem, holds potential to serve as a global hub for digital innovation and fintech startups."
Mr. Christopher Waller, Member, Federal Reserve Board of Governors of the United States in his address, highlighted the potential role of public and private sectors in advancing cross-border payments. Commenting on the practical aspects of interlinking fast payment systems, Mr Waller said, "Domestic networks need to be developed first. If this condition is not in place, interlinked networks could end up being a road to nowhere."
Highlighting Federal Reserve's efforts, Mr Waller added, "We will continue our engagement with international fora to improve the speed and efficiency of cross-border payments and to investigate the issues critical to interlinking payment systems. Our chief focus in the near-to mid-term, however, is continuing to build the FedNow network domestically and increasing participation in the service."
In a special address on emerging trends in sustainable finance, Mr. Allen Forlemu, Regional Industry Director, Financial Institutions Group, Asia and Pacific, International Finance Corporation (IFC) discussed the critical role of fintech in driving sustainable finance, emphasizing its importance for a greener and more equitable future. "Looking ahead, it is clear that collaboration will be essential and fintech companies, traditional financial institutions, governments and regulators must work together to scale sustainable finance solutions and amplify positive impact on sustainability", remarked Mr Forlemu.
He further said, "At IFC, we are optimistic, and we believe that by investing in innovation and fostering collaboration across sectors, we can build a financial system that is inclusive, resilient and sustainable for everyone."
Discussing 'Recent Developments in Digital Finance - Experiences from German and EU Regulation,' Dr. Florian Toncar, Parliamentary State Secretary, German Federal Ministry of Finance, commented, "India has shown immense capacity to innovate and spread new technologies at an impressive speed, with UPI being popular far beyond Indian borders."
Highlighting the importance of cooperation between security agencies and anti-money laundering agencies, Dr Toncar added, "Appropriate resourcing of prosecutors or police, specialized financial investigators, and information exchange across borders and countries is key."
In his special address, Mr. Harjinder Kang, His Majesty's Trade Commissioner for South Asia and the British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India, UK Department for Business and Trade, said, "UK finds India as a very important partner, and it's not just in fintech, but across different sides of the business."
During a panel on 'Innovation in Fintech Regulation: Balancing Innovation and Regulation in Global Financial Services,' Mr. Ryosuke Ushida, Chief Fintech Officer, Financial Services Agency of Japan provided insights into the country's regulatory landscape and said, "In Japan, our regulatory scope covers a wide range of financial institutions, including banks, insurance companies, investments, and currency exchange. A key focus has been on blockchain technology, in response to past challenges, particularly incidents involving exchanges in Tokyo. Japan has established a comprehensive regulatory framework for the crypto industry."
Mr. Ushida further emphasized that these regulations are designed not only to protect the industry but also to create a stable environment that encourages innovation. "The goal is to support the growth of international tech companies and ensure that Japan continues to lead in this field, in line with global counterparts", he added.
Addressing the session on 'The Role of Technology in Shaping the Future of Global Finance,' Mr. Sopnendu Mohanty, Chief Fintech Officer, Monetary Authority of Singapore, said, "The challenges of integrating DPIs across borders-from pricing to technical standards-are significant. Initiatives like Project Nexus are underway to tackle these issues, but achieving seamless connectivity across different markets will take time."
Mr. Mohanty added, "Fintech must expand beyond payments and lending to include other asset classes such as wealth advisory and capital market infrastructure."
GFF 2024 also featured a significant global presence, with numerous international leaders contributing to the dialogue on the future of fintech. Among the notable speakers were Mr. Camilo Tellez-Merchan, Deputy Managing Director, UN based Better Than Cash Alliance, United Nations; Mr. Alan Lim, Director, FinTech Infrastructure Office, Monetary Authority of Singapore; Mr. Paul van Sint Fiet, Head of APAC cross-currency solutions, J.P. Morgan Payments; Mr. Edward Bass, Inward Investment Manager, UK Department for Business and Trade; Mr. David Finch, Global Managing Director Fintech, TransUnion CIBIL, and Mr. Jan Pilbauer, Chief Executive Officer, Al Etihad Payments.
The event also saw eminent leaders from the Indian fintech ecosystem. For more information about the conference, visit: Global Fintech Fest 2024.
For further information, please reach out to:
Vipin Chanddra, APCO: +91-9582 731432
Kuldeep Singh, APCO: +91- 97113 06379
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-fintech-fest-2024-showcases-wide-spectrum-of-innovations-302235217.html
Campo de Batalla: An Exhibition Highlighting Murillo's Exploration of the Human Form
SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA / ACCESSWIRE / August 31, 2024 / San Jose's Museo Calderon Guardia will host an exhibition of 35 works by Costa Rican figurative artist Roberto Murillo from September 5th to September 28th. Titled Campo de Batalla (translated as "Battlefield"), this show celebrates Murillo's bold exploration of the human form through monochromatic charcoal and mixed media. Marking a significant breakthrough in his career, the exhibition will open with a reception at 7 p.m. on September 5th - everyone is welcome to attend.
Roberto Murillo, Inauguracion
Campo De Batalla
Promoting Costa Rica's cultural heritage, MIRAME Fine Art connects artists with art lovers worldwide and is proud to support Roberto Murillo.
A Major Moment for Murillo
The exhibition represents Murillo's largest and most ambitious show to date, consolidating pieces that represent the evolution of his style. The exhibition features mostly large-scale works that amplify his vision. Murillo describes: "The show brings together works that I've reserved for four years, a compilation of the last years that have been incredibly prolific."
Exploring the Symbolic Nude
The exhibition centers on Murillo's exploration of the symbolic nude body, rich in metaphor and narrative. It also emphasizes his approach to the body, delving into psychological, philosophical, and social dimensions. This thematic focus reflects his broader artistic philosophy. He says: "My art represents a way to fill the void of existence and to find happiness in the process; it is intellectual and spiritual development."
Charcoal as a Medium of Expression
Murillo's figures are dynamic, captured as intertwined in a perpetual fluid dance. Influenced by artists like Lucian Freud, as well as literature, dance, and cinema, he uses charcoal to express the raw authenticity of the human figure, revealing deeper emotional themes of human existence. By embracing imperfections, Murillo challenges conventional beauty standards and invites viewers to engage with the emotional and intellectual layers of his work.
Dynamic Technique and Artistic Impact
The exhibition showcases Murillo's use of chiaroscuro-contrasts between light and dark-to create a visually captivating experience. The interplay between illuminated and shadowed parts of the nude body adds depth and intrigue while enhancing the works' monumental presence.
The Museo Calderon Guardia: A Cultural Icon
The Museo Calderon Guardia is a cornerstone of Costa Rican culture and history, renowned for its dedication to the nation's artistic heritage. By hosting Murillo's exhibition, the museum underscores its role in preserving traditional cultural values while encouraging bold contemporary expression.
Supporting Murillo's Vision with MIRAME Fine Art
MIRAME Fine Art offers innovative ways to experience Murillo's work for those unable to attend the exhibition in person. Their augmented reality feature allows global audiences to explore his vigorous figures virtually, appreciating his art from anywhere in the world.
Exhibition Details
Dates: 5 th - 28 th September 2024
Opening Reception: 5 th September, 7 p.m.
Location: Museo Calderon Guardia, Barrio Escalante, Calle 27, San Jose
Contact Information
Belinda Seppings
Co-Founder
belinda@miramefineart.com
+447821591397
SOURCE: MIRAME Fine Art
View the original press release on newswire.com.
Last week's meeting marked a prelude to GVN's international meeting in Durban, South Africa, September 16-18, 2024
TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To mitigate the mpox outbreak, the Global Virus Networkis leading a panel of experts to develop guidelines and streamline testing standards, including strengthening infrastructure to sequencing and early detection. On August 22, 2024, the GVN, headquartered at the University of South Florida, USA, convened a critical mpox discussion online with leaders from the World Health Organization (WHO), Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), major industry partners, renowned virologists, and public health experts at the forefront of the mpox outbreak response.
Lorenzo Subissi, PhD, WHO's Mpox Task Force lead, advised the group that the current mpox epidemic was escalated to a grade 3 emergency, requiring a major to maximal WHO response. He reported that 38% of children infected are under age 10 and noted sustained human-to-human transmission of clade 1b in Africa.
Mpox is a viral infection that spreads through close contact, including sexual relations, and causes flu-like symptoms, including fever, chills, muscle aches, and pus-filled lesions. Mpox is usually mild but sometimes fatal, mostly in children. The new clade 1b variant is responsible for the rising infections, primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and identified in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Thailand, as well as reported in the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, and Sweden.
The discussion highlighted the urgent need to enhance diagnostic capabilities, vaccine development, and global collaboration to mitigate the impact of the mpox outbreak, particularly in regions most at risk.
To facilitate recommendations catalyzed by the discussion, the GVN assembled a subcommittee on point-of-care diagnostics chaired by Rachel Roper, PhD, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at East Carolina University, USA and Co-chair of GVN's Mpox Action Committee, Marion Koopmans, DVM, PhD, Erasmus Medical Center, Netherlands, a GVN Center of Excellence, and Deborah Williamson, PhD, Professor of Public Health Microbiology, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom, a GVN Center of Excellence, and Director of the UK Health Security Agency. The subcommittee is meeting weekly to develop global testing and diagnostic standards and generate suggestions through a collaborative whitepaper addressing issues such as sample collection, assays, and clinical triage procedures for frontline workers.
"It's not just how a sample is transported," Dr. Roper said, "but what type of sample is collected. For mpox, each lesion can have unique viral populations, and we need to have a universal sample type defined and well documented to aid surveillance."
During the meeting, Emmanuel Agogo, PhD, Director of Pandemic Threats at FIND, Switzerland, emphasized the need for local capacity building: "To effectively combat mpox, we must empower local health systems and researchers. This will not only help contain the current outbreaks but also build long-term resilience against future threats. In particular, the need for decentralized diagnostic options is critical for surveillance, access to therapeutics and effective vaccine roll out."
Maggie L. Bartlett, PhD, Program Director at the GVN and faculty member at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA, a GVN Center of Excellence, emphasized the importance of inclusive and equitable strategies: "Our efforts must reach those in the most affected regions, and we must prioritize health equity in our response to ensure that no one is left behind."
Laurens Liesenborghs, MD, PhD, Assistant professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), Belgium, member of ITM's multidisciplinary Outbreak Research Team, and member of the GVN Mpox Action Committee, echoed the call for an innovative approach: "We cannot be content with the status quo. Our goal is to develop tools and strategies that are not only effective but also scalable and sustainable. This is a global challenge that demands a global response."
Michael Mina, MD, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of eMed, USA, said "Rapid tests and PCR tests are not mutually exclusive. In fact, we learned during COVID how useful a dual strategy can be and how these can be incredibly powerful additive tools in our public health toolbox. We need the big companies to step it up and develop rapid diagnostics and research funding incentives from governments to ensure we don't face the same fallout with the crash of small companies after the surge."
Yenew Kebede Tebeje, MD, Head of Division of Laboratory Systems at Africa CDC advised, "Mpox poses a significant threat to public health, particularly in regions where health systems are already stretched thin. To effectively combat this virus, we must strengthen our surveillance, diagnostic, and response capabilities across Africa. Our collective efforts must ensure that we are not only containing the current outbreaks but also building the resilience needed to face future health challenges."
In addition to addressing the immediate response, the meeting also focused on long-term strategies for pandemic preparedness and response. The participants discussed the critical role of partnerships between global organizations like WHO, GVN, Africa CDC, CEPI and FIND in driving innovation and ensuring that resources are directed where they are most needed.
Sten Vermund, MD, PhD, GVN President and Professor of Yale University, USA, said, "The initiatives originating from the meeting represent part of the GVN effort to assist in the global effort to combat mpox and other emerging viral threats. Collaboration is imperative and we are keen that the GVN help leverage and focus resources and expertise helping to mitigate the mpox outbreak and plan for future threats."
GVN's coalition of the world's leading virology researchers, who work together to prevent illness and death from viral disease, will continue these discussions about the mpox outbreak amid high-level scientific sessions examining pandemic preparedness and current threats, including at GVN's International Annual Scientific Meeting, "Navigating Virology's Frontiers in Africa,"co-hosted by the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), a GVN Center of Excellence, September 16-18, 2024.
Salim Abdool Karim, MB, ChB, director of CAPRISA and CAPRISA Professor of Global Health at Columbia University, USA, is chair of the Africa CDC Emergency Consultative Group and warned that mpox spread is eminent, but with a global response it can be controlled and stopped. Dr. Karim also said the outbreak is particularly concerning as it disproportionately affects young people. He continued, "I look forward to continuing these discussions at the GVN international meeting in Durban as we tackle this rising threat, among other pressing global issues, including COVID-19, scientific misinformation, and pandemic preparedness."
During GVN's international meeting, experts will exchange ideas on themes including: evading viral evasion; translational virology and complex co-infections; training the next generation; post-viral diseases; bats, rats, and other vectors; genetic sequences and epidemiological insights; cutting-edge diagnostics and therapeutics; regional responses to disease; perspectives from agencies; pandemic preparedness; and combating scientific misinformation.
The Womens Forum for Screen Workers in the Bangla film industry issued a charter demand for the dignity of women in the workplace, which was signed by 50 actors and technicians including Rituparna, Aparna Sen, Swastika Mukherjee and Paoli Dam, among others read more
Popular Bengali actress Rituparna Sengupta, who also worked in Bollywood films, recently took to the streets and protested along with Parambrata Chattopadhyay and Dev Adhikari against the RG Kar rape-murder case that happened earlier this month as a part of the West Bengal Motion Picture Artists Forum on the need for womens safety at the workplace.
After that, the Womens Forum for Screen Workers in the Bangla film industry issued a charter demand for the dignity of women in the workplace, which was signed by 50 actors and technicians including Rituparna, Aparna Sen, Swastika Mukherjee and Paoli Dam, among others.
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Talking about the situation, Rituparna told News 18, The Kolkata rape-murder case is an eye-opener to institutional and organised crime. Were all very sad, depressed and infuriated at the same time. I feel so confused right now. Everything is so topsy-turvy. For how long will we live with this terror? Educated men are using their power and position as a weapon and are professing sexual misconduct.
We spend most of our time at our workplace. If we dont feel safe there, how will we continue to work? Many women dont speak up because theyre scared of losing work. Thats why Im saying that all this needs to stop. There are so many avenues available to men where they can engage in consensual encounters, she added.
The actress revealed that she also faced sexual harassment in the initial days of her career. I did face it but I braved it all. I didnt know much about the movies. I didnt come from a film family. So, I took everything that I faced as a challenge. My perspective on things were different. But yes, I definitely faced a lot, recalled Sengupta adding, The environment that I came from had put me in a different footing. Ive always done things my way. I never gave into doing things I didnt want to. That might have damaged my career in a way and didnt give me the kind of visibility and attention that I shouldve received. But Im not bothered.
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I stuck to my right to dignity and thats all that mattered. I didnt compromise just for the sake of fame and positioning. I had to manage my career and my home and set an example for my children. I couldve surrendered to a big name but that would mean that Im belittling myself. I was never ready to tarnish my image in my own eyes, added the actress.
South Korea, grappling with the worlds lowest fertility rate, is introducing a pilot programme to allow Filipino nannies into the country to address a severe childcare shortage. Despite the potential benefits, the initiative faces significant challenges, including high costs for families and criticism over wage standards read more
Three siblings get ready to go to sleep at their home on Nokdo island in Boryeong, South Korea, March 1, 2021. File Image/Reuters
South Koreas fertility rate, which reached a historic low of 0.78 in 2022, is the lowest in the world. Despite the governments efforts over the past 17 years, including an expenditure of 380 trillion won (approximately US$284 billion) on various fertility-boosting incentives, the birth rate has continued to plummet.
The National Assembly Budget Office in Seoul has warned that the country could be the first in the world to disappear due to this demographic decline. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeols administration has recognised that drastic measures are needed to reverse this trend.
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One such measure is the introduction of foreign nannies, which aims to ease the childcare burden on working parents, particularly in dual-income households, and ultimately increase the birth rate.
What is the new policy?
As part of the governments strategy, 100 Filipino nannies will be allowed to work in South Korea starting Tuesday. This is only the beginning, with plans to bring in approximately 1,200 foreign nannies by the first half of 2025.
These nannies, aged between 24 to 38, hold the Caregiving National Certification Level II Certificate from the Philippine government and have undergone extensive training, reported Seoul-based The Korea Herald. Their skills include child care, housekeeping, and basic Korean language proficiency.
Also Read: South Korea says new ministry to tackle low birth rates. But will it really help?
The nannies will work under an E-9 visa, which permits employment in non-professional sectors, and will be part of a pilot programme restricted to Seoul residents. This six-month programme is intended to provide affordable childcare services to households with children under 12, single-parent families, and those with multiple children.
Priority will be given to families with younger children, and the programme is designed to assist families regardless of their income levels.
Who is paying for this?
While the introduction of foreign nannies is seen as a potential solution to South Koreas childcare challenges, the cost remains a significant hurdle. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, hiring a foreign nanny for eight hours a day could cost households around 2.38 million won per month, nearly half the average monthly income of Korean households.
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This has led to concerns about the affordability of the programme for average Korean families. We are seeing complaints about the cost burden of Filipino foreign domestic helpers, said You Hye-mi, senior secretary to the president, in a recent radio interview. So, we are trying to explore ways to mitigate an individual households cost burden of hiring them.
The programme has also faced criticism from labour activists and migrant rights groups. During a National Assembly audit last year, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon proposed hiring foreign nannies at a monthly cost of approximately 1 million won, which is significantly lower than the minimum wage in South Korea.
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This proposal was heavily criticised for not meeting international labour standards, with the Ministry of Employment and Labour eventually setting the hiring cost at 9,860 won per hour, in line with the national minimum wage.
Furthermore, Rep. Cho Jung-hun of the Transition Korea party proposed a bill that would exclude migrant domestic helpers from the minimum wage law requirement, arguing that wages for such workers should be aligned with those in their home countries, reported Seoul-based Korea JoongAng Daily.
However, this proposal has been met with severe criticism from human rights organisations, who argue that it infringes on the rights of foreign workers and violates International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards.
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Will this scheme work?
The introduction of foreign nannies is part of a broader government effort to boost female workforce participation, which is seen as essential for improving the countrys birth rate. The number of dual-income households in South Korea has steadily increased, reaching 5.82 million in 2021.
However, many women still leave the workforce due to childcare responsibilities, with 597,000 women quitting their jobs in 2022 alone, citing childcare as the primary reason.
By providing more affordable childcare options, the government hopes to create a more conducive environment for young couples to have children, thereby addressing the declining birth rate.
Also Watch:
However, experts have expressed caution, warning that it may be too soon to implement the pilot programme without first addressing issues related to illegal immigration and the potential exploitation of foreign workers.
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Korea JoongAng Daily quoted Professor Jeong Jae-youn of Myongji Universitys Graduate School of International Exchange & Management who criticised the government for not having adequate regulations in place to manage the influx of foreign workers. The number of immigrants staying in Korea illegally has been on the rise, with over 410,000 out of 2.14 million foreigners currently in the country illegally, he noted. This is a significant increase from a decade ago, when the number was 183,000.
The South Korean Labour Ministry has indicated that the programme could be expanded if successful, but it will first evaluate the outcomes of the initial six-month period.
With inputs from agencies
Over the next three days, 6,40,000 children in Gaza will receive polio vaccinations in an urgent bid to curb the spread of the virus after the war-torn region reported the first polio case in 25 years in a 10-month-old baby. Implementing a large-scale vaccination drive in a territory overwhelmed by rubble and with 90 per cent of its population displaced will be exceptionally challenging. How are health authorities planning to carry out the program? read more
The World Health Organization has warned that the presence of polio paralysis case suggests there could be hundreds more who have been infected but are not yet showing symptoms. File Image/ Reuters
In a decisive move to combat the resurgence of polio in Gaza, the UN health agency and partners are set to launch a major vaccination drive on Sunday, in an ambitious effort amid a devastating war that has destroyed the territorys healthcare system.
Over the next three days, 6,40,000 children in Gaza will receive polio vaccinations in an urgent bid to curb the spread of the virus after the war-torn region reported the first polio case in 25 years a 10-month-old boy who is now paralysed in the leg after suffering from an infection.
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The World Health Organization has warned that the presence of this paralysis case suggests there could be hundreds more who have been infected but are not yet showing symptoms.
The vaccination effort faces substantial challenges: Gazas roads are largely destroyed, hospitals are in ruins, and the population is dispersed across isolated areas. Despite these obstacles, the WHO has secured an agreement with Israel and Hamas for brief pauses in the fighting to facilitate the campaign.
Nonetheless, implementing such a large-scale vaccination drive in a territory overwhelmed by rubble and with 90 per cent of its population displaced will be exceptionally challenging.
How are authorities planning to go about it? lets take a closer look
How long will it take?
Israels military and Hamas have agreed to three separate, zoned three-day pauses in fighting to facilitate the first round of vaccinations.
The first round of the three-day campaign in central Gaza is set to begin on Sunday during a humanitarian pause that will last from 6 am to 3 pm (local time), said Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, WHOs representative in the Palestinian territories and mentioned that an additional day could be added if necessary.
The WHO has secured an agreement with Israel and Hamas for brief pauses in the fighting to facilitate the polio vaccination campaign. Reuters
In coordination with Israeli authorities, the effort will then move to southern Gaza and northern Gaza during similar pauses, he said during a news conference by video from Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.
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Im not going to say this is the ideal way forward. But this is a workable way forward, Peeperkorn said.
The World Health Organization stresses that at least 95 per cent coverage is needed for a successful roll-out.
A second round of vaccinations is planned for late September.
Who will receive the polio jab?
The vaccination campaign aims to reach 6,40,000 children under the age of ten, according to the WHO. Each child will receive two drops of oral polio vaccine, with the second dose scheduled to be administered four weeks after the first.
The vaccines, released from global emergency stockpiles, have already arrived in Gaza and will be administered to 6,40,000 children under the age of 10. File Image/Reuters
The UN health body says children typically need about three to four doses of oral polio vaccine two drops per dose to be protected against polio. If they dont receive all of the doses, they are vulnerable to infection.
Doctors have previously found that children who are malnourished or who have other illnesses might need more than 10 doses of the oral polio vaccine to be fully protected.
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Are there side effects of the vaccine?
Yes, but they are very rare.
Billions of doses of the oral vaccine have been given to children worldwide and it is safe and effective. But in about 1 in 2.7 million doses, the live virus in the vaccine can paralyse the child who receives the drops.
Where are the vaccination sites?
The vaccination campaign will take place across Gaza, covering both areas within and outside Israeli evacuation zones, from Rafah in the south to the northern parts of the territory.
According to the Health Ministry in Ramallah, there will be over 400 fixed vaccination sites, the majority located in Khan Younis, where the population density is highest and there are 239,300 children under ten. These fixed sites will include healthcare centres, hospitals, clinics, and field hospitals.
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Additionally, there will be approximately 230 outreach sites throughout Gaza. These are community gathering points, not traditional medical centres, where vaccines will also be distributed.
Where are the vaccines currently?
Approximately 1.3 million doses of the polio vaccine have already passed through the Kerem Shalom checkpoint and are currently stored in cold-chain storage at a warehouse in Deir al-Balah. This storage ensures that the vaccines are kept at the proper temperature to maintain their potency.
An additional shipment of 400,000 doses is expected to arrive in Gaza soon.
The vaccines will be transported to distribution sites by a team of over 2,000 medical volunteers, according to Ammar Ammar, a spokesperson for UNICEF.
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What are the challenges ahead?
Launching a vaccination campaign across the Gaza Strip, especially under the current conditions, presents significant challenges.
The UN estimates that about 65 per cent of Gazas road network has been damaged, making transportation difficult. Additionally, 19 of the strips 36 hospitals are out of service, further complicating the effort.
The northern part of Gaza is largely cut off from the south, and travel between these areas has been challenging due to ongoing Israeli military operations. Security concerns have forced aid groups to suspend trips after convoys were targeted by the Israeli military.
Palestinians evacuate from a site hit by an Israeli bombardment on Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. AP
Dr. Rik Peeperkorn of WHO noted that house-to-house vaccinations, common in other polio campaigns, are not possible in Gaza under these circumstances. When asked about the feasibility of the effort, Peeperkorn said WHO believes it is feasible if all the pieces of the puzzle are in place.
How did this outbreak in Gaza start?
The polio virus that triggered this latest outbreak is a mutated virus from an oral polio vaccine. The oral polio vaccine contains weakened live virus and in very rare cases, that virus is shed by those who are vaccinated and can evolve into a new form capable of starting new epidemics.
With input from AP
Pakistan has invited PM Narendra Modi to the SCO Heads of Government Meeting in October. It is yet to be seen if he will accept and in case he does, it would be his second trip to the nation. All this and more in our weekly roundup from India read more
Its the last day of August. India saw big developments this week, with floods causing devastation in Gujarat. Dozens of people died and several train and flight services were disrupted.
Apart from this, Pakistan has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Islamabad in October. It is yet to be seen if he will visit the neighbouring country.
The ripples from the Justice Hema Committee report continued to be felt in the Malayalam film industry, with several new accusations against bigwigs coming to light. The ruling CPI (M) led- LDF government has come under scanner since the report was made public last week.
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Heres all this and more in our weekly wrap from India.
1. Pakistan is hosting the SCO Heads of Government Meeting on October 15 and 16 in Islamabad, for which it has invited PM Modi. India is yet to confirm whether the PM will mark his presence at the event. However, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has told NDTV the era of uninterrupted dialogue is over.
If Modi accepts the invite, it will be his second visit to Pakistan. He had shocked everyone with his surprise visit to Lahore on December 25, 2015, to meet his then-Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif. Other PMs to have visited Pakistan were Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Heres our story on what happened when Indian premiers made trips to Pakistan.
2. Torrential rains wreaked havoc across Gujarat, with flood-like situations hitting several districts. According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), 237 of the states 251 talukas received heavy showers, with 43 reporting over 100 mm of rain.
A flooded area at Kothara village in Kutch district, Friday, August 30, 2024. PTI
Waterlogging occurred in the districts of Vadodara, Anand, Kheda, and Panchmahals. Two bridges collapsed, power went out in some districts, and trains and flights were affected in Gujarat. Besides floodwaters, Vadodara faced another challenge: a crocodile invasion. The rising water levels in the Vishwamitri River drove hundreds of these reptiles into residential areas. Read our explainer on how heavy rains brought death and destruction in Gujarat.
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3. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced a new venture Unified Lending Interface (ULI) to provide frictionless credit nationwide. With this, Indias central bank wants to transform the countrys lending landscape. Just like the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) changed the payments ecosystem, similarly we expect ULI to transform the lending landscape, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said.
ULI, a digital platform by the RBI, is expected to make the lending process easy. File image/PTI
ULI, a digital platform, will be similar to UPI. It would ensure a seamless flow of information and reduce the time taken for credit appraisal. Read our story to know more about ULI.
4. The Justice Hema Committee report on the rampant sexual harassment in Mollywood has put the Kerala government in a fix. Media reports say the findings of the panel include names of some with links to the ruling CPI (M). Actor Minu Maneer has accused several actors, including a two-time CPI(M) MLA, of sexual misconduct.
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The Kerala government came under fire after Maneer alleged CPI(M) MLA M Mukesh and three other actors subjected her to physical and verbal abuse. The opposition has accused the government of a cover-up. Amid pressure, the government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) that will probe the sexual abuse allegations. Heres our story on how the Hema panel report has put Pinarayi Vijayan-led government in a tough spot.
5. A worrying report has shed light on the suicide crisis in the country. According to the Student Suicides: An epidemic sweeping India report, student suicides are rising at an alarming rate annually, exceeding the population growth rate and overall suicide trends.
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The report says that while suicide numbers rose by 2 per cent annually, the cases of student suicide increased by 4 per cent, despite a likely under-reporting of such cases. The incidence of student suicides continues to surpass both population growth rates and overall suicide trends. Over the last decade, while the population of 0-24-year-olds reduced from 582 million to 581 million, the number of student suicides increased from 6,654 to 13,044, it pointed out. But why is this happening? We explain in this story.
6. The Kolkata rape and murder of a young trainee doctor has put the spotlight on womens safety. Since then, several rape cases have been reported across the country. Now, a disturbing report has emerged of a hidden camera being discovered at a womens hostel toilet in an Andhra Pradesh engineering college.
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A group of female students found the hidden camera in their toilet, leading to a huge panic and uproar. Students organised protests as the incident surfaced. The police have arrested a BTech final-year student, identified as Vijay Kumar, concerning the case. Heres our explainer on the scandal.
7. Netflixs series on one of the worst crises in Indias aviation history was released this week.
IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack delves into the hijacking of the Indian Airlines flight IC 814 in December 1999.
Five masked terrorists hijacked the IC 814 plane, taking over 180 hostages whose ordeal lasted for seven days. Read our story to find out what happened and how the passengers were freed.
This is all we have for you this week. If you enjoy reading our explainers and want to stay updated, heres the page to bookmark.
After a months-long legal battle, Brazils Supreme Court has ordered an immediate and complete suspension of Elon Musk-owned X over a misinformation row. With 40 million Brazilian users affected, the platform is set to go dark within 24 hours. But Brazil is not the first country to ban the social media giant. There are more countries that have followed a similar course. Who are they? read more
The ban came after the company failed to meet a deadline set by Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes to name a new legal representative in the Brazil. Reuters
Brazils Supreme Court has ordered the suspension of X, formerly known as Twitter, after a months-long legal battle between the social media giants owner Elon Musk, and the Brazilian authorities.
The company failed to meet a deadline set by Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes to name a new legal representative in the country following which the top court on Friday ordered an immediate and complete suspension of the social media platform.
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Further, the judge has also threatened a fine of 50,000 reais (Rs. 7.47 lakh) to anyone who used technological subterfuges to get around the block, such as a VPN or the virtual private network.
With 40 million Brazilian users affected, the platform is set to go dark within 24 hours and will remain suspended until it complies with all court orders and settles existing fines.
The row began in April, with the judge ordering the suspension of dozens of X accounts for allegedly spreading disinformation, which X did not comply with.
In response to the suspension, Elon Musk said: Free speech is the bedrock of democracy and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes."
Brazil now joins the growing list of countries that have banned or suspended X. Heres a closer look
China
In 2009, China banned X, then known as Twitter, along with Facebook, Flickr, and Hotmail. This move followed the Uyghur protests in the northwest city of Urumqi, where demonstrations against racial discrimination escalated into riots.
The Chinese government suspected X was being used to organise the unrest and spread misinformation. In a move to curb further conflict, they decided to entirely ban the platform.
Twitter is a tool which can put all the sensitive things and sensitive guys together, very quickly. Thats the very thing that the Chinese government doesnt want to see in China, blogger Michael Anti was quoted as saying by The Guardian.
The Chinese government suspected X was being used to organise the unrest and spread misinformation. In a move to curb further conflict, they decided to entirely ban the platform. Reuters
Over the years, the censorship of Western internet platforms, known as The Great Firewall of China, became increasingly stringent.
Russia
The social media platform has been facing troubles ever since 2022, when Russian authorities intensified their crackdown on dissent and free media following President Vladimir Putins decision to invade Ukraine in February 2022.
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The Russian government had restricted access to X, Metas Facebook, and Instagram as well as blocked several independent Russian-language media outlets critical of the Kremlin.
In 2021, Moscow slowed down Xs speed as a punitive measure, citing the sites failure to remove what it said was illegal content.
The Russian government had restricted access to X, Metas Facebook, and Instagram as well as blocked several independent Russian-language media outlets critical of the Kremlin.
Russia has been tightening its control over the internet and big tech companies for years. Critics argue that these measures threaten individual and corporate freedoms and are part of a broader crackdown on Kremlin opponents.
Iran
In 2009, Iran banned X, then Twitter, following protests against the disputed presidential election results that declared hard-liner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner.
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Tech-savvy Iranians used X to organise protests and share vivid accounts of the events, earning the term Twitter Revolution from many journalists.
Tech-savvy Iranians used X to organise protests and share vivid accounts of the events, earning the term Twitter Revolution from many journalists. Image Courtest: Wikimedia
Author and columnist Reza Aslan told PBS that Iranians are in the midst of two revolutions. Theres the one on the streets said Aslan. But theres also a revolution taking place in cyberspace."
The Iranian government blocked X and other social media platforms to prevent the organisation of further protests. Ironically, while the platform remains blocked for the general public, Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, continues to maintain an account on X.
Myanmar
After a military coup took power in Myanmar in 2021, the rulers ordered mobile networks and internet service providers to block X and Instagram, owned by Facebook.
Social media users had been using these platforms to protest the coup, sharing photos of themselves giving the three-finger salute, a symbol of resistance in the region. They also used pro-democracy hashtags to criticise the militarys takeover and the detention of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other officials.
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The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology claimed that the Facebook block was for the sake of stability.
North Korea
In 2016, North Korea officially announced it was blocking X, along with Facebook, YouTube, and several South Korean websites, to tighten control over outside information.
In 2016, North Korea officially announced it was blocking X, along with Facebook, YouTube, and several South Korean websites, to tighten control over outside information.
The announcement added that anyone who tries to hack onto such sites, access them in an improper way, or distribute anti-republic data from them will be subject to punishment under North Korean law, The Guardian reported.
Despite an estimated 2 million North Koreans using mobile phones, internet access is largely restricted to officials, technicians, or those with special permission, usually under close supervision.
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Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan
In 2018, Turkmenistan blocked social media apps like X, WhatsApp, and Facebook, as well as foreign news and opposition websites.
As one of the worlds most isolated regimes, Turkmenistan ranks low in global rights and press freedom indices, with many platforms often inaccessible.
However, that same year, the country introduced its first privately developed messaging app, BizBarde. The state Yaslyk television station said it allows the exchange of messengers, files, photos, and videos.
X is also banned in Uzbekistan, consistent with the regions strict censorship rules.
With input from agencies
Ozempic, a drug originally developed to manage Type 2 diabetes, has garnered widespread attention for its impressive weight-loss benefits. However, multiple researchers suggest that the so-called miracle drug could slow down ageing and offer far-reaching benefits beyond what was imagined read more
A series of groundbreaking trials led by researchers from Yale and Harvard have revealed that semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, may have profound health benefits beyond its original use. Reuters
Ozempic, a drug originally developed to manage Type 2 diabetes, has garnered widespread attention for its impressive weight loss benefits. However recent research suggests that this so-called miracle drug may offer benefits far beyond what was previously imagined.
Several studies have revealed that Semaglutide, marketed under the brand names Wegovy and Ozempic, not only treats illnesses linked to heart failure, arthritis, Alzheimers, and even cancer but also holds the potential to slow the ageing process.
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It wouldnt surprise me that improving peoples health this way actually slows down the ageing process, said Prof Harlan Krumholz from the Yale School of Medicine, as quoted by the BBC. He shared this insight at the European Society of Cardiology Conference 2024 in London, where the studies were presented.
So, how might Ozempic help slow down ageing? Lets delve deeper into this intriguing finding.
What does the study say?
A series of groundbreaking trials led by researchers from Yale and Harvard have revealed that semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, may have profound health benefits beyond its original use.
The studies suggest that semaglutide could reverse kidney disease, prevent heart failure, lower previously untreatable high blood pressure, and even reduce the risk of dying from COVID-19 by a third.
Published in multiple medical journals, including the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), these studies involved a select trial of 17,604 participants aged 45 or older.
All were either overweight or obese and had established cardiovascular disease but no diabetes. The participants received either 2.4 mg of semaglutide or a placebo and were monitored over a period of more than three years.
Interestingly, the study found that while women experienced fewer major adverse cardiovascular events, semaglutide consistently reduced the risk of such outcomes across both sexes
During the study, 833 participants died, with 5 per cent of these deaths related to cardiovascular causes and 42 per cent from other causes. Infection was the most common cause of non-cardiovascular death, but it occurred less frequently in the semaglutide (2.6 per cent) group compared to the placebo group (3.1 per cent).
Interestingly, the study found that while women experienced fewer major adverse cardiovascular events, semaglutide consistently reduced the risk of such outcomes across both sexes.
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Dr Benjamin Scirica, lead author of one of the studies and a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Harvard Medical School told the PA news agency, The robust reduction in non-cardiovascular death, and particularly infections deaths, was surprising and perhaps only detectable because of the Covid-19-related surge in non-cardiovascular deaths.
These findings reinforce that overweight and obesity increases the risk of death due to many etiologies, which can be modified with potent incretin-based therapies like semaglutide.
Also read: The India link in blockbuster weight loss drug Ozempics success
How does it slow down ageing?
Professor Krumholz, who has been widely quoted, raised an intriguing question: Is it a fountain of youth? He elaborated, I would say if youre improving someones cardiometabolic health substantially, then you are putting them in a position to live longer and better."
Semaglutide has been found to improve heart failure symptoms and significantly reduce inflammation in the body, irrespective of weight loss. This adds to the growing evidence that the drug could be far more than just a weight-loss treatment.
Professor John Deanfield, a cardiologist at University College London, told The Times, The idea is that if you target inflammatory biology, you can alter the evolution and the consequences of multiple diseasesyou might be able to alter the outcome for a whole set of diseases of ageing wed all like to avoid."
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He added, They stop being weight-loss drugs, with all of the controversy about lifestyle drugs, and they become drugs that will target diseases. Its incredibly exciting."
Semaglutide has been found to improve heart failure symptoms and significantly reduce inflammation in the body, irrespective of weight loss. This adds to the growing evidence that the drug could be far more than just a weight-loss treatment.
Originally developed for managing diabetes, semaglutide gained massive popularity as a weight-loss treatment, becoming a viral sensation on social media. The drug mimics the hormone GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide one), which helps manage hunger and slows digestion.
Experts, including those who presented at the congress in London, argue that semaglutide should be more widely considered as a multi-purpose drug that protects against a broad spectrum of health threats."
However, its important to note that the drug, which costs about Rs 78,000, doesnt work for everyone and has its risks. It can cause severe side effects, including nausea, vomiting, and a significant increase in the risk of pancreatitis, a potentially deadly condition. Theres also a four-fold increase in the risk of stomach paralysis. Therefore, medical consultation is crucial before starting any treatment.
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With input from agencies
The matter is being probed. We have arrested them after receiving a complaint from the hospital authorities, an officer of Cossipore Police Station said. read more
Two security guards were on Saturday arrested for allegedly assaulting doctors and other staff at a hospital in Cossipore area of the metropolis, police said.
The guards were likely in an inebriated condition, officials said.
The matter is being probed. We have arrested them after receiving a complaint from the hospital authorities, an officer of Cossipore Police Station said.
A senior official of the hospital claimed that the guards had also threatened him with dire consequences.
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The two guards were intoxicated and assaulted the doctors and hospital staff. They have done this earlier, too, and we had complained to the health department in this regard, he said.
The hospital currently has 11 such security guards, he said.
The Uttar Pradesh State Transport Corporation is providing free bus services to candidates, including complimentary travel on electric buses in several districts. read more
Around 32 lakh candidates took the test for more than 60,000 vacant posts in Uttar Pradesh Police over five days concluding on Saturday amid tight security, with the state government describing it as the largest police recruitment exam in its history.
The exam, conducted by the Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment and Promotion Board (UPPRPB), was held at 1,174 centres in 67 districts of the state on the fifth and last day of the exercise, which began last week. The exams were held in two shifts for five days August 23, 24, 25, 30 and 31.
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Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath congratulated the candidates, the UPPRPB, district administrations and the state police for ensuring smooth and fair conduct of the exam.
The fresh recruitment exercise to fill over 60,000 posts was necessitated after the exams scheduled for February 17 and 18 were cancelled following allegations of a paper leak.
Previously mired with allegations of paper leaks, the exam centres of UPPRPB and its nearby areas witnessed high-levels of security this time and Aadhaar verification was done for all candidates, according to an official statement issued Saturday evening.
Also, 16,440 exam rooms across 1,174 centres in the state were equipped with CCTV and monitored by artificial intelligence, while over 2,300 magistrates and more than one lakh police personnel were deployed for duty, it added.
Hearty congratulations to all the candidates for the fair, transparent and peaceful completion of the written examination-2023 conducted for the selection of more than 60,200 posts of constable civil police, Adityanath posted on X in Hindi.
May all the energetic and disciplined youth taking part in the exam get the desired results and may everyone have a bright future; infinite good wishes for this! he said.
Heartfelt thanks to all the people who helped in conducting the worlds largest civil police recruitment examination successfully and safely, to the Uttar Pradesh Police Recruitment and Promotion Board and the district administration of all the districts, he added.
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The chief minister said more than 15,000 women will be recruited in the selection process of over 60,000 police constables.
The examination was conducted in a fair and smooth manner; this will further enrich the model of security and good governance in Uttar Pradesh, he added.
According to the official statement, over 32 lakh candidates participated in this exam, which was conducted over five days in two phases.
The Uttar Pradesh government upheld transparency and integrity through unprecedented measures, including holding the exam exclusively in government schools to further ensure fairness, the statement said.
Every necessary measure was taken to prevent any inconvenience to the candidates. To achieve this, 2,300 magistrates and 1,97,859 police personnel were deployed, while CCTVs equipped with artificial intelligence were installed to monitor the proceedings, it said.
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The security arrangements, both inside and outside the exam centres, kept cheaters and solver gangs at bay, it added.
Additionally, Uttar Pradesh Police maintained vigilant monitoring across various platforms, including WhatsApp and social media, with intelligence agencies on 24-hour alert to pre-empt any potential issues.
In addition to stringent surveillance, the board conducted Aadhaar verification for the candidates before the exam. While 85 per cent of the candidates Aadhaar details were confirmed, the remaining 15 per cent were required to undergo eKYC verification at the exam centres, deterring those with fraudulent intentions, it stated.
Data analysis was also a key part of the exams integrity measures. Candidate data was matched within half an hour of the papers start in each shift. Any discrepancies led to immediate action, with lists of suspects provided to nodal officers for follow-up, the release stated.
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This thorough approach not only minimized cheating, but also resulted in the arrest of individuals attempting to game the system, reinforcing the examinations integrity, it added.
The extensive security apparatus put in place to ensure the safety and integrity of the police recruitment examination involved the deployment of 1,97,859 policemen, including 25 companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and 8 companies of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), the statement said.
Additionally, 137 additional superintendents of police, 522 deputy superintendents of police, 47,587 head constables, 86,844 constables, and 26,582 women constables, were also deployed, it said.
Apart from this, 3,876 inspectors, comprising 3,740 male and 136 female inspectors, and 32,311 sub-Inspectors, including 30,220 male and 2,091 female sub-inspectors, were assigned to oversee the examination, it added.
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To further bolster the examinations security, 74 observer police officers were stationed at the examination centres, it added.
At the examination centres, rigorous procedures for candidate verification were implemented, including physical frisking, security checks with Hand-Held Metal Detectors (HHMD), and biometric verification through fingerprint and facial recognition, the statement said.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasised that India faces a unique China problem beyond the general global concerns, urging increased scrutiny of Chinese investments due to the complex border and geopolitical issues. He noted that while managing investments from China is common globally, Indias specific circumstances demand a heightened level of vigilance read more
Asserting that India has a special China problem which is over and above the worlds general China problem, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said Saturday the border and the state of relations with the country call for investments from there be scrutinised.
Jaishankar said that if people are complaining of trade deficit with China and we are too, it is because decades ago, we consciously overlooked the nature of Chinese production and the advantages which they enjoyed in a system where they got a level playing field with all the advantages they brought to bed.
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China in many ways is a unique problem because it is a unique polity, it is a unique economy. Unless one tries to grasp that uniqueness and understand it, the judgements, the conclusions and the policy prescriptions flowing out of it can be problematic, he said at the ET World Leaders Forum here during a session titled New Indias Risks, Reforms and Responsibilities.
There is a general China problem. We are not the only country in the world which is having a debate about China. Go to Europe, and ask them what is among their major economic or national security debates today. It is about China. Look at the United States (of America). It is obsessed with China, and rightly so in many ways, Jaishankar said.
So, the fact is that it is not only India which has a China problem, he said.
India has a China problem a special China problem that is over and above the worlds general China problem, Jaishankar said.
When we look at trade with China, investments with China, exchanges of various kinds with China. If you neglect to take into account that this is a very different country with a very different way of working, I think your basics start to go off track, he said.
Once you understand that because there is a general problem with China as well as our own situation, all of you know we have a very difficult situation at the border for the last four years. I think the sensible response to it is to take the precautions that a country like India is taking, the minister said.
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It has never been the governments position that it should not be having investments with China or doing business with China, he stressed.
On the investments issue, it is common sense that investments from China would be scrutinised, I think the border and state of relations between India and China call for it, Jaishankar said.
But countries that do not have a border with China are also scrutinising investments from the country, he added.
Europe does not have a border, America doesnt have a border with China and yet they are doing that. The issue is not do you have investments with China or not, it is not a yes or no answer, it is what should be the appropriate level of scrutiny and how should you handle it, the minister said.
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Sometimes when I read stuff where people write that we should clearly identify that this as national security, it doesnt work that way anymore because what is national security has expanded. If your telecom is based on Chinese technology, can you be impervious to it, he asked.
In my view, at a certain level, with certain countries in certain situations, the line between economics and security is a very thin line, Jaishankar said.
During the session, he also noted that there is a major war in Europe, a huge conflict in the Middle East, there are tensions in Asia and the revival of territorial claims and border frictions with each one of them mounts risks, he said.
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The focus of the world is on de-risking, Jaishankar asserted.
The external affairs minister highlighted that every government is now closely evaluating geopolitical risks, with the majority of efforts focused on de-risking.
He emphasized that in the current global landscape, managing and mitigating risks has become a central concern in shaping international relations and policies.
American diplomats in India are a busy lot these days. Apart from their usual work of enlightening Indian populace on disinformation and correct political discourse, for which they are platforming social media influencers and content creators of a certain political and ideological bend, they are also finding a lot of time to engage with the Opposition.
In the last few weeks, US consul general in Hyderabad Jennifer Larson has met Telanganas Congress chief minister Revanth Reddy, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the TDP leader and NDA partner whose support remains crucial for the Narendra Modi governments survival, and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi with whom Larson shared informed and important views on a range of shared issues and concerns.
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It would have been interesting to know what those shared issues and concerns are that the American diplomat discussed with a bitter critic of the government at the Centre, but no such details have been forthcoming. Incidentally, Owaisi is possibly the only Indian politician to question New Delhis decision to give shelter to the deposed Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina (a rare issue of bipartisan consensus in India) who fell out spectacularly with the United States. There has been a persistent buzz over Washington playing a covert role in her ouster. The US denies involvement.
On Monday, a delegation of high-level American diplomats that included Graham Mayer, minister-counsellor for political affairs at the US Embassy in New Delhi, first secretary Gary Applegarth and political counsellor Abhiram Ghadyalpatil called on National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah at his residence in Srinagar.
The visit apparently came at the behest of the American side, and discussions covered a wide range of issues pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir and the region, according to NC. Digital news outlet The Print wanted to know the subject of the conversation but was reportedly told by a spokesperson of the US embassy in Delhi that they could not divulge private diplomatic conversations.
Incidentally, the day the diplomats came calling, the NC sealed a seat-sharing deal with the Congress Party for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls. It is worth noting that this was the American sides first meeting with political leaders in J&K since the abrogation of Article 370 and splitting of J&K into two Union Territories. It comes just ahead of the crucial elections where the NC is campaigning to restore Kashmirs special status and resumption of India-Pakistan dialogue on Kashmir.
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To be clear, meeting Opposition leaders and fostering subnational diplomacy by reaching out to the leadership in different Indian states forms a core diplomatic function of consulates. States frequently create channels of communication with Opposition leaders, and Indian diplomats serving abroad are expected to do the same. Besides, the trip to J&K would have required special permission from Indias Ministry of External Affairs and clearance from intelligence agencies which also translates into the fact that these meetings are undertaken amid full governmental glare.
That said, the United States is not just another country, and J&K is a sensitive border region on the cusp of returning to normalcy after decades of terrorism and violent separatist movement aided and abetted by Pakistan to wrest Kashmir away from India. American interest in meeting the key players at a critical time is bound to raise questions and curiosity, especially when such meetings have been rare in the past.
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It is undeniable that a shift in power equation has taken place post 2024 general elections. The Opposition has become more energised. These visits are an acknowledgement and consequence of that changed reality. However, the meddlesome nature of Americas hegemonic liberalism, its activist impulse and the unique circumstances of an unstable Indian subcontinent for which a large portion of the blame can legitimately be laid at Washingtons door arises suspicions that there are more to these meetings than meets the eye.
There is clarity in New Delhi that the US is a vital strategic partner, and the clear and present danger presented by China is a big part of that equation. On Friday, delivering a lecture at Vivekananda International Foundation, a New Delhi-based think tank, Indias external affairs minister S Jaishankar called the US-India relationship invaluable for strategic and economic purposes and Washington indispensable for Indias multipolarity.
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While that is evident, that isnt the only reality. The US isnt a monolithic actor, and the relationship is not an alliance. As Jaishankar himself said at Fridays event, the relationship is not about congruence or an alliance but about overlapping interests and it is about the ability to work together on issues, areas and theatres which suit us.
What he left unsaid was that there are areas where interests do not overlap, and Bangladesh is a textbook case in point where the two partners do not see eye to eye. In a recent phone call, for instance, that US president Joe Biden initiated to discuss Modis recent trip to Ukraine, both sides released separate readouts where the difference in perception over the instability in post-Hasina Bangladesh is stark.
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While the Indian statement revealed that the two leaders expressed their shared concern over the situation in Bangladesh. They emphasised restoration of law and order and ensuring safety and security of the minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh, any reference to the troubled nation, leave alone the atrocities against Hindu minorities, was absent in the White House readout.
This isnt an anomaly. It is a pointer to the fact that there are many factions and competing power centres in Washington that are unafraid to stress test the bilateral relationship. While defence ties are on an upswing, the liberal internationalist faction within the Biden administration, for instance, prefers an India riven with internal tension and structural weakness over politico-ideological domination by a single force, and works round the clock to increase anti-government and pro-Opposition space in political discourse, as I had argued in a recent column.
This hegemonic liberalism arrogates to itself the right to interfere and intervene in the affairs of other sovereign nations where it deems that human rights or democratic values are endangered. Often this activism proves counterproductive and even detrimental to the stability of the states and the region.'
This American overextension also gets its partners in trouble in other geographies. It may not be an oversimplification to posit that the Indian backyard, including states such as Bangladesh, Myanmar, or Afghanistan has been rendered unstable in part due to Americas clumsy attempts at intervention, leaving India with a national security headache.
A recent Washington Post piece, headlined India pressed US to go easy on Bangladeshi leader before her ouster, in an attempt to criticise Indias handling of the Bangladesh crisis, inadvertently points to the extent to which the US interfered with Bangladeshs domestic political developments and tried to install itself as an actor in a bid to secure what it reckoned to be a desired outcome. One US official is quoted by the newspaper, as saying, There is always a balancing act in Bangladesh, as there is in many places where the situation on the ground is complicated
Complications surely are a problem for liberal internationalists ready to bulldoze their agenda in regions around the world in a moral crusade for democracy. Since allegations have flown thick and fast about Americas machinations behind the overthrowing of Hasina under the garb of an organic student-led revolution, Washington has issued multiple, vehement denials. But facts speak otherwise.
An article in South Asia Journal last year reported that on October 16, US deputy assistant secretary (South Asia and Central Asia) Afreen Akhter in a meeting with then Bangladesh foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen, had issued an ultimatum to the ruling Awami League government that either Hasina relinquishes power by November 3, or faces the music.
The article, quoting unnamed sources, claimed that the US, which accused the Hasina government of undermining democracy and committing human rights abuses, essentially gave two choices to Hasina. She either hands over the charge to President Mohammad Shahabuddin, or better still, resigns and puts the Speaker in charge of a caretaker government to oversee truly free, fair, participatory and inclusive elections.
Incidentally, American suggestions curiously mirrored the exact demands placed by the main Opposition party, BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party), that wanted a caretaker government to preside over the voting. When asked about the veracity of the report, US claimed that it doesnt take sides or prefer one political outfit over another but neither confirmed nor denied the report that Washington had issued an ultimatum.
What followed in the next few months leading to Hasinas removal is an extraordinary collapse of bilateral ties. The US imposed sanctions and visa restrictions on key Awami League figures, claimed that its embassy is not secure, while then US ambassador to Bangladesh, Peter Haas, went to meet the families of victims of alleged enforced disappearances in Dhaka to the further detriment of ties.
Hasina, on her part, refused to relinquish authority till the bitter end, claimed that a plot is afoot to carve out a Christian state like East Timor taking parts from Bangladesh and Myanmar, and also alleged in May, during a post-election at Gono Bhaban, that a white man had offered her a hassle free re-election in January if she allowed a foreign country to build an airbase in Bangladesh territory.
In her valedictory speech in the 22nd Parliamentary session in April last year, Hasina accused the US of interference, stating that Washington is so powerful that it can overthrow any government in any country if it wants.
This recurrent theme made its final appearance after her ouster when Indian newspaper Economic Times, reporting on a purported undelivered speech by the ousted prime minister, quoted Hasina, as saying that I could have remained in power if I had surrendered the sovereignty of Saint Martin Island and allowed America to hold sway over the Bay of Bengal. This was later retracted by her son.
It doesnt take a genius to gather whats going on. Americas pursuit of liberal hegemony is also creating more trouble for India in Myanmar where a military coup and resultant civil war is threatening Indias national security and fuelling insurgency in the northeastern states.
Washington is offering nonlethal aid to the rebels, who have made significant gains in their armed resistance against the military junta, but that aid risks creating more instability and widening divisions in a chaotic country, further exacerbating insurgency and security issues for its neighbours.
While Americas nonlethal aid is boosting the forces of resistance, it is also creating further complications in a country where the rebel groups, as Michael Haack writes in Nikkei Asia, are driven more by ethnonationalism than democracy.
Their recent battlefield gains are exciting America, who unlike Myanmars neighbours remain untouched by the crisis spillover. As Haack writes, Americas intervention will irritate Myanmars neighbours, serve little to propagate democracy and the most likely outcome in Myanmar would be more violence and death, creating the conditions for perpetual war.
India surely must have made these points to its invaluable partner, but it doesnt seem as if Washington particularly cares for New Delhis opinion.
Cut to Afghanistan, and there we have yet another America-created mess that has repercussions for Indias national security. Small arms left behind by the American and NATO troops during their hasty exit from Afghanistan, are being used by Pakistan-based terrorists against India in Kashmir. NBC News reported last year, quoting law enforcement authorities in India, how terrorists from Pakistan are carrying M4s, M16s and other U.S.-made arms and ammunition that have rarely been seen in the 30-year conflict.
While New Delhi grapples with these challenges, the Biden administration has been hard at work for a G2 lite with China through a series of secret backchannel meetings.
The latest to visit Beijing is US NSA Jake Sullivan who met Chinese president Xi Jinping, foreign minister Wang Yi, and Zhang Youxia, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission who has operational control over the PLA, and returned with a plateful of advice on how Washington should not cross Beijings red lines on Taiwan and view China and its development in a positive and rational light.
The secret meetings, undertaken at Washingtons behest, and the frequent visits to Beijing by key figures within Biden administration indicates that the US is desperate to keep tension with China under manageable levels.
Beijing can smell weakness from a mile away and understands that the urgency for a compact lies more with the other side. This reinforces the fundamental unreliability of the US as a strategic partner. With Biden being reduced to the status of a lame-duck president, repeated overtures from the Biden administration would doubtless be interpreted by hyper-realist XI regime as a sign of fragility that may be exploited to create long-term leverage over Washington.
This development goes against Indias core interests and is yet another American intervention that serves to complicate Indias strategic imperatives. For a strategic partner with whom it claims to share the most important bilateral relationship in the 21st century Washington has never been too mindful of Indias red lines or core interests.
In his autobiography, diplomat and former Indian foreign minister Natwar Singh, who passed way on August 11 this year at the age of 95, accused the US of trying to derail his appointment. Singh, who served in the UPA 1 from 2004 to 2005, in an interview to Economic Times newspaper during the autobiographys release in 2014, had said, Americans have 130 officials here, whereas we have 25 officials in Washington. What are these officials doing in India? 25 per cent of these are CIA agents, I challenge them to deny it, they have access to all ministries, they dine with our joint secretaries.
In an eerie reflection of Hasinas comments, Singh told the newspaper that Manmohan (former Indian PM) mentioned to me how powerful the Americans were and that perhaps they could go to any extent to destabilise certain countries, including India.
For Manmohan Singh, who staked his premiership to seal the US-India civil nuclear deal, to have made such an admission speaks of the depth and scale of American meddling in India. Curious way to treat an invaluable partner.
The move followed the expiry of a court-imposed deadline for the popular social media platform to name a legal representative in Brazil read more
Brazils telecommunications regulator said on Friday it was proceeding to suspend access to Elon Musks X social network in the country in compliance with an order from a judge who has been locked in a months-long feud with the billionaire investor.
The move followed the expiry of a court-imposed deadline for the popular social media platform to name a legal representative in Brazil.
Musk has argued that Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes is trying to enforce unjustified censorship, while the judge has insisted that social media needs hate speech regulations.
Theyre shutting down the #1 source of truth in Brazil, Musk said in a post on X on Friday.
X remained accessible in Brazil on Friday evening.
The feud has also led to the freezing earlier this week of satellite internet provider Starlinks bank accounts in Brazil. Starlink is a unit of Musk-led rocket company SpaceX.
In his ruling, Moraes ordered that X, formerly Twitter, be suspended in Brazil until all related court orders were complied with, including the payment of more than $3 million in fines, as well as the designation of a local representative, as required by Brazilian law.
Moraes also ordered telecommunications regulator Anatel to implement the suspension order.
The agency told Reuters it is proceeding with compliance, but without specifying a timetable.
To effectively close X in Brazil, telecommunication companies will need to stop carrying the networks traffic, while also preventing users of the site from dodging it by concealing their locations with virtual private networks, or VPNs.
Moraes further ordered that those who continued to access X via VPNs be fined up to 50,000 reais, or about $9,000, per day.
Tech giants Apple and Alphabets Google (GOOGL.O), were also initially instructed in the order to remove the X app from their app stores. Both companies were also ordered to implement so-called anti-VPN obstacles that would make it more difficult for users of Apples iOS operating system and Googles Android to open the X app on phones or tablets.
But Moraes later reversed that part of his order, saying it would not be needed.
Press offices for both Apple and Google declined to comment.
Lapdogs and dictators?
Unlike in many other countries, Brazils Supreme Court judges are able to exercise sweeping powers to make unilateral decisions. But in the dispute over X, Moraes has been backed by a majority of the 11-member court, including Chief Justice Roberto Barroso.
The dispute has its roots in a Moraes order from earlier this year that required X to block accounts implicated in probes of the alleged spreading of distorted news and hate.
Musk denounced the order as censorship. He responded by closing the companys offices in Brazil but ensured the platform was still available in the country.
He has said that Starlink will continue to serve Brazilians, including the military, for free until this matter is resolved.
Earlier on Friday, Starlink asked the Supreme Court to suspend its decision to freeze its local bank accounts, arguing it has complied with all judicial orders. That request was dismissed on Friday evening.
Asked to comment, Brazils President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva insisted that all businesses operating in the country must comply with their legal obligations.
Just because a guy has a lot of money doesnt mean he can disrespect (the law), the leftist leader told local radio on Friday.
Musk derided the president as Moraes lapdog in a Thursday post in which he also called the judge a dictator.
At an event on Friday, Moraes showed no signs of backing down.
Those who violate democracy, who violate fundamental human rights, whether in person or through social media, must be held accountable, he said.
The US Department of Defense did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the injury toll read more
US troops walk as an army helicopter flies over the village of Oreij in Iraq, 22 February 2017. Photograph. File Image: AFP
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Friday its forces conducted a partnered raid with the Iraqi Security Forces in western Iraq in the early hours of Aug. 29, resulting in the deaths of 15 Islamic State (ISIS) operatives.
The ISIS element was armed with numerous weapons, grenades, and explosive suicide belts, CENTCOM said. It also added that there were no indications of civilian casualties in the raid.
Seven American troops were injured in the joint raid, the Associated Press reported later citing the US military.
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Five were wounded in the operation while two others were hurt in falls, a US military official told the AP. All personnel are in stable condition, the official said.
The US Department of Defense did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the injury toll.
At least five US personnel were injured in an attack earlier this month against a military base in Iraq.
Later, Iraqs foreign ministry said that an announcement on an end date for the US-led coalitions mission had been postponed due to the latest developments, without identifying the developments.
Reuters reported in March that talks between the US and Iraq on ending the US-led military coalition in the country may not be concluded until after the US presidential elections in November.
A rare ally of both the US and Iran, Iraq hosts 2,500 U.S. troops and has Iran-backed militias linked to its security forces.
China has vigorously denied any abuses in Xinjiang and issued a 131-page response to the report defending its record read more
Human-rights groups and the United Nations are using Saturdays two-year anniversary of a landmark U.N. report to call for action on the document which said that China may have committed crimes against humanity in the Xinjiang region.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet released the report on Aug. 31, 2022, just minutes before her four-year term ended.
At the time, Yalkun Uluyol was filled with hope for his father who had disappeared in 2018.
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But instead, he later received news that his father had been sentenced to 16 years in a Xinjiang prison in a move Uluyol believes was linked to his identity as a Uyghur - a group of mostly Muslims whom rights groups and the U.S. government say are subject to widespread repression by Beijing.
I was very happy when the report was out. But now I feel like, yes, you released a report, but so what?, My life has not gotten any better. On the contrary, its been worse, the 30-year-old researcher, who lives in Istanbul, told Reuters on Friday.
China has vigorously denied any abuses in Xinjiang and issued a 131-page response to the report defending its record. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said this week that China fully protects the rights of all ethnic groups.
Uluyol is part of a growing chorus of human-rights advocates frustrated by what they say is a failure by China to implement the U.N. report recommendations, including a call for prompt steps to release those arbitrarily detained in Xinjiang camps and prisons.
He and others are asking United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk to step up pressure on China after months of detailed exchanges with Beijing over its record.
Saying we are engaging with China has not been enough, said Uluyol, who also posted his concerns on X and said he raised them with Turk.
Prominent rights advocate Kenneth Roth was more searing, calling Turks China approach timid.
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The 2022 report said the extent of arbitrary and discriminatory detention of Uyghurs and other Muslims in the western Xinjiang region may be an international crime.
Turk, a former lawyer who became High Commissioner after the reports release, said at the time he stood by the document. Since then, he has repeatedly called for action by China.
This week his office said many problematic laws and policies remain in place in Xinjiang and urged authorities to undertake a full review.
Theres a lot to be desired, which is why we need to continue to work with them, to engage, to see where we can have some progress, U.N. Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told reporters.
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Turks supporters say he is striking a balance between public criticism and private engagement which could yet yield reforms. But others want more.
The office needs to issue an update on the current situation in Xinjiang and present a concrete action plan for holding those responsible to account, said Maya Wang, associate China director at Human Rights Watch, who also called for action by states at the U.N. Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva in September.
Bangladesh, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay were admitted as new members of the bank in 2021 as part of an expansion drive. read more
Algeria has been authorised to become a member of the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB), the banks president, Dilma Rousseff, said on Saturday.
A multilateral development bank, the NDB was established by the BRICS group of developing countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - in 2015.
Bangladesh, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay were admitted as new members of the bank in 2021 as part of an expansion drive.
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We have a process to authorize new members to the bank Algeria was authorised to become a member of the bank, Rousseff told journalists on the sidelines of the ninth annual meeting of the bank in Cape Town.
The purpose of the bank is to mobilise resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS countries and other emerging economies and developing nations, complementing the existing efforts of multilateral and regional financial institutions for global growth and development.
Addressing the Pakistani senate on Friday, the interior minister claimed that the recent attacks have clear links to a plot to subvert the upcoming SCO summit read more
A view shows a charred vehicle, after separatist militants conducted deadly attacks, according to officials, in Balochistan province, Pakistan, August 26, 2024, in this screengrab obtained from a video. File Image: Reuters
As Pakistan struggles to deal with the ongoing crisis in Balochistan, the countrys Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi alleged that the recent spate of terror attacks in the region was planned to ruin the upcoming summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The International event will be hosted by Pakistan from October 15-16 under its rotating chairmanship.
Addressing the Pakistani senate on Friday, the interior minister claimed that the recent attacks have clear links to a plot to subvert the upcoming SCO summit. We have identified clear links showing that they [terrorists] planned to ruin the SCO conference," Naqvi said during his address at the senate, Dawn reported
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A lot of people are in anguish [about SCO meeting] so that it should not be organised, he furthered, describing the attacks as a conspiracy against the summit.
Naqvi called it a plot to ruin SCO
Naqvi emphasised that the attacks in Balochistan were devised by not just one body but terrorist organisations had carried them out together.
The incident on the night of August 26 was not a normal one. There was complete planning behind it, the independent senator explained. There is no [military] operation being carried out, the interior minister clarified, responding to another senators remarks over the matter.
Those who acknowledge Pakistan, we will highly welcome them. They are very respectable for us, though there can be differences [with us], which we are trying our best to address and will do so.
Those who do not accept the state and take up arms are terrorists and we will deal with them, Naqvi vowed.
The attacks in Balochistan
The Pakistani-administered region faced a series of horrific attacks that resulted in the death of over 50 civilians and 14 security personnel. The militants affiliated with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack. In another incident, at least 23 passengers were killed after being offloaded from passenger buses and trucks in the Rarasham area of Balochistans Musakhel.
Not only this, at least 10 people, including police and Levies personnel, were martyred in a gun attack in Kalat. Furthermore, at least 14 people, 10 security forces soldiers and four personnel of law enforcement agencies (LEAs) were killed during a clearance operation wherein at least 21 militants were neutralised.
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During the Friday parliamentary session, Naqvi told the senate that PKR 8 billion had been allocated for Balochistan while another PKR 5 billion had been provided to the provinces Counterterrorism Department (CTD). The money will solve minor issues with the support of the local MNAs and MPAs, the senator explained.
With inputs from agencies.
This year, in the first six months (January-June 2024) the number of tourists coming from India to Cambodia was around 32,000-33,000, around 17 per cent more compared to the figure of the same time a year ago, he said. read more
Cambodia is eyeing to increase Indian tourists footfalls by 3-4 times in the current year as a robust growth in Indias tourism sector presents huge potential for the Southeast Asian nation, a Cambodian tourism ministry official said.
We have launched Cambodia-India Tourism year for the first time this year to tap the Indian market which has potential, as the countrys tourism is booming. We are witnessing a positive momentum and expect that there will be a lot more tourists from India. We expect to increase, maybe, 3-4 times in terms of the number at the moment that we have, Cambodias Minister of Tourism Hul Seila told PTI over phone on the sidelines of Business, Leisure, Travel and MICE Tourism Exhibition 2024 (BLTM).
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In 2023, Cambodia hosted 68,836 India travellers. The figure was over 91 per cent of the pre-Covid (2019) levels, he said. In 2019 Cambodia received 75,286 visitors from India.
This year, in the first six months (January-June 2024) the number of tourists coming from India to Cambodia was around 32,000-33,000, around 17 per cent more compared to the figure of the same time a year ago, he said.
The participation in the event will enhance Cambodias tourism potential, promote the 1st Cambodia and India Tourism Year 2024 campaign, and strengthen tourism cooperation between Cambodia and India in line with the ministrys BUILD + 3Ds strategic initiative, while also promoting the Visit Siem Reap 2024 campaign to attract more Indian tourists and investors to Cambodia, he noted.
Seila said Cambodia has also launched digital campaigns and collaborated with travel partners to increase awareness of its various destinations.
We are also collaborating with influencers to promote tourism in India to showcase what Cambodia has to offer as a preferred tourist destination, he added.
About connectivity, Seila said, currently there are four direct flights connecting India and Cambodia. Besides, IndiGo is likely to introduce one flight in November connecting Siem Reap with India.
This will take the total number of direct flights between India and Cambodia to five per week and will help in attracting Indian travellers to our country, he added.
For Indians Cambodia has visa on arrival facilities, however, the country also provides visa at its embassy based in New Delhi or issue e-visa, he said.
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Cambodia mainly gets leisure, religious visitors and those who visit for medical treatment purposes, he said.
However, we also want to showcase that we are very much capable of organising, arranging, big business events or MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) and weddings, Seila added.
The massacre took place on Saturday morning, the woman said in the interview. The army had forced every man in the town out to dig trenches to protect it from attackers, while women and younger children were sent to cut long grass and trees to improve visibility for the soldiers stationed there read more
A satellite image shows a newly-built trench near Barsalogho, where hundreds of people were killed by suspected jihadists on August 24, in Burkina Faso. File image/ Reuters
A woman who survived the massacre of hundreds of villagers in central Burkina Faso described the horror of searching through bodies to find her brothers, in an interview following the attack claimed by an Al Qaeda-linked group earlier this week.
We went out with carts to collect the bodies of my older brothers, said the woman, 38, who escaped with her toddler. We spent a long time going through bodies piled up under trees.
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The woman gave the interview to an aid worker in Kaya, a nearby town where many survivors have since fled. The aid worker provided the womans testimony in an audio recording to Reuters. The woman agreed for her story to be released to the media on condition that her name and voice be withheld for her safety.
The attack outside the town of Barsalogho was one of the deadliest in nearly a decade of Islamist violence in the West African country. A group of victims relatives said at least 400 people were killed when jihadists opened fire on civilians digging defensive trenches on the orders of the military.
The massacre took place on Saturday morning, the woman said in the interview. The army had forced every man in the town out to dig trenches to protect it from attackers, while women and younger children were sent to cut long grass and trees to improve visibility for the soldiers stationed there.
The militants, or bushmen as she described them, arrived at about 10 a.m. and began killing, firing on soldiers and civilians alike. They didnt stop until later in the day when drones arrived overheard. She said it took three days for the survivors, mostly women and children, to collect the bodies.
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Al Qaeda affiliate Jamaa Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin said it attacked soldiers and militia members excavating trenches and killed nearly 300, describing all the victims as fighters, not civilians.
Several videos apparently filmed by the militants and released on social media showed more than 100 bodies piled in a trench, most of them in civilian clothing. Reuters confirmed the location of the videos from the position of the trench and other features in the landscape that matched satellite imagery.
The woman interviewed said civilians, soldiers and volunteer army auxiliaries known as VDPs were among those attacked. One family she knew lost 30 members. Another family of 13 members was completely wiped out, she said.
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Burkina Fasos ruling junta has not said how many people were killed, but said civilians were among the victims.
Blood everywhere
The eyewitness said survivors took the bodies to the mayors office and helped each other transport the dead to the site where men were digging graves. Local custom prohibits women from burying the dead, but she still asked to help because there were so many graves to dig.
When the men refused, she gave her cart to neighbours still collecting bodies and waited for her turn to bury her three brothers.
I stayed at the town hall watching people carrying bodies everywhere. It was horrible, she said.
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Her oldest brother was buried first, after she insisted he be given his own grave. Neighbours dug graves for the other two the following day.
I am no longer sure that I am normal. You know why? Because I saw horrible things, dead bodies and blood everywhere. I have not been sleeping well since I was displaced here, the woman said.
A civil society source in Kaya said that the military had surrounded the town where many survivors had fled and were preventing them from leaving or talking about what happened.
The bloodshed highlights the danger of the authorities growing reliance on civilians as they struggle to combat the jihadist groups that have destabilised swathes of West Africas Sahel region since an insurgency took root in Mali in 2012.
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A civilian group called Collectif Justice pour Barsalogho has criticised the government for its silence on the attack, which had been condemned worldwide including by the United Nations and European Union.
It said a government delegation that reached the area was more preoccupied with the army than the civilian survivors. It blamed the army for sending citizens to their deaths by forcing them to dig trenches that became mass graves.
We regret that ministers can come all the way to Barsalogho and turn back without seeing the tears or hearing the cries of grief of this community, the group said in a statement on Wednesday, every single family is in mourning. The youth has been decimated.
Frustrations over worsening violence led to two coups in Burkina Faso in 2022, but the new authorities have failed to stem the bloodshed.
Over 6,500 civilians have been killed since the start of 2020, the non-governmental organisation Armed Conflict Location and Event Data said in July.
Rio De Janeiro, Aug 31 (UNI) Brazil's Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Friday ordered the social media platform X to be blocked nationwide after the company refused to appoint a legal representative in the country.
On Wednesday, de Moraes gave X, owned by Elon Musk, a 24-hour deadline to designate a representative. X shut down its Brazil office on Aug. 17, claiming that there were threats to detain its former legal representative.
X had been in conflict with de Moraes for months over the platform's refusal to comply with court orders to remove profiles that promote coup-related content or undermine democracy.
The Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF) also ordered X to pay fines amounting to 18 million reais (about 3.2 million U.S. dollars) for non-compliance.
The judge justified the block decision, citing the company's repeated, willful defiance of court orders and refusal to pay daily fines, accusing X of attempting to bypass Brazil's legal system and create a "lawless zone" on social media, especially in the lead-up to the 2024 municipal elections.
De Moraes added that X has facilitated "the actions of extremist groups and digital militias, enabling the spread of Nazi, racist, fascist, hateful, and anti-democratic speech," particularly ahead of the upcoming elections.
The Brazilian judge also instructed Brazil's National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) to block access to X in Brazil within 24 hours. Apple and Google have been given five days to remove the X app from their online stores.
Additionally, a daily fine of 50,000 reais (about 10,000 U.S. dollars) was imposed on any individual or company that uses methods such as VPNs to access X after the ban.
UNI/XINHUA AKS
This week the Philippine maritime council said Chinese aircraft made unsafe manoeuvres against a civilian aircraft conducting patrols over two other disputed areas, the Scarborough Shoal and Subi reef read more
China Coast Guard ships are seen from the Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Cabra during a supply mission to Sabina Shoal in disputed waters of the South China Sea on Aug 26, 2024. File Image / AFP
The Philippines and China exchanged accusations of intentionally ramming coast guard vessels in disputed waters of the South China Sea on Saturday, the latest in an escalating series of clashes in the vital waterway.
The collision near the Sabina Shoal was their fifth maritime confrontation in a month in a longstanding rivalry.
Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. Portions of the waterway, where $3 trillion worth of trade passes annually, are believed to be rich in oil and natural gas deposits, as well as fish stocks.
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The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 found Chinas sweeping claims had no legal basis, a ruling Beijing rejects.
Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela showed videos of Saturdays confrontation at a press conference, saying China Coast Guard vessel 5205 directly and intentionally rammed the Philippine vessel without provocation.
The ramming damaged the 97-metre (320-foot) Teresa Magbanua, one of the Philippines largest coast guard cutters, but no personnel were injured, Tarriela said.
Liu Dejun, a spokesperson for Chinas coast guard, said in a statement a Philippine ship, illegally stranded at the shoal, had lifted anchor and deliberately rammed a Chinese vessel. He called on the Philippines to withdraw immediately or bear the consequences.
The Chinese coast guard will take the measures required to resolutely thwart all acts of provocation, nuisance and infringement and resolutely safeguard the countrys territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, Liu said.
Tarriela said Manila would not withdraw its ship despite the harassment, the bullying activities and escalatory action of the Chinese coast guard.
US condemns Chinese violations
The U.S. ambassador to the Philippines expressed Washingtons support for the Philippines, a treaty ally.
U.S. condemns the multiple dangerous violations of international law by the PRC (Peoples Republic of China), including todays intentional ramming, Ambassador MaryKay Carlson said on social media platform X.
The Philippines deployed a ship in April to the Sabina Shoal, 75 nautical miles from the coast of the Philippine province of Palawan. Manila accused Beijing of building an artificial island, saying it had documented piles of dead and crushed coral on the sandbars, which Beijing denies.
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This week the Philippine maritime council said Chinese aircraft made unsafe manoeuvres against a civilian aircraft conducting patrols over two other disputed areas, the Scarborough Shoal and Subi reef.
The Philippines accused China of blocking a routine resupply mission on Sunday, saying Chinese vessels rammed and used water cannons on a fisheries bureau ship transporting food, fuel and medical supplies for Filipino fishermen.r
Harris also called on Trump to never again stand behind the seal of the President of the United States of America. The vice president said in a post on X that, the former president disrespected sacred ground, all for the sake of a political stunt. read more
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris said Saturday that her Republican rival Donald Trump disrespected sacred ground at a US military cemetery after reports that his campaign team pushed a staff member during a politicised visit.
Let me be clear: the former president disrespected sacred ground, all for the sake of a political stunt, Harris said of Mondays incident at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, where Trump was accompanying relatives of US service members killed in Afghanistan.
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Harris strongly condemned Trumps actions, calling on him to never again stand behind the seal of the President of the United States of America. Her statement follows an incident at a cemetery, where a member of Trumps campaign staff allegedly abruptly pushed aside a staff member to facilitate Trump and his campaign taking photos and videos with families of service members who lost their lives during the US militarys withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
As Vice President, I have had the privilege of visiting Arlington National Cemetery several times. It is a solemn place; a place where we come together to honor American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of this nation.
It is not a place for politics.
And Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) August 31, 2024
A controversy surrounding a wreath-laying ceremony on Monday has garnered significant attention in recent days, with Donald Trump addressing the issue at multiple campaign events on Thursday and Friday.
Trump vehemently defended his actions, denying allegations that he exploited the graves of fallen service members for political gain. Speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania on Friday, Trump said, They tell me I used their graves for public relations services and I didnt. His comments aimed to counter criticism stemming from the incident, which has sparked widespread debate and scrutiny.
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Meanwhile, a new poll in Minnesota shows the race tightening in the state with Harriss lead halving over August, despite Governor Tim Walz joining the ticket, according to the independent. However, another poll shows Harris building her lead.
Harris has significantly narrowed the gap with Donald Trump among likely voters in Michigan. The state-wide EPIC MRA poll, conducted from August 23-26, shows Trump leading with 46% support, closely followed by Harris at 45%.
Notably, the poll also indicates that Harris has a slight edge over Trump in terms of favourability ratings, with 46% of respondents viewing her favourably compared to Trumps 45%. This latest polling data suggests that the Democratic nominee is gaining momentum and closing the gap in the presidential race.
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With inputs from agencies.
Macron has been in a face-off with France Unbowed (LFI) and its Green, Socialist and Communist allies over his refusal to name their candidate Lucie Castets prime minister after Julys inconclusive parliamentary election read more
Hard-left party France Unbowed on Saturday asked other political groupings to back its long-shot bid to impeach President Emmanuel Macron for serious failings in his constitutional duties.
Macron has been in a face-off with France Unbowed (LFI) and its Green, Socialist and Communist allies over his refusal to name their candidate Lucie Castets prime minister after Julys inconclusive parliamentary election.
While their NFP alliance won the most seats, no single bloc has a majority in a chamber split largely between the left, Macrons centrists and the far-right National Rally (RN).
The National Assembly (lower house) and Senate can and must defend democracy against the presidents authoritarian leanings LFI lawmakers wrote in a draft impeachment resolution.
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Their parliamentary leader Mathilde Panot said they had sent the document to other MPs to gather signatures.
Any attempt to oust Macron via the impeachment process outlined in Article 68 of Frances constitution faces high hurdles to success, ultimately requiring two-thirds of members of the Assembly and Senate combined to approve it.
LFI argues that it is not up to the president to do political horsetrading, taking aim at Macrons efforts since July to find a prime minister who would not be immediately ousted in a confidence vote.
Many constitutional experts, however, argue that the Fifth Republics 1958 founding document, written on the assumption the electoral system would produce a clear majority, is vague on the correct course of action in a hung parliament.
Macron has justified his refusal to name Castets as head of government by saying it is his duty to ensure institutional stability.
Imran Khan has warned that Pakistans fragile economy, exacerbated by political instability and terrorism, risks falling into parochialism, hampering investment and national unity. Khan, currently imprisoned and facing numerous cases, criticized the governments focus on targeting his party amid the countrys broader crises. read more
Former prime minister Imran Khan has said that Pakistan is at risk of parochialism as political instability and terrorism have brought the economy to the verge of collapse.
The 71-year-old Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf: founder on Friday said the fragile economy of the cash-strapped country was the biggest challenge facing Pakistan but intelligence agencies were busy targeting one political party.
Khan said the party had been accused over the recent wave of terrorism, but the government then claimed that terrorists came from across the border.
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Khan said the country was facing the risk of parochialism and no one would invest in Pakistan while the country suffered from terrorism, Dawn News reported.
Being a federal party, the PTI could tackle this grave situation as all other political parties were limited to their regions, Khan asserted after attending court proceedings in the National Accountability Bureau reference related to Bvlgari Jewellery set that Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi allegedly retained from Toshakhana gifts at a throwaway price.
Khan said political parties could unite the nation, but it was ironic that the PTI which was the only party with a countrywide presence was being weakened.
Khan has been incarcerated at Adiala Jail Rawalpindi since August last year in multiple cases. He is currently facing over 200 cases.
The government has accused him of being a mastermind of the May 9, 2023 riots following his arrest in a corruption case in which dozens of military installations were vandalized and torched. The government intends to hold Khans military trial on May 9 events.
Two new murder cases have been filed against Bangladeshs deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her former cabinet ministers on Friday for the killing of three people, including two BNP activists, during the quota reform protests in the country. With this, the tally of cases filed against Hasina has risen to 84, including 70 on murder charges. read more
Bangladesh is facing a fluid political situation with Sheikh Hasina, resigning from her post on August 5 in the wake of mounting protests. Hasina, who fled Bangladesh for India in a military aircraft on August 5, is currently staying in India. Image- FP
The Bangladesh interim governments foreign affairs advisor Mohammed Touhid Hossain, has said that as cases mount against Sheikh Hasina, his country could consider seeking the extradition of the former premier but that would create an embarrassing situation for the Indian government.
According to multiple media reports, Hossain while talking to a private TV channel said If the home ministry or law ministry requests Sheikh Hasinas extradition in the future, India will be obligated to comply with their demand.
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In an exclusive interview to Reuters TV in Dhaka, Hossain said that since there are so many cases against Hasina in Bangladesh, the countrys home and law ministries could make the request to extradite her.
Her staying in Delhi, in India, the question comes thatthere are so many cases (against Hasina) that could be again some speculating, I am not a person right to answer this, if there is a request from there (Ministry of Home and Ministry of Law) we have to ask for her, you know, return to Bangladesh. If there is a demand from there, that creates an embarrassing situation for the Indian government. So I think the Indian government knows this and I am sure they will take care of it, Hossain told Reuters TV.
Meanwhile, two new murder cases have been filed against Bangladeshs deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her former cabinet ministers on Friday for the killing of three people, including two BNP activists, during the quota reform protests in the country, according to media reports.
The cases, filed in Dhaka courts on Friday, were the latest in the slew of cases filed against the 76-year-old leader after her resignation and fleeing to India on August 5 following a massive protest by students against a quota system in government jobs.
With this, the tally of cases filed against Hasina has risen to 84, including 70 on murder charges, eight on allegations of crimes against humanity and genocide, three for alleged abduction, and three on other charges, The Daily Star newspaper reported.
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Sheikh Hasina had arrived in India on August 5, following an uprising led by students against her that turned violent. As per the Dhaka Tribune, a complaint has been lodged against Hasina and 24 others in the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands for allegedly violating human rights.
The Bangladeshi media outlet said that there are multiple cases filed against Hasina. Further, Hossein, the foreign affairs advisor in Bangladeshs interim government led by Mohammad Yunus stated that the Nobel Laureate is very unhappy about the way the statements are coming from India, from the former Prime Minister and he had conveyed this to the Indian envoy in a meeting.
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The protests, led majorly by students demanding an end to a quota system for government jobs, took the shape of anti-government protests. On August 8, Nobel laureate economist Muhammad Yunus was sworn in as the head of Bangladeshs interim government. 17 members of Bangladeshs interim government took their oaths at a ceremony in Dhaka.
With inputs from agencies.
An army statement said 20-year-old Elkana Navon fell during operational activity on Saturday and that another soldier was severely injured in the same incident, without providing details read more
Members of Israeli forces patrol a street during a military operation in the West Bank refugee camp of Nur Shams, Tulkarem. AP
Israels army on Saturday announced the first death of a soldier during its ongoing raid in the occupied West Bank that began four days ago.
An army statement said 20-year-old Elkana Navon fell during operational activity on Saturday and that another soldier was severely injured in the same incident, without providing details.
Since Wednesday at least 22 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army, most of them militants, in simultaneous raids in several cities in the northern West Bank.
Since Friday, soldiers have concentrated their operations on the city of Jenin and its refugee camp, long a bastion of Palestinian armed groups fighting against Israel.
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Violence has surged in the West Bank since Hamass unprecedented October 7 attack on southern Israel triggered the war in the Gaza Strip.
The United Nations said on Wednesday that at least 637 Palestinians had been killed in the territory by Israeli troops or settlers since the Gaza war began.
Twenty Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during army operations over the same period, according to Israeli official figures.
During a visit to Jenin on Saturday, Israeli army chief of staff Herzi Halevi said Israeli forces have no intention of letting terrorism (in the West Bank) raise its head to threaten Israel.
Therefore the initiative is to go from city to city, refugee camp to refugee camp, with excellent intelligence, with very good operational capabilities, with a very strong air intelligence envelope We will protect the citizens of Israel just like that.
Of the 22 Palestinians reported dead since Wednesday, Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad have said at least 14 were members of their armed wings.
Earlier on Saturday, Hamas issued a statement saying one of its fighters carried out an ambush using a highly explosive device in the Jenin refugee camp which led to the deaths and injuries of members of the advancing (Israeli) force.
At least 40,691 people have been killed in the war between Israel and Palestinian militants, now in its 11th month, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Saturday, adding that the toll includes 89 deaths in the previous 48 hours. read more
The Israeli military said in a statement it continued to operate in the central and southern Gaza Strip. It said troops killed terrorists and dismantled military infrastructure in Gaza City, while they located weapons and killed gunmen in Tel Al-Sultan in western Rafah. File Photo (Reuters)
At least 48 people were killed in the Gaza Strip following Israeli strikes on Saturday, Palestinian health authorities said, as clashes took place in central and southern areas of the enclave.
Israel pressed on with a large-scale military operation in the occupied West Bank against Palestinian terrorists for a fourth day Saturday, cutting it completely from across the world on the fourth day of its assault. Dozens of Israeli soldiers were stationed on the outskirts of the Jenin refugee camp, with Israeli military jeeps and armoured personnel carriers moving into the area.
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Concrete slabs and sheet metal were piled high alongside streets in Jenin, as residents assessed the damage from Israels latest West Bank raid even as explosions persisted nearby.
The scars of ongoing clashes in the occupied Palestinian territory, which began on Wednesday as part of what Israel has described as a counter-terrorism operation, were everywhere: collapsed walls, uprooted trees, tiled roofs covering mounds of rubble.
Bulldozers rumbled through the streets on the first day of the raid, clearing the way for Israeli soldiers while tearing up the asphalt and piercing underground pipes, residents of one neighbourhood in east Jenin told AFP.
Three days later, with fighting elsewhere in the city continuing, we are cut off from the world, Taher al-Saadi said.
The water is cut off. The electricity is cut off, the sewage system is no longer working. All the infrastructure is destroyed, we no longer have any services that work.
He added: The bakeries are at a standstill. We cant find milk for the children.
Israel raids are not unusual in Jenin, whose refugee camp is a bastion for armed groups fighting Israel.
But the operation launched on Wednesday was unusually large and long, hitting multiple West Bank cities at once and, in Jenin, showing no sign of letting up.
I think its the worst day since the start of the raid, Wisam Bakr, director of Jenin Government Hospital, said on Saturday.
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We hear from time to time clashes and sometimes there is big bombing.
Residents and terrorist sources said fighters from Hamas, the Islamic Jihad, and other groups fought against Israeli forces in the northern Gaza Zeitoun neighborhood, where tanks have been operating for days, and in Rafah, near the border with Egypt.
The Israeli military said in a statement it continued to operate in the central and southern Gaza Strip. It said troops killed terrorists and dismantled military infrastructure in Gaza City, while they located weapons and killed gunmen in Tel Al-Sultan in western Rafah.
In Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, families returned to their areas after the army ended a 22-day offensive it said was aimed at preventing Hamas from regrouping. Footage showed large areas were flattened, and buildings and infrastructure were destroyed.
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The latest episode in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on Oct. 7 when Hamas fighters attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Dark days
Not far from where Faiza Abu Jaafar lives, an 82-year-old man was shot dead on Friday by an Israeli sniper, residents say, bringing to 20 the number of Palestinians killed in the operation so far.
Hamas and its ally Islamic Jihad have said at least 13 of the dead were members of their armed wings.
While Israeli military vehicles and bulldozers left the area near her home on Saturday morning, apparently heading for Jenins refugee camp, Abu Jaafar said she and her relatives were still shaken.
Its very hard, for the children and for everyone. We are afraid, we are terrified, look at all the damage, she said, standing amid piles of rubble.
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We are living in dark days.
Just how dark is still unclear, as Jenin governor Kamal Abu al-Rub told AFP that even he does not know exactly what is happening inside the camp, where the latest fighting appeared to be concentrated.
The Israelis are besieging the hospitals and cutting off the city from the refugee camp, which has become a military zone with no access, he said.
Neither the civil defence, nor the ambulances, nor the journalists can go and see what is happening there.
The Israeli army has denied cutting off access to hospitals, saying it has positioned its forces to prevent militants from gathering in them while allowing ambulances to come and go.
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Violence has surged in the West Bank since Hamass unprecedented October 7 attack on southern Israel triggered the war in the Gaza Strip.
The United Nations said on Wednesday that at least 637 Palestinians had been killed in the territory by Israeli troops or settlers since the Gaza war began.
Nineteen Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during army operations over the same period, according to Israeli official figures.
Israeli military spokesman Nadav Shoshani said the forces involved in the current raid, which began on Wednesday, were fewer than the number who carried out a large-scale raid in July 2023 that left 13 dead.
Yet Abu al-Rub, the Jenin governor, said the latest operation made him think of a notorious 2002 battle in Jenin that left dozens of Palestinians and Israelis dead.
Earlier this week, Shoshani explicitly rejected the comparison, saying the ongoing operation in the West Bank was not extremely different from regular activity.
With inputs from agencies.
A 21-year-old Nepalese student, Muna Pandey, was fatally shot in her Houston apartment during an alleged robbery. The suspect, 52-year-old Bobby Sinh Shah, has been arrested and charged with murder read more
A 21-year-old student from Nepal was fatally shot in her apartment in US during an alleged robbery, according to police reports on Saturday. The suspect, identified as 52-year-old Bobby Sinh Shah, has been taken into custody.
Muna Pandey, a student at Houston Community College, was discovered with multiple gunshot wounds in her apartment at approximately 5:30 pm on Monday. Police were alerted to the scene after receiving an anonymous tip about a body found in the residence. Upon arrival, authorities pronounced her dead.
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Two days following the incident, police released a photograph of Shah, captured on CCTV leaving the apartment. Shah was apprehended later that day during a traffic stop and has been charged with murder.
Pandey, who relocated from Nepal to study at Houston Community College in 2021, had been out of contact with her family for several days before her death. A member of the Nepalese Association of Houston informed the New York Post that Pandeys mother was attempting to reach her before discovering the tragic news.
The association is coordinating with the Nepalese Consulate to facilitate travel arrangements for Pandeys mother to Houston. A GoFundMe page, which has raised nearly $30,000, is seeking to cover funeral expenses and support travel costs for her mother, allowing her to be present for her daughters final farewell.
The GoFundMe page states: We are reaching out to our community to help bring Anita to the United States so she can say goodbye to her only child and give Muna the farewell she deserves. The funds will be used to cover Munas funeral expenses and to bring her mother to Houston for the final rituals.
The summit brought together delegations from Australia, New Zealand and 16 Pacific island countries or territories. Out of these nations, only three of them still have diplomatic ties with Taiwan read more
The Pacific Islands Forum (Pif) summit ended in major drama after China demanded scrapping the reference to Taiwan from the forums joint communique. After the joint declaration was released Chinas regional envoy said that the language about Taiwan was unacceptable. Amid the criticism, the body took the communique down and later republished it without the offending paragraph.
The summit brought together delegations from Australia, New Zealand and 16 Pacific island countries or territories. Out of these nations, only three of them still have diplomatic ties with Taiwan. It is pertinent to note that while China is not a member of the regional body, it still attended the meet as a dialogue partner, just like the United States.
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Meanwhile, for over 30 years, Taiwan has been accorded the lesser status of development partner, something which irked Beijing, which claims sovereignty over the self-governing island.
What was the issue?
China and the Solomon Islands, which have fostered increasingly warm ties with Beijing since switching diplomatic recognition from Taiwan in 2019, condemned the island regions status in the body by its own name. However, the final communique published on the Pif website on Friday rebuffed any push for change in the status quo.
Leaders reaffirmed the 1992 Leaders decision on relations with Taiwan/Republic of China, it said. Following this, Chinas special envoy for the Pacific, Qian Bo, called for changes to the communique. According to Nikkei Asia, visibly angry Qian confronted the Pif secretary general, Baron Waqa after closing a news conference and called the statement unacceptable.
The Chinese envoy eventually told local reporters that the reference to Taiwan was a surprising mistake made by someone and it must be corrected. Qian made it clear that China should be seen as the representative on behalf of the whole of China, including Taiwan and the mainland, Nikkei Asia reported.
By Friday evening, the joint declaration was taken down from the Pifs website. It was later published on Saturday morning with paragraph 66 about Taiwan no longer included. Instead of this, the paragraph of Solomon Island being the host of the next years Pif was moved up to become the new paragraph 66.
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While the US and Australia also took part in the summit, the overall change in the joint declaration reflected the amount of influence China has over the Pacific region.
Meanwhile, Taiwans deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang also travelled to Tonga, where the summit was held. However, he only held talks with Taiwans three remaining Pacific allies, Palau, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands.
After Tien arrived in Tonga, Chinas foreign ministry released a statement in which they maintained that his visit would be watched closely. Any attempt by the Taiwan authorities to brush up their sense of presence by rubbing shoulders with the forum can only be self-deceptive, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.
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With inputs from agencies.
The helicopter in question is the Mi-8T which took off from a base near the Vachkazhets volcano read more
A Russian helicopter with 3 crew and 19 passengers on board went missing on Saturday in the far eastern peninsula of Kamchatka. The helicopter in question is the Mi-8T which took off from a base near the Vachkazhets volcano, RIA Novosti reported.
According to the report by the Russian news outlet, the helicopter was from the company Vityaz-Aero. Message on the non-arrival at the destination of the Mi-8 helicopter of the airline Vityaz-Aero. Preliminary, there are three crew members on board. Route - Vachkazhets volcano - Nikolaevka village (Yelizovsky district). The distance is 25 kilometers. Currently, the board of the same airline flew out to search for the aircraft, the Russian emergency services said in a statement.
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Search operation underway
Following the update, rescuers reached the near the Vachkazhets volcano at 6:37 am (local time). According to RIA Novosti, the team comprises five people and is carrying four pieces of equipment. They are expected to walk around the region to check whether the helicopter crashed nearby.
The helicopter took off from a base near the Vachkazhets volcano and the crew failed to report at the scheduled time of 07:00 am (Moscow time).
The Russian Mi-8 is a two-engine helicopter which was designed back in the 1960s and is extensively used in Russia. However, there has been an increase in reports of the helicopter getting into fatal accidents.
Earlier this month, a Mi-8 helicopter carrying 16 people on board crashed in Russias Far East region.
About the Vachkazhets volcano
The Vachkazhets mountain range is located on the west of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky city, and it is a part of the Uzhno-Bystrinsky mountain range. In the past, the powerful eruption in the Vachkazhets volcano divided the mountain range into three parts: Poperechnaya mountain, Vachkazhtsy mountain and Vachkazhets mountain.
Interestingly, the summits were created by the broken craters which bind with the narrow mountain isthmuses. Nowadays, the volcano belongs to the extinct category but during the ancient era, powerful eruptions caused the creation of huge circuses.
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It is pertinent to note that the Kamchatka Peninsula contains around 160 volcanoes and 29 of them are still active.
This is a developing story.
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..
Two scientists win Nobel Prize in Physics 08 Oct 2024 | 6:00 PM Stockholm, Oct 8 (UNI) The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics went to two scientists, John J. Hopfield and Geoffrey E. Hinton, for their foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced on Tuesday. see more..
France to conduct 1st test of new generation Aster missile on Tuesday 08 Oct 2024 | 5:39 PM Paris, Oct 8 (UNI) France will test a new generation of Aster missiles developed for the SAMP/T anti-aircraft missile systems for the first time on Tuesday, Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said. see more..
President and army commander-in-chief Paul Kagame approved the retirement of General Jean Bosco Kazura as well as 1,162 military of various ranks, according to an army statement published Friday read more
The Rwandan army said several military generals, including a former chief of staff, have retired in a major reshuffle that saw more than 1,000 personnel sacked or pushed into retirement.
President and army commander-in-chief Paul Kagame approved the retirement of General Jean Bosco Kazura as well as 1,162 military of various ranks, according to an army statement published Friday.
Kazura, 62, served as Rwandas Chief of Defence Staff from 2019 to 2023, and was previously a military advisor to Kagame. He also led the United Nations mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA, in 2013 and 2014.
Other senior servicemen approved for retirement include brigadier generals John Bagabo, John Bosco Rutikanga, Johnson Hodari and Firmin Bayingana.
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The changes, which are not infrequent in Rwanda, come after Kagame met with high-ranking military leaders to discuss the peace and security priorities of Rwanda, a military source told AFP.
The president accused multiple generals in attendance of lack of discipline, the source added.
The Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) on Friday laid off 21 senior officers, including division general Martin Nzaramba.
Nzaramba, 57, was dismissed for corruption and misappropriation of funds intended for the welfare of soldiers during his time as Director of the Basic Military Training Center, RDF spokesman brigadier general Ronald Rwivanga told online media Igihe.
Rwivanga did not immediately respond to a request for further details.
The Rwandan president in June 2023 dismissed several high-ranking officers over lack of discipline, after replacing the defence minister, army chief of staff and land forces chief of staff.
That move also saw more than 200 soldiers dismissed.
Rwandas all-powerful president, who was re-elected in early August for a fourth term, previously described last years reshuffle as a normal thing.
Kagame is credited with rebuilding a traumatised nation after the 1994 genocide, but is also accused of ruling in a climate of fear.
Search efforts for Vijaya Lakshmi Gali, an Indian woman who fell into a sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur, have faced significant challenges as the operation reaches its eighth day. Authorities have reported difficulties due to hazardous conditions and debris, leading to a reassessment of rescue strategies read more
Malaysian officials reported significant challanges in the search and rescue for Vijaya Lakshmi Gali, an Indian woman who fell into a pavement sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur as the operation marked its eighth day. Authorities have now deemed it too risky to continue deploying divers.
The search, involving around 110 rescuers working tirelessly over the past week, has so far yielded limited results. The only item recovered was a pair of slippers found during an initial 17-hour search.
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Two divers who entered the sewer network early Friday morning faced formidable obstacles, including strong water currents and dense debris. According to the Fire and Rescue Department, the divers, a firefighter and a sewer worker, had to navigate through a narrow space while lying flat.
Department Director-General Nor Hisham Mohammad reported that efforts to break apart the solidified debris, which resembled concrete blocks, were unsuccessful even with the help of eight people using ropes.
Divers who earlier descended into the sewer in full scuba gear said they had to fight zero visibility and heavy rain.
When going down into the hole it was really scary, but this is indeed the duty of a firefighter; we have to overcome the fear and surrender to God, firefighter Alimaddia Bukri told local newspaper Simar Harian earlier this week.
It is pitch black in that pipe, another diver told The Straits Times on Wednesday.
You dont want to know whats in there. Its full of human waste and other garbage. We decontaminate immediately after each dive.
Gali, 48, from Andhra Pradesh, was reportedly on her way to a nearby temple with her family when she was engulfed by the 8-meter deep sinkhole on Jalan Masjid India road. Since the incident, excavators have been used to dig around the sinkhole, and rescuers have employed sniffer dogs, crawler cameras, and high-pressure water jets to investigate the situation underground. Ground-penetrating radar was also used to detect changes in material density.
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On Wednesday, a second sinkhole appeared 50 meters from the first, which a Malaysian geologist attributed to the ongoing rescue efforts. The focus has shifted to clearing a 15-meter blockage in the sewer lines beneath Wisma Yakin, an office building located 44 meters from the initial sinkhole. This blockage, composed of human waste, tires, hair, and solidified cooking oil, has complicated the search.
Parts of Jalan Masjid India have been cordoned off, and the area, usually bustling with tourists, has seen a significant decrease in activity. Traders report a 50% to 70% drop in sales, with some considering closing their businesses.
The Malaysian government has extended the visas of Ms. Galis family for a month while they await updates. They were initially scheduled to return to India last Saturday. Kuala Lumpurs City Hall has also canceled National Day celebrations in respect for the family.
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The incident has raised concerns among Malaysians, prompting an integrity audit to determine the cause of the sinkhole. Preliminary observations by the Minerals and Geosciences Department suggest it may be linked to a combination of human activities and climate change.
Matthew Griffiths, who was on watch duty on the night of the tragedy, told investigators that the crew members did everything they could to save those on board the Bayesian read more
Divers operate in the sea to search for the missing, including British entrepreneur Mike Lynch, after a luxury yacht sank off Sicily, Italy August 19, 2024. File-Reuters
A crew member on Mike Lynchs yacht has spoken of being thrown into the water and efforts to rescue passengers as a storm sank the vessel off Sicily this month, in a disaster that killed the British tech tycoon and six other people.
According to comments reported by Italian news agency Ansa, Matthew Griffiths, who was on watch duty on the night of the tragedy, told investigators that the crew members did everything they could to save those on board the Bayesian.
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Griffiths, the boats captain James Cutfield, and ship engineer Tim Parker Eaton have been placed under investigation by the Italian authorities for potential manslaughter and shipwreck. Being investigated does not imply guilt and does not mean formal charges will follow.
I woke up the captain when the wind was at 20 knots (23 mph/37 kph). He gave orders to wake everyone else, Ansa quoted Griffiths as saying.
The ship tilted and we were thrown into the water. Then we managed to get back up and tried to rescue those we could, he added, describing the events of the early hours of Aug. 19, when the Bayesian had been anchored off the Sicilian port of Porticello.
We were walking on the walls (of the boat). We saved who we could, Cutfield also saved the little girl and her mother, he said, referring to passenger Charlotte Golunski and her one-year-old daughter. In all there were 15 survivors of the wreck.
Cutfield exercised his right to remain silent when questioned by prosecutors on Tuesday, his lawyers said, saying he was worn out and that they needed more time to build a defence case. Parker Eaton has not commented on the investigation.
Prosecutor Raffaele Cammarano said last week that the vessel was most likely hit by a downburst, a very strong downward wind.
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However, the sinking has puzzled naval marine experts, who said a vessel like the Bayesian, built by Italian high-end yacht manufacturer Perini, should have withstood the storm and, in any case, should not have sunk as quickly as it did.
Prosecutors in the town of Termini Imerese, near Palermo, have said their investigation will take time, with the wreck yet to be salvaged from the sea.
Trump said that the government does not need to ruin lives and waste taxpayer dollars arresting adults with personal amounts of it on them, and no one should grieve a loved one because they died from fentanyl-laced marijuana. read more
Former US President Donald Trump on Saturday suggested his support for the decriminalisation of marijuana, saying taxpayer dollars should not be wasted arresting people carrying personal amounts.
In Florida, like so many other states that have already given their approval, personal amounts of marijuana will be legalised for adults with Amendment 3, Trump said about an effort in his home state to legalise the possession and purchase of up to 3 ounces for adults over the age of 21.
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Whether people like it or not, this will happen through the approval of the voters, so it should be done correctly.
Trump, who is the Republican nominee for president, said state lawmakers should create laws that ban use of marijuana in public spaces.
He added that someone should not be a criminal in one state when marijuana use is legal in others.
Marijuana is legal in some form in nearly 40 states.
Former President Donald Trumps recent willingness to consider the decriminalisation of marijuana marks a significant shift in his stance on drug policy. Throughout his political career, Trump has consistently advocated for a tough approach to drug enforcement. When he launched his reelection campaign in November 2022, he emphasised securing the southern border and targeting Mexican cartels as key priorities, even advocating for the execution of drug dealers.
While defending his visit to the soldiers grave, former US President Donald Trump told a rally in Pennsylvania that he doesnt need publicity read more
Amid backlash over former US President Donald Trumps highly publicised visit to the Arlington National Cemetery, the Republican presidential nominee has denied exploiting the controversial visit for political gain. While defending his visit to the soldiers grave, Trump told a rally in Pennsylvania that he doesnt need publicity.
The proclamation from the business-mogul-turned politician came after the US army publicly rebuked Trumps campaign official for turning the Monday ceremony to mark the death of American soldiers in Afghanistan into a photo opportunity. Not only this, the army accused two campaign workers of pushing aside an official at the cemetery after being told that they were not permitted to take photographs at the graves of the recently deceased soldiers.
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On Friday, Trump told the Pennsylvania, that he only posed at the invitation of the families. I dont need publicity. I get a lot of publicity. I would like to get a lot less publicity I would hire a public relations agent to get less publicity, he said. However, even the families of the soldiers do not have the authority to approve what proved to be a campaign photoshoot.
Trump slams Joe Biden
During his visit to the ceremony, the former president was pictured giving a thumbs up with family members of the 13 US soldiers and women who lost their lives in a suicide bombing as the US hurriedly withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021. In his rally speech, Trump accused US President Joe Biden of the devastating incident.
Joe Biden killed those young people because he was incompetent. And then they tell me that I used their graves for public relations services, and I didnt," he exclaimed. Hours before the rally, Trump sent supporters a fundraising email in which he promised to give an EARTH-SHATTERING announcement" that will blow the race wide open, The Guardian reported.
Itll strike FEAR into the hearts of our DEEP STATE ENEMIES. Itll force the Fake News Media to kick their propaganda machine into OVERDRIVE. Itll send Comrade Kamala begging for massive checks from the liberal billionaire class, he promised in the email. However, during the rally, there were no such announcements and he continued with the regular bashing of his Democratic rival and US Vice President Kamala Harris.
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Democrats call the whole ordeal a disgrace
Meanwhile, Democrats used the whole saga to highlight Trumps history of disrespecting military veterans. The party accused him of exploiting a revered site for narrow campaign purposes, in breach of the cemeterys regulations.
Arlington National Cemetery isnt a place for campaign photo-ops. Its a sacred resting place for American patriots, Mikie Sherrill, a Democratic House member from New Jersey and former Navy helicopter pilot, posted on X. But for Donald Trump, disrespecting military veterans is just par for the course. Its an absolute disgrace," she added.
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
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It is pertinent to note that the Arlington cemetery prohibits pictures or film being shot in section 60, the burial area for personnel killed serving in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Meanwhile, Jared Golden, a Democratic Congressman and an ex-marine, called Arlington sacred ground and all visitors should take the time to learn the rules of decorum that ensure the proper respect is given to the fallen and their families.
There are plenty of places appropriate for politics Arlington is not one of them. Any aspiring elected official, especially one who hopes to be Commander in Chief, should not be confused about that fact," said Allison Jaslow, chief executive of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Overall, many believe that Trumps campaign took a major hit with the cemetery visit.
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With inputs from agencies.
Signed by 26 groups including Legal Agenda, Lawyers Without Borders and the Tunisian Human Rights League, it welcomed an administrative court decision this week to reinstate three candidates who had been disqualified read more
Supporters of Tunisian President Kais Saied carry flags and signs during a demonstration to show their support for him and to reject what they say is "foreign interference", in Tunis, Tunisia. File image/ Reuters
A petition signed by prominent Tunisians and civil society groups was published on Saturday urging that rejected candidates be allowed to stand in the October 6 presidential election.
Signed by 26 groups including Legal Agenda, Lawyers Without Borders and the Tunisian Human Rights League, it welcomed an administrative court decision this week to reinstate three candidates who had been disqualified.
They are Imed Daimi, who was an adviser to former president Moncef Marzouki, former minister Mondher Zenaidi and opposition party leader Abdellatif Mekki.
The three were among 14 candidates barred by the Tunisian election authority, ISIE, from standing in the election.
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If they do take part, they will join former parliamentarian Zouhair Maghzaoui and businessman Ayachi Zammel in challenging incumbent President Kais Saied, whom critics accuse of authoritarianism.
Saied was democratically elected in 2019 but orchestrated a sweeping power grab in 2021.
A number of his political opponents and critics are currently in jail or being prosecuted.
Saturdays petition was also signed by more than 180 civil society figures including Wahid Ferchichi, dean of the public law faculty at Carthage University.
It called the administrative court the only competent authority to adjudicate disputes related to presidential election candidacies.
The petition referred to statements by ISIE head Farouk Bouasker, who on Thursday indicated that the authority will soon meet to finalise the list of candidates, taking into consideration judicial judgements already pronounced.
This has been interpreted as suggesting the ISIE may reject new candidacies if they are the subject of legal proceedings or have convictions.
The administrative courts rulings on appeals are enforceable and cannot be contested by any means whatsoever, the petition said.
It called on the electoral authority to respect the law and avoid any practice that could undermine the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.
Last week, Human Rights Watch said Tunisian authorities have prosecuted, convicted or imprisoned at least eight prospective candidates for Octobers vote.
HRW said that the North African country was gearing up for a presidential election amid increased repression of dissent and free speech, without crucial checks and balances on President Saieds power.
A Ukrainian attack on the Russian city of Belgorod late Friday resulted in five deaths and 46 injuries, with 37 people hospitalized. The incident, part of a series of recent strikes, has drawn condemnation from Russia and led to a criminal investigation read more
Firefighters work to extinguish burning cars following what Russian authorities say was a Ukrainian military strike in Belgorod, Russia December 30, 2023. REUTERS
Five people were killed and 46 injured in a Ukrainian attack on the southwestern Russian city of Belgorod late on Friday, the local governor said, the latest in a series of strikes by Ukraine on the city in recent months.
Vyacheslav Gladkov said 37 of the injured, including seven children, were taken to hospitals in the city, which lies 40 km (25 miles) north of the border with Ukraine.
Video filmed from inside a vehicle, posted on social media and purporting to show the attack, showed a car being blown up while moving along a road. Seconds later another explosion is seen metres away. Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the video.
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Russias Foreign Ministry condemned the attack.
Once again we call on all responsible governments and relevant international structures to strongly condemn this brutal terrorist attack and publicly distance themselves from the Kyiv regime and its Western curators who commit such crimes, it said on Saturday.
The ministry added that Russias special military operation will continue until it reaches all the goals including Ukraines demilitarisation and de-nazification.
Russias Investigation Committee said on its Telegram channel that it had initiated a criminal case into the attack.
Authorities also reported that a woman was injured on Saturday during Ukrainian shelling of the border town of Shebekino in the Belgorod region.
Ukraine has staged frequent attacks on Belgorod and other Russian border regions in recent months, with the city the focal point of the attacks.
Ukraine and Russia say they do not deliberately target civilians in the war that began when Russia sent thousands of troops into its smaller neighbour in February 2022.
During recent negotiations in Geneva, the warring parties made little progress to end the fighting but did pledge to allow humanitarian aid to pass through two key border points read more
The UNs deputy secretary-general welcomed food aid reaching Sudan but said it is insufficient as she visited a border post in Chad to witness the passage of a humanitarian convoy.
Amina Mohammed, during her visit Friday to the Adre border crossing, also called for a resolution to the fighting in Sudan.
During recent negotiations in Geneva, the warring parties made little progress to end the fighting but did pledge to allow humanitarian aid to pass through two key border points.
An AFP reporter was able to see a humanitarian convoy cross the border into Sudans Darfur region during Mohammeds visit.
The World Food Programme said in a communique Thursday that its trucks have transported more than 630 metric tonnes enough for nearly 55,000 people from Chad into the Darfur region.
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Mohammed said during her visit to Adre that this was only a small amount of what was needed to fend off the suffering in Sudan.
She said the UN was able to finance about 25 to 30 percent of the needs, and that commitments made by governments need to be fulfilled so that we can help the people of the world that are in need.
Fighting erupted in Sudan in April 2023, pitting the national army led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces of his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.
Aid groups say the fighting has prevented humanitarian supplies reaching the 25 million Sudanese facing severe hunger.
The international body also assured that they will be delivering 400,000 vaccines more as a part of the emergency campaign read more
The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that it has delivered 1.2 million doses of polio vaccine in Gaza in an effort to eradicate the fatal disease that made a comeback in the coastal enclave after 25 years. The international body also assured that they will be delivering 400,000 more vaccines as a part of the emergency campaign.
The vaccination, which is due to be circulated this weekend, will be accompanied by a three-day humanitarian pause in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The move will allow the inoculation of more than 640,000 children residing in the war-stricken region.
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The WHO director, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, confirmed the delivery and said that the vaccination drive is due to start on Sunday, with daily pauses scheduled to take place between 6 am and 3 pm (local time). The UN officials stationed in Gaza said that the vaccination campaign will be carried out in three-day phases in different zones of the coastal enclave.
Health workers urge warring parties to respect the humanitarian pause
The UN officials who will carry out the operation warned that both the Israeli military and Hamas militants must respect the humanitarian pauses negotiated to allow the vaccinations. While emphasising the scale of challenges involved in the operation, WHO officials told The Guardian that the plan was not ideal but added that it would be feasible if all the pieces of the puzzle were in place.
The whole vaccination drive will involve more than 2,000 health and community workers, who will provide vaccination at several hundred locations. From Sunday, were giving out two oral doses of the polio vaccination, and then four weeks after this initial round of campaigns we will need to repeat the vaccination again. This is for 640,000 children across the Gaza Strip, Louise Wateridge, a UN official, told BBC.
Its so important that we get this vaccination campaign out as soon as possible, and that we have the safety to do this because the repercussions will be disastrous for not just children in the Gaza Strip but children in the region. And they have already been put through so much, he added.
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While speaking on the concerns regarding the safety of the aid workers during the campaign, Catherine Russell, the executive director of Unicef, urged the warring sides to not cause any instability.
UNICEF is ready to start the first round of the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza on Sunday to reach nearly 640,000 children. All parties MUST respect the area-specific humanitarian pauses to stop polio from spreading in Gaza and the region, she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Its very simple. If fighting doesn't stop, polio vaccinators are unable to reach children. Gaza has been polio free for 25yrs until now.
Failing to respect these pauses would be an unforgivable failure for the children in Gaza and the region who have already suffered so much. Catherine Russell (@unicefchief) August 29, 2024
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If fighting doesnt stop, polio vaccinators are unable to reach children. Gaza has been polio-free for 25 years until now. Failing to respect these pauses would be an unforgivable failure for the children in Gaza and the region, who have already suffered so much, she furthered. The officials started to express concerns after an Israeli missile hit a convoy carrying medical supplies and fuel to an Emirati hospital in the Gaza Strip. The attack led to the death of five Palestinians from a local transportation company.
Houthi terrorists have sunk two vessels during a nine-month drone and missile campaign against commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. read more
Yemens Houthi militants said on Saturday that they attacked a Liberia-flagged container vessel for a second time in the latest action against commercial shipping in the Gulf of Aden.
Yemeni military spokesperson Yahya Sarees televised statement did not specify when the latest attack on the MV Groton took place.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said in an advisory note that two missiles exploded on Friday close to the vessel, 130 nautical miles east of Yemens Aden. It said the crew was safe. There was no mention of damage to the vessel.
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The operation was carried out by the naval, UAV, and the missile forces This is the second targeting of the ship since it was previously targeted on Aug. 3, Saree said.
Houthi terrorists say that their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and likely will continue if a ceasefire is not reached.
In one of their most recent attacks, the Houthis carried out multiple assaults against Greek-flagged oil tanker Sounion, which is carrying about 1 million barrels of oil.
Since November, the Iran-backed Houthis have launched missile and drone attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea they say are linked to Israel, saying this is in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip amid the war between Israel and Hamas, raging since October 7.
Quote: FordTruckNoob Originally Posted by He services ships. Do you know many gallons of oil there are in one oil change? And then theres the stuff in the bilge. Its why he needs a centrifuge.
Quote: udsuth78 Originally Posted by So how long for the payout on this setup? If you don't mind me asking that is. Sounds like a pretty big investment just to burn used motor oil. Unless you've got a fleet or a connection to someone with a fleet I wouldn't imagine there would be enough waste oil to bother with.
one of many streams of free oil, and guess what? they pay me to dispose of it as a hasmat....so this is a little long, but I think you will understand when you have read it all.This sounds kind of whiny and small minded, but I grew up as a middle class until mom and dad got the big D. at that point we had nothing, and college was deffinitely off the table. so I always look to the future with a bunch of what if's I am assuming that somehow I screw up everything, and have just this house to live in, surviving off of Social security (if it exists then). so I am trying to make this house as free to live in as possible while I have income.Waste oil see above, this works until i retire. Every mom and pop garage pays (very little but they do pay) to have used motor oil picked up and recycled. I already have oil from three friends shops close to my primary house (started collecting last month) and in one months time I have 4 drums just from them. this is all very clean to begin with as they do not mix engine oil with any other fluids or they have to pay more for the disposal. so your average garage has five to six 50 gallon drum cans and one will be engine oil + gear oil and diff oil, one will be ATF & power steering, and one will be coolant. the forth will be bad/dirty gasoline, the fifth will be dirty diesel and the last will be mixed fluids which they pay a lot to dispose of. so basically free oil all i want, just need a truck and a pump... Hmm wonder what kenny is going to use that diesel powered F350 for?plan is to retire to the cabin in 10 years. I have already owned it for 10 years, in the first year, I spent 1200 USD on kerosene to heat that was for roughly 6 months: late October to early May, from Friday night (2200 arrival) to Sunday afternoon (1800 departure) every weekend. so roughly 1215 hours for that first year or almost $1.00/hour for heating. If I had been there daily instead of just the weekends I would been there for 4680 hours, and would have probably spent around 4600 USD to heat per cold season.So I then built a wood stove and built a hydraulic wood splitter and started heating with wood. heating oil use dropped to 100/year when it was too warm for the wood stove yet a little chilly. Fine no issues, currently I am 57. when i retire I will be 67; will I still be able to do this? maybe maybe not and even then its not free as there are chainsaws/fuel/chains, fuel for trucks, fuel for splitter, etc.to reduce the amount of wood needed I paid to have the exterior ripped off and new insulation, outer cladding, tyvek, siding and double pain glass installed. this would of course reduce the amount of wood or fuel oil needed to heat with in the future, but once again, is it enough to survive without dipping hard into savings? I don't know. My plan started as a dump load for my solar and I expanded it to include an oil burner to heat the water when solar would not be sufficient in the coldest three or four months. Look at it like an outdoor wood boiler like in the states, but instead of wood, it uses excess solar electricity + waste oil burner to heat the water.so its hard to calculate as after new insulation + a percentage provided form the solar how much fuel oil would I need? with the original non insulated house it would pay for itself by the second season. with the new insulation and what not who knows? maybe three or four years? this is assuming I only burn wood for ambiance.aswould say but wait! there's more! My shop diesel generator set is older and has no emissions and uses mechanical injection.... my wood splitter is diesel and the engine is the same. So I could burn this filtered cleaned oil in both of them and now I no longer have a diesel bill as well (my truck would probably run on it in an emergency, but otherwise thanks but no thanks for the truck.).so I am thinking a 4 to 5 year payback if I lived there full time, being that for the next ten i will be only there on the weekends through the cold season, probably 8-10 years would be more accurate.this thing can also clean out stale gasoline and dirty diesel fuel including removing water, so theoretically I could grab the dirty diesel and bad gas, clean them and burn them in the truck.I know I am bat**** crazy... I mean look at the types I gravitate towards and hang out with on line with..Edit: the above heating bill is living like an American with the entire house reasonably warm, not Japanese style with only the room you are occupying heated. obviously I could do it Japanese style and wear the Japanese Ogi San long johns and multiple coats but why?
Paralympics | Sitting volleyball guides earthquake survivor Tang onto a different path
Xinhua) 15:13, August 31, 2024
Tang Xuemei of China celebrates scoring during the sitting volleyball women's preliminaries Pool A match between China and the United States at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, Aug. 30, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng)
Chinese Paralympian Tang Xuemei, who lost her lower left leg in an earthquake 16 years ago, showcases resilience and triumph in her third Paralympic Games, leading China to a victory in sitting volleyball.
PARIS, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Despite losing her lower left leg in an earthquake 16 years ago, Chinese Paralympian Tang Xuemei has transformed adversity into triumph. Now competing in her third Paralympic Games in Paris, the 30-year-old sitting volleyball star has become a symbol of resilience and strength, helping lead China to victory in their first group match.
"Sitting volleyball guides me onto a different path in life," said the 30-year-old. "I really enjoy the exciting moments during matches."
Tang was fortunate to survive the devastating Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan in 2008, which claimed the lives of nearly 70,000 people. Yet, she was also dealt a heavy blow, losing her lower left leg at just 14 years old after being trapped in a collapsed school building for 28 hours.
"I'm an optimistic person, so I didn't dwell on my suffering for too long," said Tang after the Chinese women's team defeated the U.S. 3-1 in their first group match on Friday.
Tang Xuemei (No.1) of China defends against Heather Nicole Erickson of the United States during the sitting volleyball women's preliminaries Pool A match between China and the United States at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, Aug. 30, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng)
"What helped me move on was starting my sitting volleyball training soon after. It allowed me to leave those painful memories behind."
Tang's dedication to the sport is undeniable. She trained three times a day, even refusing to rest on weekends.
"I just wanted to excel at the sport. When you reach a certain level of skill, you feel powerful and confident," she once said.
Her hard work paid off. After only one year of training, Tang was recruited by the national team in 2010. Since then, she had won gold at the London 2012 Games and silver at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
"Sitting volleyball set a stage for me to show my strength," said Tang, who contributed 12 points for the team on Friday. "I believe it's crucial to demonstrate the fighting spirit of people with disabilities, and I truly enjoy the thrill of competing."
Tang often imagines what her life might have been without sitting volleyball. "I guess I would have stayed in the mountains of Sichuan, living a life far less exciting," she said.
(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Hongyu)
Deep fried mushrooms and a side salad at The Feisty Pint on their patio. (Photo by Christine Gallagher)
NATHAN DEAL/The Daily Sentinel
Grand Junction Learning Center Director and Founder George Avgares stands next to college banners at the center, located at 336 Main St. Unit 215, upstairs from the Goat and Clover Tavern. The banners represent some of the colleges in which Avgares has helped students enroll through his Colorado Student Care services as well as his years as a liaison in Las Vegas.
Donald Trump lays a wreath alongside retired Marine corporal Kelsee Lainhart, who was injured in a bombing during the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, in an August 26 ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington
The couple will tie the knot in a picturesque village on the shores of a fjord
101st Airborne Division conducts historic air assault mission
By Staff Sgt. Kaden Pitt August 29, 2024
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. -- On Aug. 28, 2024, more than 3000 Soldiers assigned to the 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team "STRIKE", 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) finished their second rotation to the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) in eight months. However, the beginning of the exercise was transformative and historic. The 2MBCT conducted a "large-scale, long-range" air assault (L2A2) operation consisting of 80 aircrafts, across three states, flying from Fort Campbell, Ky. to Fort Johnson, La. Aug. 13-17.
After traveling for over 500 miles, including stops at six forward arming and refueling points (FARPs), scattered over multiple southern states, the 2MBCT arrived at JRTC..
The movement method was not a typical way a brigade travels to "The Box", but a way that was reminiscent to the founding of the 101st. Traditionally, units move by ground to Fort Johnson, spend several days preparing before entering the combat scenario. The Strike Brigade moved by air-to-ground into simulated-contested landing zones. Thus began a two-week bout with the well-known opposing forces "Geronimo," 1st Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment.
"The legacy that we have, dating all the way back to World War II when we were an Airborne Division fighting in Europe," said U.S. Army Col. Travis McIntosh, the deputy commanding officer for support for the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) "Your 101st Airborne Division now is Air Mobile--it's Air Assault, we have a number of helicopters. That's how we fight in this division and we're demonstrating that from Kentucky and Tennessee all the way down to Louisiana."
This was much more than an aviation mission. On Aug. 13, troops and equipment from across the Division began their movement from Fort Campbell to FARP s across Mississippi and Louisiana. The sites, far from a simple pit stop along the operational path, provided vital sustainment for the troops and helicopters along the way.
"Our birds [aircraft] are able to come in get fueled, get armed and continue the fight," said 1st Lt. James Tate, a quartermaster officer with Echo Troop, 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade. "We can puddle hop across and get the birds further over a shorter period of time."
The ability to send an entire brigade into an enemy area of operations further and faster is not the only aspect that allows this type of exercise to succeed - it also needs to be done at night.
"We conduct all our operations under a period of darkness," said Tate. "We like the birds to get in, receive their fuel, get armed and off of our pads within 12 to 15 minutes."
The quick turnaround represents a massive amount of coordination from within the division but training like this is only made possible by the support of the local communities, airports, and National Guard locations who hosted the FARPs.
"We are overwhelmed by the support from the community," said McIntosh. "From law enforcement to the elected and appointed officials, airport management, emergency services, Louisiana National Guard, support has really poured on to the 101st Airborne Division here and we couldn't be more grateful."
The Soldiers of the Strike Brigade descended into JRTC for their training in an auxiliary manner as the Army continues to modernize, innovate and transform its warfighting capabilities. The L2A2 displays the combat power of today with 101st, just as airborne paratroopers did in World War II. The 101st doesn't just keep older ways of combat entry relevant but to make those unique abilities the future of combat operations.
"We're experimenting on some of the most modern equipment that the Army has fielded and we're looking forward to providing that feedback to the Army," said McIntosh. "We're demonstrating the capability that's only seen in the 101st Airborne Division and that's long-range air assault."
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Theodore Roosevelt Strike Group Rescues Distressed Iranian Mariners at Sea
U.S. Central Command
Press Release | Aug. 29, 2024
USCENTCOM
Aug. 29, 2024
Release Number 20240829 - 01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TAMPA, Fla. -- Sailors assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group rescued two civilian Iranian mariners in international waters, Aug 23.
At about 7:00 a.m. local (UTC+3) Aug. 23, the Theodore Roosevelt Strike Group rescued two mariners in distress in the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) area of operations (AOR).
A rigid inflatable boat (RIB) from the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118) and a search and rescue (SAR) helicopter from USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) successfully recovered two mariners from the water. Both were transported by MH-60S helicopter from Helicopter Sea Combat (HSC) Squadron 8 to Theodore Roosevelt for follow on medical care and provided food and water.
"Our Navy Sailors and aircrew responded swiftly and professionally, showcasing their world-class training," said Rear Adm. Christopher Alexander, commander, Carrier Strike Group 9. "Aiding distressed mariners is a mission that our strike group will always stand ready to support. It is the right thing to do, and further demonstrates that the U.S. Navy is a force ready when called upon."
Theodore Roosevelt Strike Group is currently conducting routine operations in the USCENTCOM AOR.
-30-
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Israeli regime arrests over 10,300 Palestinians in West Bank
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Aug 29, 2024
Tehran, IRNA -- The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) announced that the Israeli regime has arrested more than 10,300 Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7, 2023.
The Palestinian Prisoners Society announced in a statement on Thursday that the Israeli occupying regime has detained 25 more Palestinians in various areas of the West Bank from Wednesday night through Thursday morning. Among the detainees are a number of former prisoners.
The society added that the total number of detainees in the West Bank increased to 45 since Wednesday morning when the military attacked on the region began.
Husam Badran, the former leader of Hamas's military wing in the northern West Bank, told Al-Jazeera that the massive military attack of the Zionist occupying army on the West Bank proves that this regime does not need an excuse for aggression and crimes against the Palestinian people; therefore, the Zionist enemy understands nothing but the language of force and power, and the resistance against it will continue in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and throughout this land.
The Hamas official underlined that the enemy's military operations in the West Bank are doomed to fail and the emerging generation of Palestinian youth will lead the resistance.
4208**9417
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Deputy Prime Minister W. Kosiniak - Kamysz visited the Pentagon
Poland - Ministry of National Defence
29.08.2024
- I have discussed today at the Pentagon with the Secretary of Defence, Lloyd Austin the strategic partnership of Poland and the US. It is critically important in that moment of the modernization of the Polish Armed Forces when it is being supplied with the most modern US-made equipment, like the F-35 fighter planes, ABRAMS tanks and the APACHE helicopters - the Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of National Defence Wadysaw Kosiniak - Kamysz said after the conclusion of the meeting at the Pentagon.
The talks between the Deputy Prime Minister Kosiniak - Kamysz and the Secretary of Defence L. Austin took place on the 29th of August, 2024, in Washington, D.C.
During the talks concerning the modernization of the Polish Armed Forces and enhancing allied capabilities the US had confirmed that 8 helicopters will be delivered from their own Armed Forces until the first new aircraft is available to Poland. The Deputy Prime Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz underscored the need for the timely fulfillment of defence contracts and their importance to building the potential of the Polish Armed Forces.
The security of the eastern flank of NATO was also one of the topics of discussion.
The Deputy Prime Minister W. Kosiniak - Kamysz thanked Secretary Austin for the continued presence of US troops in Poland, stressing its importance to our deterrence and defence capabilities.
Referencing the Russian aggression, the Minister and the Secretary of Defence have pledged to cotinue the necessary support for Ukraine.
- Today, I spoke with Poland's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence to confer how we can work together to deliver the security assistance Ukraine urgently needs to defend itself from Russia.
- wrote the Secretary of Defence after the meeting
- By developing its defence capabilities and supporting Ukraine, Poland serves as an example for Europe and the rest of the world (...). Poland always understood that Putin's war in Ukraine endangers our shared security. (...) The United States and Poland, together with our allies and partners, stand shoulder to shoulder to defend free and sovereign Ukraine.
- Secretary of Defence L. Austin said.
During his visit in Washington, D.C. the Deputy Prime Minister W. Kosiniak - Kamysz laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Arlington National Cemetery.
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Speakers in Security Council Urge Israel to Refrain from Military Action, Evacuation Orders in Gaza as UN, Aid Partners Prepare for Vaccine Campaign amid Polio Outbreak
Meetings Coverage
Security Council
9715th Meeting (PM)
SC/15805
29 August 2024
As the United Nations and its humanitarian partners prepare for a vaccination campaign in Gaza to deal with the polio outbreak, speakers in the Security Council urged Israel to refrain from military operations and evacuation orders to ensure that those delivering and receiving services can do so safely.
The 10-month-old infant who died of polio in Gaza after 25 years of a polio-free Palestine was born during wartime and never vaccinated, reported Mike Ryan, Deputy Director-General and Executive Director of the Health Emergency Programme at the World Health Organization (WHO). "The current outbreak in Gaza is a stark reminder of how quickly infectious diseases can re-emerge in regions where health systems are compromised," he said, noting that many other maladies are spreading while the collective capacity to prevent, detect and respond to them continues to be hindered.
He therefore welcomed the commitment to "area-specific humanitarian pauses and suspension of evacuation orders" for the implementation of a two-round polio vaccination campaign, set to begin in Gaza on 1 September. During each round, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in collaboration with WHO, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) will provide two drops of a WHO-prequalified "nOPV2" vaccine to more than 640,000 children under 10 years of age.
The campaign will begin in central Gaza and then move south and finally north, with each area covered over three days. Noting that at least 90 per cent vaccination coverage during each round is needed to stop the outbreak and "prevent international spread of polio", he stressed that due to factors such as insecurity, damaged infrastructure and constant displacement "we know an additional day or two is very often needed to achieve sufficient coverage". "The safety of every single one of the over 2,180 vaccinators must be guaranteed," he underscored.
He also detailed the "much larger public health catastrophe" in which the polio outbreak is occurring. As of 25 August, only 44 per cent of primary health-care facilities are functional and attacks on health care continue to be reported. Evacuation orders are further disrupting health-care provision, endangering critical health infrastructure and hampering the delivery of essential supplies. Calling on the international community to act now to secure humanitarian pauses, ensure the delivery of critical health supplies and support the rapid implementation of the polio vaccination campaign, he stressed: "The world cannot stand by as Gaza's health system crumbles under the weight of this conflict."
Also briefing the Council today was Joyce Msuya, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Acting Emergency Relief Coordinator, who described the humanitarian community in Gaza as working relentlessly to stop the spread of polio, "a disease that the world thought it had under control". She added: "I don't need to tell you how disastrous it would be if we were unable to contain this preventable disease a disease that knows no borders." Noting that Israel has facilitated the entry of all requested polio vaccines and equipment, she said: "What is now most important is to ensure both the security and access needed to implement the campaign effectively."
Highlighting the difficulties faced by the Organization's humanitarian workers, she said: "In the past week alone, our teams have been displaced and shot at. We have lost offices and warehouses and limited supplies have continued to dwindle." Her World Food Programme (WFP) colleagues were fired upon two days ago in their marked vehicle "and survived by sheer luck", she said, adding that it is difficult to plan more than 24 hours in advance because "we struggle to know what supplies we will have, when we will have them or where we will be able to deliver." The lives of 2.1 million people cannot depend on luck and hope alone, she stressed.
She also pointed to a spike in evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military, noting that the 25 August order led to the largest relocation of UN staff since October 2023. "Communities live in a state of limbo, never knowing when the next order to flee will come," she said, adding that civilians are now being forced into the equivalent of 11 per cent of the territory of Gaza. "Any and every square foot of available land is being used for shelter," she said, adding that temporary encampments have even been built on the beach right up to the water's edge. After calls from Member States, the Israeli military has, for the first time, issued a reversal of orders for three blocks in Deir al-Balah the UN teams are working to confirm if they can now return to the premises they had to leave on 25 August, she said.
"What we have witnessed over the past 11 months and continue to witness calls into question the world's commitment to the international legal order that was designed to prevent these tragedies," she added. Hungry, thirsty, sick and homeless, civilians have been pushed beyond the limits of human endurance. The UN remains on the ground, "planning as best we can" she said, adding that despite insufficient stocks, aid partners continue to provide food, health care, shelter materials when possible, "and amid the destruction, spaces for children to learn".
"We have repeatedly informed you of the harrowing levels of death, injury and destruction that raise very serious concerns about compliance with international humanitarian law," she said. The Council must ensure strict adherence to international humanitarian law and international human rights law. All hostages must be released without conditions, and all civilians must be protected, and their essential needs must be met, including by ensuring the unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza, she said.
When the floor opened for discussion, delegates reiterated the briefers' call for a safe vaccination campaign, and citing the recent attack on a WFP vehicle, urged Israel to ensure humanitarian protection for aid workers.
Polio had nearly been eradicated through the dedicated efforts of international health partners, the representative of the United States observed. The return of confirmed polio cases in Gaza threatens the health of the most vulnerable Palestinian civilians, including children, he said, adding: "It is especially important for Israel to facilitate access for agencies carrying out the vaccination campaign and for it to ensure periods of calm and refrain from military operations during the vaccination campaign."
Urging that country to avoid further evacuation orders, he also expressed alarm about reports that the Israel Defense Forces fired repeatedly on a WFP vehicle on Wednesday. Though Israel has said after an initial review that this was the result of a communication error between its military units, "the simple fact is almost 11 months into this conflict incidents such as yesterday's remain all too common", he pointed out. Also noting another incident in which Israel's army fired towards a UNICEF vehicle, he said: "Israel must not only take ownership for its mistakes but also take concrete actions to ensure the IDF does not fire on UN personnel again. Adding that "we must not ignore how Hamas's actions continue to put" civilians and humanitarian personnel at risk, he said his country along with Qatar and Egypt continue to engage the parties on a final deal.
The representative of the United Kingdom also expressed concern about the Israel Defense Forces opening fire on the WFP truck, noting that the vehicle had been fully coordinated with Israel and had UN workers inside. Calling on Tel Aviv to take immediate steps to protect aid workers, he said that despite repeated calls for deconfliction and protection of aid operations, such appalling attacks on UN and aid convoys continue to take place. This conflict already represents the deadliest by far for humanitarian personnel, he observed.
The major polio outbreak which has already claimed a child, he said, is "a tragedy could have been prevented". Welcoming Israel's agreement for pauses on military operations so that WHO and health agencies can deliver a safe and effective campaign, he said "we now need to see this in action." The pauses need to be long enough to deliver the required vaccinations. "When the campaign starts and thousands of vulnerable and unaccompanied children gather at vaccination sites, they must all be protected," he underscored.
Likewise, the speaker for the Republic of Korea, noting that polio is highly contagious and significantly threatening Palestinian children in Gaza, called on all parties to let health workers fulfil their vital mission. However, this becomes an almost impossible task, he said, as nowhere and no one in Gaza is safe, not civilians, not even children, not medical workers, and not UN staff
Japan's speaker deplored the attack on the WFP vehicle carrying humanitarian cargo to central Gaza. "Clearly, deconfliction mechanisms are still woefully insufficient," he said. The so-called "safe zones" are nothing of the sort. It is unacceptable that UN aid vehicles in Gaza continue to be fired upon. His counterpart from Ecuador called on parties to uphold norms of international humanitarian law always and in all circumstances. An immediate ceasefire, the immediate release of the hostages, improvement of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, is vitally important so that this agreement can come to fruition without any further delays. Malta's delegate noted that since last October, around 280 UN and humanitarian workers have been killed. Such chilling statistics underline a failure to abide by international law and international humanitarian law, he said, adding that UN humanitarian operations currently hang by a thread.
"Long time ago, we exhausted our vocabulary of words to describe the tragedy of Gaza," Slovenia's speaker told Council members. There must be reinforcement among troops of rules of engagement and obligations. This includes respect for the UN, its mission, its work and its staff. While he welcomed progress related to polio vaccination campaigns, he reiterated that more needs to be done. The war must end, he said, reminding delegates that the Advisory Opinion by the International Court of Justice is clear: Israel's continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and must end as rapidly as possible.
Several delegates drew attention to the burden posed by Israel's evacuation orders, with Guyana's representative noting that such orders sometimes issued "with very little notice" affect humanitarian operations by shrinking the spaces where humanitarian actors operate and civilians dwell. Before 7 October 2023, there were 1,200 persons per square kilometre in Gaza that number has risen to 40,000. Noting that the constant evacuations and shrinking space for civilians has given rise to disease, including the re-emergence of polio, she said: "History will judge us harshly if this Council does not act to save the Palestinian people from the scourge of this unending onslaught, in flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter and international law".
"This is unacceptable," Switzerland's delegate stressed, noting that the Israeli army's orders have caused the displacement of almost 90 per cent of the inhabitants, who live on less than 11 per cent of the Gaza Strip. In addition to uprooting already exhausted families, the orders pose enormous obstacles to aid activities. And with each displacement, humanitarian actors lose access to the premises and logistical infrastructure they need to operate as was the case on Sunday night in Deir al-Balah. All parties have an obligation to allow unimpeded humanitarian access to all civilians in need. This also applies to armed groups such as Hamas. And Israel as the occupying Power, and as recalled by the International Court of Justice is obliged to fulfil the humanitarian needs of the population.
Speaker after speaker pointed to the deteriorating conditions in the West Bank, in addition to the situation in Gaza. The representative of Sierra Leone, Council President for August, spoke in his national capacity, voicing alarm over Israel's "massive" 28 August military operation in the West Bank. Recent reports from the Occupied Palestinian Territory convey "a high sense of fear and desperation" among both Palestinians and humanitarian personnel, he observed. "Let me close by reminding parties to the conflict to unreservedly adhere to their obligations under international law," he said.
China's delegate noted that Israel's expansion of settlements and ramping up of searches, arrests and raids against the Palestinians are all violations of international law. Citing the Israeli military's launch Wednesday of a large-scale military operation targeting Jenin and other cities in the West Bank, he said senior Israeli officials recently spoke of using the same approach in the West Bank as they have employed in Gaza operations. "Shocked by such extreme remarks," he stated: "We must never allow the same humanitarian catastrophe to happen in the West Bank, which would turn it into another hell on Earth."
"France is opposed to any occupation by Israel of the West Bank," that country's representative said, condemning all acts of provocation and any unilateral measures both there and in Jerusalem. Israel's settlement policy is in breach of international law, she said, demanding that the country take all measures to stop the unacceptable settler attacks on the civilian Palestinian population in West Bank. The vaccination campaign that is about to begin is not negotiable, she added, while reiterating commitment to Israel's security and condemning the terrorist barbaric attacks and sexual violence committed on 7 October by Hamas and other terrorist groups.
Several delegates pointed to the Council's "collective responsibility" to urge de-escalation in the Gaza Strip, with Mozambique's representative underlining the need to advocate for the safety of civilians caught in the crossfire. He therefore called on all Council members to work towards both establishing "peace and stability in this troubled region" while adhere to their obligations under international law," he said.
"Humanitarian workers have single-handedly been trying to help the people in Gaza survive unprecedented decisions undertaken by Israel," said the Russian Federation's representative. The words used today to describe the catastrophic situation in the enclave have transformed into "futile cliches", he observed, adding that the majority of those who are suffering are entirely innocent women and children. Humanitarian workers who fulfil their heroic duty and constantly risk their lives cannot confront military personnel or defend themselves and, therefore, are unable to work under circumstances of active hostilities. Accordingly, he asserted, "the Council does not have the moral right to demand that they sacrifice their lives while doing nothing to compel the parties to cease fire".
Algeria's delegate, in that vein, underlined that "humanitarian workers are not obligated to risk their lives; rather, it is our obligation to provide them with protection." Calling for an immediate ceasefire, he emphasized that "the scale of brutality that the Palestinians are subjected to" and the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory cannot be addressed otherwise. The policy adopted by Israel aims to kill hope in the hearts of the Palestinians, humiliate them and undermine the public order in Gaza, he said.
The representatives of the United States and the Russian Federation exchanged words further after all the speakers in the Council had taken the floor. The former said that Moscow neither contributes to resolving the conflict in Gaza nor understands its complications; instead it demeans the work of the United States, Qatar and Egypt. The Russian Federation's representative recalled that his delegation had presented a ceasefire resolution in the Council in October which was vetoed by the delegate of the United States. "I don't need to sit here and explain to you why the US did what it did with regard to these resolutions," the representative of the United States said in response, adding that implementation is the issue. Hamas, at many times, has changed its views on some of the steps that were previously agreed on, he added. To which, the Russian Federation's delegate said the United States bears the brunt of responsibility for what is currently taking place in Gaza. "If my colleagues lack the courage to say this to your face, I have no problem doing so," he added.
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Keel Laid for Future USS William Charette
US Navy
29 August 2024
From Team Ships Strategic Operations
Bath, Maine -- The keel for the future USS William Charette (DDG 130), an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, was laid during a ceremony on Aug. 29 at General Dynamic Bath Iron Works (BIW).The ship is named in honor of Master Chief Hospital Corpsman William R. Charette, a veteran who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic acts
Bath, Maine - The keel for the future USS William Charette (DDG 130), an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, was laid during a ceremony on Aug. 29 at General Dynamic Bath Iron Works (BIW).
The ship is named in honor of Master Chief Hospital Corpsman William R. Charette, a veteran who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic acts during the Korean War, while assigned to Company F, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines,1st Marine Division in Panmunjom Corridor (DMZ), Korea.
Rear Adm. Darin K. Via, Surgeon General of the Navy and Chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED), presided over the ceremony on behalf of the Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro.
"All of us in Navy Medicine are immensely proud to have a warship named after one of our own. We understand that it is one of the greatest honors you can receive in the Navy. The future USS William Charette will not only be a symbol of American strength but also a testament to the courage and dedication of Navy corpsmen," said Rear Adm. Darin Via. "To have a ship named after a Navy corpsman is to hold to the maxim of 'Corpsman Up!' and embodies the ethos of courage, fidelity, and service before self."
A keel laying ceremony represents the joining together of the ship's modular components at the land level. During the ceremony, the keel is authenticated when the welder etches the initials of the keel honorees into the keel plate. The authentication was confirmed by Via, on behalf of the namesake's children, Margaret Ann Charette Henderson, Kati Charette Donovan, Laura Charette Bennett, Michael R. Charette, and the late William A. Charette. The namesake's daughters are the ship's co-sponsors. BUMED Force Master Chief PatrickPaul (PaP) Mangaran, director of the Hospital Corps and leader of the Navy Medicine's enlisted force, also read a statement on behalf of the Charette family.
"The future USS William Charette will be a welcomed addition to the fleet and another player on the field to provide the Navy with the most advanced warfighting capability" said Capt. Seth Miller, DDG 51 Class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. "This ship honors the legacy of the late William Charette and his heroism during the Korean War. We are honored to have his daughters as sponsors and for the entire family to celebrate this significant milestone."
A DDG 51 Flight III destroyer features the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar and incorporates upgrades to the electrical power and cooling capacity plus additional associated changes to provide greatly enhanced warfighting capability to the fleet. The future destroyers Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124), Louis H. Wilson Jr. (DDG 126), Patrick Gallagher (DDG 127), Quentin Walsh (DDG 132), John E. Kilmer (DDG 134), and Richard G. Lugar (DDG 136) are also under construction at BIW.
PEO Ships, one of the Department of Defense's largest acquisition organizations, is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships and craft, auxiliary ships, special mission ships, sealift ships and support ships.
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Joint Statement on Venezuela Election
Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
30 August 2024
Category: International relations
The undersigned countries, meeting in Santo Domingo de Guzman make a strong appeal for wisdom and restraint in Venezuela. At this decisive juncture for Venezuela and the region, all social and political actors must exercise the utmost restraint in their public actions.
Acceptance and respect for the dignity and integrity of all individuals are the essential principles upon which the peaceful coexistence in our societies is built. We urge for the respect of democratic principles, as well as the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Venezuelans, particularly the freedom of peaceful assembly and the freedom of expression. We are concerned that this reality currently does not exist in Venezuela. Reports of arbitrary detentions of Venezuelans without due process are alarming, and therefore we urgently call for their immediate release.
We express our deep condemnation of the repression of protesters and the violence that has claimed the lives of many Venezuelans in the post-election context. We urgently call on Venezuelan authorities to end the violence and release all those who have been detained, including opposition representatives.
Furthermore, we request the immediate return of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to Venezuela, and call on Venezuela to ensure the necessary conditions for it to fully carry out its mandate.
In addition, we call on Venezuela, as a state party to the Caracas Convention on Diplomatic Asylum of 1954, to comply with its provision by issuing the safe passage that will allow the six asylum seekers currently residing in the official residence of the Republic of Argentina to safely leave Venezuelan territory.
We take note of the preliminary report by the United Nations Expert Panel on the presidential election in Venezuela which indicates that the National Electoral Council (CNE) of Venezuela has yet to present the electoral records that substantiate the validity of the results announced on August 2. It should also be noted that a digital version of more than 80% of the electoral records has been published, which shows a different outcome than that reported by the CNE.
Consequently, we request the immediate publication of all original records and the impartial and independent verification of those results, preferably by an international entity, to ensure respect for the will of the Venezuelan people as expressed at the polls. Any delay in this process calls into question the August 2, 2024, official proclamation.
Our nations have previously appealed for peaceful dialogue and negotiations to resolve serious conflicts. Now more than ever, Venezuela must honor that legacy to restore peaceful coexistence, public safety and political stability, which according to accounts by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela of the UN Human Rights Council, are being threatened by the Venezuelan security authorities.
The current situation calls for a broad, inclusive, and good-faith dialogue to facilitate a political agreement that fosters national reconciliation, peace, public security and democracy in Venezuela.
We are committed to supporting all efforts in this direction, and always advocating for a genuinely Venezuelan solution in which democracy and justice, and peace and security will prevail.
Signatories:
Argentine Republic, Commonwealth of Australia, Bosnia - Herzegovina, Canada, Republic of Chile, Republic of Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Republic of Ecuador, Republic of El Salvador, Georgia, Republic of Guatemala, Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Italian Republic, Republic of Kosovo, Kingdom of Morocco, Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, Republic of North Macedonia, Republic of Panama, Republic of Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Portuguese Republic, Kingdom of Spain, Republic of Suriname, Oriental Republic of Uruguay, United Kingdom, United States of America, Ukraine, European Union
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Germany - Federal Government
Federal Government Spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit:
Press release 208_en
Friday, 30 August 2024
Press and Information Office of the Federal Government (BPA)
Today, for the first time since August 2021, Afghan nationals were returned from Germany to their country of origin.
All of the repatriating Afghan nationals have been convicted for criminal offences, carry no legal residency and were subject to return orders.
Throughout recent months, the Federal Government has undertaken substantial efforts to resume such returns and has supported the German States (Lander) in this respect.
Given the complicated framework, Germany sought the support of key regional partners to help facilitate the return. The Federal Government is very grateful for this support.
The Federal Government will continue with such returns. The security interests of Germany clearly outweigh the claim for protection of criminals and individuals endangering national security.
Informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers: Press remarks by High Representative at the press conference
European External Action Service (EEAS)
30.08.2024
30/08/2024, Brussels
EEAS Press Team
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Today has been shorter than yesterday - not less important but shorter. I am happy to meet you at 16:00 in the afternoon and not at 20:00 in the evening.
Today, the most important issue was the military support to Ukraine, as you could imagine.
Then, we moved to the situation in the Middle East and the Red Sea, before discussing our overall efforts to strengthen our defence and readiness.
Finally, during the lunch, we discussed about the future of our EU Satellite Centre that, as you know, is located in Torrejon, near Madrid.
First, on Ukraine. We had a videoconference with Ukrainian Defence Minister [Rustem] Umerov, who briefed us online on the latest developments on the frontline, on Russia, and the latest news about attacks against cities and energy infrastructure across Ukraine.
I just received another message saying that new and more flying bombs have been falling in several Ukrainian cities.
The military platform of Russia's attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure should not stay off-limits for elimination. It should not be a sanctuary for the Russians attacking Ukraine.
I think - I continue thinking - that it is about Ukraine's legitimate right of self-defence, in accordance with the United Nations Charter.
You know where I stand on the questions regarding restrictions on the use of the delivered equipment against Russia and our military involvement, supporting Ukraine to facilitate Ukraine to respond to Russia's aggression inside the Russian territory.
It is in accordance with international law, and I do not see why someone says "It is going to war against Moscow." No, we are not going to war against Moscow, we are delivering arms to Ukraine, that's all. And Ukraine can use these arms in accordance with international law. These warnings are a little bit out of the question.
But Member States decided that this is something that belongs to bilateral decisions of each Member State providing the equipment to Ukraine. The long-range [equipment], in particular, belongs to decisions of the providers to Ukraine. So, there has been a strategic discussion about [this], but it remains a national policy and Member States want it to be a national decision through bilateral [arrangements] with Ukraine.
In fact, I am convinced that a discussion about this topic and other topics should be taking place at the European Union level. And that is why we have this format of informal ministerials.
The discussion has taken place, everybody explained their position. I explained my position. Member States decided [that] it is a bilateral issue but the fact that the arms provided to Ukraine can be used in order to target inside Russian territory [does] not at all means that we are going to go at war with Russia. This is an exaggeration.
We discussed with Member States the progress made on our military support to Ukraine.
Figures are important. Today, our military support exceeds 43 billion (43.5 [billion]).
Altogether, civilian and military [support], [it] goes much more than that: it is about 100 billion. But the military alone is 43 [billion], 44 [billion], it changes every day.
The second big news is that the first fighter jets F-16 are already flying on the Ukrainian skies to protect Ukrainian cities and people; and we continue delivering ammunition. Now we are at 65% of our original goal to deliver 1 million of ammunition shells.
There has been an acceleration during the summer. The industry is working at full pace. We are at 65%. Still not there, but it is increasing.
As you know, Belgium announced some days ago that they are going to give more F-16 [fighter jets] to Ukraine. It has been also discussed at the meeting.
From the point of view of financing, we have mobilised the first tranche of windfall profits from Russian frozen assets. It is 1.4 billion. These 1.4 billion have gone through the European Peace Facility (EPF) to support more military assistance for Ukraine. The big news is that now part of it is going directly to Ukraine in order to boost the Ukrainian defence industry.
I think it is good news, it is a good initiative. Working closely with Ukraine is good, boosting the Ukrainian defence industry is more effective and faster. The Ukrainians asked for it - Minister Umerov has been asking for it today again. Many agree, so it is going to be a growing part of our future support.
The next tranche will also be devoted to support the Ukrainian defence industry.
Part of this will be managed by some Member States to purchase from the European defence industry and the global market ammunitions and air defence. They are the two most important priorities: ammunitions and air defence.
Many Member [States] stressed the importance to speed up military deliveries. I fully agree with them. We have to do more and quicker.
By March, we will have the second tranche of the windfall profits and we will continue managing it this way: to the Ukrainian defence industry as much as we can, and as much as they can absorb.
On our Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM Ukraine). Allow me to say that it has been a success, a great success. It is the most successful training mission that the European Union has ever performed. It has trained [some] 60,000 soldiers. And today, the Ministers agreed on raising the target to 75,000 [soldiers] - adding 15,000 more by the end of the year. This is also good news.
We will do more, Ukraine is requesting [it]. This war requires a constant adaptation to the modalities of the war. The training has to be [strengthened] and adapted to the Ukrainian needs.
We want to make this training mission as pragmatic and easy as possible for the Ukrainians to participate in training, making use of Ukrainian trainers and ensuring a stronger coordination with Ukraine and NATO.
In order to do that, I proposed - and Member States agreed on establishing a small Liaison and Coordination Cell in Kyiv. This would allow us to directly coordinate with other relevant actors. It is not an executive mission inside Ukrainian territory, it is a coordinating cell in Kyiv in order to make our work more effective.
Ministers were all very positive and supportive of these training efforts.
It is also urgent to unblock the 6.6 billion of the Ukraine Assistance Fund, the famous amount of money - that has been blocked for months - of the EPF.
Many ministers repeated today that it is not Ukrainian money, it is their money because they have not been reimbursed for the expenditure that has already happened. Ukraine has already gotten the material, but they have not gotten the reimbursement.
Many ministers repeated today that an urgent solution is needed. I look for it; one way or another, I will find a solution. One way or another.
For our second session, we had discussions with representatives of the United Nations, NATO and the European Parliament, with the new Chair of the SEDE subcommittee [Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann].
Then, we went to the Middle East, the regional escalation between Israel and Hezbollah. We discussed about it with foreign ministers yesterday.
Ministers expressed their support for ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
Another issue that is very much of concern is - I can say that - a war in the West Bank. The Secretary-General of the United Nations [Antonio Guterres] yesterday asked for a ceasefire and a stop of military operations of Israel in the West Bank, which has produced a high number of casualties and destruction of civilian infrastructure.
We are strongly concerned because the war scenario seems now to be going from Gaza to the West Bank. This is also a way of threatening regional stability. Escalation has to be avoided. Let's hope that the call from the Secretary-General of the United Nations will be heard.
We will support the Lebanese Armed Forces, we are already doing that with the European Peace Facility. We need more support, and this requires additional funding next year.
The United Nations Under-Secretary-General [Jean-Pierre] Lacroix updated us on the United Nations's efforts in the region. You know how difficult it is for the United Nations agencies - and not only for UNRWA, for several United Nations agencies - to work in Israel and in the occupied territories, including Gaza. We are expressing our strong support to the United Nations and our rejection to the qualification of a terrorist organisation to a United Nations agency.
Then, we went to the Red Sea and the Gulf area.
We notice that the Houthis are launching more sophisticated attacks. The last attack against the Greek-flagged Sounion [ship] last week is the latest grave escalation on the threats for navigation in the Red Sea. We have the [EUNAVFOR] ASPIDES working full steam.
The number of ships going through the Suez Canal is decreasing. And we need more ships. We need more forces.
I asked Member States to increase the capacity of ASPIDES.
In the meantime, the balance is good. ASPIDES has successfully protected more than 217 merchant vessels and destroyed 22 missiles and drones launched by the Houthis.
Now, the big issue is to avoid an environmental catastrophe with the oil that the ship Sounion was transporting. A solution will be found, and we will cooperate on that.
[Operation] ASPIDES certainly is contributing to restore the confidence of maritime shipping and encouraging them to revert to their original routes through the Red Sea.
But for that, ASPIDES has to have the assets it requires. I called the Member States to step up their contribution.
And we also need to tackle the continuous flow of illicit weapons to the Houthis. We are looking into what we can do, and we will further discuss this in the context of the Strategic Review of Operation ASPIDES in November.
We discussed our efforts to strengthen our defence readiness. How the European Union needs to have more capabilities, more investments and how the European Union's defence industry has to deliver in sufficient quantities what the defence requires.
I have asked Member States to speed up the negotiations of the Defence Industry Programme, where the European Parliament will play an important role.
Several ministers stressed that this also requires mobilising additional funding for defence, and where is this funding supposed to come [from]. I am working closely with the [European] Commission, following the tasking of the European Council, to develop options that I hope will be soon presented to the EU leaders.
This has an important Ukrainian component, but not only. Ukraine is at the core of our defence development, but not only. We have to integrate the Ukrainian defence [industry] into our industrial base. There is a lot to learn from the capacity of Ukrainians to increase their innovation in the field of defence.
That is why, we are opening an EU Defence Innovation Office in Kyiv, together with the Commission. It will be opened shortly, maybe in September. In any case, I am planning to visit Ukraine during September and October, before the end of my term as High Representative, to do the last push for cooperation with Ukraine on the military support of its defence. It has been an important part of my task during the last years.
Cooperation with NATO is also crucial. In September, we will launch an EU-NATO structured dialogue on defence industry.
Finally, we had a lunch with the EU Satellite Centre Director [Rear Admiral Louis Tillier], the new Director. We discussed the strategic role of the Satellite Centre, which are the eyes of Europe in sky - more than in the sky, in space.
The demand for the Satellite Centre's services is continuously growing. It provides an important insight about what is happening on Earth. You can see what is happening on any corner on earth, and it plays an important role in supporting our partners, Ukraine in particular its fight against Russia's war of aggression.
The Ministers agreed that we need a strong and well-resourced Satellite Centre to support our ambitious security and defence agenda.
Q&A
Q. On ammunition, you mentioned 65% - so, 650,000 ammunition if I am right. Does this figure include also the Czech initiative? If I remember well, the target for the end of the year was moved a little - 1.2 million because of the delay and so on. So, will the EU be able to deliver this time on ammunition?
On restrictions of use of weapons, would you say that countries that keep restrictions are basically protecting Russia?
On the second question, certainly not. There is no European country that is protecting Russia. We protect Ukraine. We decided that it is a national policy. We can have a strategic discussion among us in order to look for common ground. Defence is a national policy, it is not a secret - nothing new. Foreign policy is a national policy also. Look, the Hungarian Minister for Foreign Affairs [Peter Szijjarto] is in Moscow today. Yesterday, he was here, today he is in Moscow. Why? Because foreign policy - like it or not - is a national policy. So, they can go to Moscow, to Beijing, wherever they want. They have a duty. They have the duty of cooperating loyally in building a Common Foreign [and Security] Policy. Common. "Common" does not mean unique. "Common" means common. They may have their own policy, but they have to cooperate [with] loyalty in order to build a Common Foreign Policy. In the field of defence, it is the same thing. Defence is a national policy. The Commission has no competences in defence, but the Member States want to build a Common Defence Policy, I am in charge of doing that and pushing for it. That is why I present to the members of the Defence Ministers Council proposals to hold a strategic debate. And we discussed this in an informal meeting. I have my opinion; others have other opinions. Finally, they decided: this is a national competence, each one will do whatever they think is appropriate. Good - it is their decision. But this does not mean that they want to protect Russia. Equally, to think and to believe that it is legitimate in accordance with international law to target inside the territory of the aggressor - because there is one aggressor - it's because there is an aggression that it is a war - it does not mean to go to war. We are not at war with Moscow. So, no one is protecting anyone, [and] we should avoid such exaggerations if we want to discuss seriously about these matters.
And [about] the target. Look, we are accelerating more and more. We are producing quicker. The industry is increasing capacity, they are working at full capacity, and they are increasing it. I hope that by the end of the year we will reach the target, both us and the Czech initiative - that, by the way, is also pushing for the target; it was announced in February in Munich.
Q. High Representative, you talked about the EU training mission for Ukrainian soldiers and the entries and the target of number of soldiers to be trained. Could you tell us about the discussion around where that training should happen? The Ukrainians have requested that some of them should be done inside Ukraine. Did you hear that request again today from the Ukrainian Minister? Was there any discussion about it and what is your view on that question?
You know, to wear a uniform does not make you a soldier. You can wear a uniform, have a helmet, it does not make you a soldier. In order to be a soldier, you need to be trained. And this is more and more important because the warfare today is quite sophisticated, and to send a soldier with a helmet and a uniform to the frontline without adequate training is to send them to die, quickly. So, training is lifesaving. Training is so important when people have to go to fight. That is why we are so proud of the fact that we have been training 60,000 soldiers. To be trained in Ukraine, why not? They are closer to the environment where they will have to fight, it could be more appropriate maybe. Some Member States were ready, others were reluctant. Finally, we decided that the training will be as close as possible to Ukraine but not in Ukrainian territory, not on Ukrainian land. But a cell in Kyiv will be opened in order to ensure the best coordination with Ukraine and our partners. By the way, to be closer to the border - you know, there are countries that are very far away from Ukraine, and they are doing an excellent work and training a lot of soldiers, providing them with a high-quality training, so maybe it is not so decisive.
Q. On the restrictions of the use of weapons for Ukraine, are there legal arguments from Member States that are against to lift the restrictions, or is it just a political position? You have heard the different Ministers, the different Member States, the different positions, but the differences are related to political considerations or are there also legal doubts about the possibility of targeting Russian soil?
According to international law, the aggresse is legitimate to attack targets inside the territory of the aggressor. There is nothing in international law that prevents Ukraine from responding to the Russian aggression inside the Russian territory, and logically it should not be a sanctuary for the places where the attacks are being launched. I think the reluctance is due to political reasons - very much respectful and serious [reasons]. Member States decided to do it the way they have decided, but I think it is mainly for political reasons.
Q. On this coordination cell in Kyiv, are there already more details? How big or how small will it be? How many people? What type of personnel will it have, is it military, civilian? How can we figure out this coordination cell?
I would not pay a lot of importance. It is not something very noticeable. A coordination cell is a coordination cell. It is not very big. I do not know, three, four, five people, maybe six. I do not see that great issue. And military or civilian? Well, I suppose it will be mostly military. If they have to coordinate training of the military, it will be mainly people who knows what they are talking about. I do not see the bureaucrats of Berlaymont going to Kyiv to tell anyone how the military has to be trained. And this is something that requires professional skills. But nothing important. Well, important, yes sure. But I do not see something that could create any kind of controversy.
Q. Le queria preguntar por la cuestion de los fundos bloqueados por Hungria. Ayer, le prometio al ministro [de Asuntos Exteriores de Ucrania, Dmytro] Kuleba que buscaria cualquier forma de sortear esta situacion y hoy has dicho que va a encontrar una solucion de una forma u otra. Nos podria dar alguna pista de que tiene en mente y si cree que se puede resolver al asunto antes de que acabe su mandato?
Hoy se que no han hablado de Venezuela, pero tenemos une cuestion de ayer que nos queda pendiente. A partir de que la Union Europea decidio que no iba a reconocer al presidente Maduro, ya se llevo el tema de reconocer el triunfo de Edmundo Gonzalez como ganador de las elecciones. Me gustaria saber si usted es partidario de esta opcion si cree que esta una buena opcion, si cree que es una buena opcion dada la situacion que hay ahora en Venezuela.
Todo parece indicar por la informacion que la oposicion ha suministrado, que ciertamente el resultado electoral es favorable a Edmundo [Gonzalez]. Y asi lo consideraron los ministros, pero no fueron mas alla. Fueron claramente lo que me parece politicamente relevante que es decirle al senor Maduro: "Mire, usted no ha ganado las elecciones. No consideramos que haya usted ganado las elecciones." Por lo menos no nos lo ha probado. No lo ha probado. Lo ha declarado, pero no lo ha probado. Y el competente para hacerlo, que es la Comision Nacional Electoral, no ha suministrado la informacion para que podamos verificarlo. Por lo tanto, no le podemos considerar democratica y legitimamente elegido. Supongo que esta declaracion que hago hoy me valdra otra serie de calificativos por parte de las autoridades venezolanas. Puede que sean las mismas que ayer o puede que sean algunos nuevos, pero en todo caso es lo que los ministros decidieron y sobre el no dijeron nada mas. Pero la historia no se termina ayer vamos a seguir estudiando y decidiendo al respecto. Piensen que, en cualquier caso, Maduro sera presidente interino hasta que se produzca el momento en el que se deberia proceder al relevo de presidencias. Esto sera en enero. De aqui a enero hay tiempo.
[Sobre los fondos,] pues no, no se lo puedo contar porque todavia no tengo la solucion, pero la tendre.
Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-260138
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Informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers: Press remarks by High Representative upon arrival
European External Action Service (EEAS)
30.08.2024
EEAS Press Team
30/08/2024, Brussels
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Yesterday, we had a long [Informal] Foreign Affairs Council meeting, and today I hope we will have a shorter [Informal meeting of] Defence Ministers with very important issues on the table.
The most important one is the European Union's military support to Ukraine.
Inside this support, the training of the soldiers plays [an important role]. So, we will discuss how to increase our training mission (EUMAM Ukraine). The target is about 60,000 soldiers trained, we will increase this target - I will tell you by how many at the end of the day. But this is the most successful training mission ever done by the European Union. To train 60,000 - and maybe more - soldiers is remarkable. Many countries have contributed to that.
We will discuss about the possibility of opening a cell in Kyiv in order to increase our coordination with the Ukrainian Armed Forces there.
Yesterday, Minister [for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro] Kuleba was asking about the delays in supplying ammunition, supplying the material that has been promised. We will have a look at all that, where we are in our commitments.
It is clear that if the Ukrainians have our support they can fight successfully. The operation in Kursk is a good example of that. It is an audacious strategic action, successful, that shows that it depends on us, but they are ready to continue fighting as far as they have our material support.
The F-16 [fighter jets] are now being used to try to stop the attacks of Russia against Ukrainian cities. Last Monday, 300 [missiles and] drones were launched against Kyiv, and again the electricity system of Ukraine. It is clear that Putin wants to put Ukraine into the dark and the cold in the next winter, by destroying all electric capacity in Ukraine.
We will have a meeting in order to assess where we are in our commitments and how we can increase it.
Many pledges have been done since June, especially on air defence, and in face of massive attacks to Ukraine and Ukrainian cities, these days have been the worst of the war against civilians. It is clear that we will have to react. [Minister] Kuleba gave us precise data and today the Minister of Defence [of Ukraine] will be with us. Mr [Rustem] Umerov will be in close contact with the defence ministers.
Yesterday, we discussed about lifting restrictions on the use of weapons against Russian military targets. I have my personal opinion about that, certainly. I have to have personal opinions if I want to push consensus among Member States. But it is clear that this is something that belongs to each one of them. It is not an EU policy. Those countries sending long-range missiles and other weaponry to Ukraine will decide each one on their side how they can be used.
But I think it is ridiculous to say that allowing targeting inside Russian territory means to be in a war against Moscow. We are not in a war against Moscow - I think it is ridiculous to say that. We are supporting Ukraine. Ukraine is being attacked from the Russian territory, and according to international law, it can react attacking the places from where it is attacked. So, there is nothing strange in that. You can agree or not, but it is not to be in a war against Moscow if some Member States do that.
We are supporting Ukraine; we are not in a war with Russia. We are supporting Ukraine but there are different means of supporting Ukraine, and one of the most important means is by training their soldiers and providing fighter jets - that is what we are doing. EUMAM [Ukraine] is the most successful training mission that we have done in our history.
Then we will have a look at what is happening in the Red Sea, our efforts to strengthen the security of navigation in the Red Sea, and several efforts to increase our defence capacity, in particular on the industrial side.
We will welcome the new Chairs from the European Parliament for subcommittees SEDE [Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann] and representatives from the United Nations [UN Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix] and NATO [NATO Assistant Secretary General Angus Lapsley].
During the lunch, we will discuss about the future of our [EU] Satellite Centre [SatCen] - the eyes of Europe, something that allows us to see directly what is going on in the land every day, anyplace in the world]. It is a unique European Union capability; I have enjoyed it [and] I have taken good advantage of it. We have a geospatial intelligence; it contributes to our security. I did my best to make this centre high on the agenda of the European Union and in the public perception. We will have a look at the budget for this centre in the next years.
Q&A
Q: [Will the] European Union [train] Ukrainians soldiers also on Ukrainian soil?
It is not on the agenda.
We are thinking about having a Coordination Cellin Ukraine, but there is no agreement to train Ukrainian soldiers on Ukrainian soil with European instructors.
Q: What is your personal view on it?
I want to listen to the colleagues before.
Q: Germany yesterday toughened up on migration. Would you say it is a fair position to set up migration centres outside the European Union? Is this feasible?
Migration is not in our portfolio.
Q: I understand that you are still following the discussions. What is your position on this?
This is something that you have to ask to Commissioner [for Home Affairs, Ylva] Johansson.
Q: Yesterday, you met the Foreign Minister of Turkiye [Hakan Fidan] and you said that the European Union started again [inaudible] Turkiye a member of the European Union. Did you remember that right now there are so many Turkish opposition leaders in jail? Have you spoken about human rights, about freedom?
We discussed about everything that matters for our bilateral relations and for the geopolitical environment. We discussed mainly about how we can face the challenges that affect both of us, and in particular the stability in the Eastern Mediterranean, and the most important issue that affects our relationship which is the Cyprus issue. But we did not go into internal questions in Turkiye.
Q: Back to the Middle East and Gaza, will it be today also on the agenda?
I do not think so. The Defence Ministers have other issues to [discuss]. Yesterday, we had a long discussion about that, an interesting discussion. I do not think we are going to repeat the same thing with the Defence Ministers.
The Defence Ministers will focus on Ukraine - that is where we are using all our resources, our political will, our financial capacities, our military capacity both industrial and military itself. You cannot imagine the effort that the European armies are doing in order to support Ukraine. You cannot imagine the amount of military warfare that we are giving to Ukraine. We are exhausting our stocks, and we have to replenish it. And my colleague and friend [Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry] Breton is doing a remarkable job on increasing the capacity of the European industry. We are now already [at] around 700,000 ammunition of 155-mm calibre (precisely 650,000). So, things are going on. We are still not in the target. Our industry is increasing its capacity. But once again, I want to insist on the idea that, while we support Ukraine, even when we consider the possibility of targeting inside Russian territory, we are not in war with Russia. Nobody wants to be in war with Russia. We are just supporting Ukraine. But put [yourself] in the shoes of the Ukrainians who are being bombed by Russians from a place which is out of range of your capacity. You would like to be able to fight on equal terms. This is a war that costs a lot of lives for the Ukrainians. So, we have to support them more.
Q: Does the same also apply to the Palestinians who are now targeted by Israel now, especially that they are [inaudible] invade the West Bank?
Yes, you are perfectly right. Yes, you see that yesterday we had a long discussion about it - you know very well how the was discussion yesterday. But we cannot repeat the same discussion with other Ministers which are not competent on this matter.
Thank you.
Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-260237
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China releases investigative report on coral ecological system in Xianbin Jiao
Global Times
Refutes Philippines' groundless accusation of 'China building artificial reef' with on-site evidence
By Hu Yuwei and Fan Wei Published: Aug 30, 2024 10:35 AM
China released an on-site investigative report on Friday regarding the ecological system of the coral reefs in the South China Sea's Xianbin Jiao, revealing the coral reef ecosystem in Xianbin Jiao is generally in good health. There was no evidence of widespread coral bleaching, the report found, in response to allegations made by the Philippines this year, which groundlessly accused China of reclaiming an artificial reef around Xianbin Jiao that led to widespread coral bleaching.
Chinese scientists also conducted analyses of sediment samples to determine their source elements around the reef, finding no evidence of terrestrial materials entering the ocean. This again refuted the Philippines' baseless accusations against China's land reclamation and reef construction activities.
More importantly, scientists identified six sandbars in Xianbin Jiao, all of which are exposed at low tide. Experts noted that this discovery supports China's longstanding assertion that Xianbin Jiao falls under the "feature above high water springs in China's Nansha Qundao (the Nansha Islands)," affirming China's rights to territorial waters, contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones, and continental shelves around the Xianbin Jiao.
Furthermore, the report emphasized the significant impact of frequent human activities in and around Xianbin Jiao on the coral reef ecosystem's health. It highlighted the presence of Philippine vessels and ships illegally mooring in the lagoon, whose anchoring and fishing activities could disrupt the normal coral growth in the area.
China's claims scientifically sound
"China's recent on-site investigation of Xianbin Jiao clearly confirms its status as a 'feature above high water springs in the Nansha Qundao,' supporting China's claim and refuting the Philippines' assertions and the 2016 so-called award on the South China Sea arbitration which defined it a 'low-tide feature' and included it in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone," Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times.
According to the expert, the concept of "feature above high water springs in the Nansha Qundao" aligns with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea's definition of "islands," entitling them to territorial seas, exclusive economic zones, and continental shelves. China's sovereignty over the Nansha Qundao, including Xianbin Jiao, is supported by historical and legal evidence, Chen stressed.
Chen noted that during the so-called South China Sea arbitration of 2016, the tribunal claimed that certain islands and reefs in the region were "low-tide feature" based mainly on outdated and unreliable navigational guides. It is absurd that they used such flimsy evidence to classify Xianbin Jiao as a "low-tide feature," Chen said, calling this recent scientific research "ample and precise evidence to prove China's reasonable claim."
The long-term presence of the Philippines Coast Guard vessel in the Xianbin Jiao's lagoon is a serious encroachment on China's territory, experts stressed.
During this scientific expedition from May to July, Chinese research team composed of multiple research institutes under the Ministry of Natural Resources assessed the coral reef ecosystem of Xianbin Jiao using a combination of on-site investigations, historical data, and satellite images. This survey set up 23 survey stations along the reef edge, conducting surveys on four major categories including coral communities, reef-dwelling organisms, reef habitats, and human activities, totaling 75 elements.
Some coral debris and damaged reef-building corals are found to be distributed within a certain range around the sandbar, which, experts believed, is related to Philippines vessels' illegal gathering, fishing and long-term anchoring.
The Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701), the PCG's largest vessel, has caused wide concerns among experts as its large and long anchor chain has been scraping the lagoon floor since mid-April and may cause significant damage to the coral reefs. This prolonged anchoring may have led to serious coral death over the last four months, experts warned.
Philippines' accusations proven false
It is important to note that a radioactive tracing study was conducted on the sediments of Xianbin Jiao sandbars and its surrounding waters during the investigation. This study focused on the areas where the Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela accused China in May of "building an artificial island."
Chinese scientists tested for uranium-238 and other isotopes in sediment samples from 33 locations around Xianbin Jiao and its surrounding waters. The results revealed that all sediment samples had similar source elements, and did not contain any terrestrial materials from land sources.
Chen emphasized that this scientific evidence disproves the baseless accusations made by the Philippines that China is transporting materials from land to reclaim land and build artificial reefs.
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Experts warn Philippine vessel moored at Xianbin Jiao discharging excessive sewage, causing damage to corals
Global Times
By Global Times Published: Aug 30, 2024 10:07 PM
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel, which was sent to "prevent China from reclaiming land," has been anchored in China's Xinbin Jiao's lagoon for over 120 days, trying to recreate the drama of the ship illegally grounded at China's Ren'ai Jiao.
As the PCG's largest vessel, its large and long anchor chain has been scraping the lagoon floor since mid-April, causing concerns of significant damage to the coral reefs. This prolonged anchoring may have led to serious coral death over the last four months, experts warned.
The vessel has surpassed its maximum anchoring time and is discharging more waste than it can handle, posing a major threat in terms of water pollution, they noted.
Experts question what would happen to the beautiful Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef system, if a ship were to anchor there for a longer time.
They urge the international community to pay attention to the potential irreversible harm caused by the Philippines' attempt to illegally occupy China's islands and reefs.
Damage to coral reefs
A large number of international academic studies have shown that anchoring can cause biologically significant damage to coral reefs. For example, when scientists performed a survey of 24 sites in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) in 2019 to assess the impact of varying levels of anchoring activity, they found that hard coral colonies were 40 percent smaller in surface area and about 60 percent less dense at sites experiencing high anchoring frequency, an academic paper published on the journal PeerJ in 2019 shows.
Another research activity carried out in the Florida Reef Tract found that anchors and chains from commercial shipping, fishing, and recreational vessels can break or dislodge corals, sponges, and sea fans, resulting in immediate and long-term damage to large areas of the coral reef.
Since some species of coral grow only one centimeter per year, it can take many years to recover from an anchoring incident. Anchoring also causes immediate and extensive damage to reef-associated habitats such as seagrass beds, which are important nursery and juvenile habitats for many species.
Sun Jianxiang, a maritime studies scholar at the Institute of Maritime Strategy Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times that the PCG vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) can damage coral reefs when its anchor and anchor chain sweep the corals during long periods of "grounding" at the lagoon at China's Xianbin Jiao.
In December 2015, the MV Zenith, a luxury cruise ship encroaching on a protected coral reef in George Town, Grand Cayman, alarmed the public and raised widespread concerns when an underwater video camera recorded its anchor chain "draped across the entire reef, constantly moving back and forth across the reef and causing a lot of damage as it did that," Quartz, an American English language news website, reported.
"It's not hard to imagine the extensive damage caused by a PCG ship mooring around on a coral reef for over four months. Studies have shown that coral reefs damaged by anchors may never fully recover, and if they can be recovered, it could take up to 50 years," said Sun.
Yang Xiao, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Strategy Studies at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, explained that the shallow waters of Xianbin Jiao's lagoon, combined with the forces of waves and sea winds, intensify the impact of the ship's anchor on the coral, posing a threat to the underwater ecosystem.
"Normally, ships don't anchor in the lagoon unless faced with dangerous sea conditions. The destruction of coral reefs can lead to the loss of marine life habitats, ultimately disrupting the entire ecosystem," Yang told the Global Times.
PCG ships pollute seawater with man-made garbage
The BRP Teresa Magbanua's waste disposal capabilities do not seem to support its long-term anchoring at sea, experts pointed out. BRP Teresa Magbanua participated in the Regional Maritime Pollution Exercise (MARPOLEX) 2022 in Makassar, Indonesia in May 2022 with another ship BRP Melchora Aquino. Both vessels, according to Eduardo Fabricante, PCG Deputy Commandant for Operations, would be deployed to the West Philippine Sea and the Philippine Rise. "This is to increase the endurance and patrol capabilities of the PCG as the said capital ships can remain at sea for up to 14 days," the PCG said.
Now this ship has far exceeded its endurance, which means its capacity for discharging garbage and sewage has far exceeded what it can carry, Sun suggested.
Based on the project profile released at the PCG's website, it is estimated that the maximum capacity of the sewage tank of BRP Teresa Magbanua is 69m. Roughly estimated, even if the ship carries half of its passenger capacity (designed for full capacity of 67 crew members), it would produce approximately 163.3m of black water and 327.5m of grey water in two months, far exceeding its designed sewage treatment capacity.
The onboard ship sewage system is divided into two parts - black water and grey water. Black water is wastewater that originates from toilets and contains human waste (excrement and urine). This water typically goes to the sewage treatment plant and is stored in dedicated holding tanks on the ship until it can be properly treated and discharged in accordance with international regulations. Grey water is wastewater generated from sources other than toilets. It includes water from sinks, showers, baths, laundry facilities, and galley sinks.
Dubbed as "the largest and most advanced ship in the PCG's fleet," the BRP Teresa Magbanua has not been in service for very long and has shown no signs of upgrades between 2022 and 2024. The Philippines lacks the capability and technology for such upgrades, which is why they purchased the vessel from Japan. The ship relies on other vessels for resupply and is unlikely to make additional efforts to protect the environment by properly disposing of its waste. It is highly possible that crew members at the ship simply dump their garbage and sewage directly into the lagoon, similar to the illegally grounded vessel BRP Sierra Madre at China's Ren'ai Jiao, Sun explained.
The Philippines has long been notorious for marine water pollution. An international study, conducted by Utility Bidder, an independent UK-based organization and published on its website in October 2023, has shown that the Philippines is the world's leading contributor to plastic pollution in the oceans.
"It can be said that whether in the domestic or international environment, the Philippines has a relatively low environmental awareness when it comes to protecting water sources," Sun noted.
The Philippines' accusations against China for damaging coral reefs' ecosystem are just a cover for its illegal occupation of islands and reefs under the guise of so-called environmental protection issues. The international community should see through the true nature behind its 'environmental blame game,'" said Sun.
In the situation where its supply and evacuation capabilities are severely inadequate, the Philippine Coast Guard ship is still anchored at Xianbin Jiao, waiting for other coast guard ships or airdropped supplies. This clearly indicates their attempt to occupy Xianbin Jiao through illegal grounding, similar to its attempt to occupy Ren'ai Jiao, said Sun.
"Despite this, the Philippines continues to boast about achieving a so-called 'victory' and launch smear campaigns against China, which is truly a shameless and self-directed farce," Sun noted.
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Joint Press Statement on Colombo Security Conclave
India - Ministry of External Affairs
August 30, 2024
The Member States of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) signed the Charter and the MoU for the Establishment of the CSC Secretariat on 30 August 2024. The Signing Ceremony was hosted in Colombo by the Government of Sri Lanka.
Mr. Ajit Doval K.C., National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister of India; Mr. Ibrahim Latheef, DC (Retd.), Lt. Col (Retd.), National Security Advisor of Maldives; Mr. Haymandoyal Dillum, High Commissioner of the Republic of Mauritius to Sri Lanka and Mr. Sagala Ratnayake, National Security Advisor to the President of Sri Lanka signed the documents on behalf of the respective Member States.
The CSC's core objective is to promote regional security by addressing transnational threats and challenges of common concern to the Member States. There are five pillars of cooperation under the CSC namely Maritime Safety and Security; Countering Terrorism and Radicalisation; Combating Trafficking and Transnational Organised Crime; Cyber Security and Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Technology; and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief.
The event concluded with a discussion among heads of delegation on the next steps and the future activities of the Conclave.
New Delhi
August 30, 2024
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Missile attack launched on US military base in eastern Syria
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Aug 30, 2024
Tehran, IRNA -- News sources reported a missile attack on the American military base in eastern Syria on Thursday night.
According to al-Mayadeen, the US military base in the Koniko oil field, located in the north of Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria, was targeted by a missile attack.
According to this report, the anti-aircraft system based in the American military base has been activated to deal with the missile attack.
No further details have been reported.
On the other hand, some sources reported a drone attack on the US military base in Deir Ezzor, Syria.
During the past weeks, the positions of US forces in Iraq and Syria have been targeted by rocket and drone attacks, which have resulted in the injury of a number of American forces.
2050
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Meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir
Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs
A meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir was held on the sidelines of the 50th Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Yaounde , Cameroon. Chaired by OIC Secretary General, Hissein Brahim Taha, the meeting was attended by representatives from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Niger, Azerbaijan, OIC's Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) and True Representatives of the Kashmiri People. The Pakistan delegation to the meeting was led by Foreign Secretary Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi.
The Foreign Secretary briefed the Contact Group on the evolving situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). He outlined India's attempt to consolidate its occupation of IIOJK in violation of the relevant Security Council resolutions including by creating an environment of intimidation and fear. He urged India to release all political prisoners in IIOJK; lift the curbs on the outlawed political parties; revoke the illegal and unilateral actions of 5 August 2019; and implement the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
The Contact Group reaffirmed support for the Kashmiri people's struggle for the realization of their right to self-determination. It called for an early and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and as per aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
The Contact Group also adopted a joint communique unanimously underlining that durable peace and stability in South Asia remain contingent upon the final settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
Islamabad
30 August 2024
156/2024
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Iran: Israeli regime biggest obstacle to peace, root cause of regional tensions
Iran Press TV
Friday, 30 August 2024 6:43 PM
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has blasted the Israeli regime and its incessant atrocities as the main factor behind expansion of tensions and conflict across the West Asia region.
The top diplomat made the remarks during a telephone conversation with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi on Friday.
The remarks concerned the regime's October-present genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, escalated deadly attacks in the occupied West Bank, intensified deadly aggression against Lebanon, and assassination of senior resistance figures throughout the region.
As a case in point, Araghchi cited the regime's constituting the biggest obstacle to conclusion of truce agreement that could bring an end to the war on Gaza that has so far claimed the lives of upwards of 40,600 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
In July, the Gaza-based Palestinian resistance movement Hamas agreed to a deal featuring withdrawal of the Israeli forces, return of the displaced people, an end to the siege that has been imposed by Tel Aviv on Gaza, and initiation of the territory's reconstruction process.
The regime, however, rejected the proposal before coming up with "new conditions," including its keeping its forces inside Gaza along the coastal sliver's border with Egypt.
Araghchi said, "The Islamic Republic would support a [truce] agreement that meets the approval of the Palestinian people and resistance."
He underlined the need for effective action on the part of the international community towards cessation of the genocide and transfer of humanitarian aid to the coastal sliver.
For his part, the Jordanian official said, "It is necessary for the tensions in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank to come to an end as soon as possible."
The officials, meanwhile, underlined continuation of consultations between Tehran and Amman, considering such negotiations to be line with the interests of both the countries and the entire region.
Safadi also congratulated Araghchi over his recent appointment as the Islamic Republic's new foreign minister, for which the Iranian top diplomat expressed his gratitude.
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'Playing with fire': Turkey slams Israel for expanding Gaza war to West Bank
Iran Press TV
Friday, 30 August 2024 6:28 PM
Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has slammed Israel for expanding the war on the besieged Gaza Strip to the occupied West Bank and beyond.
"Israel is not only committing genocide in Gaza, but it is now extending this war to the West Bank, Lebanon, and potentially other nations it deems as enemies which we cannot know or predict," Fidan said at a joint news conference with his Slovenian counterpart in Ljubljana on Friday.
Noting that the Israeli regime has been carrying out occupation and massacres in the region, Fidan urged the international community to stop Israeli crimes against the oppressed Palestinian people.
The minister reiterated that Israel is committing "genocide" in Gaza, systematically starving people in the besieged strip.
He added that the regime has trampled on all human values by bombing hospitals, mosques, schools, and churches.
"The [Israeli prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu government continues to play with fire. It is endangering the future of the entire region to maintain its position," Fidan said.
Critics say Netanyahu, who faces charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in three cases filed in 2019, wants to prolong the war in order to achieve his personal interests.
The Turkish minister also decried Israel's allies over their "unconditional" support for the regime, despite the committed atrocities in Gaza.
His remarks comes as media reports said earlier this week that the United States has sent 50,000 tons of arms and ammunition to Israel since October 7 when the regime launched its genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza.
"Israel's barbarity must finally come to an end," Fidan said, urging the international community to stop the war in Gaza and the occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Israel occupied the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East al-Quds, areas Palestinians want for a future independent state, in a 1967 war.
Last month, the United Nations' top court ruled that Israel's presence in the 1967-occupied Palestinian territories is "unlawful" and must end.
Praising Slovenia's June decision to recognize Palestine as a state, Fidan said "I believe that we can increase our joint efforts with countries that embrace international law to implement a just and permanent solution in Palestine."
Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.
The regime has so far killed over 40,600 Palestinians, mostly women and children. Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under rubble.
Since the start of Israel's aggression on Gaza, the West Bank has also seen a rise in violence from Israeli forces and settlers that claimed the lives of hundreds of Palestinians.
In the early hours of Wednesday, the Israeli army conducted its biggest operation - dubbed "Camps of Summer" - in the West Bank in over 20 years, deploying hundreds of troops and airstrikes on Jenin, Tulkarem, and Tubas, which are major centers of Palestinian resistance against the usurping entity.
At least 20 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli raids and strikes in several towns, with many more sustained injuries. Eleven of them were killed in Jenin, five in Tulkarm and four in Tubas, Wafa reported, citing medical sources.
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Hamas asserts resistance will intensify anti-Israel operations in West Bank
Iran Press TV
Friday, 30 August 2024 4:24 PM
A high-ranking official with the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas says the resistance fighters in the occupied West Bank will intensify operations against the Israeli regime, amid its ongoing deadly raids.
"There is a Palestinian decision to expand the operations in the West Bank in terms of geographical scope and quality," Husam Badran, a member of Hamas's political bureau, told al-Mayadeen television network on Thursday.
Amid escalated Israeli raids in the West Bank, the Hamas official said resistance factions in the occupied territories have become a source of concern for the Israeli regime since their strength has gone up and their anti-Israel operations have been developed.
He said the resistance in the West Bank "enjoys a unique national consensus."
Badran also downplayed Israel's plots to destroy the resistance in the West Bank, saying they will fail as the previous ones did, especially as most of the fighters are young people.
'Al-Aqsa in greater danger than Gaza genocide'
Badran also said the October 7 al-Aqsa Storm operation showed the world that Israel aims at destroying the Palestinian cause, and that al-Aqsa Mosque, al-Quds and the West Bank face "the greatest danger", even bigger than that the Gaza Strip faces.
He said the resistance factions have "a clear plan" which is to proceed with their operations whether in Gaza, the West Bank or the 1948-occupied territories.
"The resistance factions are working based on clear visions and plans to increase the pace of the acts of resistance, including in the West Bank."
Commenting on the ongoing talks aimed to reach a ceasefire deal in Gaza, Badran said the stance taken by Hamas is "clear" and comes in coordination with all other Palestinian resistance factions.
He noted that the talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the US "haven't brought anything new until now", noting that the US claims of progress made in the negotiations aim to "serve its own interests".
"The continuation of talks doesn't hinder the acts of resistance because our goal is clear and we seek to achieve it by all means."
He noted that the Israeli regime is committing more massacres against the Palestinian civilians as it has failed to achieve any of its declared goals in Gaza.
Israel launched the campaign of genocide in Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.
The regime has killed more than 40,600 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza ever since. Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under rubble.
The West Bank has also seen a rise in violence from Israeli forces and settlers that claimed the lives of hundreds of Palestinians.
In the early hours of Wednesday, the Israeli military conducted its biggest operation - dubbed "Camps of Summer" - in the West Bank in over 20 years, deploying hundreds of troops and airstrikes on Jenin, Tulkarem, and Tubas, which are major centers of Palestinian resistance against the usurping entity.
At least 20 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli raids and strikes in several towns, with many more sustained injuries. Eleven of them were killed in Jenin, five in Tulkarm and four in Tubas, Wafa reported, citing medical sources.
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Islamic Jihad: Resistance to last until Israel's expulsion
Iran Press TV
Friday, 30 August 2024 4:05 PM
The Islamic Jihad says the Israeli regime's fresh round of intensified deadly aggression against the occupied West Bank will only further embolden the resistance in its ongoing endeavor to liberate the Palestinian territories from Israeli occupation.
The Gaza Strip-based Palestinian resistance movement made the remarks in a statement on Friday after a drone strike by the regime claimed the lives of three Palestinians in the town of al-Zababdeh near the city of Jenin in northern West Bank.
The group condemned "the widespread aggression being carried out by the enemy on the cities and camps of the northern West Bank."
It, however, asserted that such crimes "will not achieve its (the regime's) goals, but will only increase our determination and resolve to resist until the occupation is expelled from our land."
Friday marked the third day of the escalation by the regime, which has seen its forces bringing various areas across the West Bank, especially those lying in its northern parts, under intensified airstrikes and ground attacks.
The regime's forces have also engaged in a widespread campaign of arrests and systematic destruction of infrastructure across the targeted areas.
On Wednesday, the Israeli military staged a drone strike against Jenin and a nearby village, besides targeting the al-Fara refugee camp located south of the city of Tubas. A total of 12 Palestinians were killed in the raids.
And on Thursday, it killed another Palestinian in Jenin and five others inside a mosque in the Nour Shams refugee camp in the city of Tulkarem.
Reacting to the massacres, Hamas, the Islamic Jihad's fellow Gaza-headquartered resistance movement, has warned that the regime was seeking to expand its October-present genocidal war on Gaza, which has so far claimed the lives of more than 40,600 Palestinians, to the West Bank.
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The woman had just visited her grandmother in hospital when she was caught in the wrong by a mobile phone detection camera.
The woman's seatbelt mistake has set her back $400 and three demerit points. Source: Facebook
A driver's momentary lapse of judgement on a long road trip has cost her dearly after she was caught out by a mobile phone detection camera. The Aussie woman was driving home to Sydney after visiting her sick grandmother in hospital four hours away in Bathurst, NSW when the camera captured an image of her wearing her seatbelt incorrectly earlier this month.
The woman told Yahoo News Australia that at some point during the long journey, her seatbelt became "loose" and had fallen to the side of her arm instead of firmly across her shoulder.
"Its over my arm, but it's loose," she told Yahoo after copping the eye-watering $410 fine and three demerit points. Posting images of the offence of improperly wearing her seatbelt, the woman said "surely not".
"I think I [was] a bit tired at this stage and might have leaned my head near the window to get some fresh air," she told Yahoo. While the woman admitted that she was the driver, it wasn't her car so the owner of the vehicle had to transfer the offence to her driver's licence.
"I'm the driver in the wrong but the fine was issued to the owner of the car so he's had to transfer it to me," she said.
Authorities crack down on seatbelt offences across Australia
The woman's fine comes just months after NSW authorities began using mobile phone detection cameras to capture seatbelt offences. Shockingly, just 21 days after the cameras were switched on to target the new road rule on July 1, 11,400 fines were issued.
The offence attracts a $410 fine and the loss of three demerit points on a driver's licence if they or their passengers are caught.
Previously speaking to Yahoo, Avinash Singh, Principal Lawyer at Astor Legal, revealed many people dont realise the seatbelt cameras dont just check people are wearing a seatbelt, but also that they are wearing the seatbelts correctly. And it could be the reason why so many people are being fined during the rollout of new cameras.
"[People] often believe that as long as the seatbelt is clicked in, this is sufficient, however, it is not and you can be fined $410 and three demerit points for wearing your seatbelt like this".
According to NSW Transport, there a seatbelt must be on firm and flat with no slack. Source: NSW Transport
Roadside camera use controversial across Australia
Across the country, authorities are cracking down on a multitude of road offences using the AI-powered speed, mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras.
Queensland has introduced the harshest financial penalties for misbehaving drivers, with one dad copping a $1,209 fine after he was caught with two young children in the back seat without their seatbelts fixed correctly. The hefty fine also comes with 4 demerit points.
In Tasmania, the rollout of portable road cameras has even been forced under "review" after several suspected arson attacks on the devices.
Since being switched on in South Australia last month, authorities have already snapped almost 31,000 drivers using their phones with 30,754 warning letters being sent out to motorists.
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NGO: Israel has abducted 10,300 Palestinians in West Bank since October 7
Iran Press TV
Friday, 30 August 2024 3:49 PM
A Palestinian prisoners' rights group says Israeli forces have abducted 10,300 Palestinians in violent raids across the occupied West Bank since the regime's onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip started last October.
The Palestinian Prisoners' Society (PPS) said in a statement on Thursday that 355 women and at least 720 children have been detained during the mentioned period as well.
It confirmed that "the number of journalists arrested stands at 96, with 50 remaining in detention, including 17 journalists from Gaza."
"Among those detained, 17 journalists are being held under administrative detention," the PPS pointed out.
It also noted that "the number of administrative detention orders has gone beyond 8,322."
Administrative detention is an Israeli military order allowing detention without charge, extending up to six months and renewable.
Palestinian detainees have continuously resorted to open-ended hunger strikes in an attempt to express outrage at their illegal detention.
Israel keeps Palestinian inmates under deplorable conditions without proper hygienic standards. Palestinian inmates have also been subject to systematic torture, harassment, and repression.
Human rights organizations say Israel continues to violate all rights and freedoms granted to prisoners by the Fourth Geneva Convention and international laws.
According to the Palestine Detainees Studies Center, around 60 percent of the Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli jails suffer from chronic diseases, a number of whom died in detention or after being released due to the severity of their cases.
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Israel's aerial, artillery strikes kill nine Palestinians across Gaza: Report
Iran Press TV
Friday, 30 August 2024 1:18 PM
At least six Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli regime's aerial and artillery attacks on various parts of the besieged Gaza Strip, raising the number of civilian deaths since early Friday to 23.
According to medical sources, a number of civilians also sustained injuries during the Friday strikes, the Palestinian outlet Wafa reported.
Local sources reported that at least 4 civilians were killed and several others injured when the Israeli forces shelled a group of citizens in Ajarma Street in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza.
A child was also killed and a number of others were injured in the Israeli bombing of a house in the Maghazi camp in the central Gaza Strip.
A mother and her three children lost their lives and the father was wounded in an airstrike by an Israeli drone on the town of Abasan al-Kabira, east of Gaza's southern city of Khan Yunis.
Israel continues its campaign of death, destruction and genocide in Gaza.
The regime has killed over 40,600 Palestinians, mostly children and women, in Gaza since October 2023, when it was caught off-guard by Operation Al-Aqsa Storm conducted by Palestinian resistance fighters.
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Day 3 of West Bank assault: Israeli forces kill 3 Palestinians
Iran Press TV
Friday, 30 August 2024 11:05 AM
The Israeli military has conducted a drone strike near the West Bank city of Jenin, killing three Palestinians on the third day of its aggression in the occupied territory.
WAFA news agency reported on Friday that Maysara Suleiman Masharqa, Arafat Jaser Amer, and Wissam Ayman Khazem were the victims of the Israeli strike in the town of Zababdeh.
During the attack, the report added, an Israeli drone fired missiles at the three men after they exited their vehicle, which had already been struck by heavy gunfire and later caught fire.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said that the occupation forces prevented ambulances from reaching the scene.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army claimed that it had targeted "a cell of Palestinian gunmen" in the Zababdeh drone strike.
It further issued a joint statement with the Israeli police and Shin Bet spy agency, alleging that Khazem was the commander of Hamas's military wing in Jenin.
In the early hours of Wednesday, the Israeli army conducted its biggest operation - dubbed "Camps of Summer" - in the West Bank in over 20 years, deploying hundreds of troops and airstrikes on Jenin, Tulkarem, and Tubas, which are major centers of Palestinian resistance against the usurping entity.
At least 20 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli raids and strikes in several towns, with many more sustained injuries. Eleven of them were killed in Jenin, five in Tulkarm and four in Tubas, WAFA reported, citing medical sources.
Bloody raids by Israeli forces and violence by settlers have surged in the West Bank since Israel launched a genocidal onslaught on the besieged Gaza Strip in early October 2023.
Since then, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 40,602 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 93,855 others in Gaza.
It has also killed more than 660 Palestinians and injured about 5,400 in the West Bank during that same period.
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Aug 29: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation
Iran Press TV
Friday, 30 August 2024 8:03 AM
By Press TV Website Staff
Amid Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed at least 40,602 Palestinians so far-- the majority of them women and children-- resistance groups in Palestine and across the region continue their operations against the Tel Aviv regime and its Western backers.
Al-Qassam Brigades' operations on August 29:
- Targeted an Israeli military vehicle with a high-explosive device in the eastern neighborhood of Jenin, occupied West Bank.
- Fired 107mm rockets at Israeli forces stationed at the "Mars" military site.
Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades' operations on August 29:
- In a joint operation with the Al-Nasser Salah Al-Din Brigades, targeted Israeli soldiers and military vehicles east of Deir al-Balah with mortar shells.
- Engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces across multiple areas of Tulkarem, occupied West Bank, using machine guns and explosive devices.
- Targeted an Israeli military vehicle with a high-explosive device in the eastern neighborhood of Jenin, occupied West Bank.
- Engaged in intense armed clashes with Israeli forces during their incursion into the city of Qalqilya, occupied West Bank, using machine guns and explosive devices.
- Ambushed Israeli forces in the Al-Manshiya neighborhood of Tulkarem, occupied West Bank, detonating highly explosive devices.
- Ambushed an Israeli infantry unit in the Shuhada neighborhood of Nur Shams camp, Tulkarem, targeting them with machine guns and explosive devices.
- In a joint operation with the Al-Quds Brigades and Martyr Omar Al-Qasim Forces, targeted the Israeli military supply line on the "Netzarim" axis near the "Turkish Hospital" with 107mm rockets.
- Launched a rocket barrage at Israeli forces stationed at the "Kissufim" military site.
- Targeted Israeli military concentrations east of Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip with mortar shells.
Al-Quds Brigades' operations on August 29:
- The engineering unit detonated multiple pre-positioned explosive devices on Israeli military vehicles and infantry forces across various combat axes in Jenin, occupied West Bank.
- Engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces on Haifa Street in Jenin, occupied West Bank, using firearms and explosive devices.
- Targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers and their military vehicles near Al-Salam Hospital in Al-Satar Al-Sharqi, Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip.
- Targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers around the Nablus Street axis, occupied West Bank, with explosive devices.
Mujahideen Brigades' operations on August 29:
- Targeted Israeli forces stationed along the so-called "Netzarim axis" with a series of Haseb-111 rockets.
Martyr Omar Al-Qasim Forces' operations on August 29:
- Targeted Israeli military positions near the Al-Asi building in Yabna camp, Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, with heavy-caliber mortar shells.
Al-Nasser Salah Al-Din Brigades' operations on August 29:
- In a joint operation with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, targeted Israeli military gatherings east of Deir al-Balah with mortar shells.
- In a joint operation with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and Martyr Nidal Al-Amoudi Brigade, targeted gatherings of Israeli soldiers and military vehicles in the invasion axis east of Deir al-Balah with mortar shells.
Hezbollah's operations on August 29:
- Targeted the headquarters of the 210th Golan Division in the Nafah barracks with drones.
- Targeted Israeli soldiers near the Zarit barracks with rockets.
- Targeted Israeli soldiers near the Kfar Yuval settlement with rockets.
- Targeted Israeli soldiers near the Doviv barracks with rockets.
- Targeted Israeli soldiers near Talat al-Taihat with rockets.
- Targeted the Samaqa site in Kfar Shouba, Lebanon, with rockets.
- Targeted the Ruwaysat al-Alam site in Kfar Shouba, Lebanon, with rockets.
- Targeted military buildings in the Metula settlement with appropriate weapons.
- Targeted military buildings in the Manara settlement with appropriate weapons.
- Targeted the Bayad Blida with appropriate weapons.
Islamic Resistance in Iraq's operations on August 29:
- Targeted the "Avon Tavor" industrial power station in Haifa, occupied Palestinian territories, with a barrage of drones.
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WHO announces three-day pause in Gaza war for polio vaccination
Iran Press TV
Friday, 30 August 2024 6:50 AM
The Israeli military and Hamas have agreed to three-day pauses in fighting in the Gaza Strip to allow for the vaccination of some 640,000 children against polio, a senior UN World Health Organization official says.
Rik Peeperkorn, WHO's representative in the Palestinian territories, said the so-called "humanitarian pauses" will start Sunday in central Gaza and last just eight or nine hours each day for three days.
That will be followed by another similar pause in southern Gaza and then another in northern Gaza.
Noting that the campaign aims to vaccinate 640,000 children under 10, Peeperkorn told reporters via video conference that health workers -more than 2,000 from UN agencies and Gaza's Health Ministry- might need additional days to complete the vaccinations.
"We need this humanitarian pause," he said, adding "And that has been very clear. We have an agreement on that, so we expect that all parties will stick to that."
The WHO stressed that at least 90% of children in Gaza should be vaccinated to stop the transmission of polio.
"I'm not going to say this is the ideal way forward. But this is a workable way forward," Peeperkorn said of the humanitarian pauses.
"It will happen and should happen because we have an agreement," he later added.
The agreement came after a 10-month-old baby was partially paralyzed by a mutated strain of the virus that vaccinated people shed in their waste.
Abdel-Rahman Abu El-Jedian, who was born just before Israel's war on Gaza erupted on October 7, was one of hundreds of thousands of children who missed vaccinations because of the war.
These humanitarian pauses are not a ceasefire deal in Gaza that mediators, including Qatar and Egypt, have been trying to secure in the past few weeks.
Meanwhile, Hamas emphasized that it's "ready to cooperate with international organizations to secure this campaign," according to a statement from Basem Naim, a member of the resistance movement's political bureau.
Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas waged the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the Israeli regime's decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.
The regime's bloody onslaught on Gaza has so far killed at least 40,602 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 93,855 others. Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under rubble.
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Report: US military base in east Syria hit by rocket barrage
Iran Press TV
Friday, 30 August 2024 5:40 AM
An illegal military facility housing US occupation forces in Syria's eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr has reportedly come under a rocket attack from nearby areas.
Lebanon's Arabic-language al-Mayadeen television news network, citing local sources, reported that several explosions were heard in the area close to the US-controlled Conoco gas field late on Thursday after a number of projectiles struck the site.
The US forces activated missile defense systems at the base to confront the incoming rockets.
There were no immediate reports about possible casualties or the extent of damage at the installation.
Iraqi resistance forces have conducted dozens of strikes on the US-run military installations in both Iraq and Syria amid growing anti-US sentiments in the region over Washington's support for Israel's genocidal war against Gaza, which has so far killed at least 40,602 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
There are nearly 2,500 American troops in Iraq and some 900 in Syria as part of, what Washington claims to be, a fighting force against Daesh.
The US has maintained its presence, although, the Arab countries and their allies defeated the Takfiri terrorist group in late 2017.
In 2020, the Iraqi parliament voted for the expulsion of US forces.
The vote came after Iran's top anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and deputy commander of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis had been assassinated in a cowardly drone strike ordered by then US president Donald Trump outside of the Baghdad airport.
On January 8, 2020, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) targeted the US-run Ain al-Asad air base in Iraq after launching a wave of attacks to retaliate the assassination of the two top anti-terror commanders.
According to the Pentagon, more than 100 American forces suffered "traumatic brain injuries" during the counterstrike on the base.
The IRGC, however, said Washington used the term to mask the number of Americans who perished during the reprisal.
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Vietnam, Philippines to sign defense cooperation agreement
The neighbors seek to bolster security ties amid rising tensions in the South China Sea.
By RFA Staff 2024.08.30 -- Vietnam and the Philippines are set to sign a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation that would see the two South China Sea claimants strengthening their joint activities at sea, where both face an assertive China.
The strengthened ties come at a time of heightened tensions, especially between the Philippines and China, which are at loggerheads over some of the reefs and atolls in the waterway.
Vietnamese defense minister Phan Van Giang is in Manila on a visit "to materialize the common understandings" achieved during the state visit by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Hanoi in January, according to the Vietnamese ministry's Quan Doi Nhan Dan newspaper.
Giang and his counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro, signed letters of intent to facilitate closer cooperation on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief at sea, and on military medical arrangements, Japan's Nikkei reported.
Meanwhile, coast guard forces from both countries are to set up a hotline to manage "non-traditional security challenges," and share information, the Vietnamese minister told President Marcos during a courtesy call to the Malacanang Palace, according to the Vietnamese newspaper.
On Aug. 9, coast guard vessels from Vietnam and the Philippines conducted their first-ever joint drills.
Marcos described Giang's first visit to the Philippines as a "very significant point in the history between our two countries."
"The Philippines and Vietnam have enjoyed good relations ... We now talk about defense cooperation, security cooperation, maritime cooperation, and certainly, on the area of trade as well," Marcos was quoted by the official Philippine News Agency as telling Giang.
Giang said the two countries had "very good" interactions and dialogues, especially when it comes to "navy-to-navy discussions."
While visiting the Philippine navy headquarters, the Vietnamese minister stressed that, as neighbors at sea, Vietnam and the Philippines shared interests in security and safety of navigation amid unpredictable challenges.
However, the four-star general, who fought in a Sino-Vietnam border war in 1979, did not refer to China or its activities in disputed waters.
Instead, he reiterated that Vietnam was pursuing a so-called Four Nos defense policy: no military alliances, no siding with one country against another, no foreign military bases in the Vietnamese territory or using Vietnam as leverage to counteract other countries, and no force or threat of force in international relations.
While a military alliance between Vietnam and the Philippines is unlikely, they can still bolster exchanges and joint activities. The Philippine navy has agreed to send a team to Vietnam's 2nd Defense Expo in December.
This report has been corrected to show Vietnam and the Philippines are set to sign a memorandum of understanding but have not yet signed it.
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 releases report to fortify claim over disputed shoal in South China Sea
Chinese researchers accuse Philippine ships of damaging coral growth at Sabina Shoal.
By RFA Staff 2024.08.30 -- China on Friday released the first ecological report to back its claim on Sabina Shoal, a hotly disputed reef that in recent days has become a new flashpoint between Beijing and Manila in the South China Sea.
There was no evidence of widespread coral bleaching on the reef, as alleged by the Philippines this year, said the Chinese Natural Resources Ministry in a survey, adding that the corals are "generally in good health with some localized damages."
Manila suspected Beijing of reclaiming an artificial reef around Sabina Shoal, known as Escoda Shoal in Philippines and as Xianbin Jiao in China, after discovering that crushed corals had been dumped there, which it said damaged the ecosystem.
But the authors of the report said that "frequent human activities" by Philippine personnel had caused a significant impact in and around Sabina Shoal.
China also accused the Philippines of "illegally mooring" ships, including a large coast guard vessel - the BRP Teresa Magbanua - in the shoal's lagoon, disrupting the normal coral growth in the area.
The Chinese coast guard said on Wednesday a Philippine H145 helicopter dropped supplies to the BRP Teresa Magbanua after attempts by the Philippine coast guard to resupply the vessel were repeatedly blocked by China.
The ship has been in the area since April, the longest deployment of a Philippine coast guard vessel, to monitor China's suspected "illegal activities" at the shoal.
China accused the Philippines of "forcibly occupying" Sabina Shoal while the Philippine coast guard has insisted that the vessel is on a regular deployment to "maintain our presence and ensure the protection of this area."
The standoff resulted in several collisions, for which the two sides blamed each other.
Radio Free Asia contacted the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs for reaction to the Chinese report but had not received a reply by time of publication.
Sabina Shoal a Chinese island?
Sabina Shoal is generally known as a low-tide elevation in the Spratly Islands, well inside the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, or EEZ, and only 75 nautical miles (140 km) from the Philippine island of Palawan.
An EEZ gives the coastal state exclusive access to natural resources in the waters and in the seabed.
However, the Chinese survey - done between May and July this year - found that parts of the naturally formed shoal are above water at high tide.
This means the shoal can qualify as an island in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS, said Chen Xiangmiao from the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, as cited by China's state-run tabloid The Global Times.
UNCLOS says that "an island is a naturally formed area of land, surrounded by water, which is above water at high tide" and it is entitled to its own territorial sea, as well as an exclusive economic zone and continental shelf if it can sustain human habitation.
If Sabina Shoal is recognized as a Chinese island, China can claim sovereignty to the waters around it, making the presence of Philippine vessels there illegal.
But in order to gain recognition, Beijing will have to bring the case to the U.N. in a long legal process.
China claims most of the South China Sea despite protests from neighboring countries and an arbitration tribunal ruling in 2016 that China's claims were unlawful.
Edited by Taejun Kang 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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The Azadi Briefing: Afghan Clerics Are Opposing Taliban Bans On Female Education
By Abubakar Siddique August 30, 2024
The Key Issue
The Taliban's hard-line higher education minister has defended the extremist group's severe restrictions on female education.
The Islamist group has barred girls from attending school past the sixth grade and banned women from going to university.
In a press conference on August 24, Nida Mohammad Nadim said the Taliban's widely condemned restrictions were "not in conflict with Islam."
He added that questioning the Taliban's policies on education were also banned.
But that has not stopped senior Afghan clerics from criticizing Nadim and the Taliban's controversial education policies.
Mawlana Sibghatullah Mawlawizada, one of the most senior clerics in the western city of Herat, on August 25 challenged Nadim to a public debate.
"I urge him to discuss the [religious] legality of [of the ban on] female education in the presence of national and international media," Mawlawizada said in a video message.
Nadim has not publicly responded to Mawlawizada.
Another leading Afghan cleric, Mawlawi Abdul Sami Ghaznavi, also challenged the Taliban. He said it was the group's "responsibility to create favorable conditions for women's education."
Why It's Important: A growing number of Afghan religious scholars are openly challenging the Taliban's restrictions on female education.
Even some Afghan clerics working for the Taliban-led government have publicly opposed the bans. They have said there is no justification for banning female education under Islam.
Islamic scholars across the world have condemned the Taliban's restrictions. Afghanistan is the only country in the Muslim world where teenage girls and women are banned from receiving an education.
What's Next: Despite domestic and international criticism and pressure, the Taliban is unlikely to reverse its education bans.
Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban's extremist policies have made its unrecognized government an international pariah.
What To Keep An Eye On
Protesters in northwestern Pakistan have blocked Torkham, a key border crossing with Afghanistan. The move has concerned Afghan traders who fear a big financial hit.
Khan Jan Alakozai, a senior official of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, said thousands of trucks transporting fresh Afghan fruits and vegetables have been stranded at the crossing.
"If the border is not opened, some traders will lose their businesses altogether while others will incur mourning custom duties," he told RFE/RL's Radio Azadion August 29.
Since August 22, members of a Pashtun tribe displaced by a Pakistani military operation have blocked the crossing in protest.
Why It's Important: The frequent closures of Torkham and Chaman, another key crossing, have disrupted trade between the two neighbors.
In recent years, Islamabad has closed the border crossings after clashes between Pakistani and Taliban border guards.
Pakistan has also shuttered the border to pressure the Afghan Taliban to expel the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan extremist group, which is believed to be based in Afghanistan.
Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-taliban-women- education-ban-ulema-rights/33099649.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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Germany Deports 'Criminal' Afghans To Kabul In First Since Taliban Takeover
By RFE/RL's Radio Azadi August 30, 2024
Germany has followed through on its announcement that it would deport "criminal" Afghan refugees and asylum seekers back to Afghanistan despite not having formal relations with the Taliban's de-facto government.
A plane carrying 28 Afghan men convicted of crimes in Germany took off from Leipzig/Halle Airport for Kabul early on August 30, according to German officials. The men had been transported from across the country to Leipzig for the flight, which was arranged by the Interior Ministry.
A senior official from the Taliban's Transportation and Civil Aviation Ministry, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed to Radio Azadi that they had given approval for a plane flying from Leipzig to land at Kabul International Airport. The official declined to provide any details regarding the passengers onboard the aircraft, which was expected to arrive in Kabul in the evening.
All of the deportees aboard the chartered Qatar Airways flight were "convicted offenders who had no right to stay in Germany and against whom deportation orders had been issued," government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said in a statement.
Hebestreit said Berlin had "asked key regional partners for support in order to facilitate the deportations," without providing further details.
A spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry said on August 30 that Germany had no intention of normalizing its relations with the Taliban.
"As long as the general conditions are as they are and the Taliban behave the way they do, there will be no effort to normalize relations with the Taliban," the spokesperson said. "There are contacts on a technical level, especially through our representative office in Doha."
Germany's Der Spiegel magazine said the operation followed two months of "secret negotiations" in which Qatar, which has sustainable contacts with the Taliban authorities, served as an intermediary between Germany and the Taliban-led government.
The controversial development comes after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced in June that Germany would restart deportations of dangerous criminals and terror suspects to Afghanistan and Syria.
Scholz's announcement came after an Afghan refugee was charged in a deadly knife attack in the city of Mannheim in May. This week, after a Syrian refugee suspected of killing three people in Solingen was taken into custody, Scholz vowed to speed up deportations.
The issue has also become a major topic of debate ahead of regional elections on September 1 in the Saxony and Thuringia regions, where anti-immigration parties are expected to do well.
Germany emerged as a major destination for Afghans fleeing insecurity and poverty at home and, after the Taliban retook power after nearly 20 years of war against a U.S.-led coalition, the prospect of persecution by the hard-line Islamist group.
Following the Taliban takeover in 2021, Germany halted deportations to Afghanistan and, like all countries, has refused to recognize the Taliban-led government and has no formal relations with it.
Germany is also a major destination for Syrians seeking to escape that country's civil war and rule under leader Bashar al-Assad. Syrians are the largest refugee group in Germany, with hundreds of thousands allowed into the country since 2015.
In 2020, Germany allowed a ban on deportations to Syria that had been in place since 2012 to expire.
The backlash against refugees and asylum-seekers rose significantly among conservative and hard-right politicians after a 25-year-old Afghan was accused of stabbing a German police officer to death and injuring five others in May.
In June, Scholz met with leaders of Germany's 16 states in Berlin to discuss restarting deportations of Afghan and Syrian immigrants convicted of serious crimes.
Michael Stuebgen, the interior minister of the eastern state of Brandenburg, argued that Germany could engage in talks with the Taliban and that parts of Syria are secure enough to allow the returns of refugees.
In lieu of relations with the Taliban, Interior Ministry officials reportedly considered the possibility of routing Afghan deportees through third countries such as Uzbekistan and also discussed ways of conducting asylum proceedings in third countries.
Opponents argue that deportations of Afghans and Syrian refugees would go against the German Constitution and commitments under international law and that the outsourcing of asylum procedures would violate asylum-seekers' human rights.
Amnesty International Germany on August 30 harshly criticized the resumption of deportations.
"The rule of law also means adhering to international law," the rights watchdog said on X. "Extrajudicial executions, disappearances, and torture are the order of the day in Afghanistan. No one is safe there. If the German government deports people anyway it risks becoming an accomplice of the Taliban."
As the issue heated up in recent months, the Interior Ministry stressed that the deportations would affect only a small number of people.
The German government did not provide details on the crimes for which the 28 Afghans deported on August 30 had been convicted. However, AFP quoted the Justice Ministry of the Baden-Wuerttemberg state reportedly said one was convicted of participating in a gang rape of a 14-year old girl and another had more than 160 criminal convictions.
Following news that the deportation of Afghans had resumed, Green party co-leader Omid Nouripour was quoted as saying he welcomed the effort to expel serious criminals but said it did not signal the start of large-scale deportations.
"Law-abiding people, especially families and children who have fled from radical Islamists," are protected in Germany, he said.
With reporting by AP and AFP
Updated: Those who got to know the friendly whale say they are 'beyond heartbroken' and 'very upset'.
Hvaldimir, the Russian spy whale has been found dead. The charismatic beluga drew worldwide attention in 2019 when he was discovered in Norwegian waters wearing a harness reading equipment of St Petersburg".
Authorities had been considering moving him back to waters closer to Russia, although this proved controversial and more than 70 experts from 17 countries had signed an open letter urging against the plan. Local media reported Hvaldimir was discovered on Saturday (local time) by a father and son who were fishing in waters off Risavika in the country's south. It's still too early to determine his cause of death.
Hvaldimir had appeared in good health
Hvaldimir's movements had been monitored daily by non-profit Marine Mind and news of his death is understood to have been a shock to those close to him.
Hvaldimir was friendly towards humans and would often approach boats. Source: Marine Mind
The group's founder Sebastian Strand said in August that Hvaldimir appeared to be doing well. The whale has a good body condition and does not display signs of mental anguish, he said.
In a brief statement on Saturday night, Strand told Yahoo News it had been "chaos" after Hvaldimir's death and he was working to try and "do him justice" and ensure his body was treated with respect.
He later confirmed the whale's body had been placed in a cooled truck, ahead of a necropsy on Monday.
"I'm beyond heartbroken, but going to keep it mostly together until he has been examined and we've secured that at least his cause of death will not be a mystery," he added.
Earlier Dolphin and whale activist Ric O'Barry told Yahoo News he was feeling "very upset" after hearing about Hvaldimir's death. And he stressed it was important an independent necropsy be carried out to find out what killed him.
"There were a lot of people I know who fell in love with this whale," he added.
More to come.
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EU's Balkan Envoy Says Serbia-Kosovo Stalemate Risks 'Outbursts Of Instability'
By Krenare Cubolli, Andy Heil and RFE/RL's Kosovo Service August 30, 2024
PRAGUE -- The European Union's special envoy for efforts to normalize relations between Serbia and its former province Kosovo has warned of the danger of "outbursts of instability" for years to come if those Balkan neighbors can't overcome their current impasse and unilateral actions continue.
In an extended interview with RFE/RL's Kosovo Service at the Globsec security conference in Prague on August 30, Miroslav Lajcak said the clear task for both sides is to implement their commitments from last year's so-called Ohrid Agreement within the decade-old "dialogue" to avoid "hostile or even violent" actions and responses.
He lamented a lack of momentum on EU enlargement in the past but also repeated Brussels' stance that a lack of progress on normalization directly hinders Serbia's and Kosovo's respective EU membership bids.
"[W]e either have normalization, which will bring stabilization, open the way for regional cooperation, which is struggling right now," Lajcak said, "or we will continue with the actions which are not coordinated, with prompt reaction which is again not coordinated, and could become hostile or even violent, and we might be kept busy for years with this repetition of, I would say, outburst[s] of instability. And this obviously prevents the region from progressing on the European path."
He suggested Serbian and Kosovar societies "are not ready for normalization" but said the unresolved problem of Serbian-Kosovar relations goes well beyond those two countries and is "very much a regional and European issue."
Serbia does not acknowledge the independence of its predominantly ethnic Albanian former province since Pristina declared sovereignty in 2008, a move officially recognized by more than 100 countries but not by Russia, China, or a handful of EU member states. A bitter ethnic war punctuated by NATO intervention in 1999 preceded UN interim administration ahead of Kosovo's independence.
During two leadership stints since 2020, Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti's government has conducted a mounting campaign of "reciprocal" measures to pressure Belgrade to recognize Kosovo's statehood and official institutions.
The Serbian and Kosovar sides reached agreement in the resort town of Ohrid on normalization steps in early 2023, but key elements of the deal remain unfulfilled, including Pristina's pledge dating back to 2013 to establish a legal foundation for an association to represent majority-Serb municipalities in Kosovo.
But two subsequent flareups of violence in northern Kosovo - unrest that injured dozens of NATO KFOR peacekeepers in May 2023 and the killing of a Kosovar police officer by a group of commando-like Serbs at an Orthodox monastery in September 2023 -- alarmed the international community and lent urgency to the dialogue.
More recently, Pristina has clamped down on the use of Serbian currency at banks and postal outlets, as well as other aspects of daily life for thousands of Serbs who resist Kosovar central authority, prompting the United States and the European Union to urge against "unilateral" and "uncoordinated" steps by either side.
Kurti says Kosovar authorities are establishing rule of law and public order.
Serbian President Aleksandr Vucic has accused Kosovo's government of trying to terrorize and intimidate the local Serb population.
"If you ask me, the problem is that the two societies are not ready for normalization," Lajcak told RFE/RL. He said his four-year term "has been probably more dedicated to crisis management than to promoting of normalization."
In July, the EU Council extended Lajcak's mandate by five months, to January 2025, at the request of outgoing EU foreign policy head Josep Borrell.
Lajcak downplayed suggestions that Borrell's successor, former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, would do without such an envoy to the delicate Serbia-Kosovo dialogue.
"The job is not done and, therefore, the job must continue," Lajcak said. "And I believe that there should be an [EU special representative] assisting the high representative until the Ohrid Agreement is implemented.
"But one important element that I will, of course, stress also to my successor and to the new high representative is that this process must be visibly and directly linked to the European integration."
Serbia was awarded EU candidate status along with other hopefuls in 2012, while Kosovo remains a "potential candidate" with its participation in other multinational organizations, including the UN, blocked by its partial recognition.
Lajcak said the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine had sparked an "awakening" within the European Union of the risks of stalled enlargement since Croatia's accession in 2013, and he insisted the "dynamic has changed already."
"Paradoxically, this awakening came as a consequence of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's aggression against Ukraine when the European Union also decided to invite Ukraine and Moldova to join," Lajcak said. "So this is a huge new opportunity for the Balkans. The door that has been closed for 10 years is now open."
Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/lajcak-serbia-kosovo- dialogue-eu-interview/33100067.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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Spain condemns Israel's military operations in the West Bank
Spain - Ministry of Foreign Affairs
PRESS STATEMENT 046
30 Aug 24
Israel's military operations spreading violence in the West Bank are very serious, and must be stopped.
Statements questioning the legal status of the Holy Places in Jerusalem are unacceptable.
In this critical moment, we reiterate the call for respect for international legality and humanitarian law, for restraint and de-escalation.
-NON OFFICIAL TRANSLATION-
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Swiss Parliament Rejects Proposal to Ban Country's Army From Participating in NATO Drills
Sputnik News
20240830
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Members of the Security Policy Committee (CPS-E) of the small chamber of the Swiss parliament unanimously rejected on Friday a proposal to ban the country's army from participating in NATO exercises on collective defense.
"Unanimously and with one abstention, the Committee of the Council of Cantons [Senate] on security Policy (CPS-E) recommends to its council to reject the proposal of the National Council, which wants to instruct the Federal Council to adapt the relevant legal framework so that joint defensive exercises with NATO simulating collective defense in accordance with Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty were prohibited," the document read.
The senators believe that such a proposal is contrary to the interests of Swiss security policy, since participation in defensive exercises with NATO "is not aimed at Switzerland's participation in the case of collective defense, but at strengthening the defense capability of the army."
Such cooperation does not contradict the neutrality of the country and should even be expanded, the lawmakers said.
Sputnik
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Deputy Secretary Kurt Campbell's Visit to New Zealand
US Department of State
Readout
Office of the Spokesperson
August 30, 2024
The following is attributable to Spokesperson Matt Miller:
Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell travelled to New Zealand August 30 to co-chair the U.S.-New Zealand Strategic Dialogue, meet with senior government officials, and launch the inaugural Critical and Emerging Technology Dialogue.
On August 30, Deputy Secretary Campbell and New Zealand Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Bede Corry co-hosted the 2024 U.S.-New Zealand Strategic Dialogue in Auckland, New Zealand. The two sides discussed the Indo-Pacific strategic environment, shared efforts to promote Pacific development, and economic, environmental, and scientific cooperation. Deputy Secretary Campbell also co-hosted the launch of the inaugural U.S.-New Zealand Critical and Emerging Technology Dialogue along with Secretary Corry. The two sides exchanged views and explored cooperation on critical technologies like AI and biotechnology and on the digital economy, including information and communication technologies (ICT).
During his visit to Auckland, Deputy Secretary Campbell also met with New Zealand 's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Winston Peters and Associate Minister of Defense Chris Penk, respectively, to discuss opportunities for deepening U.S.-New Zealand cooperation and exchange views on regional developments. Both sides reaffirmed their belief that strengthening the U.S.-New Zealand partnership is critical for peace, security, human rights, democracy, and regional stability.
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U.S. Department of State Concludes $200 Million Settlement Resolving Export Violations by RTX Corporation
US Department of State
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
August 30, 2024
The U.S. Department of State has concluded an administrative settlement with RTX Corporation (RTX) to resolve 750 violations of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), 22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq., and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. parts 120-130. The Department of State and RTX reached this settlement following an extensive compliance review by the Office of Defense Trade Controls Compliance in the Department's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.
The administrative settlement between the Department of State and RTX, concluded pursuant to ITAR 128.11, addresses RTX's unauthorized exports of defense articles resulting from the failure to establish proper jurisdiction and classification; unauthorized exports of defense articles, including classified defense articles; unauthorized exports of defense articles by employees via hand-carry to proscribed destinations listed in 22 C.F.R. 126.1; and violations of terms, conditions, and provisos of DDTC authorizations.
RTX disclosed all of the alleged violations voluntarily. RTX also cooperated with the Department's review of this matter and has implemented numerous improvements to its compliance program since the conduct at issue.
Under the terms of the 36-month Consent Agreement, RTX will pay a civil penalty of $200 million. The Department has agreed to suspend $100 million of this amount on the condition that the funds will be used for the Department-approved Consent Agreement remedial compliance measures to strengthen RTX's compliance program. In addition, for an initial period of at least 24 months, RTX will engage an external Special Compliance Officer to oversee the Consent Agreement, which will also require at least one external audit of its ITAR compliance program and implementation of additional compliance measures.
This settlement demonstrates the Department's role in furthering the national security and foreign policy of the United States by controlling the export of defense articles. The settlement also highlights the importance of exporting defense articles only pursuant to appropriate authorization from the Department.
The Consent Agreement and related documents will be available for public inspection in the Public Reading Room of the Department of State and on the Penalties and Oversights Agreements section of the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls' website.
For additional information, please contact the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs Office of Congressional and Public Affairs at pm-cpa@state.gov.
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New Zealand-United States Strategic Dialogue
US Department of State
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
August 30, 2024
The following is the Joint Statement released by the Governments of the United States and New Zealand on the occasion of the New Zealand - United States Strategic Dialogue in Auckland, New Zealand.
Begin text:
New Zealand Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Bede Corry and United States Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell met in Auckland, New Zealand for the New Zealand-United States Strategic Dialogue. The annual Strategic Dialogue is an opportunity to celebrate and deepen the long-standing and historic partnership between New Zealand and the United States. This meeting underscored the deep commitment of both countries to shared values and to working ever more closely together to support them, in an increasingly complex Indo-Pacific environment.
Referring to the Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, in April 2024, the Strategic Dialogue highlighted the importance to both countries of investing in the bilateral relationship and proud tradition of partnership. As part of that investment, the two committed to maintaining the close and trusted security partnership, enhancing defence collaboration, and growing the trade and economic relationship. This commitment was further emphasized during President Biden's recent meeting with Prime Minister Luxon in Washington on the margins of the NATO Summit, where both leaders reiterated the importance of a strong and resilient partnership in the face of global challenges.
Secretary Corry and Deputy Secretary Campbell noted that they were meeting at a time when global challenges are compelling New Zealand and the United States to strengthen cooperation in support of shared values and interests, including championing the rule of law, democracy, human rights, trade and investment, and strong people-to-people connections.
Secretary Corry and Deputy Secretary Campbell launched the New Zealand-United States Dialogue on Critical and Emerging Technologies. This will facilitate links between New Zealand and United States technology sectors, explore new avenues for research cooperation, and focus on opportunities to address regulatory and legal issues pertaining to the technology partnership between the two countries. The launch of this new strand of the relationship will enhance economic connections and build prosperity, including through technology and innovation, and is a fitting means to celebrate the 150th anniversary of when American scientists visited New Zealand for the first time to observe the transit of Venus.
The United States and New Zealand committed to pursue focused collaboration on the need to advance safe, secure, trustworthy, and responsible AI innovation; safe and secure biotechnologies; and quantum computing. They reaffirmed that the digital economy and information and communication technologies act as an essential enabler of these critical and emerging technologies.
Secretary Corry and Deputy Secretary Campbell also welcomed the April 2024 convening of the first-ever United States-New Zealand Space Dialogue, which demonstrated the robust and growing cooperation between the United States and New Zealand in outer space, and look forward to exploring further opportunities to strengthen bilateral collaboration.
The Strategic Dialogue focused on developments in the Pacific, the Indo-Pacific strategic environment, the Middle East, Russia's unprovoked war against Ukraine, and regional economic issues. Secretary Corry and Deputy Secretary Campbell expressed grave concern about dangerous, destabilising, and provocative actions in the South China Sea, including by Chinese vessels towards Philippines vessels. They emphasized the need for upholding principles of international law, including freedom of navigation and peaceful resolution of disputes. They also underscored the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and encouraged the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues.
Both nations highlighted the necessity for increased interoperability with like-minded countries to address common challenges. In this context, the United States also expressed its strong support for the close and cooperative relationship between Australia and New Zealand, recognizing its importance for regional stability and prosperity.
The two countries' deep ties with the Pacific Islands were underscored, as well as their commitment to continuing to do more together in and with the Pacific to support Pacific priorities, the centrality of the Pacific Islands Forum, and the Pacific Islands Forum's 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. The United States and New Zealand resolved to cooperate in the Pacific on issues ranging from maritime cooperation to economic prosperity and infrastructure. This commitment reflects our shared vision for a resilient and thriving Pacific community.
As two countries with a deep and enduring stake in an open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, New Zealand and the United States are committed to upholding the conditions that have enabled the region to thrive and to working with other like-minded regional partners and frameworks, such as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). Recognizing the increasing connectivity between Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security and stability, Secretary Corry and Deputy Secretary Campbell welcomed the deepening coordination among NATO and Indo-Pacific Partners. Secretary Corry welcomed the United States' proposal announced at NATO for the Foreign Ministers of New Zealand, Australia, Japan and Republic of Korea to meet with United States Secretary of State Blinken later in 2024. They also discussed the AUKUS trilateral partnership and affirmed it was an initiative which would enhance regional security and stability. They acknowledged New Zealand's interest in exploring potential collaboration on advanced capability projects under AUKUS Pillar II.
Secretary Corry and Deputy Secretary of State Campbell looked forward to the next United States-New Zealand Foreign Ministers' meeting, as committed to by Secretary of State Blinken and Deputy Prime Minister Peters in Washington DC in April 2024. They expressed their enthusiasm for continuing to build on the strong foundation of friendship and collaboration that defines the New Zealand-United States relationship.
End text.
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Statement from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) on the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) military operation in the Occupied West Bank.
30 August 2024
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said:
The UK is deeply concerned by the ongoing IDF military operation in the occupied West Bank.
We recognise Israel's need to defend itself against security threats, but we are deeply worried by the methods Israel has employed and by reports of civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure.
The risk of instability is serious and the need for de-escalation urgent. We continue to call on Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, and clamp down on the actions of those who seek to inflame tensions. The UK strongly condemns settler violence and inciteful remarks such as those made by Israel's National Security Minister Ben-Gvir, which threaten the status-quo of the Holy Sites in Jerusalem.
It is in no one's interest for further conflict and instability to spread in the West Bank.
Yemen: Needs grow for millions displaced amid catastrophic flooding and prolonged humanitarian emergency
UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Mysa Khalaf - to whom quoted text may be attributed - at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
30 August 2024
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is warning that millions of displaced Yemenis face worsening conditions as Yemen's prolonged crisis deepens. This is according to the findings of a latest UNHCR assessment.
UNHCR's Internally Displaced Persons Protection Monitoring Update, issued this week, reveals a grim picture of the conditions affecting Yemen's displaced and host communities. The data, collected from over 47,000 households in the first half of 2024, offers insights into the struggles of internally displaced people (IDPs), returnees and host community members. Among these households, a significant number reside in formal and informal IDP sites, reflecting the ongoing displacement crisis.
Away from the world's headlines, we fear the situation is deteriorating. The report shows that 85 per cent of these families are unable to meet their daily food needs. Many have resorted to extreme coping mechanisms, like reducing meal sizes or skipping meals altogether. These statistics represent the harsh reality where entire families are facing hunger every day.
Another critical but overlooked issue is the widespread lack of civil documentation among displaced families. Over 51 per cent of families surveyed have at least one child without a birth certificate, and 70 per cent have family members without national identity cards. Without these crucial documents, families are cut off from accessing essential services, education, and their fundamental rights, exacerbating their vulnerability and hindering their ability to rebuild their lives.
Despite efforts to improve living conditions, the majority of displaced families do not feel safe returning home due to persistent instability, a lack of livelihood opportunities and dangers like landmines, trapping them in a cycle of protracted displacement.
Yemen - which remains one of the world's worst humanitarian crises - faces extreme challenges even as attention has shifted to other global emergencies. Currently, 18.2 million people in the country, including 4.5 million displaced, are in urgent need of humanitarian aid. This includes more than 60,000 refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from Somalia and Ethiopia.
More systematic and sustained global support is needed for countries like Yemen - one of the world's most climate-vulnerable countries. It is also among the least prepared to mitigate or adapt to the impacts of extreme weather conditions and disasters fueled by climate change, as these become more frequent.
The recent catastrophic flooding in the Malhan district of Al Mahweet governorate, triggered by heavy rains and the bursting of three dams, has devastated entire communities. Over the past month, floods have claimed 97 lives and injured many more, affected over 56,000 family homes across 20 governorates and displaced over 1,000 families. The hardest-hit areas include Al Hudaydah, Hajjah, Al-Taweela and Marib. Impassable roads are isolating affected areas and hampering rescue efforts.
This disaster, layered on top of Yemen's ongoing crisis, has compounded the suffering of millions. Vital infrastructure has been obliterated, shelters washed away, and farmlands submerged. Unexploded ordnance unearthed by the floods poses additional threats to civilians and humanitarian workers.
As the lead agency for protection, shelter, non-food items and camp coordination, UNHCR is working with local partners to provide urgent assistance. We are ramping up cash assistance - a critical lifeline for the most vulnerable. This includes multipurpose cash to cover essential needs, respond to immediate crises, obtain documentation and repair damaged shelters. UNHCR is also advancing longer-term solutions, including home rehabilitation for IDP returnees, upgrading host community facilities, and initiatives to foster social cohesion.
However, available resources are insufficient to meet critical humanitarian needs. As of 31 July, UNHCR's country appeal for $354 million was just 21 per cent funded, leaving critical areas like protection and shelter severely underfunded.
UNHCR appeals to the international community to strengthen its support and solidarity with the people of Yemen. The world cannot afford to overlook Yemen's crisis any longer. Sustained and coordinated support is crucial at this moment, as millions of lives are at stake.
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Humanitarian pauses in Gaza pave way for polio vaccinations
By Nathalie Minard
30 August 2024 - UN aid teams have reached a tentative agreement with parties involved in the war in Gaza for humanitarian pauses to allow 640,000 children to be vaccinated amid an outbreak of the virus, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
WHO Representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, said that the two-round vaccination campaign is due to begin this Sunday in central Gaza for three days, then move to the southern and northern areas. A second dose will be administered after four weeks.
"During each round of the campaign, the Palestinian Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the WHO, [the UN Children's Fund] UNICEF, UNRWA [the UN agency for Palestine refugees] and partners, will provide two drops of novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) to more than 640,000 children under 10 years of age," Dr. Peeperkorn said.
Doses ready to go
The campaign is all set after the delivery of 1.26 million doses of vaccines to Gaza and 500 vaccine carriers. According to the UN health agency, 400,000 additional vaccine doses will arrive in Gaza soon.
Speaking from Gaza, Dr. Peeperkorn welcomed a preliminary commitment with the Israeli military to "area-specific humanitarian pauses" during the vaccination campaign.
"We call on all parties to pause fighting to allow children and families to safely access health facilities and community outreach workers to get to children who cannot access health facilities for polio vaccination," he said.
Without humanitarian pauses, the campaign - a massive task in any setting, let alone after more than 10 months of heavy fighting, mass casualties and displacement - will not be possible, warned the WHO.
The campaign will be rolled out in phases of three days each, starting with central Gaza, followed by southern and finally northern Gaza.
Obstacles to overcome
Vaccinations will be extended by one day wherever necessary to account for upticks in violence, destroyed roads and infrastructure damage - all additional hurdles that could hamper the objective of achieving sufficient vaccine coverage within three days in each area.
At least 90 per cent vaccination coverage during each round of the campaign is needed to stop the outbreak and prevent international spread of the sometimes-deadly waterborne disease, which can cause lifelong paralysis.
The UN health agency will coordinate with all parties, including the Israeli humanitarian coordination unit, COGAT, to ensure safe access to health facilities for children and families.
"Security is paramount" for more than 2,180 health workers and community outreach workers ready to support the campaign, insisted Dr. Peeperkorn.
Vaccines will be delivered to 392 locations and complemented by some 300 mobile teams - a "not ideal" arrangement - but one that has been agreed "with all the parties, he continued. "We will do our best to reach 90 per cent coverage."
According to the WHO, routine immunization has been "very well received" in Gaza and the West Bank historically, with parents eager to bring their children for vaccination. Coverage has been as high as 95 per cent in past years, higher than in many countries.
West Bank operation continues
Amid a fourth day of Israeli military operations in the West Bank, humanitarians voiced concerns about the safety of civilians and aid teams.
Raids by the Israeli Security Forces (ISF) in densely populated Jenin and Tulkarem have reportedly killed at least 15 people. "Unimpeded accessibility of facilities is crucial for reaching and receiving care, but also to deliver health aid. We call on the infrastructure, ambulances, health workers around hospitals, health facilities to be protected," stressed Dr. Peeperkorn.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the escalation late Wednesday, calling for an "immediate cessation" of Israeli operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Since the start of the war, 652 Palestinians have also been killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including 150 children, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. More than 5,400 people have been injured.
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UN deputy chief appeals for global solidarity as crises roil East Africa
30 August 2024 - Spotlighting crises roiling parts of eastern Africa, the UN deputy chief concluded a regional visit in Adre, Chad, on Friday, calling for global solidarity to tackle famine in Sudan, flooding and mass displacement while ensuring free-flowing aid for millions trapped in war zones and those fleeing for their lives.
Chad hosts more than 1.1 million refugees, many escaping violence in Sudan, where rival militaries have been fighting since April 2023. At the same time, the war has also triggered colossal suffering within Sudan's borders.
"The humanitarian task that we have in Sudan has been very big," UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said. "It has been one that we have been consistently supporting the government to try to address the crisis. The suffering of the people in this country is one of the worst crises in the world today."
Ms. Mohammed met officials in Chad and announced $5 million allocation from the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) as part of a rapid response towards supporting flood recovery efforts, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters at UN Headquarters on Friday.
Region in crisis
Chad and neighbouring Sudan have been grappling with multiple crises. That includes the ongoing Sudanese war and recent floods affecting 960,000 people in Chad and 310,000 in Sudan, according to UN agencies.
Discussions between the UN deputy chief and local authorities in Chad centred on the complex challenges facing the country, including regional dynamics and key risks, and highlighted "the urgent need for global solidarity", the UN Spokesperson said.
Reaffirming the UN's commitment, Ms. Mohammed called for "maximum solidarity and resources" to ensure the humanitarian response fulfills its mandate and supports the people of the region, urging parties "to invest more in saving lives and livelihoods".
'Vital lifeline for aid delivery'
While in Chad, Ms. Mohammed observed the humanitarian corridor operation at the newly opened Adre crossing point into Sudan and engaged with refugee representatives, women, youth and community leaders, welcoming the recent opening as "a positive step" towards providing lifesaving aid in Sudan.
"This crossing is a vital lifeline for aid delivery to millions in Sudan and must remain open and accessible to facilitate large-scale humanitarian assistance while ensuring the safety of aid workers," according to the UN Spokesperson.
Shuttered for one year, this humanitarian corridor will allow UN agencies to scale up assistance to 14 areas facing famine in Darfur, Kordofan, Khartoum and Al Jazirah.
'We need resources now'
The UN deputy chief underlined the critical importance of keeping the border crossing permanently open.
The Adre crossing is the most effective and shortest route to deliver humanitarian assistance into Sudan - and particularly the Darfur region - at the scale and speed required to respond to the immense hunger crisis.
"What we have to do is to match the openings of these borders with the aid that goes in, and that means resources," she insisted, "and so we need those resources, and we need them now."
The UN $2.7 billion appeal is only 41 per cent funded.
Sudan: War, displacement and hunger
Across the border, in Sudan, food security experts recently declared that the war has pushed parts of North Darfur state into famine, particularly the Zamzam camp, where more than half a million displaced people are sheltering.
About 25.6 million people - over half of the population of Sudan - face acute hunger, including more than 755,000 people on the brink of famine and an estimated 10.7 million people are now internally displaced, according to UN agencies.
When visiting Sudan earlier this week, Ms. Mohammed met with the country's President and cabinet members, who agreed that the Jeddah peace process must be implemented swiftly. She emphasised that "there is consensus there, and there is no reason why that cannot be moved forward."
However, the discussion largely focussed on the humanitarian agenda and "the urgency of this", she told reporters at a press conference in Port Sudan on Thursday.
She said efforts are addressing the Sudanese Government's legitimate concerns and setting up procedures that "would ensure this aid gets to people where it's meant.
'Crisis around famine'
"We have impending crisis around famine," Ms. Mohammed said. "We are not getting medical supplies in where there are health crises. But, more importantly, we have to remember the suffering of the people, and we are here to do this with the Government of Sudan."
Ms. Mohammed met with displaced persons, the UN team as well as with a number of government officials.
"What we have done is to sit down with the humanitarian aid commission, and then we have had discussions on how, first of all, not to stop any of the aid that is available right now going in," she explained.
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Gold Coast woman Emma is one of many customers who claim they've experienced significant problems with their new Hyundai Kona cars.
Emma claims the brakes on her 2023 Hyundai Kona suddenly stopped working while she was driving. Source: TikTok/Emmaclarke2
A frightened Hyundai driver claims her car's brakes "stopped working" suddenly while driving, forcing her to crash her car to stop before switching it off. The young woman is one of many who claim they've had endless technical faults with their new or near-new Hyundai Kona vehicle, however when complaining about the issues, she and others were apparently told there's nothing wrong.
Emma, from the Gold Coast, purchased the Hybrid SX2 model, which ranges between $39,906 and $52,989, in October, 2023. There is also a Kona petrol model and a fully electric one. She said the incident was "scary" and believes she "could have died" and is prompting others to "please be aware".
But despite her claims and many others, Hyundai Australia said the company "is not aware of any major issues" with the newer models when contacted by Yahoo News Australia. It's apparent other Kona models have also had issues, and were the subject of earlier recalls by Hyundai.
Detailing her ordeal on social media Emma said, "I was driving my car and the brakes just went, they stopped working. I had to crash my car, which wasn't [going] slow, and then turn it off because I couldn't f**king stop it".
She's now desperate to find other Kona owners who've experienced similar issues with the hope it could help get her car fixed. Since buying the car "brand new" she claims she's had it serviced twice and it is apparently due for another. But she was allegedly told by Hyundai there's "nothing wrong with my car".
Have you also had trouble with your car? Wed love to hear about it! Carly.bass@yahooinc.com
The Gold Coast woman drives a 2023 Hyundai Kona hybrid, like the one shown in this stock image. Source: Google Images
Unhappy customers report similar faults in Hyundai Kona cars
To her surprise, the comments were flooded with messages from other owners who say they've also had trouble. A quick search on social media will present a range of complaints from unhappy Hyundai customers claiming they too have experienced similar technical problems.
While not all specific to the 2023 Hyundai Kona hybrid model, the problems appear to exist among a range of Kona models spanning different years and varieties. Claims from owners suggest the problems also affect the petrol as well as hybrid models.
On Tiktok, there are dozens of issues specific to "Hyundai Kona problems" across the world, while on Facebook there are specific groups dedicated to issues associated with Hyundai Kona cars, with thousands of members collectively many of which are from Australia.
"I loved my Kona until my brakes failed to work," one posted in a dedicated Facebook group. "Try 8 complete brake failures," another claimed, adding Hyundai "couldnt find a fault".
Others have reported "the worst customer service" and a "dismissive" attitude when attempting to find a resolution. "I have had ongoing electrical failures, one major electrical failure. No fault codes every single time," another said.
One woman claimed two of her windows stopped working shortly after purchasing her Hyundai Kona in 2019. "Funny thing is my two friends also have the same car and the same thing has happened to them," she said. "It seems to be a pattern with these cars".
Another said their 2019 model was "plagued with issues". Yahoo News Australia attempted to contact several Kona owners to discuss their issues.
Several recalls on Hyundai Kona models globally
While there has been no recall in Australia for Emma's specific hybrid model, Hyundai Australia did issue a recall for some Konas built between 2020 and 2022 to deal with problems with the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission which could cause a loss of drive. This year there were an additional two recalls on some 2023 and 2024 versions.
Meanwhile, in South Korea, about 40,000 Kona electric and hybrid electric vehicles produced between May 2019 and November 2020 were recalled "due to faulty electronic braking systems".
In the UK, there were multiple reports of the 2024 Hyundai Kona model experiencing "loss of power" suddenly, posing a risk to drivers. It appears the hybrid model was not impacted by this recall.
And in the US, a class action lawsuit was mounted alleging certain Hyundai and Kia (owned by parent company Hyundai) models have engines which are prone to seizure, stalling, failure, and possibly catching fire. Claims suggest that some of those who bought or leased these vehicles were unfairly denied repairs under warranty.
A similar action thought to impact as many as half a million Australian cars is still underway after being lodged in February 2023, according to Drive.com.au. The class action covers certain Hyundai and Kia cars powered by 1.6-litre, 2.0-litre, and 2.4-litre petrol engines and includes a mix of sedans, hatchbacks and SUVs. The 2018-20 Kona was among the 13 Hyundai models listed.
Hyundai Australia responds to claims of Kona problems
In a statement to Yahoo News Australia, Hyundai Australia insists the company "is not aware of any major issues with the new SX2 model Kona, either with the hybrid, internal combustion engine (ICE) or EV (Electric Vehicle) variants".
It's understood the company is referring to the 2024 and not the 2023 model which Emma owns.
"Some ICE Konas were subject to two recalls on a relatively small number of vehicles earlier this year, but there have been no incidents or major issues related to those recalls," a spokesperson said.
"As neither our Customer Care team nor Hyundai dealers have received a significant number of calls from customers related to issues with the new Kona, we are confident that the overwhelming majority of Kona customers are happy with their new cars."
Hyundai has also been hit with complaints of defective paint jobs on many i20 models, mostly white vehicles, leaving some customers up for thousands in repairs.
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World News in Brief: Terror attacks in Pakistan and Burkina Faso, Yemen floods update, mass graves in Libya
30 August 2024 - A UN independent human rights expert on Friday condemned recent terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso, which resulted in approximately 200 deaths, and in Pakistan, where 28 civilians lost their lives.
Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group, claimed responsibility for the attack in Burkina Faso on August 24. The attacks in Pakistan, which took place on Wednesday, were claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
Ben Saul, the UN Human Rights Council-appointed Special Rapporteur on protection of human rights while countering terrorism, urged both countries to investigate the crimes and prosecute the perpetrators through a fair trial.
"All counter-terrorism operations by police, security forces and the military must comply with human rights law, and international humanitarian law as relevant, including the right to life, freedom from arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance, freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and civil and political rights," he said.
Support victims
Mr. Saul also urged the governments in Burkina Faso and Pakistan to support the victims of the attacks.
"I encourage the Government of Burkina Faso to re-engage with the international community...to restore security, address the conditions leading to insecurity, and ensure respect for international humanitarian law," he said.
Mr. Saul has advised the two governments on how to assist the victims and address terrorist violence.
Appointed by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, Special Rapporteurs are mandated to monitor and report on country or thematic human rights situations. Serving independent of governments and the United Nations, the experts are not UN staff members and do not draw a salary.
Needs grow in Yemen amid catastrophic flooding, warns UN agency
Over to war-ravaged Yemen, where the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, warned that catastrophic flooding has created an even worse situation for the millions of displaced people in the country.
The agency reported that flooding, caused by the bursting of three dams due to heavy rains in Al Mahweet governorate in western Yemen, devastated entire communities.
In the past month, at least 97 lives were lost in the floods, with many more injured, UNHCR said. Over 56,000 homes across 20 governorates have been damaged or destroyed, displacing more than 1,000 families.
The hardest-hit areas include Hudaydah, Hajjah, Al-Taweela and Marib.
"Impassable roads are isolating affected areas and hampering rescue efforts," the UN agency explained.
Basic needs unmet
Recent UNHCR assessments indicate that 85 percent of families in Yemen's displaced and host communities are now unable to meet their daily food needs.
"Many have resorted to extreme coping mechanisms, such as reducing meal sizes or skipping meals altogether," UNHCR emphasized, noting that "entire families" face hunger daily in Yemen.
Nearly a decade of conflict between the Government and opposition, mainly Houthi forces, has created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with more than 18 million people - including 4.5 million displaced - urgently needing aid.
This figure includes over 60,000 refugees and asylum seekers, primarily from the Horn of Africa.
Libya: Mass graves at Tarhuna in human rights spotlight
Mass killings, sexual violence and abductions in the Libyan city of Tarhuna, dating back to 2013, continue to go unpunished, risking further instability and division in the country, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, has warned.
A new report from UN rights investigators details how an armed group that emerged in 2011, following the overthrow of longtime President Muammar Gaddafi, exercised brutal control over Tarhuna, a city of 150,000 people, about 65 kilometres (41 miles) southeast of Tripoli.
The Al-Kaniyat fighters' crimes also included torture, ill-treatment and forced displacement between 2013 and 2022.
Failure to deliver justice
Speaking in Geneva on Friday, OHCHR spokesperson Seif Magango emphasized that the "failure to deliver justice" has led to renewed violence and serious rights violations in Tarhuna and surrounding areas. These findings echo an earlier report commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council.
"The 2022 Fact-Finding Mission report detailed evidence of atrocities committed in Tarhuna, including the discovery of mass graves containing hundreds of human remains, most of them handcuffed, blindfolded, and showing signs of torture," he said.
"The report also warned of the possibility that there could be up to 100 more such mass burial sites."
Mr. Magango added that Al-Kaniyat's integration into the former Government of National Accord (GNA) and later the Libyan National Army (LNA) has been "a significant barrier" to accountability and justice.
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UN releases US$100 million to ramp up responses to 10 underfunded humanitarian crises
UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(New York/Geneva, 30 August 2024) As the global funding outlook remains grim, the United Nations today released US$100 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to address critical underfunding of humanitarian emergencies across 10 countries in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East.
"In far too many humanitarian emergencies, a lack of funding prevents aid agencies from reaching people who need life-saving assistance, and that is heart-wrenching," said Joyce Msuya, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. "CERF funding is an emergency cash injection of last resort to avert the worst and save lives when other humanitarian funding is inadequate. We urgently need increased and sustained donor attention to these underfunded crises."
More than one third of this new funding from CERF, which is managed by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), will support aid operations in Yemen ($20 million) and Ethiopia ($15 million), where people are grappling with the combined impact of hunger, displacement, diseases and climate disasters.
The new funding package will also support humanitarian operations in countries beset by years of conflict and displacement, exacerbated by climate shocks and stresses. They include Myanmar ($12 million), Mali ($11 million), Burkina Faso ($10 million), Haiti ($9 million), Cameroon ($7 million) and Mozambique ($7 million). Countries responding to El Nino-induced drought and flooding, such as Burundi ($5 million) and Malawi ($4 million), are also included.
Recognizing climate change as a key driver of humanitarian needs, part of this allocation will promote climate-smart humanitarian action supported by CERF's Climate Action Account.
This is CERF's second allocation for underfunded emergencies this year, following the release of $100 million in February for seven countries.* However, the combined $200 million released this year for poorly funded humanitarian crises is the lowest amount in the last three years, underscoring the growing gap between humanitarian needs and the donor funding CERF receives to meet them.
This year, the humanitarian community is seeking some $49 billion to reach 187 million of the most vulnerable people in crises worldwide. To date, only 29 per cent of this funding has been received, leaving a $35 billion gap.
*CERF allocates funding for underfunded emergencies twice a year. The previous $100 million, released in February, supported humanitarian operations in Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Honduras, Lebanon, Niger, Sudan and Syria.
Note to Editors:
CERF is one of the fastest funding instruments available to help people affected by crises.
Managed by OCHA on behalf of the UN Secretary-General, CERF enables timely, effective and life-saving humanitarian action by UN agencies and others to kick-start or reinforce emergency response anywhere it is required. Funding decisions for underfunded emergencies are based on detailed analysis of more than 90 humanitarian indicators and wide consultations with partners.
Since its creation by the UN General Assembly in 2005, and with generous contributions from
135 Member States and observers, as well as other donors including private individuals, CERF has assisted hundreds of millions of people with $9.3 billion across more than 110 countries and territories. This includes $3.2 billion for underfunded crises, including this latest allocation. CERF has an annual funding target of $1 billion.
CERF is the leading global humanitarian funding tool for responding to climate-related humanitarian emergencies. To strengthen this function, CERF launched its Climate Action Account at COP28, offering a quick, efficient and impactful avenue for climate-related humanitarian finance. It aims to assist the world's most vulnerable communities facing the consequences of the climate crisis, including through anticipatory action and life-saving projects that also build people's adaptation and resilience.
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UNRWA Situation Report #132 on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. All information from 27-28 August 2024, valid as of 28 August 2024 at 22:30 (local time)
UNRWA
30 Aug 2024
Key Points
The Gaza Strip
Ongoing strikes by Israeli Security Forces (ISF) continue, with aerial, land and maritime bombardments across the Gaza Strip, resulting in civilian casualties, displacement and the destruction of residential structures and public infrastructure.
According to MSF, evacuation orders by the Israel military continue to compress people into smaller and smaller areas along the increasingly cramped coastal area of Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip. Living conditions are continuing to deteriorate. People displaced in Khan Younis are without proper access to food, water and essential services.
According to the UN, at least 1.9 million people (or nine in ten people) across the Gaza Strip are internally displaced, including people who have been repeatedly displaced (some, up to 10 times).
On 28 August, the World Food Programme (WFP) temporarily suspended staff movement across Gaza following shooting at a WFP vehicle. Despite being clearly marked and receiving multiple clearances by the Israeli authorities to approach, the vehicle was directly hit by gunfire as it was moving towards an Israeli miliary checkpoint.
Several challenges stand in the way of collecting much needed humanitarian supplies from the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing point in southern Gaza. These include deteriorating law and order, war and insecurity, damaged infrastructure, fuel shortages and access restrictions. According to OCHA, between 1 and 25 August 2024, an average of only 69 humanitarian trucks entered the Gaza Strip per day. This is well below the pre-crisis average of 500 trucks per working day.
According to several INGOs one of the most significant obstacles to bringing in aid supplies continues to be the delays imposed by the Israeli authorities in approving cargo to enter Gaza. Food and essential medical supplies are at risk of expiring before they can be approved for entry, while fresh produce continues to be denied entry at key crossings, and meat on cold chain trucks is held up pending approval. A substantial amount of aid remains in Egypt, unable to enter Gaza, with very little humanitarian supplies entering following the May 2024 Israeli military offensive in Rafah.
As of 29 August, the total number of UNRWA team members killed since 7 October is 212 .
. The latest information on supplies entering Gaza can be accessed through the below link:
Gaza Supplies and Dispatch Tracking | UNRWA
The West Bank, including East Jerusalem
The West Bank, including East Jerusalem update is now once a week.
According to OCHA, between 7 October 2023 and 26 August 2024, 622 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Separately, UNICEF confirmed that over 150 children have been killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, during the period, 7 October 2023 to 22 July 2024.
A large-scale ISF operation started on 27 August across the northern West Bank, in Jenin, Tubas, Tulkarm and Qalqiliya governorates. As of 28 August, 14 Palestinians were reported killed and at least another 30 were injured. At least eight of those killed were a result of ISF airstrikes, which were reported in El Far'a Camp, Nur Shams Camp and Sir village in the early morning of 28 August. The extensive use of armoured bulldozers and heavy machinery by the ISF was recorded in Jenin Camp and city, Tulkarm city and El Far'a Camp, resulting in the destruction of infrastructure, including water, sewerage, electricity and roads. UNRWA installations in the impacted areas remained closed during this period due to the ongoing security situation.
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Bombs Away: IKE Completes Tri-Carrier Ammo Off-Load
US Navy
30 August 2024
From Story by Seaman Evan Antonisse
ATLANTIC OCEAN -- The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (IKE) completed an ammunition off-load with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), the Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and dry cargo ship USNS William McLean (T-AKE 12), Aug. 22-30.
To prepare for transport, IKE's weapons department staged 3 million pounds of ammunition on the flight deck and in the hangar bay.
Ordnance was transferred to Ford and Truman by MH-60S Seahawk helicopters attached to the "Tridents" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 9 and the "Dragon-Slayers" of HSC-11. The "Dusty Dogs" of HSC-7 moved ordnance from IKE to the McLean.
In total, 1,764 vertical replenishment and connected replenishment transfers were conducted during the underway.
"Weapons department was amazing at clearing out all of the ordnance on the ship," said Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Alexis Armstrong, G-5 division leading chief petty officer. "Off-loads and on-loads are like the Super Bowl for us."
In order to ensure the success of the off-load, leadership emphasized safety as the top priority for the entire crew.
"Prior to every ordnance evolution, each division does a safety brief at the beginning of each off-load," said Master Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Jerome Ruffins, weapons department leading chief petty officer. "Throughout the off-load we have officers, chief petty officers and first-class petty officers that are roving the flight deck, hangar bay and magazines for safety. We are moving a lot of heavy equipment and explosives, so safety is paramount."
The ammunition off-load was a success and the weapons department chain of command was pleased with the commitment and effort from their Sailors.
"I was highly impressed with the amount of work it takes to get everything out of the magazines and ready for vertical or connected replenishments," said Cmdr. Kent Davis, weapons department head, better known as "Gun Boss". "It was a huge effort for the whole team to come together and make it happen."
The Nimitz-class aircraft carriers USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and the Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) are underway in the Atlantic Ocean for an ammunition transfer between the three ships and the Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship USNS William McLean (T-AKE 12).
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Analysts welcome Nigeria's security pact with Niger
By Timothy Obiezu August 30, 2024
Nigeria and neighboring Niger have signed an agreement to boost their security cooperation, despite tensions following a coup in Niger more than a year ago.
The Nigerian army announced the security cooperation pact on Tuesday in a communique. The countries' defense chiefs signed the accord this week in Niamey, Niger's capital.
It's the first military deal between the nations since last July's coup.
The Nigerian military statement said that under the deal, Niger reaffirmed its willingness to resume active participation in the Multinational Joint Task Force, a regional security alliance.
Security analyst Saheed Shehu praised the agreement.
"It's a very good development for Nigeria, for Niger and for the ECOWAS and for West Africa as a subregion," Shehu said. "They actually muddled up the situation after the Niger coup such that for this one year we have been in a stalemate. So this is the first time we're seeing the actual use of military diplomacy, because this followed a visit by the chief of defense staff."
The July 2023 coup which ousted Niger President Mohamed Bazoum strained relations with Nigeria, after ECOWAS, led by Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu, imposed tough sanctions on Niger and threatened a military invasion.
The West Africa subregion has struggled to stem violence from Islamist militants, including Boko Haram and other armed groups, for years.
Shehu said that if properly implemented, the Nigeria-Niger deal could lead to more positive outcomes for the region and ECOWAS.
"This is an avenue, if we exploit it very critically and with a lot of sense, it will be a way of bringing back not only Niger but also Burkina Faso and Mali," he said. "And what I'll like to advise President Tinubu who's the chairman of ECOWAS is to send the same kind of military diplomacy to Mali, probably to Burkina Faso."
In January, aggrieved by ECOWAS's sanctions, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso announced an exit from the regional bloc and later created a confederation. The three nations blamed ECOWAS for failing to tackle insecurity in the region.
Meanwhile, ECOWAS has not ruled out the possibility of a military intervention in Niger but it says it wants to pursue dialogue with the juntas.
Regional political affairs analyst Ahmed Buhari said ECOWAS made mistakes.
"Whether we like it or not, our neighbor might not be doing exactly what we want, but we cannot go to war with our neighbors, especially when we're interconnected on all levels," Buhari said. "There's no way we're going to be fighting insecurities in Nigeria and having these terrorists move into Niger and after a while bounce back. Similarly, if Niger is fighting them and there's no collaboration, they can come to Nigeria take a breather and then pounce back to Niger."
In April, when Nigeria hosted a regional counterterrorism summit in Abuja, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso did not attend.
Nigerien military delegates are expected in Nigeria soon to discuss the military cooperation. Many will be watching to see if the new partnership will change the regional status quo.
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Germany repatriates first group of Afghan refugees since Taliban takeover
By Ayaz Gul August 30, 2024
A group of 28 asylum-seekers were repatriated to Afghanistan from Germany on Friday after being deported for criminal convictions.
The deportees, on board a chartered flight, arrived in the capital of Kabul, where Taliban authorities promptly detained them for investigation and blocked journalists' access to the airport, according to witnesses.
The Taliban did not immediately issue a statement regarding the fate of the Afghan returnees or whether the repatriation resulted from mutual understanding between Kabul and Berlin.
Earlier, a German government spokesperson said in a statement on its website that the Afghan nationals had been "convicted for criminal offenses," carried "no legal residency," and "were subject to return orders."
Steffen Hebestreit, a spokesperson for the government, noted that this was the first time Germany had repatriated Afghan nationals since August 2021, when the Taliban regained control of the country.
"The federal government will continue with such returns," Hebestreit said. "The security interests of Germany clearly outweigh the claim for protection of criminals and individuals endangering national security."
The Taliban takeover had prompted Germany to halt deportations to Afghanistan and shut down its embassy in the country amid fears of reprisals against returnees.
Hebestreit did not respond to reports from German media that Friday's deportation flight resulted from two months of secret negotiations between Berlin and Taliban authorities, with Qatar serving as the intermediary.
He said in a statement that Germany had sought the support of "key regional partners to help facilitate the return" and was "very grateful for this support" without elaborating.
Violent offenders and sex offenders were reportedly among the Afghans sent back Friday, including a man who took part in the gang rape of a 14-year-old girl.
Friday's resumption of Afghan deportations came a week after a deadly knife attack at a street festival in the city of Solingen that shocked Germany. The Islamic State extremist group claimed responsibility for the attack that killed three people. A 26-year-old Syrian man allegedly carried it out.
Last May, a 25-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker was accused of killing a German police officer in a knife attack on a market square in the city of Mannheim. That incident occurred amid a reported increase in criminal activities involving Afghan nationals in Germany. It revived debate about deporting serious criminals even if they come from countries deemed unsafe, like Afghanistan or Syria.
The Taliban have implemented their strict interpretation of Islamic law in Afghanistan, placing restrictions on personal conduct and freedom of the population. They have barred Afghan girls from receiving an education beyond the sixth grade and women from most jobs in public and private sectors.
The curbs, particularly those on women and girls, have outraged the global community and deterred foreign governments from officially recognizing the de facto Kabul government.
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US imposes visa restrictions on South Sudanese officials for taxing aid shipments
By Kiliane Gateau August 30, 2024
The U.S. State Department announced Friday that it is imposing visa restrictions on South Sudanese officials and others who have obstructed humanitarian aid by taxing shipments.
South Sudan, which suffered a crushing civil war from 2013 to 2018, is now facing one of the world's most dire humanitarian crises.
Persistent conflict, natural disasters, and widespread poverty have left millions in urgent need of assistance.
The United Nations reported delays in the arrival of U.N. fuel tankers because of a tax dispute with South Sudanese authorities, jeopardizing the delivery of crucial aid worth millions of dollars.
The United States has expressed strong concerns about the South Sudan transitional government's lack of progress in meeting its commitments under a 2018 peace agreement. The agreement requires creating conditions that support effective humanitarian aid and protect those in need.
"Despite assurances, the government has not effectively reduced the high costs, bureaucratic barriers, and risks associated with providing humanitarian assistance," said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.
"This raises doubts about the government's commitment and ability to meet its 2018 peace agreement obligations and create an environment that supports aid delivery and protection."
Sudan peace talks
Recent developments show some progress in resolving Sudan's conflict, though, which would help ensure that South Sudan gets the aid it needs, despite the transitional government's shortcomings under the peace deal.
The first round of the U.S.-mediated peace talks in Geneva regarding Sudan, which concluded last week, resulted in breakthroughs that improved access to humanitarian aid.
The ALPS group Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, the U.S., the UAE, the African Union, and the U.N. negotiated the opening of two of three essential access routes into famine-stricken areas.
Tom Perriello, the U.S. special envoy for Sudan, reported that agreements were reached to open the Adre border and ensure access along the Dabbah Road from Port Sudan.
Those routes are now operational, allowing nearly 3,000 tons of food and emergency relief to reach those in need.
Despite the advancements, Sudan faces severe challenges.
The World Food Program says that more than 26 million people in Sudan are experiencing acute hunger, with over 755,000 at risk of famine.
Since the conflict began in April 2023, more than 18,800 people have been killed and more than 33,000 injured.
The U.N. describes Sudan as the world's largest displacement crisis, with upwards of 12 million people displaced.
The new visa restrictions will bar the affected individuals from entering the United States, aiming to pressure those blocking aid and highlight the need to meet humanitarian commitments.
VOA'S Lisa Schlein contributed to this story from Geneva. Some information for this report was provided by Reuters.
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OIC ends Cameroon meeting with pledge to help countries combat extremism, hardships, climate change
By Moki Edwin Kindzeka August 30, 2024
A two-day meeting of officials from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation ended in Cameroon Friday with promises to help member countries deal with armed conflict, violent extremism, economic hardships and climate shocks. OIC officials acknowledge these issues, among others, have plunged a majority of civilians in the 57-member organization into poverty.
About 500 delegates from 57 countries attended the meeting in Cameroon, including foreign ministers, diplomats and high-ranking officials.
Most of the conference focused on the problems faced by member countries.
Boukary Sawadogo, Burkina Faso's ambassador to Saudi Arabia and permanent representative of his country to the OIC, says he is satisfied that OIC member states have made very strong commitments to give direct assistance to nations that are tackling the root causes of conflicts, which are mainly poverty and hardships among civilians.
He says it is unfortunate that terrorism is surging in Burkina Faso with devastating consequences for its neighbors, Mali and Niger.
The OIC said it will assist Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, Pakistan, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia and Nigeria the member countries with the highest death tolls from terrorism.
The OIC also promised a donors conference before the end of 2024 to help refugees in Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria fleeing terrorism.
In terms of economic programs, the OIC said it is sponsoring construction of a road linking Chad and Cameroon, and said a second phase of that road project will be announced by November.
The organization said it will also launch reforestation programs in Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Burkina Faso, where the desert is advancing.
On a broader scale, Gambian diplomat Mamadou Tangara says the participants agreed to develop transport and communications, which he said are key tools to fight poverty and insecurity.
"The development of our transport and communication infrastructures could enhance and consolidate the sustainable social and economic development including the creation and facilitation of different economic opportunities such as job creation and market access, safety and security services contributing to improved emergency response and crime reduction mechanisms," he said.
The OIC says it is finalizing negotiations for possible construction of a 4,000-kilometer Africa transcontinental railway linking Senegal and Sudan. The railway would connect Africa with the Atlantic Ocean, the Red Sea, Middle East and Asia and increase access to markets and reducing poverty.
The OIC says it will continue to address the repercussions of what the participants call the brutal Israeli aggression on the Palestinian people, promising to strengthen Palestinian resilience in defending their legitimate rights.
They emphasized the need for the OIC's collective efforts to enact U.N. Security Council resolutions that call for an immediate and comprehensive cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, and sufficient and sustainable humanitarian aid to all parts of the Gaza Strip.
The OIC also said it will intensify humanitarian efforts and constructive dialogue in Afghanistan to end the ban on girls' education and women's work.
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Nigeria's oil company lack funds to fix leaky pipelines
By Gibson Emeka August 30, 2024
Nigeria's decades-old oil pipelines are vital for transporting crude, but most are now corroded and vulnerable to leaks and vandalism. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation says it lacks the funds to fix these pipelines, sparking concerns about Nigeria's oil production.
Oil fuels Nigeria's economy, making up more than 90% of its export value. Pipelines are the veins transporting crude from production sites to ports and refineries.
But those pipelines have lost more than 3 million barrels of oil in the first five months of this year, according to data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission. That amounts to about $265 million or N400 billion, based on an average of $88 a barrel.
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation's recent disclosure of a funding shortfall for pipeline maintenance could have serious consequences.
Faith Nwadishi, a leading Nigerian energy expert, raised the alarm about potential risks of this development.
"Why would they say that they have a shortage in funding, knowing that the pipelines are the vehicles for transmitting or transporting the crude that could actually bring in funds and revenue to the country? ... When these things are not done, we are also encouraging oil theft. We are encouraging destruction of the environment, oil spillages that could come from these pipelines that are over aged," Nwadishi said.
Although it remains a major oil producer, Nigeria is often behind on production targets because of theft and infrastructure challenges.
NNPC's 2023 financial statements show it spent nearly $29 million or N45.88 billion, on pipeline security and maintenance nationwide.
Public policy analyst Jide Ojo blamed the maintenance shortfall on multiple factors, including corruption.
"Corruption is what is responsible for the funding challenge of NNPCL. ... When things are shrouded in secrecy, it spaces room for abuse of office, corruption and all manners of malpractice. ... For many decades, we didn't even know how many liters of crude oil we were producing per day and there was a lot of impunity in that sector," Ojo said.
Nigeria's 2022 Petroleum Industry Act aimed to boost sector performance and attract investments, but progress has been minimal.
Ojo stressed the need for better reforms to strengthen public-private partnerships.
"Government needs to have better policy environment. ... The enabling environment needs to be better enhanced," Ojo said. "Don't forget, there is what is called the ease of doing business. I think the federal government needs to do more on that ease of doing business, so that our investors can come and make money, and be able to invest without much concern about repatriation of their money."
Nigeria removed its petroleum subsidy in May 2023 to conserve oil revenue, causing fuel prices to surge.
Pipeline inefficiencies add to pricing pressure, straining Nigeria's fragile economy.
Nwadishi called for a lasting solution to the crisis.
"If these pipelines have outlived their relevance or their lifespan, they should be replaced. ... There's technology to monitor the pressures that come from the different pipelines, and the different points of intersection," she said. "It could also help to know when there's interference in the pipeline. It also further helps to determine where volumes are being lost, so that early repairs can be made, and it reduces cost."
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Pacific leaders endorse regional policing agreement
By William Yang August 30, 2024
Top officials from 18 Pacific Island countries wrapped up their annual forum in Tonga on Friday, endorsing a regional policing initiative funded by Australia and urging donor nations to provide more resources to deal with climate change.
In a 16-page communique released Friday, which was viewed by VOA but has been removed from the forum's website, Pacific leaders "endorsed the Pacific Policing Initiative" and "welcomed Australia's support for the implementation" of it.
The initiative includes establishing a training center in Brisbane, four skills centers across the Pacific and a force of about 200 police officers that could be deployed across the region to deal with natural disasters or other emergencies.
Some analysts said the outcome was "a win for Australia."
"The result shows that Pacific leaders broadly continue to desire Australia as their partner of choice on policing," Parker Novak, a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub, told VOA by phone.
Other experts said the policing initiative was Australia's attempt to consolidate the regional security architecture as China tries to increase its security ties with Pacific Island countries.
"Australia is seeking to lock down the policing architecture in such a way that China isn't able to make any further inroads," said Anna Powles, an associate professor in security studies at Massey University in New Zealand.
Since 2022, China has signed security-related deals with some Pacific Island countries, including a police deal with the Solomon Islands in 2023 and an arrangement to provide policing support for Kiribati.
Despite endorsements from all regional countries, some Pacific leaders still worry that Australia might use the policing deal to push China out of the security space. Vanuatu's Prime Minister Charlot Salwai said the Pacific Islands Forum needs to ensure the policing initiative is not developed to "suit the geostrategic interests and geostrategic denial security postures of our big partners."
Powles told VOA the regional policing initiative would not affect existing bilateral policing arrangements between certain Pacific countries and China. "The deal is seeking to train and develop a cadre of Pacific police officers, but it doesn't preclude other external arrangements, such as Solomon Islands' policing arrangement with China," she said.
In response to Pacific countries' endorsement of the policing deal, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said during a regular press conference Wednesday that Beijing asserts "various parties should make [a] joint effort to promote the development and prosperity of Pacific Island countries."
In a video filmed by Radio New Zealand journalist Lydia Lewis on Wednesday, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell described the policing initiative as "fantastic" and told Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese the U.S. had contemplated a similar initiative but that Australian Ambassador to the U.S. Kevin Rudd told Washington it was not necessary.
"We've given you the lane, so take the lane!" Campbell told Albanese in the video.
Combating climate change
In addition to endorsing the regional policing deal, Pacific leaders also highlighted some pressing climate-related challenges that regional countries face.
In the final communique, Pacific leaders said sea level rise is a "severe manifestation of climate change that threatens Pacific communities, especially in low-lying nations" and strongly called for "the inclusion of sea level rise as a standalone agenda item" in the U.N. General Assembly and other U.N. processes.
Earlier this week, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the rate of sea level rise in the Pacific region as "a crazy situation" that will soon "swell to an almost unimaginable scale."
"A worldwide catastrophe is putting this Pacific paradise in peril," he warned during a tour in Tonga and Samoa on Monday.
Some experts say while the warning from Guterres has helped put the climate threats against Pacific Island countries into focus, conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have reduced the global discussion of climate change over the last two years.
"Given everything else that's going on in the world, the focus on climate change has slipped in the last 12 to 24 months, and that is a matter of concern for Pacific leaders and the U.N. secretary-general," Tess Newton Cain, an adjunct associate professor at Griffith Asia Institute in Australia, told VOA by phone.
Pacific Island countries' decision to reject the Solomon Islands' proposal to prevent Taiwan from participating in the forum has triggered angry reactions from Beijing.
"The situation is obvious, among the 18 members of the PIF, 15 countries have diplomatic relations with China, and 15 countries have categorically stated they stand by the One China principle," Chinese Pacific envoy Qian Bo told journalists following the meeting on Friday.
Great power competition
While major democracies and China have engaged in an intense competition for influence in the Pacific region since 2022, observers say Beijing and Washington have adopted a less competitive tone throughout this year's forum, a development welcomed by regional leaders.
The prime minister of Papua New Guinea, James Marape, commended the U.S. and China "for their pledges to work together with the nations of the Pacific," describing seeing Beijing and Washington laying aside their differences at the forum as "one of the highlights of the moment."
Newton Cain, who is in Tonga for the forum, said it remained to be seen whether Beijing and Washington could work more collaboratively in the Pacific region after the summit in Tonga. "If we were to see more efforts put into contributing jointly to the Pacific, that would be something welcomed by regional leaders," she told VOA.
Despite the less competitive approach adopted by Beijing and Washington, Novak from the Atlantic Council said geopolitical competition between big countries was "here to stay" in the Pacific region.
"China is going to continue focusing on bolstering bilateral relationships with Pacific Island countries, while democratic countries will work together to strengthen their presence in the region," he told VOA.
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One passenger has lifted the lid on cruise ship 'lies' such as the quality of food and cost of excursions.
A Princess Cruises passenger has vowed never to take another cruise after experiencing a disappointing voyage across the east coast of Australia. Travel blogger Samantha Tatro recently her cruise ship truth after a two-week holiday onboard the Grand Princess listing food, expensive excursions and damaging environmental impact among her top gripes.
"I honestly don't think I will ever step foot on a cruise boat again," Tatro told Yahoo News Australia. "I didn't want to knock it until I tried it, but as someone who loves to plan adventurous trips and truly explore off the beaten path, I found cruising to be the exact opposite of my ideal vacation."
Despite never having a huge desire to go on a cruise, Tatro, who is based in the Czech Republic, explained that her husband's family "love to cruise" so the pair met up last year for the two-week trip which set them back around $10,000 for a cabin with a balcony along with a food and drinks package.
Average food and the 'outrageous' cost of excursions was among her major gripes. Source: TikTok
Cruise passenger says reviews highlight 'unrealistic' truth
Tatro points out that many online disagree with her view that cruises are overrated, and says that she's never seen a "realistic" review of cruising.
"Like many people, I've seen so many videos about cruise ships and cruising and most of them have been overwhelmingly positive," she said. "However, I think most of those videos fail to capture the parts that might not work for some people."
"I wanted to share my thoughts because I felt I never saw a realistic side of cruising just the videos through rose-tinted glasses."
The global cruise industry is growing, and expects to carry 10 percent more passengers by 2028 than the 31.7 million who took cruise holidays in 2023, when the sector surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
Food onboard cruiseliner was 'beyond awful'
Tatro said high up her list of dislikes was the food that they were offered, describing it as "high school cafeteria food at best".
"The food on our cruise ship was beyond awful. I can't stress this enough," she said. "If you like flavour or delicious food in any way, shape, or form, I'm not sure cruise food is the food for you."
She explained that similar ingredients are repeated over and over such as Caesar salad and fettuccine alfredo, for example.
"It was especially hard to handle because I felt Australia had some of the best food, and we weren't able to eat any of it except for our short port stops."
"I know each line is different, and there's a lot of nuance and thought behind their resourcing, but I think many people often forget the fact that feeding thousands of people at sea is never going to result in the best food or the best cooking," she said.
She explained some higher quality meals came at a "hefty" additional payment.
Onboard, the family went on two excursions organised by the cruise - one was a snorkelling trip to the Great Barrier Reef which set the couple back over $1,400 and a tour of the Whitsundays which cost around $700.
Tatro believes the environmental impact of cruise ships is 'unforgivable'. Source: TikTok
Australia best visited in 'other ways'
Despite not loving her cruise experience, Tatro was able to spend eight days additional days travelling around Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road and the Grampians National Park as well. She says that "Australia is best visited in other ways" instead of a cruise.
"We joined the cruise primarily to spend time with our family, knowing we might not like the full cruise experience," she said.
And while Tatro is simply being honest about her personal experience, she said the response has been "overwhelmingly negative" with many saying that she was either on the "wrong" cruise or shouldn't base her opinion on just one experience.
"I think people forget that these are just my experiences and opinions providing a different way to think about cruise ships and cruising," she said. "It's been especially disheartening to hear how little people care about the environment and sustainable travel."
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Russo-Ukraine War - 30 August 2024 - Day 919
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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 24 August 2024, the Russian Kursk Oblast Administration announced the creation of the BARS-Kursk volunteer unit. Prospective recruits are promised that they will serve only within the Kursk Oblast in Russia on a six-month contract.
BARS (Combat Army Reserve of the Country) units were first established in 2021, initially intended to provide the Russian MOD with a cadre of active reservists with a high level of readiness and training. Since March 2022, volunteers have been able to join BARS units for short-term service. BARS units are predominantly light infantry formations which lack integrated artillery or armoured vehicles. There are now over 30 BARS units across Russia.
The creation of the BARS-Kursk volunteer unit is almost certainly a Russian response to the Ukrainian incursion into the Russian Kursk Oblast, which began on 6 August 2024. It is unlikely that the volunteer unit will be set up and able to support any Russian military activity in Kursk over the next month. Although it is likely attempting to build its forces in Kursk, Russia is currently prioritising the Pokrovsk axis in eastern Ukraine.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that in total, since the beginning of this day, there have been 179 combat clashes. Ukrainian defenders continue to decisively interrupt the attempts of the Russian enemy to advance into the depths of Ukrainian territory, giving him a fiery impression. The hottest situation remains in the Pokrovsky direction, also Russia is active in the Kupyansky, Lymansky and Kurakhiv directions.
Russian zagarbniki made two strikes on the territory of Ukraine with three rockets and 61 air strikes, dropping 73 cabis. In addition, 573 kamikaze drones were recruited and carried out more than 3180 shelling at the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.
Seven boezitknen took place in the Kharkiv direction. Defense Forces repelled attacks of Russians near Pletenivka, Liptsiv and Vovchansk. One Russian attack is still going on.
In the Kupiansky direction, Russian forces carried out offensive actions near Sinkivka, Kolisnikivka, Novoosinovoye, Lozova, Andriyivka, Stelmakhivka and Glushkivka. Twenty-six fights completed, four are still ongoing.
In the Lyman direction, Russian invaders stormed the positions of Defense Forces near Tverdohlibovoye, Novosergiyivka, Druzhelyubivka, Grekivka, Cherneshchyna, Makiyivka, Nevsky and Novosadovoye. Ukrainian defenders repelled 21 attacks, one - continues near Druzelubivka.
In the Sivers komu direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled four Russian attacks in the area of Verkhnyokamans -kogo, Ivano-Dar'ivka and Viymki.
12 battles were sharpened in the direction of Kramators komu, in particular, near Kalinivka, Chasovoy Yar, Stupochok, Ivanivsky, Andriyivka and Predtechniny. Defense forces stopped all enemy attacks of the zagarbnikiv.
15 boezitknen took place in the Torec komu direction. Russians stormed the positions of Ukrainian units near Toretsk and Nelipivka. At this time, one Russian attack is ongoing.
In the Pokrovsky direction, from the beginning of this day, 55 battles have been sharpened in the areas of the settlements Zelene Pole, Vozdvizhenko, Hrodivka, Karlivka, Novogrodivka, Marinivka, Mirolubivka, Mykhailivka and Selidove. Ukrainian defenders hit 52 offensive actions, three - still to go.
Today 318 occupiers were defecated in this direction, of which 132 - irrevocably. Also destroyed a tank, an infantry fighting machine, eight BPLAs and two vehicles units. To the same, the armored transporter, three artillery systems and two cars were damaged.
In the Kurakhiv direction, Russian forces 23 times attacked near Ukrainian, Galicinivka, Krasnogorivka, Georgiivka and Konstantinivka. Twenty-two clashes completed, one is still continuing.
In the Vremivs komu direction, Russian forces made eight unsuccessful attempts to push Ukrainian units out of the occupied borders of defense near Vugledar and Vodyany.
In the orihivs komu direction, Russian forces also failed during offensive action near robotiny.
In the Pridniprovsk direction, twice attacking the positions of the Defense Forces, the opponent was defeated.
In other directions - without much change.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that from 24 to 30 August 2024, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation delivered one mass strike and 14 group strikes by long-range precision weaponry, Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles, and attack unmanned aerial vehicles at critically important power and airfield infrastructure of Ukraine, POL depots, Western-made aircraft armament and artillery ammunition depots.
Moreover, strikes were delivered at UAV workshops, uncrewed surface vehicles storages, temporary deployment points of nationalist formations and foreign mercenaries.
Over the past week, units of the Sever Group of Forces have carried on an operation to neutralise AFU units in Kursk region. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of four mechanised brigades, one tank brigade, two air assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), three territorial defence brigades, as well as thwarted attempts to deploy enemy reserves from the territory of Ukraine.
In Volchansk and Liptsy direction, losses were inflicted on formations of one marine brigade, two territorial defence brigades, and two national guard brigades of the enemy. Over the past week, the AFU losses amounted to up to 3,580 troops, six tanks, 181 armoured fighting vehicles, and 103 motor vehicles in the area of the Sever Group of Forces responsibility.
Four MLRS launchers, including one U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS, 35 field artillery guns, 12 electronic warfare and counter-battery stations were destroyed.
As a result of cohesive actions, units of the Zapad Group of Forces liberated Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People's Republic) and Sinkovka (Kharkov region). Losses were inflicted on formations of six mechanised brigades, one tank brigade, one assault brigade, one airmobile brigade of the AFU, two territorial defence brigades, and the Azov Special Operations Brigade. Thirty-four counter-attacks launched by AFU assault detachments have been repelled.
The AFU losses amounted to more than 3,450 troops, two tanks, 11 armoured fighting vehicles, including three U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, and 51 motor vehicles. In the course of counter-battery warfare, one Croatian-made RAK-SA-12 MLRS launcher and 38 field artillery guns, including 18 Western-made self-propelled artillery systems and 155-mm howitzers were neutralised. Sixteen electronic warfare and counter-battery stations as well as 18 ammunition depots were destroyed.
As a result of decisive actions, units of the Yug Group of Forces liberated Konstantinovka (Donetsk People's Republic). Losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of three mechanised brigades, two motorised infantry brigades, two infantry brigades, four assault brigades of the AFU, and two territorial defence brigades. Five counter-attacks launched by AFU assault detachments were repelled.
The AFU losses amounted to more than 4,840 troops, U.S.-made Abrams and German-made Leopard tanks, four armoured fighting vehicles, 60 motor vehicles, 57 field artillery guns, with 23 of them made by NATO countries. Eleven electronic warfare stations and 16 field ammunition depots were destroyed.
As a result of active actions, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces liberated Orlovka, Kamyshevka, Nikolayevka, and Novozhelannoye (Donetsk People's Republic).
Losses were inflicted on formations of seven mechanised brigades, two jaeger brigades, one airborne brigade, one assault brigade of the AFU, two territorial defence brigades, and the Lyut Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian National Police. Fifty counter-attacks launched by AFU units were repelled.
Over the week in this direction, the AFU losses amounted to up to 3,720 troops, seven tanks, 14 armoured fighting vehicles, including one German-made Marder infantry fighting vehicle and two U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, 38 motor vehicles, one Grad MLRS combat vehicle, and 42 field artillery guns.
Units of the Vostok Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions as well as inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of two mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade of the AFU, and four territorial defence brigades. Eighteen counter-attacks launched by AFU assault detachments were repelled.
The AFU losses amounted to up to 860 troops, seven armoured fighting vehicles, 43 motor vehicles, 11 field artillery guns, including seven Western-made 155-mm self-propelled artillery systems and howitzers, and four electronic warfare stations.
Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of one infantry brigade, one mountain assault brigade of the AFU, two marine brigades, and one territorial defence brigade.
The AFU losses amounted to up to 460 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, 32 motor vehicles, 16 field artillery guns, and six U.S.-made 155-mm howitzers. Moreover, seven electronic warfare stations and three ammunition depots of the enemy were destroyed.
Over the past week, air defence units shot down one MiG-29 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force, three U.S.-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, four Tochka-U tactical missiles, 19 French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, 31 U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, 311 unmanned aerial vehicles, with 127 of them outside the special military operation zone.
Units of the Black Sea Fleet wiped out six Ukrainian uncrewed surface vehicles.
Over the past week, 58 Ukrainian servicemen have surrendered on the line of contact.
In total, 641 airplanes and 283 helicopters, 30,701 unmanned aerial vehicles, 575 air defence missile systems, 17,783 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,431 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 13,809 field artillery guns and mortars as well as 25,447 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation also reported that over the past 24 hours, units of the Sever Group of Forces supported by Army Aviation and artillery repelled five attacks launched by the enemy's assault detachments in the direction of Kremyanoye, Pushkarskoye, and Cherkasskoye Porechnoye.
The enemy's attempts to launch attacks in the direction of Malaya Loknya, Pushkarnoye, and Russkaya Konopelka were thwarted. The AFU losses have amounted to up to 40 troops killed and wounded, three armoured fighting vehicles, and two motor vehicles.
Aviation, artillery, and actions of troops inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 22nd, 41st, 61st, 115th mechanised brigades, 82nd Air Assault Brigade, and 1004th Security and Service Brigade near Apanasovka, Borki, Bogdanovka, Vishnyovka, Gaponovo, Kositsa, Lyubimovka, Mikhailovka, Novaya Sorochina, Obukhovka, Orlovka, Plekhovo, Russkoye Porechnoye, Sverdlikovo, Snagost, and Desyaty Oktyabr. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue reconnaissance and search operations in forestry areas to locate and eliminate enemy sabotage groups.
Operational-Tactical Aviation delivered strikes at concentration areas in Sumy region of reserve manpower and military hardware of the 41st, 54th mechanised brigades, 80th, 82nd, 95th air assault brigades of the AFU, 1st National Guard Brigade, 101th, 103rd, 107th, and 129th territorial defence brigades near Belopolye, Bachevsk, Glukhov, Katerinovka, Martynovka, Pervomayskoye, Pustogorod, Pokrovka, Pavlovka, Sumy, and Fotovizh.
Over the past 24 hours, the AFU losses have amounted to more than 380 troops and 22 units of hardware, including one tank, 21 armoured fighting vehicles, one artillery gun, two mortars, one electronic warfare station, and eight motor vehicles.
Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the AFU losses have amounted to more than 7,800 troops, 75 tanks, 36 infantry fighting vehicles, 64 armoured personnel carriers, 507 armoured fighting vehicles, 235 motor vehicles, 53 artillery guns, 15 multiple-launch rocket system launchers, including four of HIMARS system and one of MLRS system, five SAM launchers, 11 electronic warfare stations, one counter-battery radar, one air defence radar, five engineering vehicles, including two counterobstacle vehicles and one UR-77 mine clearing vehicle.
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Tennessee Guardsmen Help Battle East Tennessee Wildfires
By Lt. Col. Darrin Haas, Tennessee National Guard Public Affairs Office August 29, 2024
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee National Guard battled wildfires from the air in Great Smoky Mountains National Park this week.
At the request of the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, the Tennessee National Guard provided four UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and crews from Knoxville's 1-230th Assault Helicopter Battalion to support wildfire response in the national park beginning Aug. 27.
Around 2:20 p.m. EST, Tennessee National Guard helicopters departed from McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base with buckets used to drop hundreds of gallons of water on wildfires.
Each aircraft made multiple trips throughout the afternoon, picking up water from nearby water sources and transporting it directly to the needed area. The aircrews delivered more than 40 bucket loads of water, totaling nearly 8,000 gallons.
Three Tennessee National Guard helicopter crews flew missions Aug. 28, delivering water to suppress the spread of the fire.
The aircraft were to continue supporting firefighting efforts until the evening and as long as needed.
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The Federal Government agrees on a security package - Greater security for Germany
Germany - Federal Government
The Federal Government has agreed on a package of measures for improving the security situation in Germany. These will make it easier to carry out deportations and strengthen authorities in their fight against violent Islamism, as well as further tightening weapons legislation.
Thursday, 29 August 2024
The incident in Solingen showed that Islamist terror is among the greatest threats to Germany. The Federal Government has taken action in response to the cruel attack: Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser, Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann and State Secretary in the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs Anja Hajduk have presented a comprehensive security package. The measures included in this package are designed to improve the security situation in Germany.
Far-reaching measures for greater security
Federal Minister of the Interior Faeser stressed: "We have agreed on far-reaching measures. All levels of state must get involved to tackle the challenges we are faced with." It was key to tighten weapons law, grant the security agencies more authority, intensify the fight against Islamism and further accelerate repatriations, she said.
Federal Minister of Justice Buschmann added: "I believe that it is a highly effective, very substantial package that is highly relevant when it comes to improving the security situation in Germany, and enabling a more rigorous approach that reflects the reality of the situation, in particular in the area of migration policy."
Overview of key facts
Fighting irregular migration:
In future, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees will be allowed to use biometric data to determine the identity of asylum seekers.
to determine the identity of asylum seekers. Asylum seekers for which another European state is responsible according to the Dublin Regulation are to receive no more social benefits in future if the member state in question has agreed to readmission.
in future if the member state in question has agreed to readmission. A Dublin Task Force set up by the Federal and LAnder Governments is to ensure that more asylum seekers who are already registered in another EU country can be returned to the responsible state.
is to ensure that more asylum seekers who are already registered in another EU country can be returned to the responsible state. Individuals travelling to their country of origin will lose their protected status unless such travel is absolutely necessary.
Fighting Islamism:
Biometric comparison for facial recognition will be made available to allow for easier identification of suspects.
will be made available to allow for easier identification of suspects. The Office for the Protection of the Constitution is to be granted greater powers to enable it to fight terrorist financing and control the flow of funds more effectively.
and control the flow of funds more effectively. During its term in office, the Federal Government has banned a number of Islamist organisations , and planning provides for further associations to be banned.
, and planning provides for further associations to be banned. Extremists must be prevented from obtaining weapons. Further agencies such as the Federal Police Force, the Federal Criminal Police Office and the Customs Investigation Bureau will therefore be consulted in future when weapons permits are to be granted or withdrawn.
are to be granted or withdrawn. The Federal Government will establish a Task Force for Islamism Prevention involving both academic experts and practitioners.
involving both academic experts and practitioners. The Federal Government is going to call for Islamist propaganda on the internet to be fought more effectively at EU level.
Stricter weapons law and ban on knives:
The Federal Government will be introducing an absolute ban on knives at local festivals, sporting events, trade fairs, exhibitions, markets and other public events.
at local festivals, sporting events, trade fairs, exhibitions, markets and other public events. Knives will also be banned on buses and trains in future.
in future. The federal states will be granted authorisation to impose bans on knives at railway stations.
will be granted authorisation to impose bans on knives at railway stations. In addition, handling of dangerous flick knives will also be banned.
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Security Council Press Statement on Terrorist Attacks in Burkina Faso
Press Release
Security Council
SC/15806
29 August 2024
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Michael Imran Kanu (Sierra Leone):
The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the heinous terrorist attacks resulting in loss of civilian lives over the months in Burkina Faso, including the attack in the Burkinabe town of Barsalogho on 24 August. The attack was claimed by an Al-Qaida-affiliated militant group known as Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM).
The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the transitional authorities and the people of Burkina Faso, and they wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured.
The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.
The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice and urged all States to act in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions.
The members of the Security Council expressed their concern about the security situation in Burkina Faso and the transnational dimension of the terrorist threat in the Sahel region.
The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed. They reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused b
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Zambia warns it will tighten cybersecurity laws
By Kathy Short August 30, 2024
Authorities in Zambia have announced measures to tighten enforcement of cybersecurity laws, saying the move is aimed at curbing online hate speech, propaganda, defamation and child abuse. But critics say the change is aimed at clamping down on freedom of expression.
Zambian Home Affairs and Internal Security Minister Jack Mwiimbu told journalists this week that the government has activated section 54 of the 2021 Cybersecurity and Cybercrimes Act.
"A person who with intent to compromise the safety of another person publishes information or data presented in a picture, image, symbol or voice or any other form in a computer system commits an offense and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years," Mwiimbu said.
"The public is urged to adhere to the law and avoid social media posts that may make them come into conflict with the law," he said.
Mwiimbu also warned administrators of social media platform WhatsApp to remove what he called illegal posts made in bad faith, saying they will be held responsible for any publication of such information.
Analysts say whatever the stated intentions of the cybersecurity crackdown may be, the wording of the law is broad, vague and could be used to stifle media freedom.
Lorraine Mwanza, chair of the Zambia chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa, said she dislikes the section of the cybersecurity law authorities say they will tightly enforce.
"This section is inimical to freedom, to freedom of expression, media freedom and meaningful accountability, especially on public officials who can easily invoke this section of the act," she said.
In a statement on social media platform X, Musa Mwenye, the former attorney general and president of the Law Association of Zambia, joined the many who have spoken out against the Zambian government's move.
Human rights activist Juliet Chibuta said the new measures are a violation of digital rights.
"Digital and other online platforms must be left open to allow citizens to participate," she said. "Digital rights entail the ability for citizens to enjoy their rights of freedom of expression [and] access to information online without hindrance."
The Southern Africa Center for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes, a human rights organization, criticized the online restrictions.
Arthur Muyunda, acting executive director of the group, said, "For them to invoke the section, it shows that they are also determined to shrink the civic space, which has already been shrinking using other laws. We appeal that they should reverse that invocation as it will suppress the voices of the people."
During her visit to Zambia in 2022, Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard urged authorities to repeal legislation that can be used to clamp down on public dissent, including the Public Order Act and the Cybersecurity and Cybercrimes Act.
Callamard said the two laws have been used to suppress human rights, especially freedom of assembly and expression in Zambia.
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Poland Pressuring Belarus To Release Political Prisoners, Parliament Speaker Says
By Kanstantsin Lashkevich August 30, 2024
PRAGUE -- Poland continues to pressure the Belarusian regime for the release of journalist Andrzej Poczobut and other political prisoners, the speaker of the Polish parliament (Sejm) said on August 30 at the Globsec security conference in Prague.
Poland is doing everything possible at the diplomatic level to send signals to authoritarian Belarusian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka that he must release political prisoners, Szymon Holownia said.
"If he wants the border crossings to be opened, if he wants to have transit corridors, he needs to cooperate with us on this issue," said Holownia in response to a question from RFE/RL. "We are trying to show that if he does not cooperate, the consequences for him, his regime, and his country will be very challenging."
Poland in 2023 closed all but one of its crossings with Belarus in response to the expulsion of several Polish diplomats from Minsk, as well as the sentencing of Poczobut to eight years in prison on multiple charges that Warsaw says are unjust and politically motivated.
Poczobut, a correspondent for the respected Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza, was sentenced on charges of encouraging actions aimed at harming the national security of Belarus, trying to rehabilitate Nazism, and inciting ethnic hostility. Human rights defenders have recognized him as a political prisoner.
Poczobut was arrested in March 2021 amid rising tensions between Minsk and Warsaw following the brutal suppression of mass protests against Lukashenka after he claimed a landslide victory in a 2020 presidential election. The Belarusian opposition claimed the election was rigged in favor of Lukashenka, who has been in power since 1994.
Relations between Poland and Belarus worsened further after a migrant crisis on their shared border and after Lukashenka allowed Moscow to use its territory as a launching pad for its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Holownia noted that the migration pressure on the Poland-Belarus border has significantly decreased compared to a few months ago. He attributed this to steps taken by the Polish government. Poland has built a fence equipped with electronic protection and beefed up the number of border guards along its 400-kilometer border with Belarus.
But Holownia admitted that Polish politicians sometimes do not know "which buttons to press to activate processes in Belarus."
"Lukashenka has turned Belarus -- a proud, independent country -- practically into a colony of Russia," he said. "But we sometimes do not know the nature of their relations and the level of mutual hatred, envy, and aggression that exists between [Lukashenka and Russian President Vladimir Putin]."
Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-poland-lukashenka- poczobut-holownia-/33100187.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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Remarks by APNSA Jake Sullivan in Press Conference | Beijing, People's Republic of China
August 29, 2024
Beijing, People's Republic of China
MR. SULLIVAN: Good evening. As I said at the very start of these meetings, President Biden has been clear that he is committed to managing this important relationship responsibly.
Our aim in every engagement with China is to deliver for the American people. Under President Biden's leadership, the United States has and will continue to advance its interests and values, look out for its friends. And as we do, we believe that competition with China does not have to lead to conflict or confrontation. The key is responsible management through diplomacy.
Beginning in May of last year, that diplomacy has been an all-hands-on-deck effort across the U.S. government and the Cabinet, which has included four meetings between myself and Director Wang Yi, as well as engagements between Secretary Blinken, Secretary Yellen, Secretary Raimondo and their counterparts, and many other Cabinet secretaries and their counterparts.
Those discussions helped lay the foundation for a productive summit between President Biden and President Xi in San Francisco at the end of last year. There, our leaders agreed on concrete steps on issues that matter to the American people and, for that matter, matter to the world.
This week, I traveled to China for the first time as National Security Advisor to take stock of where we have made progress and what work there still remains to be done, and also how we can responsibly manage the difficult issues and the differences that we have in this relationship. That's been the focus of my meetings with President Xi, with Director and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and with CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Zouxia [sic] a excuse me, Zhang Youxia.
This was a true working visit. Over the course of 14 hours of meetings, we discussed progress and next steps on implementation of the Woodside commitments, including our work on counternarcotics and efforts to reduce the flow of illicit synthetic drugs into the United States; military-to-military communications including an upcoming engagement between our theater commanders; as well as work towards another round of AI safety and risk talks. Among other issues of global concern, we discussed the recent efforts to reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza.
These meetings were also about managing tough issues, as I said, and areas of disagreement. And I was direct on these issues as well.
The United States will continue to take necessary action to prevent advanced U.S. technologies from being used to undermine our national security without unduly limiting trade or investment. We have continued concerns about China's unfair trade policies and non-market economic practices.
We remain deeply concerned about China's support for Russia's defense industrial base and its impact on both European and transatlantic security, not to mention on Russia's brutal aggression against Ukraine.
It is a top priority for this administration to resolve the cases of American citizens who are wrongfully detained or subject to exit bans in China. And this was another opportunity for me to raise those cases, as I have done in my prior engagements.
I also underscored the longstanding U.S. commitment to universal human rights and fundamental freedoms.
In all of my meetings, I stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait; emphasized the United States' commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula; and I reaffirmed the United States' commitment to our Indo-Pacific allies including our concerns about destabilizing actions against lawful Philippine maritime operations in the South China Sea.
These were constructive, candid, substantive conversations. We believe that keeping lines of communication open is critical. And to that end, we began planning towards a leader-level call in the coming weeks where I expect these discussions to continue.
And with that, I'd be happy take your questions.
Yeah.
Q Throughout your meetings with Chinese officials, including Xi Jinping, did you get a sense of how Chinese leadership is feeling about the race for the White House? Obviously, the election would be a looming issue for them.
MR. SULLIVAN: I didn't really get a feeling for that. We didn't discuss the American election. That's obviously something for the American people to decide and not for any other country to get involved in. So, neither in my meetings with Director Wang nor in the meeting with the President, or, for that matter, with the CMC Vice Chair, did we specifically talk about the American election.
Yeah.
Q Hi there. Marc Stewart from CNN. As you mentioned, you talked about some of the maritime issues. I don't have to tell you, obviously, things are very tense right now in the South China Sea, especially with the Philippines and some of these reef issues. Reading the readout, it said you discussed some of this with Xi Jinping himself. Other than diplomatic speak, is there a reasonable roadmap or blueprint for the future? Because I think that the level of tension is reaching an extremely high level.
MR. SULLIVAN: So, first, we believe that the order of the day should be de-escalation, and we support direct discussions between the Philippines and the PRC to that end. We also have made very clear that our mutual defense treaty applies to public vessels, including coast guard vessels, that are operating in the South China Sea and in other waters. It also applies to aircraft, for that matter.
So the PRC well understands the longstanding commitment the United States has under its mutual defense treaty to the Philippines, and the Philippines well understands that we have an ironclad commitment to support them in their lawful exercise of their rights, their maritime rights.
At the same time, nobody is looking for a crisis a not the Philippines, not the United States, and we hope not the PRC. But I did raise our concerns about some of the destabilizing actions that have taken place, including the ramming of coast guard vessels and unsafe intercepts near Scarborough Shoal.
It's something we'll continue to discuss with our Chinese counterparts. It's something we will continue to consult closely with our Filipino counterparts on. And in fact, before I came here, I had the opportunity to call my Filipino counterpart, the National Security Advisor, Secretary AAo, and I will stay in close touch with him, as will other members of the U.S. government.
So we will do our best to try to contribute to managing this issue in a responsible way so that de-escalation is the order of the day.
Yeah.
Q Hello. This is Rae (ph) from The Paper. So, I wonder, since the San Francisco summit, you know, more than 20 communication mechanisms have been established or assumed, maintaining the momentum from (inaudible) dialogue between the two countries. So following this visit, what will be the key focus of the U.S. diplomacy towards China through next January? And what specific interim achievement does the Biden administration hope to secure during this period? Thank you.
MR. SULLIVAN: Well, first, at a macro level, the most important thing and a core part of my extended engagement with Director Wang, not just here but in multiple meetings dating back to the beginning of last year, is overall responsible management of this relationship so the competition doesn't veer into confrontation or conflict. That is ongoing work. And being able to reach the end of President Biden's administration with the relationship on a stable basis, even though we have areas of difference and areas of difficulty, this is something we will work towards.
More specifically, we're going to look for further progress on counternarcotics and reducing the flow of illicit synthetic drugs into the United States. We are going to look for a deepening of the military-to-military communication so that we can pass that on to President Biden's successor. And, in fact, a very positive outcome of the sessions here is that there will be a call between the theater commanders, the INDOPACOM commander and the Southern Theater commander for the PLA.
Having the opportunity today to sit down with the CMC Vice Chairman, something that has not happened for a U.S. official in eight years, is itself significant because it allows us to give impetus and momentum to those military-to-military lines of communication, and that will be an important priority for us as we go forward.
There are other issues as well, of course, that we'll deal with, and we'll have to manage the risks and flashpoints too: cross-Strait relations, the South China Sea, the Chinese support for the Russian defense industrial base. And we'll continue to work on all of those in the months ahead.
Yeah.
Q Welcome to Beijing. My name is Laura Baker. I'm from BBC News. I'd like to ask you: You talk about a call between the two leaders within the coming weeks. Will there be a last meeting between President Biden and President Xi?
And also, back to those talks with General Zhang: How important is it for you to have those talks with a leading general? And what was the tone of those talks?
MR. SULLIVAN: It is likely that both President Biden and President Xi will be at APEC and the G20 later this year. I don't have any announcements to make on either President Biden's travel or a potential meeting, but the likelihood is they'll both be there, and if they are, it would only be natural for them to have the chance to sit down with one another. So we'll have to await any confirmation or any announcements, but I think things pointing in that direction seem logical and reasonable.
I think the meeting with Vice Chairman Zhang was very important. There is no substitute for actually being able to sit across the table, not just with the Vice Chairman but with his whole team, and be able to hear from them their perspective on critical issues, and them be able to hear from us our perspective on those same issues, whether it's cross-Strait relations or the South China Sea or cyber issues. And being able to have that exchange, which is rare, I think allows us to clarify our intentions and our concerns and hear theirs, and try to use that in service of responsible management of the relationship going forward.
Yeah.
Q Thank you. From the Wall Street Journal. Just to follow up on the question about the U.S. election, I'm curious about what questions, if any, did the Chinese ask you about what a potential Harris administration would represent for U.S.-China relations.
And connected to this, did you raise the issue specifically of potential election interference by China during your trip here today?
MR. SULLIVAN: Every time I meet with Chinese officials, I raise the issue of election interference and laying down a clear marker that it's unacceptable for any nation to interfere in the U.S. election. And this trip was no different in that regard. I made that point once again.
I won't characterize what the PRC's questions were with respect to Vice President Harris. They'll have to speak for themselves on that. But what I will say is that Vice President Harris has been a central member of the Biden foreign policy team, a leading member, and has been part of the design and execution of the overall strategy in the Indo-Pacific and with respect to the responsible management of U.S.-China relations.
She has had the opportunity to engage herself with President Xi and with Premier Li. So she is known to both of the top leaders in China. And she shares President Biden's view that responsibly managing this competition, so it doesn't veer into conflict or confrontation, is essential. And she also shares the view that maintaining high-level, open lines of communication is the way that you can achieve that responsible management.
So I was able to share my experience and my perspective of working closely with the Vice President and the role that she has played over the course of the past four years.
Yeah.
Q Thank you. I'm with Phoenix TV. The Biden administration has announced arms sale to Taiwan 15 times now since taking office and surpassing the Trump administration's 11 times. So, China believes that the continued U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and other actions have increased tensions in the Taiwan Strait. So how do you respond to this? And what is the U.S. willing to do to de-escalate? Thank you.
MR. SULLIVAN: Our One China policy has not changed, and our approach to this issue is guided by the One China policy, the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint CommuniquAs, and the Six Assurances. That remains true today, and that has remained true on a bipartisan basis through multiple administrations. And that policy has actually helped contribute to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait for decades, and we intend to keep it that way.
Let's see. Yeah.
Q Ken Moritsugu with the AP. I want to ask about the 100 percent tariff that the Canadian government put on Chinese EVs earlier this week. It was reported that you had met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and encouraged Canada to go forward with that. Did that come up at all during these talks? Did the Chinese side complain about it or the timing? And if so, how did you respond?
MR. SULLIVAN: First of all, Canada is a sovereign country that makes its own sovereign decisions, and it would be quite an extraordinary power to show up on a Sunday evening and produce a major trade policy move on a Monday morning. So, I think the right way to look at this is: I was there for a pre-scheduled cabinet retreat to speak with them. They took independent action. It was not at my behest or anything that I did or said that made that happen. That was a determination that they made.
I did make the point while I was in Canada, and I'd make it standing here today, that we have concerns relative to EVs, both with respect to security issues and overcapacity issues. We've been public and transparent about that. But this was a decision they took on their own, and I won't characterize the conversations with the PRC on this issue; I'll let them speak for themselves.
Yeah.
Q Janis Mackey Frayer with NBC. A follow-up to the election-related question from Brian. The Chinese leadership and Chinese officials are about stability and consistency in their relationships. Did they at all signal to you any hesitation, nervousness, or concern about an upcoming change of administration at the White House?
MR. SULLIVAN: They recognize that elections are sensitive periods and transitions are sensitive periods, and responsible management through an election and transition is important. That's something we believe as well. And my visit here during this period helps contribute to try and sustain that responsible management over this coming sensitive period.
I will refrain from commenting on their perspective about what comes next. I think that's something that they're going to have to speak for themselves on.
Yeah.
Q Thanks. Trevor Hunnicutt, Reuters. Jake, could you talk a little bit about the status of the Middle East hostage and ceasefire negotiations?
MR. SULLIVAN: I could, but it's moving hour by hour, and I haven't gotten an update in the last several hours. What I would say is that the negotiators are bearing down on the details, meaning that we have advanced the discussions to a point where it's in the nitty-gritty. And that is a positive sign of progress, but at the end of the day, nothing is done until it's done, and so we're just going to keep working at this until we finally get the ceasefire and hostage deal across the line. And I'll have the chance, when I get on the plane, to check in with our negotiating team who's participating in these talks in the region even as we speak.
Yeah.
Q Thank you. Evelyn Cheng from CNBC. On the issue of tech restrictions, I know that's something that the U.S. side has remained very firm on and that the Chinese side has repeatedly asked for changes on. If the trajectory is still going to be more restrictions, was there a you know, can you give some more details on what that discussion looked like?
And then, just on the aspect of cross-Strait tensions and southeast a South China Sea, was there any specifics on what would look a what a de-escalation might look like? Thank you.
MR. SULLIVAN: We had extended discussions about economics and national security, and I won't characterize the PRC position on that, other than to say it wasn't a it was consistent in the room with what they have said publicly on the issue.
For our part, I laid out our approach, which is rooted in the concept of small yard, high fence. I explained why it is that we feel we have to take some targeted restrictions to ensure that advanced technologies aren't used against U.S. national security. I explained that our approach is one of de-risking, not decoupling, and described in some detail how we saw de-risking in practice. And I also raised our concerns about steps that the PRC has taken with respect to the intersection of economics and national security and the impact that that has had on Western businesses and on supply chains.
And so, we had a vigorous give-and-take on the issue. Obviously, we didn't come to agreement on certain aspects of things. But I think the dialogue is very useful because it clarifies the concerns of each side and also gives us the opportunity to explain what it is that we are doing and what we are not doing. And I thought that was valuable.
We didn't reach any specific agreements on the South China Sea. You know, for one thing, it's not for the United States to reach agreements with China over the heads of parties like the Philippines. For another, you know, there's no substitute for that direct diplomacy between the two of them. But we did indicate and reiterate our longstanding commitment to our ally and our longstanding commitment to the rule of law, freedom of navigation, and the free exercise of maritime rights in the South China Sea. And we'll continue to do that.
I'll take one more question. Yeah.
Q China Media Group speaking. Sir, we noticed that almost all of your accompanying staff can speak Chinese. Do you think this helped you to communicate with your Chinese counterparts? And does this help you accurately understand China's core concerns? Thank you.
MR. SULLIVAN: Yes. (Laughter.) The answer is yes. No, having a team here, many of whom do speak fluent Mandarin, have deep experience on issues related to the PRC and the U.S.-China relationship, this is a you know, it makes my job a heck of a lot easier and makes me much better than I would otherwise be. And I stand on the shoulders of those experts because, you know, they're the ones with the insights and the wisdom that drives forward the conversations that we've had here over the last three days. So a
All right, we'll do two more. Yeah.
Q Yes. Keith Bradsher for the New York Times. Have you made any progress with China in discussing what might be a possible resolution for the war in Ukraine? Thank you.
MR. SULLIVAN: I can't say that we did make progress on that issue. The PRC has been very public in its view that the war should end through diplomacy. They've laid out various principles, both unilaterally and in separate communication with the Brazilians.
We had the opportunity to exchange views on the war against Ukraine over the course of the last three days. We didn't reach any particular plan with respect to diplomacy, in large part because the United States very rigorously adheres to the simple maxim of "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine." So, ultimately, it will be up to Ukraine to decide how it wants to proceed with diplomacy and negotiations.
Yeah.
Q (Inaudible.) Perhaps an overarching question. Several months ago, Chinese/Sino-U.S. relations was very intense, especially around the time U.S. imposed kind of additional tariff on Chinese EVs or semiconductors. And China is facing this trade war nowadays with Europe. But all of a sudden, you came and U.S.-China relations seems to be on better track, especially for the last few months of this year. What's behind this change? Does that have anything to do with Vice President Harris taking over the presidential race or any other factor from the Chinese side?
And looking forward, do you see U.S.-China relations turning marginally for the better for the next few months, or potentially next few years, compared to a potential second Trump term? Thanks.
MR. SULLIVAN: I can't characterize the Chinese side on this issue. They're going to have to speak for themselves. What I can tell you is that we believe, in the Biden administration, that intense diplomacy matters a because it doesn't resolve every issue, it doesn't mean that we are going to agree on everything, but it does mean that we can improve understanding, we can clarify misperceptions, we can reduce the risk of miscalculation, and we can identify areas to work together where our interests align that might previously have been hidden.
So, the relationship remains a competitive relationship. We need to responsibly manage that competition, and we're doing that through this very detailed, painstaking, multiple rounds of diplomatic effort. And it's not to arrive at a certain end result where everything is just resolved. It's rather to arrive on a stable basis so that each of us can stand up for our interests, we can stand up for our friends, we can defend our values, we can take the actions we feel we need to take in service of our national interests, but we can also work together to ensure that the relationship is managed responsibly. That is what this trip was about. That's what the diplomacy of the last two years have been about. And we do believe that it puts us in a position to increase the prospect of stability in the relationship.
But we have to keep in mind, too, that there are always risks a risks of escalation, risks of misunderstanding, risks of something going awry. And we've seen that before in the U.S.-China relationship. And we discussed those risks, too, at some length, whether it's to do with cross-Strait relations or the South China Sea, or European security and the war in Ukraine, or many other issues, including issues that were not previously foreseen, like incidents from a year or two ago.
So this is something we will have to keep working at, and it's a work in progress. Today is not the end of anything. It's just the continuation of a sustained pattern of intensive diplomacy led by President Biden and President Xi and carried out by many of us across our administration and the Chinese government, and we're going to keep at it.
Thank you, guys.
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Second Anniversary of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' Assessment on the Human Rights Situation in Xinjiang
US Department of State
Press Statement
Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson
August 30, 2024
In 2022, after a multi-year assessment, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) concluded that "serious human rights violations have been committed" in Xinjiang. The United States is disappointed that after two years, the People's Republic of China (PRC) continues to reject the OHCHR assessment's findings and refuses to implement the High Commissioner's recommendations to release all those arbitrarily deprived of their liberty, cease all intimidation and reprisals against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities in Xinjiang and abroad, and investigate allegations of human rights abuses, including torture, sexual violence, forced labor, and forced medical treatment.
The United States remains gravely concerned by the PRC's ongoing repression of predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang, which the High Commissioner's assessment found "may constitute international crimes, particularly crimes against humanity." We again urge the PRC to take immediate action to end these ongoing atrocities.
We recognize OHCHR's continued engagement with the PRC on human rights abuses and violations, including in Xinjiang, and welcome continued engagement on their assessment and recommendations. We will continue to work closely with partners across the international community to seek justice for the many victims of PRC policies in Xinjiang and to secure accountability for individuals and entities perpetrating human rights violations and abuses.
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China upholds rule of law in HKSAR case
Global Times
Departments urge end to Western manipulation of 'press freedom'
By Liu Caiyu Published: Aug 31, 2024 12:32 AM
China urged some politicians from the West to stop political manipulation of the judiciary under the pretext of "press freedom" after they made irresponsible remarks regarding the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) court's trial of the criminal case involving two editors of "Stand News."
Being the first incitement case involving a media organization since the return of Hong Kong to the motherland 27 years ago, the case is a just move to safeguard national security and the rule of law in Hong Kong, providing important precedent for similar cases that may be tried in the future and on how media organizations exercise the right of press freedom in compliance with the law, observers said.
China deplores and opposes a handful of countries and institutions exploiting the judicial case in the Hong Kong SAR to vilify Hong Kong and interfere in China's internal affairs, Lin Jian, a spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said on Friday.
"Let me stress that the rights and freedoms Hong Kong residents enjoy in accordance with law, including freedom of press, are fully protected. This is an undeniable fact. Meanwhile, Hong Kong upholds the rule of law where to abide by the law and bring lawbreakers to justice is a basic principle. Freedom of press is by no means a shield for illegal activities," Lin said.
The Commissioner's Office of China's Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong, the Chinese Embassy in the UK, and the Chinese Mission to the EU also expressed their dissatisfaction with the irresponsible remarks regarding the case made by some Western politicians.
Stand News editors-in-chief Chung Pui-kuen and Lam Shiu-tung, and Best Pencil (Hong Kong) Limited - the company that operated Stand News - were guilty of conspiring to publish seditious articles, the Hong Kong SAR government said on Thursday, citing the District Court.
The Commissioner's Office slammed the Western politicians for having long-held double standards on so-called "press freedom" issue. They turn a blind eye to their own country's deplorable record of suppressing the news media, but have repeatedly used "press freedom" as a political tool to justify anti-China and anti-Hong Kong organizations, and wantonly smear and attack the rule of law and fair justice in the SAR.
Refuting accusations from some Western politicians, Kennedy Wong Ying-ho, a solicitor of the High Court of Hong Kong, told the Global Times on Friday that they are merely trying to "confuse right and wrong and mislead the public."
He said that Hong Kong residents enjoy freedom of the press, the normal operation of media organizations is also protected by law, and Hong Kong laws also clearly define the provisions on "sedition." The provision will not affect or harm press freedom.
The court's decision has added a precedent to Hong Kong's judicial system, providing important reference for similar cases that may be tried in the future and provide guidance on how to exercise the right of press freedom in compliance with the law, Wong said.
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Sullivan to China: US committed to 'complete' Korean peninsula denuclearization
The absence of references to North Korean denuclearization in US party platforms has raised concern in the South.
By Taejun Kang for RFA 2024.08.30 -- U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said he reaffirmed a US commitment to the "complete" denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in talks with top Chinese officials this week.
During his visit to Beijing, Sullivan held talks with President Xi Jinping, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia.
"In all of my meetings, I stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait; emphasized the United States' commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Sullivan said on Thursday in the press briefing.
His remarks came amid the absence of references to the goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in the policy platforms of both the U.S. Democratic and Republican parties as they prepare for November's US presidential election.
That omission has raised concern in South Korea that rival North Korea might see an opportunity to secure a long-cherished goal, U.S. recognition that it is a de facto nuclear power.
U.S. recognition of that would shift the focus of negotiations from denuclearization to arms control.
Amid the concerns, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Thursday that he believed the U.S. would stick to its long-standing goal of North Korea's denuclearization.
Yoon also said South Korea's security cooperation with the U.S. and Japan would continue regardless of any leadership changes.
Yoon reaffirmed the commitment to the trilateral cooperation established during a Camp David summit a year ago, which was designed to strengthen the joint responses of the three allies to North Korea's threats and other security challenges.
In Japan, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida recently made a surprise announcement that he will step down when his party picks a new leader next month.
His decision means his governing Liberal Democratic Party will choose a new standard bearer in its leadership election next month. The winner will replace Kishida as both party chief and prime minister.
Yoon said cooperation between his country, the U.S. and Japan would endure no matter what.
"The South Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation framework is very important not only to the Indo-Pacific but also the global economy and security, benefiting all three nations," Yoon said in a televised press conference. "A change in the leadership will not change this framework, and it will be upheld through the official diplomatic agreements."
Separately, Yoon also expressed confidence in the U.S.' "extended deterrence" commitment to defending South Korea with both conventional and nuclear capabilities, as outlined in the Washington Declaration, adopted during his summit with Biden in May 2023.
"The integrated extended deterrence between South Korea and the U.S. is becoming increasingly effective as the alliance is strengthened," said Yoon.
Edited by RFA Staff.
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Kim Jong-un riding with his daughter Ju-ae during a visit to Mount Paektu, North Korea, in 2019 (AP)
Vladimir Putin has reportedly gifted Kim Jong-un 24 purebred horses in exchange for artillery shells used in the Ukraine war, signalling the two leaders increasingly close bond.
The new consignment of Orlov Trotters, which are said to be the North Korean leaders favourite breed, were brought over the narrow land border on Sunday, according to an announcement made by the veterinary authorities in Primorsky Krai, which is the Russian Far East region connected by rail to North Korea, reported The Times.
The delivery of the 19 stallions and five mares is reported by South Korean media to be partial payment for North Korean artillery shells sent to Russia for use in its invasion of Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un exchange documents during a ceremony for their new partnership in Pyongyang, North Korea, in June (Sputnik)
It comes two years after Pyongyang received 30 Orlov Trotters, the breed Kim has been seen riding in his regimes propaganda pictures.
Meanwhile, state media KCNA reported the North Korean leader sent President Putin a pair of Pungsan dogs, which is a local breed, in June, after the two leaders signed a comprehensive partnership agreement committing to military cooperation earlier that month. The Russian leader then gifted Kim 447 goats in August.
The horses primarily play a symbolic, rather than military, role for Kim, fuelling his familys personality cult (Reuters)
Despite its development of nuclear weapons and balliestic missiles, North Korea is investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into a network of equestrian military units, which is among the oldest of military technologies. Between 2020 and 2023, the country spent at least $600,000 importing thoroughbred horses from Russia.
The horses primarily play a symbolic, rather than military, role for Kim, fuelling his familys personality cult. The North Korean leader is depicted riding on 386 occasions at the museum of the Mirim Horse Riding Club, which is the countrys most imporant equestrian centre.
The club also features sayings on equestrianism spoken by Kim, such as, Horses may no longer be used in war, but the war horse is important from the perspective that they display the militarys greatness.
Another reads: Commanders must ride horses. A person who rides horses will gain a stronger disposition and higher command ability, and it is also related to physical strength.
Federal Chancellor receives British Prime Minister Starmer - Germany and the UK are special partners
Germany - Federal Government
Germany and the UK were looking to "place their relations on a completely new footing" by concluding a treaty on bilateral cooperation, said Federal Chancellor Scholz at a joint press conference with the British Prime Minister Starmer in Berlin.
Transcript of press conference
Wednesday, 28 August 2024
Germany and the United Kingdom enjoyed a long and trusting partnership based on shared values and reliable friendship, said Scholz after talks between the two heads of government. The cooperation would continue to be fostered "for the good of our peoples, for the good of Europe and for security in the transatlantic region".
Making his inaugural visit to the Chancellery, the new UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was received by Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz with military honours this morning.
The most important points from the Federal Chancellor's press conference:
Treaty on bilateral co-operation : In the months to come, Germany and the UK will work towards concluding a bilateral cooperation agreement that covers all aspects of relations between the two countries. "This is the first time a treaty of this nature has ever been concluded between Germany and the United Kingdom," said Federal Chancellor Scholz.
: In the months to come, Germany and the UK will work towards concluding a bilateral cooperation agreement that covers all aspects of relations between the two countries. "This is the first time a treaty of this nature has ever been concluded between Germany and the United Kingdom," said Federal Chancellor Scholz. Upcoming government consultations : The plan is to sign the agreement in connection with German-British government consultations scheduled to take place at the beginning of next year.
: The plan is to sign the agreement in connection with German-British government consultations scheduled to take place at the beginning of next year. Strengthen NATO, help Ukraine : Germany and the UK will seek to work together to strengthen the European pillar of NATO and will collaborate more closely on security policy to this end. Scholz reaffirmed the two countries' continued support for Ukraine. "We will continue to provide financial, economic, political and military support - for as long as necessary," said the Federal Chancellor. The Federal Government's draft budget provides for four billion euros in bilateral aid to go to Ukraine in 2025.
: Germany and the UK will seek to work together to strengthen the European pillar of NATO and will collaborate more closely on security policy to this end. Scholz reaffirmed the two countries' continued support for Ukraine. "We will continue to provide financial, economic, political and military support - for as long as necessary," said the Federal Chancellor. The Federal Government's draft budget provides for four billion euros in bilateral aid to go to Ukraine in 2025. Strengthen EU-UK relations: Even after Brexit, the UK continued to be an "indispensable part" of the solution to Europe's major issues, stressed the Federal Chancellor, noting that the Withdrawal Agreement, the Northern Ireland Protocol, the Comprehensive Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the Windsor Framework provided a reliable legal framework that was now to be fully implemented.
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Transcript of Weekly Media Briefing by the Official Spokesperson (August 30, 2024)
India - Ministry of External Affairs
August 30, 2024
Shri Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson: Good afternoon friends. Today, I have an announcement to make regarding the upcoming visit of the Prime Minister of India. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, at the invitation of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, is scheduled to visit Brunei Darussalam during 3rd and 4th September 2024. This will be the first ever bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Brunei. The visit coincides with 40th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Brunei.
From Brunei, Prime Minister will thereafter visit Singapore on 4th and 5th September 2024 at the invitation of Prime Minister His Excellency Mr. Lawrence Wong of Singapore. During the visit, there are several elements of the programme which you will see in the Press release that we will do shortly after this Presser. As also we will be scheduling a pre-visit briefing by Secretary on this upcoming visit of the Prime Minister.
So that was the announcement for me to make. Now I open the floor for questions.
Speaker: Sir, aapne dekha hoga Pakistan ne Wagah border par Hurriyat neta Syed Ali Shah Geelani ki photo lagai hai us taraf. Isko lekar BSF ne objection raise kiya hai. Toh kya diplomatically bhi is mudde ko uthaya gaya hai? Dusra Pakistan ne kal hi bola hai ki SCO Summit ke liye Pradhan Mantri Modi ko invite kiya gaya hai, kya woh inviation aapko mil chuka hai? Agar mil chuka hai, toh response aapka kya hai?
[Question in Hindi: Approximate translation] Sir, you must have seen that a photo of Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has been placed by Pakistan on the other side of the Wagah border. The BSF has raised an objection to this. Has this issue been raised diplomatically as well? Secondly, Pakistan said yesterday that Prime Minister Modi has been invited to the SCO Summit. Have you received the invitation? And if yes, what is your response?
Sidhant: Hi Sir, Sidhant from WION. Sir, we saw the conversation between Prime Minister Modi and the US President Biden; but we also saw discrepancies in the readout, in terms of a different readout, absence of certain topics in their readout. So if you can just talk about that.
Abhishek: Hi Sir, Abhishek Jha, I'm a freelancer now. So my question is regarding this recent repost emerging from Bangladesh where it has been reported by several institutions backed by government also, that Indian agencies and Indian government's actions had flooded part of Bangladesh and there are apparently some dams which were opened, the gates of dams were opened. That resulted in those flooding situations. Do you have anything to say on that, whether it was deliberate or something natural happened in that?
Mohammad Ghazali: Sir, day before yesterday, the Jamaat-e-Islami Chief in Bangladesh has spoken to the media and said that he is open to...or the Party is open to improve ties with India. So knowing it that the Party is accused of fomenting anti-India sentiments there, what does the Indian government's stand over it?
Shri Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson: So let me first take these questions and then I'll come back to you. First of all, regarding the invitation for SCO, yes we have received an invitation from Pakistan for the Council of Heads of State/ Government meeting that is to happen. We don't have an update on that for you. We will let you know what the situation is, later. The other question which you asked about involving BSF etc, I have not seen the report. So, let me come back to you on this particular matter.
Sidhant, regarding your question, yes we have seen that there have been some comments in that regard, regarding your question. Let me tell you, these claims are uninformed, tendentious and motivated and betray a total lack of familiarity with the process of how such contacts between leaders are organized and then followed upon. Firstly, press releases issued after conversations between leaders are not like Joint Statements where every word is negotiated and mutually agreed upon. Secondly, such press releases are not meant to be comprehensive readouts of such conversations. And finally, it is not unusual for two sides to emphasize different aspects of the same conversation in their respective readouts. The absence of an aspect of one press release or the other is not evidence of its absence in the conversation itself. I am very much aware of the contents of the conversation between the Prime Minister and the President of the United States and I can tell you that our press release is an accurate and faithful record of what transpired in the conversation. The subject of Bangladesh which has been highlighted, as you pointed out, by certain quarters was very much discussed substantially by both the leaders.
Abhishek regarding your question, regarding some international reports on the flood situation in Bangladesh; let me tell you, we have seen the CNN report on the flood situation in Bangladesh. Its narrative is misleading and suggests that India is somehow responsible for the floods. It is factually not correct and ignores the facts mentioned in the press r eleases issued by the Government of India clarifying the situation. They also have ignored that we have regular and timely exchange of data and critical information between the two countries through existing joint mechanisms for water resources management.
Ghazali, to your question, our present engagement with Bangladesh, you would have seen reports about our High Commissioner calling on, making an introductory call on the Chief Advisor. This happened some days back where he discussed several aspects of our relationship. He also talked about that India would like to continue to work with Bangladesh to fulfill the shared aspirations of people of both countries for prosperity, security and development. High Commissioner had conveyed that our commitment to taking forward the relationship in accordance with our respective national priorities. He stressed on this fact. They also discussed other issues, including safety of Hindus and minorities there. High Commissioner also informed Chief Advisor that the flooding in eastern Bangladesh was caused due to excessive rain. There are other aspects that you have highlighted. We have taken note of that and hopefully we will have more engagement on such issues later.
Rishabh: Sir, good evening, Rishabh from Times Now. Sir, as per the reports from Bangladesh and statement from the Bangladesh Home Office Advisor, the diplomatic passports of Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister, and all members of her Cabinet as well as MPs have been now disqualified. So as per Passport Rules, she can still stay in India for 45 days, out of which over 3-4 weeks are gone. So what's our stand on that and what's the further course of action given that there are increasing calls for her deportation to Bangladesh by the present day government?
Vineeta: My name is Vineeta. I work for the Asian Age Deccan Chronicle. Just adding to his question, has the MEA received a formal request for her deportation, deportation of Sheikh Hasina?
Huma: Sir, I am Huma Siddiqui from the Financial Express. The Brazilian Foreign Minister was here. So I just want to ask if the topic of those hundred Indians stuck at Sao Paulo airport was taken up with them and what action is India taking that such an event doesn't happen. Also just a supplement to that itself, what has happened to the Indians who were stopped in Jamaica, because they were similarly there in Jamaica without the documents?
Ayushi: Sir, this is Ayushi Agarwal from ANI. My question is related to Afghanistan, today our External Affair Minister also spoke about the strong relation, people to people relation. My question is related to the recent development where the new laws published by Taliban stating that women voices should not be heard in public places. How does New Delhi see such development?
Raghavendra: This is Raghavendra Verma from ZDF, German Television. It's regarding Indo-German relations, the immigration of Indian workforce to Germany has been becoming part of the Germany's economic cooperation agenda. There are several institutions, with the help of the German government, they have been training, imparting skills which are useful in Germany, and in short supply. What is the Indian government's view on that? Does it promote it? Has any reservation? And also if you can summarize the present state of relations between the two countries both in economic and political sphere.
Shri Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson: So, first Rishabh to your question, see we have stated this earlier that the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh came to India at a very short notice for safety reasons. We have nothing further to add on that matter. Also to answering your question, I think what you are asking lies in the realm of hypothetical issues. So that is where we are on the issue that you raised.
Huma, Brazilian Foreign Minister was here. You have followed the meeting. He was here for the Joint Commission meeting which was chaired by the Brazilian Foreign Minister and External Affairs Minister. It was an occasion for them to discuss the entire issues that fall in the domain of bilateral ties and also global ties that we have with Brazil, including their upcoming Presidency of the G20 Summit meeting that is going to take place. We are part of the Troika with them. It was also an occasion for us to discuss IBSA, BRICS and other partnerships and what all things that we are doing together in the United Nations. As far as the issue of Indians stranded in the international airport in Sao Paulo is concerned, yes we are aware. I think the figures are not what you have said. There are several Indians and we also have a Consulate in Sao Paulo. The Consulate in Sao Paulo is in touch with the Foreign Office representative in the city. They have also sought a meeting with local authorities and ascertaining more details. Let me tell you that contrary to what was reported in some medium, the Indians who are there at the airport, they are being taken care of in terms of food, nourishment etc. We will have more updates on them later and I shall update you on that.
Regarding the question about Indians who were sent back from Jamaica, they went from Dubai. From Jamaica, they all were sent back to Dubai. We have a large number of Indians who reside in the Middle East including Dubai.
Ayushi to your question, our position on such issues is well known to you. We have said so on several occasions.
Raghavendra, India-Germany ties, well this is a very special relationship. We have a Strategic Partnership with Germany. We have expansive economic ties with Germany which has trade, investment, technology. We have large number of Indian students who are choosing Germany for education purposes and many of the Indian students, or majority of them go there for Masters and Doctoral pursuits, mostly focused on science and technology. A lot of Indian professionals are also working now in Germany and we have seen this trend in the last several years that it has gone up. Today, I think Indian students in Germany form the largest cohort of international students in that country. Recently, we also signed, in 2022, a Mobility Partnership Agreement with Germany. After that, we have seen an uptick in our relationship, our people-to-people ties. So, it is something that we welcome and we want this partnership to grow. We want the mobility partnership to be facilitating our people-to-people exchanges, our business partnerships, our economic partnerships. I would also like to tell you that Germany and India, together we are doing several things on skilling, on vocational education. German companies here are very active on that and there are several complementarities which bring us together and we hope that this Mobility Partnership and the Strategic Partnership that we have will continue to enhance and deepen our engagement with Germany.
Yeshi Seli: This is Yeshi Seli from The New Indian Express. I would like to know, you know there are many projects, bilateral projects between India and Bangladesh. What is the status of all of them? A lot of people had come from Bangladesh back into India, have they gone back. And was the Indian High Commission and the Additional High Commissions in Bangladesh (inaudible) were they given extra enhanced security when the turmoil was at its peak, there are reports which said that the Army had pitched in to protect them, if you could elaborate.
Suhasini Haidar: This is Suhasini Haidar from the Hindu. Since the statement was made after Prime Minister Modi left Kyiv and this is the first briefing since then, I wanted to clarify India's position. At a press meeting in Kyiv last Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said four things. He said that India must end its oil imports from Russia now, that India cannot host a Summit for the peace, the second Summit in November, if it did not sign on to the declaration for the first, that if India wants to end the war, it must change its attitude towards Russia and that four, that India should coordinate its votes at the UN with Ukraine before abstaining and Ukraine is not happy with this. I'd like your response to those statements made by Mr. Zelenskyy and whether India is now considering a change in its policies on all these four issues.
And just one follow up, if I may, on the question on the SCO, given that no Indian Minister has travelled to Pakistan for the SAARC Summit since 2016, will India participate in the Heads of Government Meeting of the SCO in Pakistan at all?
Sudhi Ranjan: Sir Sudhi Ranjan from Bloomberg Sir. Adding on to Suhasini's question, Sir, can you or deny whether President Zelenskyy has asked, whether President Zelenskyy had, during his meeting with Prime Minister Modi, offered the - or proposed that India hold the next Peace Summit? And if so, what is India's stand on it, will it go ahead with it?
Manish Chand: Manish Chand, India Writes Network. Sir, there is speculation about a potential Quad Summit on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York in September. Is that true? Are we working towards that? And number two, the interim Government in Bangladesh lifted the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, which is known for its vociferous anti-India rhetoric and all that. What is your sense? Has anti-India activity lessened? And what is your reaction to the withdrawal of the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami? Thank you.
Padma Rao: Padma Rao, Freelance Foreign Correspondent, Sir. India's National Security Advisor, Mr. Doval, called on the Sri Lankan President this morning and he discussed economic collaboration and there was also a Colombo Security Conclave on. We have very few details, Sir, if you could elaborate on what took place at the Security Conclave, especially in light of the fact that elections are due in Sri Lanka. Thank you.
Shri Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson: Okay. So, let me take, we have got five here lined up. Yeshi, regarding bilateral projects...yes, because of the turmoil in Bangladesh, our projects have been impacted. Let me tell you that our development cooperation activities with Bangladesh are aimed at the welfare of the people of Bangladesh. You would have seen that the Prime Minister in his Independence Day speech as well had stated that India will always be a well-wisher of Bangladesh in its development journey. Work on some of the projects that I told you has stalled, has been affected because of the law and order situation there. Once the situation stabilizes, normalcy is restored, then we will talk to, we will engage in consultations with the interim Government about our development initiatives and then see how best to take those forward and what sort of understanding we can reach on them.
The other thing regarding security, yes, security during the turmoil you saw, it was a problem not just for us but for everybody. You saw what happened to the Indian Cultural Centre, it was in news all over. Yes, the Bangladesh authorities, they tried their best for our security and hopefully we also had people who came back. They had to...the essential, non-essential staff had to come back, some of the family members had to come back for the reasons of the turmoil. Hopefully normalcy returns soon that we can begin to, begin our engagement in the right earnest.
Suhasini, regarding your question on issues raised in his remarks to the media, look, our point of view is that the Ukrainian side, they have their perspective on various issues and matters and they are sharing them with the media. As far as we are concerned, we will be guided by the bilateral discussions that we have had with them including on this high level visit that just concluded, which we believe will pave the way for stronger bilateral ties apart from facilitating more forward-looking discussions on the possibility of peaceful resolution of the conflict. As far as SCO is concerned, I informed you that, yes, we have received the invitation for attending the Heads of Government Summit of SCO from Pakistan, which will be hosted by Pakistan. And on that, as and when we have an update, we will share them with you.
On the question of, Sudhi, your question about peace talks or Peace Summit that you - look, our point here is we have always advocated constructive, solution-oriented and practical engagement with all stakeholders to achieve a negotiated settlement to this conflict. This is evident in our approach, in our outreach to both Russia and Ukraine at the highest level. PM has already indicated India's willingness to play a constructive role in the interest of peace. However, it is too early to comment on specific modalities and pathways at this stage. The decision to when and how to commence peace talks is the prerogative of the two parties to the conflict. As friends and partners, we would support any feasible and mutually acceptable solution or format that could restore peace. So that is our stand on the question that you raised.
Manish, regarding Quad Summit, I don't have an update for you. We have said this before on such matters, such visits, such important meetings...as and when we have an update, we inform you. So we will inform you at the appropriate time. Regarding the other issue that you asked about Bangladesh, we see it as an internal issue of Bangladesh.
Padma, you are asking a question on which meetings are going on, the Colombo Security Conclave is on, even as we speak. By evening perhaps we will have an update on it, we will have a readout which will help you to understand all that has transpired in the meetings and where we are on this particular aspect.
Gautam Lahiri: Hi, actually the first question, I am coming back to Bangladesh flood situation, but when the High Commissioner met the Chief Advisor, after that the Chief Advisor's office issued a statement saying Chief Advisor has proposed a new mechanism for controlling flood or data sharing, whatever. A new mechanism is the line of what (inaudible) has. And second is more question that actually the recent, you know the people who went to the (inaudible) visa Center, their grievances that India is not issuing visas, do you think that any time frame or can they expect that you will be issuing visas from Bangladesh?
Shalu Yadav: Hello Sir, I am Shalu from DW Germany, pardon me I am repeating the question that has been asked by my colleagues, but just seeking some clarity on Sheikh Hasina's future. Could you or deny if there has been any formal request by the Bangladeshi Government, the interim Government for her extradition and if in case of that eventuality, how would India respond?
Sapna: Sir, Sapna from Sadhana Group. Sir mera sawal ye hain ki abhi kuch din pahle Finance Minister or Videsh Mantri aur kai Mantri Commerce Minister bhi Singapore gaye the, aur ab Pradhan Mantri ji ka daura hain Singapore mei. Toh wahan par economic collaboration ko lekar baat hui thi, aage usi ke baare mei aur baat ki jayegi ya phir aur kin muddon pe batchit hogi iske baare mei agar aap aur explain kar sake?
[Question in Hindi: Approximate translation] Sir, this is Sapna from Sadhana Group. My question is that a few days ago, the Finance Minister, the Foreign Minister, and several other Ministers, including the Commerce Minister, went to Singapore, and now the Prime Minister is also planning a visit to Singapore. There were discussions regarding economic collaboration there. Will there be further discussions on the same topic, or will there be talks on other issues as well? Could you please elaborate on this?
Manish Jha: Sir main Manish Jha hoon TV9 Bharatvarsh se. Pradhan Mantri bhi bar-bar ye keh chuke hain jab woh Kyiv gaye the ki main yahan shanti ka sandesh le kar aaya hoon. Abhi bhi aapke statement mei woh baat jhalak bhi rahi hain ki mutually acceptable solution Bharat chahta hain as a friend and partner. Toh jab hum dekhte hain ki Pradhan Mantri pahle Russia gaye, phir Ukraine gaye, phir President Biden se baat kar rahe hain, phir Putin ko brief kar rahe hain, toh kya hum officially ye keh sakte hain ki India mediation kar raha hain, Russian aur Ukraine ki war ko khatam karane mei?
[Question in Hindi: Approximate translation] Sir, I am Manish Jha from TV9 Bharatvarsh. The Prime Minister has repeatedly said, even when he went to Kyiv, that he has come with a message of peace. Even in your statement, it is evident that India wants a mutually acceptable solution, as a friend and partner. So, when we see that the Prime Minister first went to Russia, then to Ukraine, then spoke with President Biden, and then briefed Putin, can we officially say that India is mediating to end the war between Russia and Ukraine?
Abhishek Jha: Hi Sir Abhishek again. Sir, I have a question regarding US Ambassador Eric Garcetti. There have been media reports in the USA that the investigation have alleged that Eric Garcetti had ignored complaints of sexual misconduct by one of his close colleagues in the past. And probably that was one of the reasons why the position in India was vacant for two years. And there are also reports that he has probably lied under oath. Are you aware of these reports and do you have anything to say on that?
Shri Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson: Gautam ji, on your question, see, on water sharing, on water resources, management, flood management, etc. There are established procedures between India and Bangladesh, and for several years now. We have 54 rivers that we share and this mechanism and institutional mechanisms that we have, has been in existence for quite some time. As part of the established procedure, we have been exchanging data on timely and regular basis with Bangladesh. On the question of flood in eastern Bangladesh and floods in Tripura, you would have seen that we had released two press releases giving the factual position as to why they have happened. Flooding in eastern Tripura and eastern Bangladesh happened essentially because of incessant and excessive rain, and thereafter we have explained in the two press releases exactly what was the situation. So, you know, these mechanisms to help both countries deal with flood issues and water management issues are there and if there are any new mechanisms that can help further in controlling or helping the sufferings of the people or helping deal with its natural disasters, I think this is something that our teams or this is a matter that we can take forward with Bangladesh.
On the issue of visa, we are issuing visas in a limited manner for medical and emergency purposes. Once the situation becomes normal, law and order is restored, then we will begin our full-fledged operations of visa. So, that is where we are on the visa issue.
On your question from our friend from DW, you know, this particular question I had answered when we had the last Presser also on 16th of August. What you are actually asking is something which in our understanding lies in the domain of hypothetical sphere. In fact, it is not our practice to answer hypothetical questions. So, I will keep it at that.
On the Singapore visit Sapna, hum logon ne ek press vigyapti bhi jari kiya tha. Hamare char Mantri bhi wahan gaye the, jo dusra Roundtable tha India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable, pehla Roundtable 2022 mei hua, abhi dusra Roundtable 2024 mei abhi kuch din pahle hua. Char Mantri hamare yahan se gaye, Vitya Mantri madam Nirmala Sitharaman, hamare Videsh Mantri, Vanijya Mantri Piyush Goyal sahab aur hamare Railway aur Information Broadcasting and Electronics and Information Technology ke jo Mantri hain Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw ye bhi Singapore gaye, charon log wahan gaye. Vistar mei batchit hui unke sath. Singapore aur Bharat ke rishtey jo hain woh bahot gehre hain, khas kar jahan tak trade ka sawal ho, arthik mamlon ka sawal ho, technology ka sawal ho, digitalization ka sawal ko, aur inki baatain char areas par hui, digitalization, skills development, jis par hamare yahan kafi aajkal focus hain, sustainability pe, healthcare pe, medicine pe. Aur iske alawa ye bhi tay kiya gaya ki 2 naye kshtra mei hum log jo hamara Ministerial Roundtable hain, ismai hum 2 naye kshtraon ko layenge aur woh 2 naye kshetra hain, ek advanced manufacturing aur dusra connectivity. Toh ye 2 naye pillers ko joda gaya hain. Toh ye raha mota-mota jo Singapore ke sath hamari batchit hui, aur isse hamare...is jo Ministerial Roundtable hua hain isse hamare rishtey gehre hue hain, majboot hue hain aur abhi Bharat ke Pradhan Mantri ka wahan daura hain, is daure mei bhi jo ye batchit hue, usse miljul kar aage kya kar sakte hain, kaise hum apne rishton ko aur behtar kar sakte hain, is par batchit hogi.
[Answer in Hindi: Approximate translation] On the Singapore visit, Sapna, we had also issued a press release. Four of our Ministers went there for the second India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable; the first Roundtable was held in 2022, and the second roundtable just took place a few days ago in 2024. Four ministers from our side went: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Foreign Minister, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, and our Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting, Electronics, and Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, also went to Singapore. Extensive discussions were held there. The relationship between Singapore and India is very deep, especially concerning trade, economic matters, technology, and digitalization. Discussions were held on four areas: digitalization, skills development (which we are currently focusing on), sustainability, healthcare, and medicine. It was also decided to introduce two new areas into our Roundtable: advanced manufacturing and connectivity. These two new pillars have been added. So, broadly speaking, this is the dialogue we had with Singapore, and this Ministerial Roundtable has deepened and strengthened our relationship. During the upcoming visit of India's Prime Minister to Singapore, discussions will focus on how we can further enhance our relationship, building on the talks that have already taken place.
Manish, jab Ukraine mei hamare Pradhan Mantri wahan gaye, uske baad hum logon ne...unhone jo kahan woh public mei bhi available hain, usmei aapne dekha hoga ki kin binduon par unhone apni baat rakhi aur kin chizon par unhone emphasize kiy. Aur usmei unhone bada saaf kaha hain ki Bharat ek dost ke naate, Ukraine ke dost ke naate, agar koi sakriya bhumika nibha sakta hain, yogdan de sakta hain shanti ke liye, toh uske liye taiyar hain. Toh yahi hamari baat, toh hamare Pradhan Mantri ne apne vaktavya mei jo baat kahin, usko main dohrana chahunga aapke liye.
[Answer in Hindi: Approximate translation] Manish, when our Prime Minister went to Ukraine, the statements he made there are available publicly. You must have seen the points on which he expressed his views and the aspects he emphasized. He clearly stated that as a friend of Ukraine, if India can play an active role or contribute in any way to peace, then India is ready for that. That is our stance. I would like to reiterate the points made by our Prime Minister in his statement for you.
Abhishek, I think this is a question that you must take to the American side, to the U.S. Embassy. They would be in a better position to answer your question.
Jaiprakash Ranjan: Sir main Jaiprakash hoon Dainik Jagran se. Mera Bangladesh ko lekar sawal hain ki abhi aapne bataya ki hamare project wahan par disturb hue hain, toh hamari jo Friendship Pipeline Project hain, aur jo power supply hain uspar ka impact hain?
[Question in Hindi: Approximate translation] Sir, I am Jaiprakash from Dainik Jagran. My question is about Bangladesh. You mentioned that our projects there have been disturbed. So, has there been any impact on our Friendship Pipeline Project and the power supply?
Huma Siddiqui: Sir I am Huma Siddiqui from the Financial Express. I just want to know, since the last two, three years, the CII is holding a Summit with Africa. When is the India-Africa Summit actually going to happen? Because what CII does is industry based.
Kallol Bhattacharjee: Sir Kallol Bhattacharjee from the Hindu. In the backdrop of the floods in Bangladesh, lots of countries like China, the Gulf countries are rushing assistance and financial aid to Bangladesh. I wanted to know India which has a history of helping countries that are hit by natural disasters, be it Turkey or Nepal. Why hasn't India reached out so far? Has there been a dialogue between India and Bangladesh on this matter so far in the last one week?
Divya: Sir Divya from Indian Express. We see that Kerala Chief Minister has again written to the External Affairs Minister on the issue of Indians stuck in the Russian army. He has named four people and also given their location. What is the movement and status on that?
Shri Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson: Jaiprakash ji, jo hamare wahan par development projects chal rahe hain Bangladesh mein, jo wahan par abhi stithi hain uske karan woh stagit ho gaye, kyuki kuch log jo wahan the bahot sare development project mei kaam kar rahe the, unko wapas aana pada. Aur kai ek aur karanon se ye ruk gaye hain. Toh ek baar jab sthiti behtar hogi, wahan par jab kanoon vyvastha bahal hoga, phir dekhenge ki unki sarkar se baat karke, ki isko kaise phir se aage le jaye. Toh ye hain jo sthiti abhi hain. Main sabhi project ke baare mei baat kar raha hoon, ki jo projects hain abhi wahan jo halat hain uske karan jo badlav aaya hain, jo kanoon vyvastha wahan bigad gayi thi uske karan uspe sab par asar pada hain. Ek baar sthiti niyantran mei aa jayega uske baad hum log dekhenge inko behtar kar sakte hain.
[Answer in Hindi: Approximate translation] Jaiprakash ji, our development projects in Bangladesh have been temporarily halted due to the current situation there, as many people working on various development projects there had to return. Due to several reasons, these projects have been paused. Once the situation improves and law and order are restored, we will discuss with their Government how to proceed further. This is the current situation. I am talking about all the projects; the current circumstances and the disruption of law and order have impacted all of them. Once the situation is under control, we will see how we can improve and move forward.
Huma, we recently had the CII India-Africa Summit. This is a very important business platform for our engagement with Africa. This was the 19th meeting. With Africa, we have a very special and very historic partnership. This particular conclave, which was held a few days back, was inaugurated by Honorable Vice President and we also had participation of six Vice Presidents from different countries in Africa. Let me list out which all countries were there. We had Vice Presidents from six countries - Burundi, Guinea Equatorial, Gambia, Liberia, Mauritius and Zimbabwe. In addition, we also had 40 Ministerial participations from Africa. In all, there were 65 countries - India, all the African countries. In addition, we also had several other countries who participated in this Business Conclave. Some 1,200 delegates were there. It was a big exercise and over the years, such business engagements have been strengthening and deepening our ties with Africa.
On the question of India-Africa Forum Summit, we have had some conversations on this particular front with African Union, including very recently. So far, we do not have an update for you as to when we will have this Summit, but we are in talks with the African Union to see when we can schedule it.
Kallol, to your question, I said that our High Commissioner there is in touch with the local Government and he also had a meeting chance to call on the Chief Advisor where they discussed all issues of interest. So that is where I will leave my answer.
Divya, Russian army, we have an update. As of today, we have 15 Indians who have been released and they have returned to India. There are others who are waiting for discharge. Our Mission, our Embassy is in touch with the Russian authorities, both on the foreign office side, the defence side, and we hope that those who want to return back to India will be released soon.
Ajay Banerjee: Ajay Banerjee from the Tribune. Sir, do we understand that we will allow Ukraine and Russia to have bilateral decision on the peace process or will we intervene or make an intervention? What would be the level when we arrive at the benchmark of making an intervention?
Shri Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson: Ajay, on the question of the conflict, the Prime Minister when he went to Ukraine, he spoke about our approach. That approach is available in the public domain. After our discussions, our External Affairs Minister had a press conference there where he explained our position. Again, today I have repeated what is our position on this particular conflict. So I would urge you to please refer to all that we have said on this, there is nothing new to add and in fact answering several questions, I had highlighted our approach; that is where it remains.
So if we don't have any more questions, ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much. We will have a special briefing on the upcoming visit of the Prime Minister to Brunei and Singapore. Please do join us, this should happen on Monday. Thank you very much. Enjoy and have a good weekend.
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INDIAN NAVAL SHIP TABAR CONDUCTS MARITIME PARTNERSHIP EXERCISE WITH SPANISH NAVY SHIP ATALAYA
India - Press Information Bureau
Ministry of Defence
Posted On: 30 AUG 2024 4:29PM by PIB Delhi
Indian Navy's frontline frigate, INS Tabar had arrived on a two day visit at Malaga, Spain on 25 Aug 24 and post departure on 27 Aug 24 conducted Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with Spanish Navy Ship Atalaya in the Mediterranean Sea. India and Spain have been engaging in multiple fields towards enhancing the existing bilateral relations, including maritime domain.
The conduct of MPX between Indian Navy and Spanish Navy in the Mediterranean Sea signifies Indian Navy's outreach and sustenance, which also marks a significant milestone in the maritime cooperation between India and Spain. The MPX involved a series of advanced exercises such as Station Keeping, Replenishment at Sea Approaches (RASAPs), Flying Exercise (FYEX), Steam Past and PHOTOEX serials. Units from both navies demonstrated high levels of professionalism and commitment to enhance collaborative efforts.
The Indian Navy remains committed towards fostering partnership with navies across the world. The MPX with the Spanish Navy reinforces the strong bilateral naval ties, further strengthening our resolve and commitment towards ensuring enhanced cooperation in the maritime domain.
*****
VM/SPS
(Release ID: 2050102)
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Commander says Iran intercepts hostile aerial vehicles from tens of miles away
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Aug 30, 2024
Tehran, IRNA -- General Alireza Sabahifard, the commander of the air defense force of the Iranian Army, has said that the force intercepts hostile aerial vehicles from tens of miles away.
Addressing a large crowd of worshippers before Tehran's Friday prayers, the commander said, "We have designed and produced all our needs."
He said that the country's air defense force is dependent on no country for meeting its needs for missile, radar, and intelligence systems.
He added that Iran has become self-sufficient in designing and producing advanced systems for hybrid warfare.
The commander stressed that the Iranian air defense force is one of the most prepared in the world.
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Modernized Air Defense Force 'fully ready' to guard Iran's airspace: Cmdr.
Iran Press TV
Friday, 30 August 2024 5:04 PM
A senior Iranian military commander says the Army's Air Defense Force has produced state-of-the-art systems and is ready to defend the country's airspace.
Brigadier Ali Asadi, commander of Iran's Western Air Defense Zone, said on Friday that the country's Air Defense Force has succeeded in manufacturing all its required systems and equipment in cooperation with Defense Ministry in the recent years.
"All the old radars have been updated and reproduced after converting to indigenous technologies."
He said his forces enjoy the know-how to manufacture different types of radars and managed to produce up-to-date radars, including Arash, Keyhan, Moraqeb and Nazir.
"These radars work in all kinds of frequencies and do not allow any flying object to infiltrate the country's sky," Asadi said.
The commander noted that his forces plan to design and manufacture various types of electronic listening systems and to develop electronic warfare systems based on operational needs of the country's air defense.
The designing of new missile systems proportional to adversarial threats is also on the agenda of Iran's Air Defense Force, he stated.
Asadi warned the enemies that the Iranian Armed Forces are fully prepared to repel any threat against the country.
Iranian military experts and engineers have in recent years made remarkable breakthroughs in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient.
Iranian officials have repeatedly underscored that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities which are entirely meant for defense, and that Iran's defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has repeatedly called for efforts to maintain and boost Iran's defense capabilities.
Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh said last week that the country will 'resolutely' continue to make more progress in the field of defense and deterrence.
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Iran Navy to soon announce new achievement in 'major mission'
Iran Press TV
Friday, 30 August 2024 11:23 AM
Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani says the force has a "major mission" on its agenda and its new achievement in international waters will soon be announced.
"Currently, we have a major mission on our agenda where we are accomplishing its decision-making process. And we will bring our efforts to a conclusion soon and will witness another achievement by this force," Irani told reporters on Friday.
Amid the Western attempts to portray the Indian Ocean as unsafe following Yemen's anti-Israel operations, the commander noted that the Iranian naval forces have increased their presence in the area.
"Despite the fact that the enemy is trying to portray the northern part of the Indian Ocean, particularly the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, as unsafe, the naval forces' fleets are still present in this maritime area not in the same way as before, but in a strengthened manner to secure the shipping."
He noted that all ships other than Israel-related vessels are navigating the ocean safely.
"Today, all flags, except those representing anti-human and child-killing entities, pass safely through the waterways of the Indian Ocean, and the power of the Iranian nation is maintained in the depth of the oceans, which is commendable."
His remarks come as the Yemeni forces have carried out scores of operations in support of the war-hit Palestinians since the onset of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza early last October, targeting Israeli ships or vessels heading towards ports in the occupied territories, in addition to striking targets throughout the occupied Palestinian territories.
The regime's bloody onslaught on Gaza has so far killed at least 40,602 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 93,855 others. Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under rubble.
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Iran 'closely monitoring' Israeli threats: Air Defense cmdr.
Iran Press TV
Friday, 30 August 2024 10:54 AM
The Iranian Air Defense Force is closely monitoring the activities of adversaries, including the Israeli regime, as the force enjoys the highest level of readiness, says its commander.
"In the Air Defense Force, considering the aerospace threats from global arrogance, we have enhanced our air defense capabilities and remain vigilant against other threats; we are also closely monitoring the wicked Zionist regime," Brigadier General Alireza Sabahifard said on Friday while addressing Friday prayers in Tehran.
He said that the force devotes special attention to the guidelines of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who once stated that the life of a nation depends on strengthening the components of its military might.
General Sabahifard went on to highlight that Iran has well fought off enemies' fiendish plots against its independence, freedom and the Islamic system, and this accounts for the rise in adversaries' animosity towards the Islamic Republic as the main pillar of the Axis of Resistance.
The high-ranking commander pointed out that the Iranian Air Defense Force is currently at the "highest level of its self-sufficiency, preparedness and combat prowess."
He stated that the Air Defense Force can now design and manufacture various types of control systems, radars, sensors, electronic warfare systems and cybersecurity systems.
The force can detect any kind of the enemy's stealth aircraft from thousands of miles away, Sabahifard said.
He stated that the Iranian Air Defense Force is monitoring potential threats round the clock, stages multiple military exercises throughout the year, and is continuously upgrading its military gear to achieve maximum efficiency.
He urged expansionist superpowers to abandon malice, sanctions, and threats so that the opportunity to resolve global conflicts using Iran's influential power can be realized.
Iranian military experts and technicians have in recent years made substantial headways in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient in the arms sphere.
Officials have repeatedly underscored that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile power, which are entirely meant for defense, and that Iran's defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations.
Ayatollah Khamenei has repeatedly called for efforts to maintain and boost Iran's defense capabilities, hitting back at the enemies for disputing the country's missile program.
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Japanese Defense Ministry Prepares Record High $58.5Bln Budget for 2025 Financial Year
Sputnik News
20240830
TOKYO (Sputnik) - The Japanese Defense Ministry on Friday submitted a record high budget of 8.5 trillion yen (about $58.5 billion) for the next financial year, which starts from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026, in order to strengthen the country's defense capabilities.
"On Aug 30, [Japan's Defense Ministry] JMOD held the Ministry Meeting attended by [Defense Minister Minoru] Kihara and approved the FY25 Budget Request. FY25 is the 3rd year under the Defense Buildup Program [DBP]. JMOD requested 8.5tril [yen]., consisting of programs which need to be started within FY25 to realize the DBP," the ministry wrote on X.
The ministry has requested 970 billion yen to reinforce the capabilities of the stand-off missiles, 537 billion yen to expand the capabilities of the integrated air defense and missile defense control systems, and 103 billion yen for drones development, a document, published by the ministry, read.
The ministry also applied for 227 billion yen to strengthen its capabilities in space as well as for 265 billion yen to enhance cybersecurity.
The budget plan includes three new projects. The first one aims to develop a system for remote monitoring of garrisons and other protected facilities and is worth 18 billion yen. The second, a 4.3 billion yen project, is concerned with developing a warehouse automation system, while the third requires 1.9 billion yen for designing a system for forecasting the supply needs, using artificial intelligence.
The document also provides a construction plan for three new FFM-class destroyers which would cost the ministry 314 billion yen.
The volume of the initially requested budget for the 2025 financial year is by 7.4% higher than the initially requested budget for 2024.
A Sputnik
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China warns Myanmar rebel army to stop fighting
Security officials told the insurgent group they would 'teach them a lesson' if they didn't comply.
By RFA Burmese 2024.08.30 -- Chinese authorities warned an ethnic minority insurgent group on Myanmar's northeastern border to stop fighting the Myanmar military or be "responsible for the consequences," according to a spokesperson for the group.
China has extensive economic interests in neighboring Myanmar, including oil and gas pipelines and mines, and it has been increasingly concerned about the impact of a surge of fighting this year between various insurgent forces and the military
A spokesman for the insurgent group, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, or TNLA, told Radio Free Asia that the security committee in the Chinese border town of Ruili told the TNLA in a letter to stop fighting.
"Fighting must stop immediately in order to maintain stability and peace on the China-Myanmar border and protect the lives of Chinese citizens," the Chinese security committee said in the letter, copies of which were posted online.
If the TNLA did not comply, China would "teach them a lesson," and the group would be "responsible for the consequences," the security committee said.
Radio Free Asia was not able to contact the security committee in Ruili and the Chinese Embassy in Yangon did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication. However, during a regular press briefing in Beijing on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters that China is "highly concerned about ... the conflict in northern Myanmar" and "will continue to ... promote the easing and cooling of the situation" in the region.
A spokesperson for the TNLA, Lway Yay Oo, confirmed that the letter was from Chinese authorities but declined further comment except to say the group's top leaders were meeting to discuss it.
China is known to maintain contacts with Myanmar rebel groups operating along its border, some of which have promised to protect Chinese business interests.
China-brokered two short-lived ceasefires between a three-party insurgent alliance, which includes the TNLA, and the junta this year but the truces collapsed and the insurgents stepped up pressure on the military, capturing numerous outposts, several major towns and a regional military headquarters. RFA was unable to independently confirm whether the warning was also sent to the other armies that make up the alliance -- the Arakan Army and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army.
China also maintains close ties with the junta that seized power in a 2021 coup, and is keen to limit the influence in Myanmar of Western countries and Myanmar's other big neighbor, India.
Exercises
China is hoping an election the junta has promised to hold next year can help restore peace and stability, analysts say, while at the same time it is pressing anti-junta forces to agree to peace.
Media reported this week that China had closed the border between Ruili and the Myanmar town of Muse, cutting off trade including fuel supplies apparently to pressure the TNLA to silence its guns.
In a show of force, China's People's Liberation Army began military exercises, including live-fire drills, in the Ruili area on Tuesday. China's defense ministry said the drills would strengthen border security and stability.
In mid-August, China fired warning shots into Kachin state to the north apparently in a bid to warn off junta aircraft bombing an insurgent base on the border.
Myanmar political and military analyst Than Soe Naing said there was little China could do to stop the war apart from making threats and imposing border restrictions on the insurgent groups and their leaders.
"These restrictions can't actually limit the battles that are being fought from Nawnghkio township in Shan state to Pyinoolwin township in Mandalay," Than Soe Naing said, referring to a broad swathe of central-northeast Myanmar where rebel forces have been making advances.
Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Kiana Duncan and Mike Firn.
This story has been updated to include a statement by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian.
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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Thailand arrests, deports 144,000 Myanmar workers for illegal entry
They face military conscription in Myanmar and are banned from Thailand for two years.
By Pimuk Rakkanam and RFA Burmese 2024.08.30 -- Thailand has detained and deported more than 144,000 Myanmar citizens over the past three months, its labor ministry said, in a crackdown aimed at weeding out "job seekers" who use the turmoil in their country as an excuse to seek opportunities in Thailand, a Thai police chief said.
Myanmar nationals were the largest group detained in the campaign to round up illegal workers launched in June that involved inspections of nearly 15,000 businesses, economic zones and areas where job-seekers congregate, the Ministry of Labor said on the weekend.
Workers from Myanmar play a vital role in the Thai economy with about two million of them legally employed in areas such as agriculture, fishing and the service sector, but labor activists say many more arrive illegally hoping to find work.
Another factor behind the arrival of many more young Myanmar citizens in Thailand this year is a junta conscription law that came into effect in April, three years after the military seized power in a coup, as it struggles to fend off advances by insurgents battling to end military rule.
Assistant Thai police chief Lt. Gen. Itthipol Achariyapradit told Radio Free Asia that Thailand had to act against people who entered illegally, some of whom, he believed, were "opportunistic job seekers" citing conflict at home as an excuse to come to Thailand.
"For those without passports or crossing illegally, we have no choice but to detain them. We can sort refugees or political migrants out from job seekers," Ittipol said.
"But if the situation remains unsafe we have to delay the process."
He did not say if he thought being conscripted into the Myanmar army was an unsafe situation.
Despite Thailand's need for migrant workers, it has been tightening up procedures for them, closing offices where migrants can get vital paperwork processed and granting the junta, through its embassy, greater authority over the fate of its migrant population in Thailand.
'More reliable'
People being deported in the crackdown will be banned from re-entering Thailand for two years under the ministry's rules and they also face the risk of being conscripted upon their arrival home, said Moe Gyo, chairperson of the Thai social aid organization Joint Action Committee for Burmese Affairs.
"Deported people are being recruited under the military's conscription law and they're worried," he said.
Myanmar military authorities forcibly recruited dozens of people deported after serving time in jail in the southern Thai province of Ranong, relatives told RFA this month.
"We can't say a similar incident won't happen again. People returning from abroad were extorted and coerced in the conscription process," Moe Gyo said.
One Thai employer was dismayed by the crackdown.
"It affects us a lot because if they have to go back and can't return how can we find replacements," said a hotel owner in the border province of Kanchanaburi who has hired undocumented people from Myanmar for years.
"We hire them not because they're cheap labor - we pay them the same as Thais - but because they're more reliable than Thai workers," said the hotel owner, who declined to be identified while discussing undocumented staff.
Thailand's Ministry of Labor did not respond to requests for comment from RFA.
While Thailand documents more than two million Myanmar workers in the kingdom legally, some labor groups estimate as many as seven million people from Myanmar are in Thailand.
The ministry said that in addition to 144,261 Myanmar nationals detained in the crackdown, there were 29,448 Cambodians, 12,258 from Laos, 117 from Vietnam and 6,196 from other countries.
Translated by Kiana Duncan. 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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While the average vehicle has an 8.6 percent chance of lasting 250,000 miles or more, the latest iSeeCars.com study has identified the 30 longest-lasting models all with a much higher chance of reaching the quarter-million milestone. The highest ranked vehicles, Toyotas Tundra and Sequoia, are four times more likely to reach a quarter-million miles, while the Toyota Tacoma, 4Runner, Highlander Hybrid, and Honda Ridgeline are three times more likely to reach 250,000 miles compared to the average vehicle.
iSeeCars established its industry-leading Longest-Lasting Cars study in 2013. This years study analyzed over 402 million cars to determine which cars were most likely to continue operating up to at least 250,000 miles. SUVs dominate the longest-lasting list, taking up 16 of the top 30 rankings, while Toyota is the most prominent brand, with nine models on the list. The most durable model, the Toyota Tundra, has a 36.6 percent chance of reaching 250,000 miles.
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Modern vehicles are getting more durable, with 30 models offering between a 12 and 36 percent chance of reaching a quarter million miles, said iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer. Many consumers still consider a cars usable lifespan to end at 100,000 miles. But our latest longest-lasting study confirms that even 200,000 miles isnt the end of the line for many cars. The top nine cars on this years list have a better than 20 percent chance of hitting 250,000 miles.
Top 30 Longest-Lasting Cars: SUVs and Toyotas Dominate the List
SUVs make up over half the spots (16) on the overall longest-lasting cars list. Four of these are Toyotas, but Chevrolet, GMC, Honda, and Nissan all have at least two SUVs on the top 30 longest-lasting list.
Pickup trucks also feature prominently on the list, with six full-size, light-duty models and two midsize models. iSeeCars broke out heavy-duty trucks from the primary list of longest-lasting cars, but those models are also ranked (see the Longest-Lasting Trucks further below).
Story continues
Top 30 Vehicles Most Likely To Last 250,000+ Miles iSeeCars Study* Rank Model % Chance of Lasting 250,000+ Miles Compared to Average 1 Toyota Tundra 36.6% 4.2x 2 Toyota Sequoia 36.4% 4.2x 3 Toyota 4Runner 26.8% 3.1x 4 Toyota Tacoma 26.7% 3.1x 5 Toyota Highlander Hybrid 25.9% 3.0x 6 Honda Ridgeline 25.8% 3.0x 7 Chevrolet Suburban 22.0% 2.5x 8 Toyota Avalon 22.0% 2.5x 9 Lexus GX 20.7% 2.4x 10 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 18.8% 2.2x 11 GMC Yukon XL 17.9% 2.1x 12 Chevrolet Tahoe 17.7% 2.1x 13 Honda Pilot 17.5% 2.0x 14 Honda Accord 16.6% 1.9x 15 GMC Sierra 1500 16.1% 1.9x 16 Ford F-150 15.8% 1.8x 17 Toyota Highlander 15.7% 1.8x 18 Nissan Titan 14.8% 1.7x 19 GMC Yukon 14.6% 1.7x 20 Honda CR-V 13.9% 1.6x 21 Toyota Camry 13.5% 1.6x 22 Ford Expedition 13.1% 1.5x 23 Honda Accord Hybrid 13.1% 1.5x 24 Nissan Pathfinder 13.0% 1.5x 25 Toyota Prius 12.6% 1.5x 26 Nissan Armada 12.6% 1.5x 27 Mazda CX-9 12.4% 1.4x 28 Acura MDX 11.9% 1.4x 29 Honda Odyssey 11.5% 1.3x 30 Ram 1500 11.5% 1.3x Overall Average 8.6% --
*Light-duty vehicles only
While SUVs and trucks dominate the longest-lasting cars list, four sedans and one hatchback also make the list, with two of those being hybrids. These cars prove consumers dont have to pay the higher upfront and operational costs associated with a truck or SUV to enjoy a long vehicle lifespan.
Given the rising cost of both new and used models, its encouraging to see so many vehicles capable of hitting 250,000 miles, said Brauer. A consumer paying todays higher purchase prices can still see a relatively low cost-per-mile if they leverage these long lifespans.
Longest-Lasting Brands: 7 Automakers With Better-Than-Average Lifespans
When broken out by brand, Toyota, Honda, Ram, GMC, Chevrolet, Lexus, and Ford all offer a better-than-average chance of hitting 250,000 miles. Many of these brands offer multiple trucks and three-row SUVs, giving them an advantage in hitting higher average lifetime miles across their model line. Top-ranked Toyota and Honda earn their spots with a full line of cars, trucks, and SUVs, while brands like Ram and GMC focus on trucks and utility vehicles.
Top 7 Brands Most Likely To Last 250,000+ Miles iSeeCars Study* Rank Brand % Chance of Lasting 250,000+ Miles Compared to Average 1 Toyota 17.0% 2.0x 2 Honda 13.6% 1.6x 3 Ram 11.5% 1.3x 4 GMC 11.4% 1.3x 5 Chevrolet 10.5% 1.2x 6 Lexus 9.7% 1.1x 7 Ford 9.5% 1.1x Overall Average 8.6% --
*Light-duty vehicles only
Toyota and Hondas history of producing high-quality vehicles is reflected in their top rankings for longest-lasting brands, said Brauer. When an automaker spends decades consistently offering durable cars, trucks and SUVs it manifests in how long consumers will keep those vehicles in operation.
Longest-Lasting Pickup Trucks: Heavy-Duty Models Lead the Way
Heavy-duty trucks are engineered to last a long time, so its no surprise to see them at the top of the longest-lasting truck rankings. The only non-heavy-duty trucks in the top 10 slots are Toyotas Tundra and Tacoma, confirming the durability of both trucks.
Trucks Most Likely To Last 250,000+ Miles iSeeCars Study Rank Model % Chance of Lasting 250,000+ Miles Compared to Average 1 Ram 3500 42.6% 2.2x 2 Toyota Tundra 36.6% 1.9x 3 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 29.6% 1.5x 4 GMC Sierra 2500HD 29.1% 1.5x 5 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD 28.7% 1.5x 6 Ford F-350 Super Duty 28.3% 1.5x 7 Ford F-250 Super Duty 27.4% 1.4x 8 Ram 2500 27.2% 1.4x 9 Toyota Tacoma 26.7% 1.4x 10 GMC Sierra 3500HD 26.0% 1.3x 11 Honda Ridgeline 25.8% 1.3x Overall Truck Average (includes heavy-duty) 19.4% -- 12 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 18.8% 1.0x 13 GMC Sierra 1500 16.1% 0.8x 14 Ford F-150 15.8% 0.8x 15 Nissan Titan 14.8% 0.8x 16 Ram 1500 11.5% 0.6x 17 GMC Canyon 11.2% 0.6x 18 Chevrolet Colorado 10.4% 0.5x 19 Nissan Frontier 9.6% 0.5x
The long lifespan of heavy-duty trucks inevitably pushes several light-duty models to below average, said Brauer. But as noted in our list of the top 30 longest-lasting vehicles, many of these below average trucks do quite well when compared to other light-duty vehicles.
Longest-Lasting SUVs: These 20 SUVs Are Better-Than-Average
SUVs are capable of serving a wide variety of needs, which is why they tend to accumulate more miles than other vehicle types. Most of the longest-lasting SUVs are three-row models, which offer the greatest flexibility in terms of people moving, cargo hauling, and trailer towing. But some midsize SUVs, and even a few compact SUVs, make the top 20 list for better-than-average lifespans.
Top 20 SUVs Most Likely To Last 250,000+ Miles iSeeCars Study Rank Model % Chance of Lasting 250,000+ Miles Compared to Average 1 Toyota Sequoia 36.4% 4.7x 2 Toyota 4Runner 26.8% 3.4x 3 Toyota Highlander Hybrid 25.9% 3.3x 4 Chevrolet Suburban 22.0% 2.8x 5 Lexus GX 20.7% 2.6x 6 GMC Yukon XL 17.9% 2.3x 7 Chevrolet Tahoe 17.7% 2.3x 8 Honda Pilot 17.5% 2.2x 9 Toyota Highlander 15.7% 2.0x 10 GMC Yukon 14.6% 1.9x 11 Honda CR-V 13.9% 1.8x 12 Ford Expedition 13.1% 1.7x 13 Nissan Pathfinder 13.0% 1.7x 14 Nissan Armada 12.6% 1.6x 15 Mazda CX-9 12.4% 1.6x 16 Acura MDX 11.9% 1.5x 17 Cadillac Escalade ESV 11.0% 1.4x 18 Toyota RAV4 9.6% 1.2x 19 Dodge Durango 8.5% 1.1x 20 Subaru Outback 8.4% 1.1x Overall SUV Average 7.8% --
Weve come to expect models like the Toyota Sequoia and 4Runner to lead the Longest-Lasting SUVs list, said Brauer. Seeing smaller SUVs like the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and Subaru Outback offering better-than-average lifespans confirms both their high-quality execution and their owners willingness to drive these vehicles for many years and many miles.
Longest-Lasting Sedans: Surviving in an SUV-Dominated World
While trucks and SUVs are expected to last a long time, these 11 sedans also have a better-than-average chance of reaching 250,000 miles. Toyota (along with its premium Lexus division) and Honda once again dominate the list, with Nissans Altima being the only outlier in the number 11 slot.
Top 11 Passenger Cars Most Likely To Last 250,000+ Miles iSeeCars Study Rank Model % Chance of Lasting 250,000+ Miles Compared to Average 1 Toyota Avalon 22.0% 4.0x 2 Honda Accord 16.6% 3.1x 3 Toyota Camry 13.5% 2.5x 4 Honda Accord Hybrid 13.1% 2.4x 5 Toyota Prius 12.6% 2.3x 6 Toyota Camry Hybrid 11.4% 2.1x 7 Lexus ES 10.6% 2.0x 8 Lexus IS 9.0% 1.7x 9 Toyota Corolla 7.8% 1.4x 10 Honda Civic 7.2% 1.3x 11 Nissan Altima 6.3% 1.2x Overall Car Average 5.4% --
Not so long ago, a sedan capable of lasting more than 200,000 miles was a rare commodity, said Brauer. Today, weve got 11 sedans with a better-than-average chance of hitting 250,000 miles. This kind of durability is great news for shoppers who dont need or want an SUV, but do want maximum value for their money.
The longevity of todays cars reflects the increasing engineering and build quality across all automakers, said Brauer. Buyers may be facing the highest purchase prices in history, but they are also getting the most durable and longest-lasting cars ever sold.
More from iSeeCars.com:
Methodology
iSeeCars.com analyzed data for over 402 million cars. The average odometer reading for each vehicle was calculated at each yearly age, and a proprietary model based on these average mileages was developed to estimate the probability that each vehicle would survive to various mileage thresholds. Heavy-duty vans and models with insufficient data were excluded from further analysis, except heavy-duty trucks were included for the truck-specific analysis.
About iSeeCars.com
This article, Longest-Lasting Cars, Trucks, and SUVs to Reach 250,000 Miles, originally appeared on iSeeCars.com.
Why Pakistan's Balochistan remains restive
By Sarah Zaman August 30, 2024
"Ever since I was a child, I've only seen war," says Sammi Deen Baloch, a prominent rights activist from Pakistan's southwestern province. "I am 26 years old and all I can remember are resistance movements in Balochistan, war and military operations. We have never had a normal life."
Coordinated attacks by Baloch separatists on August 25 killed at least 52 people a 38 civilians and 14 security personnel. Militants stormed police stations, blew up railway tracks, torched vehicles, and killed 23 laborers after identifying them as residents of Punjab province.
The banned Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, claimed responsibility for the attacks. The military said it killed 21 militants in retaliatory fire.
Violence has escalated across the province in recent years. Experts say decades of mistrust, bad governance and military interventions have widened the gap between the state and the Baloch people and fueled waves of insurgencies that have left resource-rich Balochistan impoverished and perpetually restive.
Accession to Pakistan
Covering almost 44% of Pakistan's area, the province became part of the country almost a year after the Muslim-majority nation gained independence from Britain in August 1947 in a bloody partition of the Indian subcontinent.
Many Balochs still see themselves as being forced to join Pakistan as the large princely state of Kalat in the Balochistan region initially declared independence.
After the first wave of tribal resistance against Kalat's annexation in 1948, three more waves followed between 1958 and 1977 as Balochs sought independence or at least greater autonomy.
To assert its control, Islamabad resorted to military action, dismissal of elected provincial governments and arrests of tribal leaders despite promises of amnesty.
"It is a series of aggressions," Mir Muhammad Ali Talpur, a veteran of the Baloch tribal resistance in the 1970s, told VOA. "That forced the Baloch to resist," said Talpur, who has written extensively on the province's issues since returning in the1990s from Afghanistan, where he took refuge with thousands of Baloch tribal fighters.
Fifth insurgency
Balochistan is currently in the throes of a fifth wave of insurgency that erupted in the early 2000s during military leader Pervez Musharraf's era.
Angered by the rape of a female doctor from Karachi in 2005, allegedly by an army captain in the Sui district, tribesmen from the Bugti clan assaulted military camps.
The killing of popular tribal leader and former chief minister Nawab Akbar Bugti in a 2006 military operation angered Baloch masses and triggered an insurgency that is still raging.
"The killing of Nawab Bugti, that was like the 9-11 of Balochistan," said Washington-based Baloch political analyst Malik Siraj Akbar, referring to the 2001 terrorist attack on the United States.
Urban appeal
The current violent resistance led by BLA militants is different from past insurgencies, though, according to Islamabad-based security affairs expert Amir Rana.
"BLA leadership is from the middle class, and during the last decade, we have seen the transformation of the leadership of this insurgent movement," said Rana, who heads the Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies. "This is not anymore tribal. Though there are a few [tribal] leaders in exile ... now it is led by middle class, educated youth."
The banned outfit is also attracting women. BLA claimed one of its suicide bombers in this week's attack was a female, reportedly a law student at Turbat University in Balochistan. The militant group first used a female suicide bomber a a mother of three a in an April 2022 attack on Chinese nationals in Karachi.
Rana said increased political awareness has also amplified the sense of deprivation among educated urban youth, pushing them into BLA's orbit. "Baloch youth got exposure to other parts of the country [through government scholarships], and then they realized how backward their province is."
Human rights abuses have also fueled the insurgency, analysts say. Decades of violent resistance and military action to quash it have left a trail of brutalized bodies on roadsides and families awaiting information about missing loved ones.
BLA is "able to recruit enough young people to sustain their movement because of [the] perception of the Pakistani government, the military, not being sincere in resolving the issue of disappearances and other problems that the Baloch people face," analyst Akbar explained.
In a 2023 report, the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan noted "with concern the state's widespread use of enforced disappearances to muzzle dissent."
Addressing a press conference last May, the Pakistani military's spokesperson, Lieutenant General Arshad Sharif Chaudhry, said the issue of missing persons was complex and exaggerated for propaganda purposes as some of those presumed missing were killed in encounters with the military or are hiding in Afghanistan.
"You put the same people on the missing persons list and accuse law enforcement agencies of abducting them," Chaudhry said. "For any genuine cases, all agencies, law enforcement authorities and civil institutions give their input, and nobody rests easy until it's resolved."
Development dilemma
After BLA's brazen attacks this week, the provincial government announced plans to equip 30,000 young Balochs with technical job skills to counter what Balochistan's chief minister, Sarfraz Bugti, called the alienation of Baloch youth.
Despite promises of prosperity and millions of dollars doled out over decades by provincial and federal governments for infrastructure, education and skill development programs, the sparsely populated province remains poverty-ridden and severely underdeveloped.
"The simple answer is corruption. Nothing else," said Rana.
The arrival of international mega-projects to tap into the province's natural resources has further stirred suspicion. Along with funding a deep-sea port and a new airport in Gwadar, Chinese companies run gold, copper and silver mining projects in Saindak and zinc and lead mining in Duddar. Canadian company Barrick Gold mines one of the world's largest copper and gold deposits in Baluchistan's Reko Diq region.
Many feel exploited by the lack of robust public debate over contracts, access to mostly low-paying jobs and security restrictions affecting mobility and livelihood.
Rights activists have staged massive protests in the heart of Gwadar, while militants have targeted migrant labor and Chinese interests in and outside Balochistan.
Insurgents, Talpur said, think that "those who are working for the government over here, that is settlers or civilians, are part of an oppressive set-up. Same with the Chinese being attacked as well."
Political vacuum
"There is a gap [of leadership] that neither the nationalists are filling nor the politicians that keep changing political parties," said Shahzada Zulfiqar, a veteran journalist and political commentator based in Quetta, the provincial capital.
Political analysts and activists who spoke to VOA say many in Balochistan are disillusioned with the democratic process because of the Pakistani state's alliance with Baloch tribal elders seen as pliant, distrust of popular nationalist politicians, and alleged manipulation of political allegiances.
The Baloch Unity Committee, or BYC, a nonviolent, civic movement, is now trying to fill that political gap, Zulfiqar said.
Led by a young medical doctor, Mahrang Baloch, the BYC started as a protest movement to draw attention to the issue of enforced disappearances. It has since evolved into a broad civic rights movement with massive support.
"If the state engages constructively with Mahrang and accepts some of the movement's demands, it will put pressure on BLA and lessen its appeal," said Rana. "This will benefit the state."
However, authorities have cracked down on the BYC's cross-country protests. Officials have accused it of receiving foreign support and maintaining links with separatist insurgents a charges that BYC leaders deny.
"I think there will be a time that no one will talk about peace because of how peaceful voices are suppressed and are being linked with different [militant] groups," Sammi Deen Baloch, also a prominent BYC leader, told VOA.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Quetta Thursday with Army Chief General Asim Munir and announced beefing up bureaucracy and police across the province. Top officials have called the recent attacks a "filthy plan" supported by external rivals to derail development ties with Beijing.
As authorities reject negotiating with Baloch insurgents and ramp up anti-terrorism operations, experts say long-term peace in Balochistan requires long-term, multi-pronged dialogue with leaders whom the Baloch people trust. Similar efforts saw a decade of calm in the 1990s.
"The Pakistani government is trying to look for shortcuts," Akbar said of the government's efforts to focus on security without reforms. "There is a need for a more formal but dignified accommodation of the Baloch."
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Pro-War Policies Put Russia's Orthodox Church Under Increasing Pressure Outside Russia
By Vidka Atanasova, Rostyslav Khotin, Volodymyr Ivakhnenko and Mike Eckel August 30, 2024
Earlier this month, on the same day that Ukrainian lawmakers effectively moved to ban an entire branch of the Russian Orthodox Church, the leader of Bulgaria's Orthodox Church publicly weighed in with a critical opinion on the historic, and controversial, step.
The Ukrainian law, Patriarch Daniil said, subjects the Russian church to "serious factual and legal restrictions," amounting to a "discriminatory policy."
Daniil's public positions backing the Russian church had already raised eyebrows in Bulgaria. And Daniil is not the only one.
Last year, Bulgaria expelled three priests -- two Belarusians and one Russian -- employed by the Russian Orthodox Church, citing national security grounds.
In Ukraine, where Russia's all-out war stands at 30 months and counting, Kyiv's move against a branch of the Orthodox Church seen as loyal to Moscow was yet another watershed moment in a decades-long struggle to define Ukraine's Orthodox identity. Some saw it, or outright misconstrued it, as an attack on religious freedom.
But in a growing number of other countries, the Russian church is finding it difficult to continue its operations as more authorities turn a critical eye toward its presence -- under the argument that rather than being an exclusively religious, spiritual organization, it is instead an active tool of Russian government soft power.
"It has never been a secret that Russia uses the church and Orthodox values as a significant part of its foreign policy," said Vladimir Liparteliani, a scholar at Durham University in Britain who has researched the Russian Orthodox Church, sometimes referred to by the abbreviation ROC.
"When a state bans and restricts the influence of the ROC, it is essentially trying to reduce the impact of Russian soft power," he said. "Moreover, for many European states, it is critically important to address this issue because Russian religious and conservative narratives are highly anti-Western and anti-liberal, and their danger should not be underestimated."
'The Kremlin's Calculation'
The ROC, the largest and wealthiest single unit among all Eastern Orthodox churches, has for centuries claimed the mantle of the true home of Orthodox Christianity.
Its current chief, Patriarch Kirill, is a vocal and visible supporter of President Vladimir Putin and the war against Ukraine. In September 2022, seven months after the start of Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine, Kirill told Russian soldiers that "sacrifice in the course of carrying out your military duty washes away all sins." Earlier this year, Kirill declared the Ukraine invasion to be a "holy war."
"The more militant the patriarch's rhetoric and the more visible he becomes in Russian propaganda, the more bigoted he looks from the outside and the stronger the centrifugal forces within the church," Ksenia Luchenko, a visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, wrote in a commentary last year. "By using force to try to keep the splintering parts of the once unified ROC together, the patriarch is only driving them away."
Inside Ukraine, the Russian church has long held sway over one of the largest branches of the fractured Orthodox faith, known until recently as the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate, or simply UOC.
After the breakup of the Soviet Union, a church called the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyiv Patriarchate emerged, competing for primacy among Ukrainian believers. It also competed with the Moscow Patriarchate church for prime real estate.
As tensions built following Russia's seizure of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, the Ukrainian churches edged further away from Moscow.
In late 2018, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyiv Patriarchate merged with another, smaller denomination called the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, which had been around since the Bolshevik Revolution a century earlier.
The newly merged church was called the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, or OCU. In January 2019, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, the spiritual head of all Orthodox Christians, for the first time in history recognized the OCU's independence from Moscow.
Under pressure from Kyiv, the UOC formally renounced its ties to Moscow in the wake of the Ukraine war.
But Ukrainian lawmakers were unconvinced, and on August 20, passed legislation banning religious organizations linked to the ROC from operating in Ukraine.
"Protecting our people from Russian aggression, we must do it together not only on the battlefield, informational, diplomatic, economic, and other spheres but accordingly in the spiritual sphere as well," the head of the Ukrainian church, Metropolitan Epiphany, said in a TV interview following the vote. "Because without spiritual independence from the Kremlin, from the Russian 'evil empire,' we cannot talk about our true independence."
Ukraine's move was met with predictable anger in Moscow.
In other places, it was framed as an attack on religious liberty. Even the head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, criticized the legislation, saying, "I fear for the liberty of those who pray."
For some in Ukraine, however, the move was a welcome effort to counter the Moscow-linked church's efforts to sway sympathies of Ukrainians, either overtly or subtly.
Tetyana Derkach, a Ukrainian analyst and religious scholar, charged that the Russian church played a role in undermining Ukrainian national sentiments in the wake of the 2014 Maidan public protests, which led to the ouster of the country's pro-Russian president. The Kremlin has repeatedly tried to depict those events not as a public display of anti-government sentiment but rather a coup d'etat.
"The Kremlin's calculation that [the UOC] would be able to 'educate' believers into people loyal to Russia was largely justified," Derkach said. "In essence, the UOC was preparing a springboard for people to accept the idea of unifying Ukraine with Russia and restoring the union state."
Bulgaria Looks East
In Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has been under scrutiny for its positions siding with the Russian church, particularly regarding the fight in Ukraine. The church leadership has refused to recognize the 2018 decision that granted the Orthodox Church of Ukraine independence from Moscow.
Last year's expulsion of three Russian priests -- who were affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church in Bulgaria, not the Bulgarian Orthodox Church itself -- had a different dimension.
The chief priest who was expelled, Archimandrite Vassian, was kicked out on national security grounds in a decision that appeared to stem from his work in neighboring North Macedonia.
Vassian had repeatedly visited North Macedonia "to perform the functions of Russian intelligence with the aim of dividing the Macedonian church," Atanas Atanasov, a lawmaker with the Democratic Bulgaria party, said at the time.
The two other Russian Orthodox priests expelled by Bulgaria were Belarusian citizens. One, Yevhen Pavelchuk, served in a secret military unit near Moscow prior to joining the priesthood. He also, according to an investigation by RFE/RL's Belarusian Service, helped found an Orthodox youth club that taught troubled teenagers military skills as well as Russian-centric, nationalist ideas broadly known as "Russian World."
After the expulsions, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that the main Russian church in the capital, Sofia, would be shut down.
Patriarch Daniil, who was elected head of the Bulgarian church in June, publicly criticized the closure of the church and the priests' expulsions and, more recently, the Ukrainian move to criminalize Russian-linked church entities.
"Patriarch Daniil has categorically proven himself as a pro-Russian Bulgarian bishop," historian and publicist Goran Blagoev, a Sofia-based historian and commentator, told RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service.
Czechs, Very Much. Georgian, Not So Much.
Bulgaria is far from the only country where the Russian Orthodox Church is under growing pressure.
In the Czech Republic, authorities have tightened the screws as part of a multiyear campaign to restrict activities of Russian officials and related entities - a campaign that gained new momentum after revelations in 2021 that Russian intelligence agents were responsible for blowing up two Czech ammunition depots in 2014.
Czech authorities sanctioned Patriarch Kirill last year and have expelled one Russian cleric. Some lawmakers have called on the government to investigate whether Russian churches were involved in "influence operations" in the country.
"I do not consider the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate to be a church and its representatives to be clergymen," Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said earlier this month. "It is part of the Kremlin's repressive machine that is involved in Russia's influence operations."
In other countries where local Orthodox churches are considered subservient to Moscow, there have been tangible efforts to weaken ties with the Russian church.
In the Baltics, Lithuanian and Latvian Orthodox church authorities, with the backing of political leaders, have moved toward independence, though the Orthodox Christianity's communal organizational structure has made that difficult.
By contrast, in Georgia, the situation is quite different.
After the 2018 decision by Patriarch Bartholomew granting the Ukrainian church independence from Moscow, three of the world's bigger Orthodox churches that are self-governing -- Greek, Alexandrian, and Cypriot -- recognized the decision.
The Georgian Orthodox Church, which is also formally independent of Moscow, was one of the national churches that did not.
Georgian scholars said that decision contrasted sharply with a decision in February 2023 to recognize the independence of the Orthodox church in North Macedonia.
Fear of angering the Russian church was the main reason for not recognizing the Ukrainian church's independence, Georgian theologian Lela Jejelava said.
"The issue of Ukraine has much deeper content," she told RFE/RL's Georgian Service last year. "It's a political issue rather than a canonical one."
"We have a purely political subtext," she said. "In this case, the Georgian Church confirms its presence in the orbit of the Russian Church."
Correspondents Zmytser Pankavets of RFE/RL's Belarus Service, Gvantsa Nemsadze of RFE/RL's Georgian Service, and Dmitry Gorelov of Current Time contributed to this report.
Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-orthodox- church-war/33098290.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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'No Worries' About Putin's Visit To Mongolia, Kremlin Says, Despite ICC Warrant For His Arrest
By RFE/RL's Russian Service August 30, 2024
The Kremlin on August 30 said it is not concerned about President Vladimir Putin's visit to Mongolia on September 3, despite an arrest warrant that the International Criminal Court (ICC) says Mongolia is obligated to act on.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters during his daily conference call on August 30 that the Kremlin has "no worries" about the upcoming trip, adding that Russia has "a wonderful dialogue with our friends from Mongolia."
The trip will be Putin's first to a country that is a member of the ICC since the arrest warrant was issued in March 2023 over suspected war crimes in Ukraine.
ICC members are bound to detain suspects for whom the court has issued an arrest warrant if they set foot on their soil, but the court has no enforcement mechanism. Mongolia signed the Rome Statute, the court's founding treaty, in 2000 and ratified it in 2002.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said earlier on August 30 that it hoped that the Mongolian government "will realize the fact that Vladimir Putin is a war criminal" and called on the Mongolian authorities to comply with the international arrest warrant and hand Putin over to the ICC.
ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah underscored in a statement quoted by the AP on August 30 that Mongolia "is a State Party to the ICC Rome Statute" and thus has the obligation to cooperate with the court.
The ICC relies on its state parties and other partners to execute its decisions, including arrest warrants, El Abdallah said in the statement.
The ICC accused Putin in March 2023 of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine. Maria Lvova-Belova, Moscow's commissioner for children's rights, is also named in the warrant, which alleges they committed war crimes in connection with the deportation of thousands of Ukrainian children.
Russia is not a member of the ICC and refuses to hand over suspects. Russian officials have dismissed the warrants as "null and void."
Putin will travel to Mongolia at the invitation of President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh to participate in ceremonies marking the 85th anniversary of the joint victory of the Soviet and Mongolian armies over Japan on the Khalkhin Gol River, a Kremlin statement said.
Putin will also hold talks with Khurelsukh and other top Mongolian officials, the statement said.
With reporting by AP
Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-putin-mongolia-icc- arrest-warrant-war-crimes/33100129.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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Moscow accuses Europe of 'theft' as frozen Russian assets fund Ukraine defense
By Henry Ridgwell August 30, 2024
Russia has accused the European Union of "theft" after the bloc transferred the first tranche of profits from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine to boost its military capabilities in the face of Moscow's invasion. The G7 group of leading industrialized nations plans a similar scheme.
However, there are concerns that the asset schemes could prompt some countries to cut their own bilateral funding to Ukraine, after Germany indicated it could end bilateral military aid for Kyiv after 2025.
The European Union said Friday that it had so far provided around $48 billion in military aid to Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion. The bloc has begun providing military and civilian aid to Ukraine using profits from $300 billion worth of confiscated Russian assets, following an EU agreement struck in May.
"We have mobilized the first tranche of windfall profits from Russian frozen assets. It's 1.4 billion [euros, or $1.55 billion]. Part of it is going directly to Ukraine in order to boost the Ukrainian defense industry. By March, we will have the second tranche of the windfall profits," EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell told reporters Friday.
Russian anger
Moscow described the transfer of profits from its frozen assets as "theft."
"These are illegal actions. They will definitely have legal consequences. This is nothing but illegal expropriation a in Russian, theft a of our money, our assets," Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a phone call Thursday.
The G7 also agreed in June to use frozen Russian assets to finance a $50 billion loan to provide military aid for Ukraine, although that scheme has yet to be finalized.
Germany indicated this month that it intends to end bilateral military aid for Ukraine from 2026 as it seeks to close a $13 billion budget deficit. Berlin said the G7 asset mechanism could help pay for the shortfall.
Germany is currently Ukraine's second-biggest bilateral donor, after the United States. The move to end that support has come under widespread criticism, said analyst Liana Fix of the U.S.-based Council on Foreign Relations.
"The political signal that it sends is devastating: that the biggest donor in absolute terms in Europe, Germany, suddenly stops its support for Ukraine, especially as it is unclear when and how exactly this G7 mechanism on the Russian frozen assets will work," Fix said.
"The idea of the G7 instrument was to communicate to [Russian President] Vladimir Putin that it doesn't make sense for him to outwait the West, right? That he cannot hope that at some point the West will stop support. And so this is a contradicting sign now a that the moment another financial source has been tapped, suddenly Ukraine funding is cut out of the budget," Fix told VOA.
Political pressure
Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently insisted Germany would continue to support Kyiv.
"We will support Ukraine as long as it will be necessary and we will be the biggest national supporter of Ukraine in Europe," Scholz told reporters during a visit to Moldova on August 21.
Amid enduring economic pressures at home, Scholz is facing domestic political difficulties, said Fix.
"Although the foreign policy has not changed, it shows changing priorities. Because before, for the governing coalition, Ukraine support was sacred. Nothing could be changed about that. And it shows how desperate the governing coalition in Berlin is for their political survival, ahead of elections in the autumn in eastern Germany."
Long-range missiles
Meanwhile, the European Union on Thursday urged member states and Western allies to lift restrictions on Ukraine's use of long-range missiles to target sites inside Russia.
"The military platform for Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure should not stay off limits for elimination, should not be a sanctuary for Russia attacking Ukraine," Borrell told reporters.
"To facilitate Ukraine to respond to the Russian aggression inside Russian territory is in accordance with international law. And I don't see why someone says it is going to war against Moscow. No, we are not going to war with Moscow. We are delivering arms to Ukraine, that's all," he added.
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Announcement of Steps to Impose Visa Restrictions on Additional Individuals Involved in the Repression of Syrians
US Department of State
Press Statement
Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson
August 30, 2024
For many years, the Assad regime has used arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance as a tool of repression against its real and perceived critics. Over 96,000 men, women, and children remain forcibly disappeared by the regime to this day - leaving families desperate for answers about their fates - with the regime extorting and punishing those trying to learn more. On this International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the United States stands in solidarity with victims and survivors of enforced disappearance, as well as their families, and is taking action to promote accountability for this cruel abuse.
Today, the Department of State is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on 14 Syrian regime officials for their involvement in repressing rights in Syria, including involvement in or association with enforced disappearances. These restrictions come in addition to restrictions on 21 Syrian regime officials and their immediate family members that Secretary Blinken announced under this authority in March 2024 and December 2023.
The actions of these individuals are part of a broader systemic pattern of abuses committed in Syria. The United States calls on the Assad regime and other actors in Syria to cease the reprehensible practice of disappearance and abduction, clarify the fate of those missing, humanely release all those still alive, return the remains of those who have perished in its custody, and engage in good faith with the newly established Independent Institution on Missing Persons in Syria. Furthermore, we call on these actors to halt any retaliatory and exploitative actions against individuals seeking information on the status of missing persons. We reaffirm our unwavering support for the Syrian people, including in their ongoing peaceful demands for freedom and dignity, and we will continue to take action against actors responsible for the repression of Syrians. Furthermore, we continue to stand in solidarity with all U.S. citizens who are missing or unjustly detained in Syria, and we call on the Assad regime to account for its actions.
The Department of State's steps to impose visa restrictions were taken pursuant to a Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, under the policy Secretary Blinken announced in December 2023 to promote accountability for current or former Syrian government officials or other individuals who are believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, the repression of Syrians and the production or trafficking of the amphetamine-type stimulant captagon from Syria.
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Navy to add 6 minelayers to counter PLA amphibious landing on Taiwan
ROC Central News Agency
08/30/2024 06:27 PM
Taipei, Aug. 30 (CNA) Taiwan plans to build six more minelayers from 2025 to 2027 as part of its ongoing effort to build indigenous warships, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND) spending plan for 2025 delivered to the Legislature on Friday.
The Navy has earmarked NT$1.8 billion (US$56.26 million) to build the six minelayers from 2025 to 2027, with the funding for 2025 alone set at NT$789 million, according to the plan.
The minelayers would speed up the laying of naval mines to help thwart a potential People's Liberation Army (PLA) amphibious landing on Taiwan's shores, giving Taiwan's forces an advantage, the Navy said in a written explanation it used to justify the spending request.
The development and construction of the six minelayers would also boost the local shipbuilding industry and support Taiwan's efforts to build battleships domestically, the Navy said.
Taiwan previously built four minelayers from 2017 to 2021 for NT$917.7 million, and they are in active service.
The six more minelayers are part of the NT$647 billion military budget proposed by Taiwan's government for 2025, which, if passed, would be the highest in the country's history.
The overall budget includes a regular budget (NT$476 billion), special budgets (NT$90.4 billion) and nonprofit special funds (NT$80.6 billion), and NT$145.8 billion was budgeted under the regular budget for weapons procurement, including the minelayers.
Meanwhile, the budget numbers also showed that the construction cost of seven planned indigenous defense submarines (IDS) is expected to peak in 2031 at NT$32.1 billion.
The seven subs will be based on the prototype IDS the Narwhal, also known as Hai Kun, which was ceremoniously unveiled on land in a photo op in September 2023 but has yet to undergo sea acceptance tests, despite reports since earlier this year that such tests were imminent.
According to the Navy, the seven subs are expected to cost a total of NT$284.08 billion over the project's time frame from 2025 to 2038, with NT$2 billion earmarked for the subs in 2025, NT$17 billion for 2026, and over NT$20 billion each year from 2027 to 2035.
The spending on the subs is scheduled to peak in 2031 when it is expected to reach NT$32.1 billion, according to the spending plan.
Meanwhile, in its 2024 PLA report, also delivered to the Legislature on Friday, the MND said the PLA has not developed the capabilities necessary to launch a full-on invasion of Taiwan.
Without that capability, the report said, the PLA's current options in maneuvering against Taiwan include intimidation, blockades, and joint firepower strikes.
To put an end to the "Taiwan question," however, the PLA will continue preparing for and strengthening its capabilities to carry out "joint landing warfare" against Taiwan, according to the report.
(By Matt Yu, Wu Shu-wei and Sean Lin)
Enditem/ls
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Pacific Islands Forum affirms Taiwan's participation in organization
ROC Central News Agency
08/30/2024 02:49 PM
Taipei, Aug. 30 (CNA) The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) issued a communique Friday affirming Taiwan's participation amid rumors of a push by China and the Solomon Islands to exclude the country from the inter-governmental organization.
"Leaders at the forum reaffirmed the 1992 Leaders decision on relations with Taiwan/Republic of China," the PIF said.
The statement came following a Monday report in The Australian newspaper, which claimed the Solomon Islands would table a motion at this year's summit from Aug. 26-30 in Tonga to strip Taiwan of its "development partner" status, held since 1993.
According to an anonymous source cited by the Australian report, the Solomon Islands received explicit instructions from Beijing to block Taiwan's attendance at the 2025 summit of PIF countries in the Solomon Islands' capital Honiara.
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.
Based on the PIF's charter, motions are decided by verbal consensus among the group's 18-member nations, which include Taiwan's diplomatic allies Palau, the Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu.
During the Tonga summit, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he supports Taiwan's status in the PIF, and emphasized that any decision to exclude parties from regional forums should be made via a consensus.
Furthermore, when asked by CNA if Washington has plans to support Taiwan in securing its status in the PIF, the U.S. Department of State responded via email that it supports Taiwan's participation in international organizations.
"Taiwan is a highly capable, engaged, democratic, and responsible member of the global community," a State Department spokesperson said, adding that countries around the world "stand to benefit from Taiwan's expertise to address some of today's most difficult global challenges."
"We [the U.S.] will continue to support Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations," the spokesperson said.
(By Chou Yung-chieh, Chung Yu-chen, Joseph Yeh and Ko Lin)
Enditem/kb
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U.S. to continue arms sales to Taiwan: White House official
ROC Central News Agency
08/30/2024 01:00 PM
Washington, Aug. 29 (CNA) The United States will continue to provide defense articles to Taiwan as per its "One China" policy, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Thursday, noting that such an approach has helped foster decades of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Sullivan told a press conference in Beijing that the U.S. arms sales to Taiwan had been consistent with the U.S.' One China policy, an approach he said has "remained true on a bipartisan basis" across multiple U.S. administrations.
The policy "has actually helped contribute to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait for decades, and we intend to keep it that way," said Sullivan, who was visiting China this week to meet with China's leader Xi Jinping (cea) and other senior Chinese officials.
"Our One China policy has not changed, and our approach to this issue is guided by the One China policy, the Taiwan Relations Act, the Three Joint CommuniquAs, and the Six Assurances," he said.
The White House official's comments came shortly after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (cZ) raised the issue of arms sales in their two-day talks, according to a readout issued by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday (local time).
Wang was cited as urging Washington to cease arms sales to Taipei and arguing that efforts to push for Taiwanese independence posed "the greatest risk to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait."
Since President Joe Biden took office in 2021, the U.S. has announced arms sales to Taiwan 15 times, most recently in June involving US$60.2 million worth of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and related equipment.
According to the White House, the talks between Sullivan and Chinese leaders were part of the efforts by the U.S. and Chinese governments to maintain channels of communication and manage their relations.
The relationship between the U.S. and China remains "competitive" and both sides will have to work to "manage the risks and flashpoints," Sullivan said, mentioning in particular strained cross-Taiwan Strait relations and the tensions in the South China Sea.
Sullivan said he had stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and reaffirmed the U.S.' commitment to its allies in the Indo-Pacific in all his meetings with Chinese leaders.
(By Shih Hsiu-chuan and Teng Pei-ju)
Enditem/kb
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PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan
ROC Ministry of National Defense
2024/08/30
PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan
1.Dateis
6 to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) Thursday to Friday, Aug. 29-30
2.PLA activitiesis
25 PLA aircraft, 7 PLAN vessels and 2 official ships operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 17 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern, central, southwestern, and southeastern 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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PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan
ROC Ministry of National Defense
2024/08/31
PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan
1.Dateis
6 to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) Friday to Saturday, Aug. 30-31
2.PLA activitiesis
30 PLA aircraft, 7 PLAN vessels and 4 official ships operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 20 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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"The Great Victory is the name of the rebirth of a nation from its ashes"
Presidency of The Republic of Turkey
30.08.2024
Speaking at the Victory Day Concert, President ErdoAYan said: "The Great Victory is the name of the rebirth from its ashes of a nation sought to be eradicated and expelled from its homeland."
President Recep Tayyip ErdoAYan delivered a speech at the Victory Day Concert at the Presidential Complex.
Noting that TArkiye is experiencing the joy of marking the 102nd anniversary of the Great Victory today, President ErdoAYan said: "Let me underline that our War of Independence is without doubt a unique victory in the world. Mobilizing whatever it had at its disposal, our nation defended its independence and future despite all the deprivations. The Turkish Nation thus once again demonstrated its feature of being a nation that makes and writes history. The turning point of our War of Independence was the Great Offensive and the Battle of the Commander-in-Chief."
"WE ARE WORKING WITH ALL OUR STRENGTH TO CARRY OUR COUNTRY TO A MORE PROSPEROUS FUTURE"
Describing the Great Victory as the name of the rebirth from its ashes of a nation sought to be eradicated and expelled from its homeland, President ErdoAYan stated: "Our army, which had been on the defensive and whose offensive power had been on the decline since the Siege of Vienna, altered its ill fate with the victory it won in DumlupAnar. Thus, the retreat, which had lasted for 250 years save a few exceptions, came to an end. This victory, won despite numerous hardships, consolidated both our nation's independence and Turkish soldiers' heroism."
Drawing attention to the steps taken with resolve towards the ideal of a fully-independent TArkiye, President ErdoAYan said: "We are now focused on our goals as the nation. With the courage and inspiration we draw from the Great Victory, we are working with all our strength to carry our country to a more prosperous and brighter future. The achievements we have made in defense industry over the past 22 years instill confidence in our friends while instilling fear in those with hostile eyes."
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"Our Turkish Armed Forces are the guarantee of our country's independence, our national unity and solidarity"
Presidency of The Republic of Turkey
30.08.2024
Speaking at the Army War College's Commencement and Flag Handover Ceremony, President ErdoAYan said: "Our Turkish Armed Forces are the guarantee of our country's independence, the indivisible integrity of our homeland, and our national unity and solidarity."
President Recep Tayyip ErdoAYan delivered a speech at the Commencement and Flag Handover Ceremony at Army War College in Ankara.
"ARMY WAR COLLEGE IS THE APPLE OF OUR MILITARY'S EYE"
"Founded in 1834 as Mekteb-i Harbiye-i Azahane (Imperial Military School), our Army War College is the apple of our military's eye with its 190-year history. For nearly two centuries, our Army War College has trained heroic officers who served under very difficult conditions, sacrificed their lives for the defense of the homeland, and whose military record is full of success. The founder of our Republic, Ghazi Mustafa Kemal, Field Marshal Fevzi Aakmak, Ali Fuat Cebesoy, Fethi Okyar, KazAm Karabekir and many other distinguished people who have written their names in history and in the hearts of our nation were trained under this roof and played very important roles in our War of Independence," President ErdoAYan said.
"This year, a total of 989 cadets, 72 of whom are our guests from 14 different countries of the world, are graduating from our Army War College. I congratulate each of our lieutenants who have received their diplomas and joined the ranks of our army, and I kiss them on their foreheads one by one. I also congratulate our instructors and commanders who have trained our graduates in the best way possible," President ErdoAYan said.
"OUR ARMED FORCES HONORABLY FULFILL THEIR DUTIES WHEREVER THEY ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY"
"From Syria to Northern Iraq, from Libya to Somalia, our Armed Forces honorably fulfill their duties wherever they assume responsibility," President ErdoAYan said.
"Our Turkish Armed Forces are the guarantee of our country's independence, the indivisible integrity of our homeland, and our national unity and solidarity," President ErdoAYan said. "Our military is also a source of hope for the oppressed around the world with our flag with star and crescent it proudly bears as a badge of honor."
"In terms of geography, TArkiye is a bridge; in terms of culture a center and in terms of economy a transition zone. Living in such a geography in a free, upright and independent manner is not for the faint of heart or for every man. Even the slightest sign of weakness can expose our nation to enormous threats," President ErdoAYan said.
"WE WILL BROADEN OUR VISION TO INCLUDE THE WHOLE WORLD"
"Wherever there is a kin of ours from the Adriatic to the steppes of Asia, his/her issue is our issue. From the Caucasus to Africa, wherever there is a brother or sister, his/her problem is our problem. Just as we are one and united with Azerbaijan, which we act with the slogan of two states and one nation, our hearts beat the same with all our brothers and sisters in the Turkic republics. How can we turn our backs on al-Quds, where our ancestors ruled in peace, tranquility, and prosperity for four centuries? How can we turn a blind eye to the land of Palestine, where Ghazi Mustafa Kemal fought to keep the enemy from invading it? How can we close our ears to the cries of our Palestinian brothers and sisters who have been subjected to genocide by Israel for 11 months? Who can separate Istanbul from Al-Quds al-Sharif? Who can separate Gaza from Gaziantep? Who can build a wall between us and our brothers whom we fought side by side and martyred side by side in Aanakkale a century ago?" President ErdoAYan said.
"Whoever tries to confine TArkiye's horizons to 782 thousand square kilometers is a stranger to these lands, if not unwary," President ErdoAYan said. "We will think in a TArkiye-centered way, but we will broaden our vision to include the whole world."
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"The Great Victory has eternally registered our nation's existence on the Anatolian lands"
Presidency of The Republic of Turkey
30.08.2024
President ErdoAYan, in a message on August 30 Victory Day, said: "The Great Victory, which Ghazi Mustafa Kemal AtatArk described as 'the immortal monument of the Turkish Nation's idea of freedom and independence,' has eternally registered our nation's existence on the Anatolian lands. With the Great Victory, the Turkish Nation once again declared to the whole world that it would not accept captivity, that it would not let shackles be put on its will, and that it would never compromise on living independently in its own homeland."
President Recep Tayyip ErdoAYan issued a message on August 30 Victory Day.
The message reads as follows:
"Today, we are all celebrating the 102nd anniversary of the Great Victory with enthusiasm, excitement and pride. On this important day, one of the critical milestones in our history, I congratulate the August 30 Victory Day of our beloved nation, our Turkish Cypriot brothers and sisters, and our millions of citizens all over the world. I extend my most heartfelt gratitude to our guests at our missions abroad who share our joy on the Victory Day.
"WITH THE AUGUST 30, THE DOORS TO THE PROCLAMATION OF THE REPUBLIC WERE THROWN WIDE OPEN"
The Great Victory, which Ghazi Mustafa Kemal AtatArk described as 'the immortal monument of the Turkish Nation's idea of freedom and independence,' has eternally registered our nation's existence on the Anatolian lands. With the Battle of the Commander-in-Chief on August 30, the occupation forces were decisively defeated, the axis of imperialism was shattered, and the doors to the proclamation of the Republic were thrown wide open.
With the Great Victory, the Turkish Nation once again declared to the whole world that it would not accept captivity, that it would not let shackles be put on its will, and that it would never compromise on living independently in its own homeland.
The Great Victory, won thanks to our martyrs' heroism, our veterans' blood and our nation's sacrifices, still guides us today. While marching towards our goals for the Century of TArkiye determinedly, we are also realizing our ideal of a great and powerful TArkiye step by step.
"WE STAND FIRMLY BY ALL THE OPPRESSED"
We are mobilizing all our means and resources to stop the conflicts, oppressions and massacres occurring in different parts of the world, particularly in Gaza. We stand firmly by all the oppressed, regardless of their identity or faith and without expecting any material benefit.
I would like to express the following with great pleasure: We are stronger today than yesterday; we will inshallah be much stronger tomorrow. Together with our brothers and sisters devoted to the same ideal as ours, we will definitely establish a global order whereby everyone is represented fairly.
TArkiye, which inspired oppressed nations with its War of Independence, will also spearhead a world where peace, justice and tranquility prevail. With these thoughts in my mind, I remember Mustafa Kemal AtatArk, the Commander-in-Chief of the Great Victory, and his comrades-in-arms with gratitude, pray that Allah the Almighty may have mercy on all our martyrs, the eternal guardians of our independence, and gratefully commemorate our veterans. Happy August 30 Victory Day."
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August 30, 2024
Release
Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Meeting With Ukrainian Minister of Defence Rustem Umerov
Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III held bilateral talks with Ukrainian Minister of Defence Rustem Umerov today regarding Ukraine's ongoing operations, security assistance priorities, and the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) to be held in Ramstein, Germany next week.
Secretary Austin reaffirmed the enduring support of the United States for a free, secure, and sovereign Ukraine. The leaders discussed security assistance priorities, including air defense to protect Ukrainian civilians and critical infrastructure from Russia's brutal aerial attacks, as well as artillery, armored vehicles, and other capabilities to help Ukraine build additional combat power to fight Russian aggression.
Secretary Austin and Minister Umerov also discussed plans for the September 6 UDCG to maintain the unity and strong support of more than 50 Allies and partners for Ukraine's immediate battlefield needs and long-term security through the UDCG's eight Capability Coalitions.
The two leaders pledged to continue to build on the strategic partnership between the United States and Ukraine.
https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3891653/
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August 30, 2024
Transcript
Secretary Lloyd J Austin III's Bilateral Meeting With Ukraine's Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov
SECRETARY AUSTIN: Well, good morning, Minister Umerov. Welcome back to the Pentagon. First, I want to congratulate you and all Ukrainians on celebrating your Independence Day last weekend. The Ukrainian people continue to fight for your freedom and despite Moscow's cruel waves of attacks on critical civilian infrastructure earlier this week. But let me be clear, it is never acceptable to target civilians and Ukraine's resilience will help it prevail over Putin's aggression and atrocities. Rustem, your forces remain steadfast, and they continue to fend off the Kremlin's assaults and to inflict major losses on Russian invaders. So make no mistake, the United States will not waver in our support for a free, secure and sovereign Ukraine. Alongside some 50 of our allies and partners, the United States will continue to provide the critical capabilities that you need to fight the Kremlin's aggression. As you know, next week I'll travel to Ramstein Air Base to, again, convene the Ukraine Defense Contact Group for the 24th time. The contact group's members stand strong in our support for Ukraine.
And the contact group's eight capability coalitions are working toward Ukraine's long-term security. At next week's meeting, we'll push hard to meet Ukraine's urgent capability needs and these include air defense to counter Russia's planes, drones and missiles along with more artillery and armor, and to help you build additional combat power. So I look forward to discussing how we can best support Ukraine today and into the future. Rustem, thanks for making the trip and I look forward to a great discussion today in making even more progress next week at Ramstein. Over to you, sir.
MINISTER OF DEFENSE UMEROV: Dear Secretary Austin, dear colleagues, thank you for hosting us today. This meeting is of utmost importance to us. The leadership of the United States has set a powerful example to encourage other partners to stand by Ukraine in this critical time. Dear Lloyd, I would like to thank you for your personal role in leading the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group. During today's meeting, we will engage in detailed discussions about the situation on the frontline, including our vision, objectives and plans. We will also address Ukraine's critical needs, including necessary armaments, equipment and training. Another area we can focus on today is Ukrainian domestic production. In the last two years, we have achieved significant progress. Ukraine has launched hundreds of new defense enterprises and can quickly manufacture high-quality weapons, ensuring prompt delivery to the battlefield. So we will touch these topics by discussing and exchanging opinions. Your contribution is always valuable. Thank you.
SECRETARY AUSTIN: Well, thanks again for being here. I look forward to a great discussion. Thanks, everybody.
https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3891478/
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August 30, 2024
By Joseph Clark, DOD News
Austin Meets With Ukrainian Counterpart
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III underscored the United States' enduring commitment to supporting Ukraine as he met with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov at the Pentagon today.
Austin condemned Russia's assault on Ukraine's critical civilian infrastructure earlier this week and said the U.S. will continue to lead allies and partners in delivering key capabilities to help Ukraine defend itself.
"Let me be clear, it is never acceptable to target civilians, and Ukraine's resilience will help it prevail over Putin's aggression and atrocities," he said.
Austin added that Ukrainian forces have continued to remain steadfast.
"They continue to fend off [the] Kremlin's assault and to inflict major losses on Russian invaders," he said. "So, make no mistake, the United States will not waiver in our support for a free and sovereign Ukraine."
The two leaders met today ahead of next week's meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Nearly 50 allies and partners committed to the defense of Ukraine will gather there for the 24th iteration of the U.S.-led coalition.
Austin said the partners will push to meet Ukraine's urgent battlefield needs, including air-defense capabilities to fend off Russian drone and missile attacks, at the meeting.
The efforts add to the United States' continued push to ensure Ukraine has the capabilities needed to defend its territory and deter Russian aggression in the long-term.
Last week, the Defense Department announced its latest package of security assistance for Ukraine, valued at up to $125 million.
The package included key weapons and ammunition to meet Ukraine's most urgent needs, including air-defense capabilities.
The announcement marked the 64th provision of U.S. equipment from DOD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021.
Umerov said today's meeting would feature detailed discussions about the current situation on the battlefield and Ukraine's "vision, objectives and plans."
The Ukrainian leader thanked Austin for his continued leadership rallying the international coalition behind the defense of Ukraine.
"The leadership of the United States has set a powerful example to encourage other partners to stand by Ukraine at this critical time," Umerov said.
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Baiba BraAe in a meeting with the delegation of U.S. senators and congressmen: we are unanimous - support for Ukraine must continue and Russia must be contained
Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs
30.08.2024
On 30 August 2024, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba BraAe, met with a delegation of senators and congressmen led by the United States Senator Mark Kelly, who have arrived in Latvia to explore the security situation in the Baltic States, including resilience to hybrid threat and potential needs for the strengthening of military capabilities. The U.S. delegation represents the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the House Armed Services Committee.
The Foreign Minister Baiba BraAe: "The United States is a strategic partner to Latvia, which has always held important the U.S. global leadership role of protecting the ideals of freedom and democratic values. We are grateful for support from the U.S. Congress for Latvia's, Baltic and European security, as well as for strengthening the NATO eastern flank. In the current geopolitical climate, it is vital to ensure a continued U.S. military presence in Latvia and the region - also beyond 2025."
During the meeting, the U.S. Congressional Delegation confirmed that they understood Latvia's perspective of the existing security threats and the desire for a greater U.S. military presence.
The Minister and the U.S. senators and congressmen were unanimous about the need to keep supporting Ukraine in its fight against the Russian aggression and to jointly make effort to contain Russia and undermine Russia's military capabilities. The partners agreed that it was essential to continue the successful coordination between Latvia and the United States on sanctions issues so as to strengthen the sanctions regime and prevent loopholes for circumvention.
During its stay in Latvia, the Congressional Delegation also meets with the Prime Minister and the State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence. The visit to Latvia takes place as part of a wider regional visit covering Helsinki, Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn. The U.S. Congress provides annual funding for the Baltic Security Initiative, which focuses on strengthening the region's military capabilities.
The delegation of the armed services committees headed by the U.S. Senator Mark Kelly comprised Senator Ted Budd, member of the Senate Committee of Armed Services, Congressman Mike Rogers, Chair of the House Armed Services Committee, and its members Congressmen Adam Smith and Dale Strong, and Congressman Ritchie Torres, member of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party.
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Zelenskiy Dismisses Ukraine's Air Force Chief After Crash Of F-16
By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service August 30, 2024
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on August 30 dismissed the commander of the country's air force one day after the crash of a U.S.-made F-16 fighter jet that had been recently deployed in the country's fight against Russia's full-scale invasion.
The crash occurred on August 26 and killed pilot Oleksiy Mes, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
"I have decided to replace the commander of the air forces of the armed forces of Ukraine," Zelenskiy said in a video message, expressing gratitude to all military pilots, engineers, "warriors," and air-defense units.
Zelenskiy published a decree to remove Mykola Oleshchuk from his post earlier on August 30, saying the decision was in line with the goal of strengthening Ukraine's military leadership.
He reiterated the message in his video, saying, "We must strengthen ourselves. And take care of people. Take care of personnel -- take care of all our warriors."
Oleshchuk was appointed commander of the air force on August 9, 2021, replacing Serhiy Drozdov.
The Ukrainian Air Force said Mes died while repelling a massive Russian strike. During the air battle, three cruise missiles and one drone were destroyed, the air force said.
The Wall Street Journal first reported that an F-16 was destroyed in a crash on August 26. An unidentified U.S. official quoted by the newspaper on August 29 said that initial reports indicated that the jet wasn't shot down by enemy fire and that it likely crashed as a result of pilot error.
The Ukrainian military said an investigation into the crash had already been launched and that international experts would be invited to participate.
Oleshchuk said earlier on August 30 that a "detailed analysis" was being conducted into why the F-16 went down.
"We must carefully understand what happened, what the circumstances are, and whose responsibility it is," Oleshchuk said on Telegram.
Ukraine received the warplanes at the end of last month and at a ceremony on August 4 marking Air Force of Armed Forces Day, Zelenskiy said the air force had begun to use them.
Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/zelenskiy-oleshchuk-air- force-military-dismiss-decree/33100092.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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Russia Bombs High-Rise In Kharkiv, Killing 7, As Zelenskiy Begs West To Lift Weapons Restrictions
By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service August 30, 2024
Ukraine needs "strong decisions" from its partners to stop the terror that Russia is perpetrating in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on August 30 after a Russian air strike on Kharkiv hit a high-rise residential building and playground, killing at least seven people, including a 14-year-old girl.
Scores of people were injured, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said, accusing Russia of targeting "civilian objects, peaceful people, children."
Local authorities said five strikes hit the city in eastern Ukraine. The worst was on the 12-story apartment building, where Regional Governor Oleh Synyehubov said there were many victims whose limbs had to be amputated.
He raised the number of dead from six to seven late on August 30 after a woman's body was retrieved from the charred building.
"As of now, we have information on 59 victims -- among them 9 children aged 5 to 16 years. People continue to go to hospitals," he said on Telegram.
In his evening address, Zelenskiy identified the 14-year-old girl as Sofia and said she would have turned 15 in the fall.
He said the strike was carried out by a Russian guided aerial bomb and said it would not have happened if Ukraine's defense forces had the ability to target military sites on Russian territory.
"This strike was a Russian guided aerial bomb. A blow that would not have happened if our defense forces had the ability to destroy Russian military aircraft where they are based. We need strong solutions from our partners to stop this terror. This is an absolutely fair need. And there is no rational reason to limit Ukraine in defense. We need long-range capabilities," Zelenskiy said on Telegram.
The bombs that struck Kharkiv were fired from the Belgorod region, which lies to the north of Ukraine's Kharkiv region. Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of the Belgorod region, said late on August 30 that five people were killed and 37 were injured by Ukrainian rockets fired on the city of Belgorod.
"One woman and four men died on the spot from their wounds before the ambulance arrived," Gladkov said on Telegram. There are children among the wounded, and 10 people are in serious condition, he said.
In the village of Dubovoye, 13 cars were damaged, and two houses, another car, and a garage caught fire, he said, adding that firefighters quickly extinguished the flames.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who met with his Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov, at the Pentagon on August 30, condemned recent Russian attacks on civilian targets.
"Let me be clear: It is never acceptable to target civilians, and Ukraine's resilience will help it prevail over [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's aggression and atrocities," Austin said as he hosted Umerov and Andriy Yermak, Zelenskiy's chief of staff, at the Pentagon.
Austin said the United States plans to advocate for a further expansion of the country's air defense at the Ukraine Contact Group meeting next week at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
Umerov and Yermak briefed Austin about the situation on the battlefield, according to a statement from the president's office.
"Russia hit Ukraine with more than 400 missiles of various types and drones this week," the statement said. "The Ukrainian side noted that Ukraine needs to strengthen air defense to protect people and critical infrastructure."
Umerov thanked the U.S. and its allies for their support and said he wanted to inform Austin about the situation on the battlefield and the current needs of the Ukrainian military.
Elsewhere on the battlefield, Russian forces are conducting "two key tactical operations" as part of their offensive to capture the strategic city of Pokrovsk in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on August 29.
The first is along the Novogrodivka-Hrodivka line east of Pokrovsk with the aim of advancing to the outskirts of the city. The second is along the Selydove-Ukrayinsk-Hirnyk line to the southeast with the aim of "eliminating vulnerabilities to Ukrainian counterattacks."
The operations are seen by the Russian military as key to an "intensified offensive effort against Pokrovsk itself," ISW wrote.
The General Staff of the Ukrainian military said there had been 109 combat clashes during the day, and most of the fighting took place in the Pokrovsk area in the Donetsk region.
There was also fighting in the areas near Kupyansk and Lyman, the General Staff said in its late afternoon assessment on August 30. In total, Russian troops advanced in 11 directions, it said.
Zelenskiy in his evening address on August 30 named Pokrovsk as one of the most challenging areas.
"It is crucial that everyone, at all state levels, who is involved in this, really make their maximum efforts to ensure our resilience and that of our warriors," he said.
With reporting by Reuters
Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-pokrovsk-offensive- kharkiv/33099255.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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Czech, EU Voices Urge No Curbs On Ukraine's Use Of Western Weaponry Inside Russia
By Andy Heil, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and Sashko Shevchenko August 30, 2024
PRAGUE -- Czech President Petr Pavel on August 30 joined a growing EU chorus urging allies to lift all restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western-supplied weapons as Kyiv continues its defense against Russia's full-scale invasion of its much smaller post-Soviet neighbor.
Speaking to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service after the opening of the three-day Globsec security conference in Prague, Pavel, a retired general who also held a senior NATO post, said Ukrainians deserved a freer hand to defend their country.
"I think that what we need is to enable Ukraine to use fully the potential of weapons that Western countries are providing," Pavel said. "What I mean is not supposing any restrictions on the use of aircraft, missiles, and so on, because Ukraine needs to use them to be successful in self-defense."
The 62-year-old Pavel, a former chairman of the Czech General Staff, has been among the most outspoken of EU member state leaders in favor of military and other support for Ukraine since becoming president of his country of around 10 million people in March 2023.
Pavel's statements echoed a similar and nearly simultaneous call by the EU's outgoing foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, to an informal meeting of the bloc's defense ministers in Brussels. Borrell said Kyiv has the right to target the places from which it is attacked.
"No one wants" a war with Russia, he said on August 30 as he headed into the second day of the meeting. "But put yourself in the shoes of the Ukrainians: The Russians are bombing you from a place you cannot reach. You would like to fight as equals," Borrell said, adding that it is "absurd" to say allowing targeting on the territory of Russia means waging war directly against Moscow.
Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, have repeatedly called on Ukraine's global allies to take "decisive action" and allow Ukraine to strike military targets deeper inside Russia with Western-provided weapons.
Earlier this month, Ukraine launched an incursion into Russian territory with Zelenskiy saying Russia "must feel what it has done." Russia has responded in recent days with some of its fiercest barrages of missile and drone attacks aimed at cities and critical civilian infrastructure across Ukraine.
Ukrainian officials say that despite deliveries of new weapons that are helping bolster the fight, their armed forces are still at a disadvantage because the West's restrictions keeping Ukraine from using long-range weapons to strike deep inside Russian territory.
"Long-term security for Europe begins with short-term, bold decisions for Ukraine," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told journalists in Brussels before a meeting of EU foreign ministers on August 29.
The United States and other major suppliers of Ukraine's war effort have been reluctant to allow the use of longer-range weapons, including portable rocket launchers, in situations that could provoke Russia into a major escalation.
Under growing pressure from other NATO countries that signaled openness to wider latitude for Kyiv, U.S. officials said in May that President Joe Biden had given Ukraine the go-ahead to use U.S. weapons to strike inside Russia for the limited purpose of defending the eastern city of Kharkiv.
Other similar moves have followed and coincided with the activation of Western-provided F-16s with Western-trained Ukrainian pilots.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a gathering of NATO foreign ministers on May 30 that allies should consider lifting restrictions on the use of NATO weapons by Ukraine to hit targets on Russian territory.
Earlier this year, with Kyiv complaining of delays in supplies of weapons and ammunition, the Czech Republic led an initiative with Pavel's vocal support to supply up to 1.5 million pieces of artillery ammunition. Fifteen countries joined the ongoing initiative.
Pavel, who chaired the NATO Military Committee, a main policy and strategy advisory body to the alliance's secretary-general, from 2015-18, said at Globsec that he believed Russia's reportedly rapid recent advance near the strategic Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk was not linked to Ukraine's use of thousands of troops to launch an incursion last month into Russia's southern Kursk region. He said any Russian success there was more likely a result of favorable weather.
Kyiv has suggested it controls more than 1,200 square kilometers of Russian territory and that it could be a bargaining chip in future peace negotiations.
Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-borrell-eu- restrictions-weapons/33099500.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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Von Der Leyen: Europe Must 'Rethink Foundations' Of Security, Boost Ukraine Defense
By Andy Heil and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service August 30, 2024
PRAGUE -- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on August 30 for a greater European commitment to security and overcoming past unwillingness to provide for its own defense, repeatedly citing Russia's invasion of Ukraine as evidence the bloc must shed "illusions" and "think about our union as intrinsically a security project."
Speaking in the Czech capital to attendees of the annual Globsec security conference, the returning head of the European Union's executive arm laid out a staunch case for European solidarity against Russian and other threats and a "systemic overhaul of European defense," warning that the next half of the decade would be "high risk."
"If we want true peace, we must fundamentally rethink the foundations of Europe's security architecture," von der Leyen said. "Russia's invasion has been an eye-opener for Europe."
The 65-year-old German von der Leyen, who was endorsed for a fresh five-year term in July, vowed to appoint the bloc's first "full-fledged defense commissioner" to the incoming European Commission, whose respective nominations from each of the 27 member states are ongoing.
Von der Leyen criticized outsiders arguing against arming Ukraine and warned against premature talks that neither Moscow nor Kyiv seem prepared to conduct two and a half years into the full-scale Russian invasion. The answer to when it's time for talks, she said, is "first and foremost up to our Ukrainian friends."
Russian forces currently control about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, but Ukrainian troops now claim to control more than 1,200 square kilometers of Russian territory since a surprise Ukrainian incursion in Kursk began last month.
While she specifically cited "many outside Europe" for urging immediate talks, it also appeared to be a swipe at EU member Hungary, whose President Viktor Orban's self-styled and uncoordinated "peace mission" to Kyiv, Moscow, and Beijing immediately after Budapest took up the rotating European Council Presidency in July infuriated Brussels.
"We want the war to stop as soon as possible," von der Leyen said. But, she added, "My position is that peace is not simply the absence of war. Peace is a settlement that makes war impossible and unnecessary. Therefore, we must put Ukraine in the condition of negotiating such peace."
Invoking bitter Cold War memories, von der Leyen warned against blaming Kyiv for Russia's unprovoked invasion. She asked whether Hungary or then-Czechoslovakia could be blamed for invasions of those countries by Soviet and Warsaw Pact troops in 1956 and 1968.
"And the answer to this question is very clear," she said. "The Kremlin's behavior was illegal and atrocious back then, and the Kremlin's behavior is illegal and atrocious today."
Von der Leyen said that Europeans have many different histories and speak in many languages, "But in no language is peace synonymous with surrender; in no language is sovereignty synonymous with occupation."
"So those who argue to stop support for Ukraine do not argue for peace," she said, "they argue for appeasement and subjugation of Ukraine."
Von der Leyen said one of the lessons of Russia's attack on Ukraine and its international response was that "Europe has overcome its long-standing unwillingness to spend enough on its own defense."
She emphasized the strength and importance of U.S. support and transatlantic cooperation but said "protecting Europe is first and foremost Europe's duty."
Von der Leyen said EU member states' collective defense spending had shot up "from just over 200 billion euros before the war to almost 300 billion [euros] this year."
She said aim must be "to build a continent-sized defense output" and "a systemic overhaul of Europe's defense."
"We Europeans must be on guard," von der Leyen said. "We must refocus our attention on the security dimension of everything we do. We must think about our union as intrinsically a security project."
At the same conference, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service that "we have a duty to remind people what is at stake...[and] what can happen if a just peace is not achieved, if the war ends with Russia's victory not Ukraine's."
He noted Russia's actions in its lightning war in Georgia in 2008, leaving it effectively occupying about one-fifth of Georgian territory, and the invasion of Crimea in 2014 that ushered in a slow-boiling war that exploded into full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Asked whether the European Union has learned from such past mistakes, Landsbergis said: "It can happen, yes. That chapter is not yet written."
Von der Leyen welcomed the chance to speak in the Czech capital, praising Central Europe's competitiveness and "impressive strength" and noting the region's past concerns about Russian actions.
"Since Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, you have become the beating heart of solidarity," von der Leyen said of the region.
The three-day Globsec security conference, which has been held in the Slovak capital, Bratislava, for the past 18 years, brings together European and global leaders and other senior officials and continues in Prague through September 1.
Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-defense-ukraine-leyen- globsec/33099840.html
Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
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Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's answer to a media question about the provocative remarks by Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh and White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby
30 August 2024 09:53
1594-30-08-2024
Question: What is your response to Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh's statement confirming that the United States has allowed the Kiev regime to use US weapons to defend Ukraine against "Russian attacks" from the Kursk Region? What is Russia's attitude to such comments by Pentagon's spokespersons? Won't these statements escalate the Ukraine crisis even further?
Maria Zakharova: I would like to start by saying that the United States is actually a party to the Ukraine conflict. Overwhelmed by its hegemonic ambitions and its desire to inflict a "strategic defeat" on Russia, Washington time after time hikes the degree of tension in relations with Russia. Contrary to official statements by a number of high-ranking US officials, it is not seeking to defuse the tensions.
This is confirmed not only by Ms Singh's remarks you have referred to but also by White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby's statement at his August 26 briefing. Asked about the likelihood of Ukraine extending the range of its missile strikes at Russian territories, he replied that the US was holding these conversations with the Nazi and terrorist (as proved by the recent events) Kiev regime in private.
All of this suggests quite serious conclusions. Ukraine has been given a free hand for operations in the Russian regions. Moreover, the Biden administration seems to be ready to make new concessions to Zelensky and let off the leash on using the whole range of US weapons, including those that can hit targets deep in the Russian hinterland. The US escalatory course is becoming increasingly outrageous. One has the impression that the US establishment has thrown the remainder of commonsense to the winds and believes that anything goes for them.
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Russian Defence Ministry report on repelling an invasion attempt of the AFU on the territory of the Russian Federation (30 August 2024)
30.08.2024
Over the past 24 hours, units of the Sever Group of Forces supported by Army Aviation and artillery repelled five attacks launched by the enemy's assault detachments in the direction of Kremyanoye, Pushkarskoye, and Cherkasskoye Porechnoye.
The enemy's attempts to launch attacks in the direction of Malaya Loknya, Pushkarnoye, and Russkaya Konopelka were thwarted. The AFU losses have amounted to up to 40 troops killed and wounded, three armoured fighting vehicles, and two motor vehicles.
Aviation, artillery, and actions of troops inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 22nd, 41st, 61st, 115th mechanised brigades, 82nd Air Assault Brigade, and 1004th Security and Service Brigade near Apanasovka, Borki, Bogdanovka, Vishnyovka, Gaponovo, Kositsa, Lyubimovka, Mikhailovka, Novaya Sorochina, Obukhovka, Orlovka, Plekhovo, Russkoye Porechnoye, Sverdlikovo, Snagost, and Desyaty Oktyabr. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue reconnaissance and search operations in forestry areas to locate and eliminate enemy sabotage groups.
Operational-Tactical Aviation delivered strikes at concentration areas in Sumy region of reserve manpower and military hardware of the 41st, 54th mechanised brigades, 80th, 82nd, 95th air assault brigades of the AFU, 1st National Guard Brigade, 101th, 103rd, 107th, and 129th territorial defence brigades near Belopolye, Bachevsk, Glukhov, Katerinovka, Martynovka, Pervomayskoye, Pustogorod, Pokrovka, Pavlovka, Sumy, and Fotovizh.
Over the past 24 hours, the AFU losses have amounted to more than 380 troops and 22 units of hardware, including one tank, 21 armoured fighting vehicles, one artillery gun, two mortars, one electronic warfare station, and eight motor vehicles.
Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the AFU losses have amounted to more than 7,800 troops, 75 tanks, 36 infantry fighting vehicles, 64 armoured personnel carriers, 507 armoured fighting vehicles, 235 motor vehicles, 53 artillery guns, 15 multiple-launch rocket system launchers, including four of HIMARS system and one of MLRS system, five SAM launchers, 11 electronic warfare stations, one counter-battery radar, one air defence radar, five engineering vehicles, including two counterobstacle vehicles and one UR-77 mine clearing vehicle.
Department for Media Affairs and Information
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Ukraine Loses Over 4,800 Soldiers in Battles With Russia's Yug Battlegroup in Past Week
Sputnik News
20240830
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's Yug battlegroup of forces repelled five counterattacks by assault groups of the Ukrainian armed forces over the past week, with Ukraine losing over 4,840 soldiers, US-made Abrams tanks and German-made Leopard tanks, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.
"Five counterattacks by enemy assault groups were repelled. The Ukrainian armed forces lost over 4,840 soldiers, US-made Abrams tanks and German-made Leopard tanks, four combat armored vehicles, 60 vehicles and 57 field artillery pieces, 23 of which were made by NATO countries," the ministry said in a statement, adding that the Yug battlegroup also took control of the settlement of Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR).
Over the past week, Ukraine lost up to 3,580 soldiers in battles with Russia's Sever battlegroup of forces. In battles with Russia's Vostok battlegroup of forces, Ukraine lost up to 860 soldiers and seven Western self-propelled guns, the statement said.
At the same time, Russia's Tsentr battlegroup of forces repelled 50 counterattacks, with Ukraine losing up to 3,720 soldiers, seven tanks and one Grad MLRS. It also took control of the settlement of Novozhelanne in the DPR, the statement added.
Additionally, Russia's Zapad battlegroup of forces took control of the settlement of Stelmakhovka in the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) and the settlement of Sinkovka in the Kharkov Region, according to the statement.
Over the past week, the Russian armed forces also carried out 14 massive strikes, including Kinzhal missiles, on critical energy and airfield facilities in Ukraine. The Russian military also targeted temporary deployment points for units of nationalist formations and foreign mercenaries, the statement said.
A Sputnik
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Ukraine Loses Over 7,800 Troops During Operation in Kursk Direction
Sputnik News
20240830
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian armed forces have eliminated more than 7,800 Ukrainian servicemen and 75 tanks during military operations in the border areas of the Kursk Region, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.
"In total, during the military operations in the Kursk direction, the enemy lost more than 7,800 servicemen, 75 tanks, 36 infantry fighting vehicles, 64 armored personnel carriers, 507 armored combat vehicles, 235 vehicles, 53 artillery pieces, 15 multiple launch rocket system launchers," the ministry said in a statement.
Over the past 24 hours, Kiev lost more than 380 servicepeople and 22 units of armored vehicles in the Kursk direction, the ministry also said.
Units of the Russian northern group repelled five attacks by Ukrainian troops and thwarted attempts by Ukrainian troops to attack in the Kursk Region, the ministry said, adding that Kiev has lost up to 40 people, three combat armored vehicles and two cars.
A Sputnik
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Ukraine Apparently Given Carte Blanche for Operations in Russian Regions - Moscow
Sputnik News
20240830
MOSCOW, (Sputnik) - Ukraine has apparently been given carte blanche for operations in Russian regions, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said on Thursday that the US allows Ukraine to counterattack Russia with US weapons during the terrorist attack in the Kursk Region. White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said Monday that the United States and Ukraine will continue having conversations concerning the allowed use of US-supplied weapons for striking Russian territory, but those discussions will remain private.
"Extremely serious conclusions follow from all this. Ukraine has been given complete carte blanche for operations in Russian regions. Moreover, the Joe Biden administration is obviously preparing to make new concessions to [President Volodymyr] Zelensky and untie his hands to use virtually any type of American weapons, including deep into Russian territory," Zakharova said.
She said the US escalation course is becoming increasingly provocative.
Early on August 6, Ukrainian forces crossed the border into Russia and launched an offensive in the Kursk Region. Commenting on the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukraine had carried out another large-scale provocation, firing indiscriminately at civilian targets. The enemy will receive a proper response in the border regions of Russia, Putin said.
The Russian Defense Ministry said August 29 that Ukrainian troops had lost up to 7,450 servicemen and 74 tanks during the offensive in the Kursk Region.
A Sputnik
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Russian disinformation will not deter the UK from supporting Ukraine: UK statement at the UN Security Council
Statement by Fergus Eckersley, Minister Counsellor, at the Security Council meeting on Ukraine.
30 August 2024
Since calling this meeting, and accusing the West of escalation, Russia has bombarded Ukrainian cities across fifteen regions, more than half the country, using hundreds of drones, cruise missiles, hypersonic ballistic missiles, glide bombs, and more.
Some of these were procured from Iran and DPRK, in violation of UN Security Council Resolutions.
Moscow's intent is to terrorise the civilian population in Ukraine into submission. The latest attacks have caused widespread blackouts, cutting off access for ordinary people to power, heating and water. Imagine that happening to your country.
Direct attacks on civilian infrastructure constitute a war crime. Ukraine has a right to defend itself, under Article 51 of the UN Charter, against Russia's attacks.
This does not preclude its right to project force into Russian territory, so long as action complies with international law.
Russia cannot step up the war from its own soil, while increasing attacks on the civilian population, and expect Ukraine not to seek to remove the source of the threat.
We will continue to provide Ukraine with the capabilities it needs to defend its people.
Neither the UK nor our partners seek direct confrontation with Russia, nor a wider escalation of tensions.
Let me be clear. There is only one aggressor here.
It was Russia that willingly and deliberately tore into the security of Europe by illegally invading a sovereign country.
It was Russia that unilaterally sought to annex a neighbour's land, against every principle the international system, and all of us, rely upon.
It was Russia that chose to use hypersonic missiles and other advanced weaponry against civilians and their infrastructure.
And it was Russia that chose, at the start of this war, that chose to illegally seize the largest nuclear power plant in Western Europe at Zaporizhizhia even recklessly installing military equipment in the turbine hall and on reactor roofs.
Russian disinformation and threats and false accusations will not deter the UK or our allies from our steadfast support for Ukraine, including providing it with the capabilities it needs to defend its people.
We remain committed to securing a just and lasting peace for Ukraine and for Europe, in line with the UN Charter.
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Ukrainian Delegation Discussed with Lloyd Austin the Needs of the Defense Forces and the Joint Production of Weapons
President of Ukraine
30 August 2024 - 20:20
A Ukrainian delegation headed by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko has begun its visit to Washington. The first meeting was held with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
It was attended by Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak, Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov, Deputy Minister of Defense Oleksandr Balanutsa, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Volodymyr Horbatiuk and Chief of the Main Logistics Department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Mykola Shevtsov.
The Head of the Presidential Office thanked President Joseph Biden, both chambers and parties of the U.S. Congress and all the American people for helping Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.
Andriy Yermak and Rustem Umerov spoke about the situation on the battlefield, the need of the Defense Forces for weapons and equipment, and the recent shelling of the energy system by the aggressor state. During this week, the Russian Federation fired more than 400 missiles of various types and drones at Ukraine. The Ukrainian side noted that Ukraine needs to strengthen its air defense in order to protect people and critical infrastructure.
The Head of the Office of the President emphasized that it is extremely important for our state to receive weapons from the already announced defense packages as soon as possible.
During the meeting, the parties also discussed the training of Ukrainian warriors and the joint production of weapons.
Rustem Umerov commended Lloyd Austin for his personal contribution to the work of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.
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Ukraine and Montenegro Have Initiated Consultations on a Bilateral Security Agreement
President of Ukraine
30 August 2024 - 18:46
Ukraine and Montenegro held a meeting concerning the conclusion of a bilateral security agreement. The document aims to strengthen security in Europe and deepen cooperation between the two countries.
According to the Presidential decree, the Ukrainian delegation is headed by the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak. Today's consultations were led by the Deputy Head of the Presidential Office, Ihor Zhovkva.
"We appreciate Montenegro's unwavering position and steadfast support to Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion. We share the same values and count on Montenegro's support on Ukraine's path to NATO membership. Ukraine and Montenegro both also aspire for EU membership and are already indisputably contributing to Europe's security and prosperity," Ihor Zhovkva emphasized.
Ukraine is concluding bilateral security agreements in pursuance of the G7 Joint Declaration adopted in Vilnius on July 12 last year. Our country has already signed 25 agreements with the countries that supported it.
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Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law
UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
HUMANITARIAN COORDINATOR FOR UKRAINE MATTHIAS SCHMALE EXPRESSES SHOCK AT TODAY'S ATTACK IN KHARKIV CITY
I am shocked to learn from colleagues in Kharkiv of attacks by the Russian Armed Forces, which have killed and injured civilians, including children, in residential areas of the city this afternoon.
This latest attack comes as people across Ukraine have lived through a week of attacks resulting in death and destruction.
Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law.
30 August 2024
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Warning Security Council of Civilian Death Spike Due to Escalating Attacks on Ukraine, Top Disarmament Official Says Weapons Transfers Must Comply with International Law
Meetings Coverage
Security Council
9716th Meeting (AM)
SC/15807
30 August 2024
Escalating attacks in recent weeks on Ukraine have cause civilian deaths and destruction to surge, a senior United Nations disarmament official said today, as he briefed the Security Council on the rise in military assistance and transfers of arms and ammunition to that country, stressing that such activity must adhere to international law.
"Let me say it clearly: directing an attack against civilians or civilian objects is prohibited," said Adedeji Ebo, Director and Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, underscoring the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack in international law. "All attacks contrary to these obligations must stop immediately."
According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), July 2024 was the deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine since October 2022, with at least 219 civilians killed and 1,018 injured, he said.
The transfers of weapons to Ukraine have reportedly included heavy conventional weapons, such as battle tanks, armoured combat vehicles, combat aircraft, helicopters, large-calibre artillery systems, missile systems and uncrewed combat aerial vehicles, as well as remotely operated munitions, and small arms and light weapons and their ammunition, he said. There have also been reports of States transferring, or planning to transfer, weapons such as uncrewed aerial vehicles, ballistic missiles and ammunition to the Russian Federation armed forces and that these weapons have been used in Ukraine.
"I reiterate that any transfer of weapons and ammunition must take place consistently with the applicable international legal framework, including of course, relevant Security Council resolutions," he stressed. Reports related to the use of cluster munitions and widespread contamination with mines and explosive remnants of war in Ukraine are deeply concerning. Mitigating the human cost of weapons through responsible arms and ammunition transfers is crucial. That requires supply chain transparency and information exchange among importing, transit and exporting States.
He noted that, in June, States reviewed progress in implementing the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons and its International Tracing Instrument and adopted, by consensus, action-oriented measures for 2024-2030 in order to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in such weapons throughout their life cycle. "All States should now implement these commitments and other related commitments," he said, including those in the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management.
The use of armed uncrewed aerial vehicles and missiles by the Russian Federation continues to cause civilian deaths and injuries, he went on to say. There have also been recent reports of cross-border strikes using missiles and uncrewed aerial vehicles by Ukraine inside the Russian Federation, with some, according to the Russian authorities, reportedly resulting in civilian casualties.
The representative of the Russian Federation, who called today's meeting, said that the West is senselessly pumping weapons to Ukraine. The Kyiv regime has received "fairly modern" Western equipment, including tanks, artillery equipment and long-range missiles, without which, "they would have stopped fighting a long time ago". "The bloody Ukrainian head honcho can make his people fight only through force and coercion and only thanks to the supplies of Western weapons, Western intelligence, Western instructors and mercenaries," he said.
This month, Ukraine made a "fatal mistake" by pushing forces over the border into a Russian Federation region. "The world, as I said two days ago, saw the pictures of the Ukrainian murderers with Nazi symbols, looting and marauding, taking hostages and firing at women, children and old persons," he said, adding: "This was so far from the image of the innocent victim of aggression that the US and its satellites have sought so hard to paint Ukraine."
Western moralists have already sent highly enriched uranium and cluster munitions to Ukraine, he said. Having a direct confrontation between the Russian Federation and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is what Ukraine wants. "Kyiv just doesn't have another Plan B. [...] We warned about this a few days ago; that the Kyiv regime is planning for a provocation of a dirty nuclear bomb," he said, which would lead to an enormous escalation far beyond Ukraine's borders.
He also expressed concern over a new law in Ukraine whose aim, he said, is to eliminate the Ukrainian Orthodox Church or force it to join other religious organizations. Hundreds of monasteries and millions of Orthodox believers in Ukraine risk losing their legal rights, property and place of worship. He called a move an "unprecedented anti-democratic decision", and said that "even the Pope condemned it, who has not particularly been pro-Russian".
Hitting back on Moscow's claims, the United States' representative said that the Russian Federation's alleged concern that Member States are helping Ukraine defend itself is nothing short of absurd. Moreover, there is a deep falsehood in Moscow's narrative that only Western countries support Ukraine. "If Russia would like to have a discussion on the risks resulting from weapons transfers, then let us have a real one," he said. Moscow continues to deploy chemical weapons on the battlefield, kill civilians and destroy Ukrainian critical infrastructure. Meanwhile, Iran, Democratic People's Republic of Korea and China are providing the Russian Federation with the material it needs to wage its "war of choice".
If Iran were to move forward with the transfer of ballistic missiles to the Russian Federation, it would represent a dramatic escalation and a serious risk to international peace and security, he warned. Baghdad's support for Moscow's war of aggression threatens European security and illustrates how Iran's destabilizing influence reaches beyond the Middle East. Moreover, "Moscow's military cooperation with Pyongyang is cynical and dangerous," he said, stressing that the latter continues to unlawfully transfer ballistic missiles and munitions to the Russian Federation, prolonging the Ukrainian people's suffering.
Beijing is exporting to the Russian Federation nitrocellulose machine tools, microelectronics, optics and unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missile technology. "China cannot have it both ways," he stressed. "It cannot claim to be for peace and want better relations with Europe while at the same time fuelling the most significant threat to European security since the end of the cold war."
China's delegate retorted that Beijing did not create the Ukrainian crisis, nor has it provided weapons to any party to the conflict. He urged Washington, D.C. a which "still maintains economic and trade relations with the Russian Federation" a to refrain from shirking its responsibility and creating confrontation. Underscoring that increased weapon supply to the battlefield will only cause more harm, he declared: "No expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of fighting and no provocation by any party." Rather, the international community must de-escalate the situation and provide practical assistance to start peace talks. Beijing, he stressed, will continue to uphold an impartial position, maintain close communication with all parties, promote consensus and make efforts for an early political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis.
Other Council speakers expressed reservations about the relevance of the current meeting. Among them was the representative of Slovenia who said: "It strikes us that we are approaching the discussions on weapons transfers pertaining to the war on Ukraine from the wrong end." Weapons transfers to that country are not happening in a vacuum; they support legitimate self-defensive efforts of a sovereign country, she said. Inadequately controlled arms supply not only violates international humanitarian law and international human rights lawa it can hamper the delivery of life-saving humanitarian aid, she said.
"I'm wondering how many times Russia will continue to repeat the same rhetoric," Japan's delegate said, adding that the country requests Security Council meetings such as this one, "out of spite whenever someone else does". The Russian Federation speaks of peace while conducting large-scale air raids; such hypocrisy is nothing new. That country has also procured missiles from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in violation of relevant Council resolutions and refused to renew the mandate of the Panel of Experts, which had played a crucial role in monitoring implementation of the resolutions.
The speaker for the Republic of Korea also expressed concern about the Ukrainian authorities' announcement that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's ballistic missiles were recently used again by the Russian Federation to strike Ukraine. This in fact, should be the focus of the Council meeting, he said. "This week's spasm of violence against civilians is not an anomaly," he added, pointing to OHCHR's data that July 2024 was the deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine since October 2022.
"Since calling this meeting, Russia has bombarded Ukrainian cities across 15 regions, more than half the country a using hundreds of drones, cruise missiles, hypersonic ballistic missiles and glide bombs," stated the United Kingdom's delegate. Noting that Moscow's intent is "to terrorize the civilian population in Ukraine into submission," he reiterated that direct attacks on civilian infrastructure constitute a war crime. "Russia cannot step up the war from its own soil while increasing attacks on the civilian population and expect Ukraine not to seek to remove the source of the threat," he asserted. And while London and its allies will support Ukraine's capabilities to defend its people, they do not seek direct confrontation with the Russian Federation, nor a wider escalation of tensions.
For its part, France will continue to provide Ukraine with the military support vital to protecting its air and land space, its delegate said. Moscow is attacking Ukraine in the border regions from military sites located behind the Russian border. Ukrainians must be able to adapt to strike the sites from which Moscow is conducting its aggression and neutralize the military targets directly involved in operations aimed at them, he asserted, adding that Ukraine's exercise of its right to self-defence "is not limited to Ukrainian territory".
Raising concern about the risk of diversion of weapons and ammunition transferred to the conflict area, Guyana's representative said that Latin American and the Caribbean knows "only too well" about the deadly impact of this scourge, especially small arms and light weapons and their ammunition. They account for most homicides in the region and play a central role in transnational organized crime, leading to profound socioeconomic impact and human cost. She, therefore, urged due caution in ensuring that all transfers are transparent, within the international legal framework.
Malta's delegate, observing that over 14.6 million people in Ukraine require some form of humanitarian assistance, said that the principles of proportionality and distinction, as well as the special protections afforded to children, must be adhered to at all times in order to reduce the risk of harm to civilians. She underscored the need for full accountability for all crimes committed by the Russian Federation in Ukraine, and supported the ongoing work of the International Criminal Court and the Register of Damage for Ukraine.
Switzerland's speaker pointed out that the global community is bound by a series of principles and rules, including the UN Charter and the Geneva Conventions, which aim to mitigate the horrors of war. Reiterating Ukraine's right to ensure its security, she cited one of the signatories of the Geneva Convention and said: "We know today that war never solved the problems that gave rise to it. It is always followed by long years of suffering for the vanquished and for the victors, and its results are not commensurate with the evil it generates." Likewise, Ecuador's delegate said history has shown that no conflict has ever been sustainably resolved in a military manner, warning that amid intensifying hostilities and an expanding battlefield, "the window of opportunity for dialogue and negotiation [is] closing".
Noting that his delegation has consistently warned against pursuing strategic advantage before engaging in dialogue - "which is the permeating logic in this conflict" - Mozambique's representative said that this will likely lead to further escalation. To avert a protracted stalemate, strict arms controls, recommitment to diplomatic engagement and implementation of confidence-building measures are crucial. "Diplomacy should take the lead," concurred Algeria's representative, urging that inclusive, constructive dialogue "be given a real chance to deliver".
Also pointing to the "vicious cycle" evinced by the conflict and the need for diplomatic engagement was the representative of Sierra Leone, Council President for August. All parties to the conflict must prioritize the protection of civilians and turn away from "the option of winning the war on the battlefield at all costs", he said.
Mali's representative, taking the floor near the end of the meeting, said that his delegation asked to participate to share its concerns over the consequences of the supply of weapons to Ukraine on those "far from the front lines". On that, he said that the spokesperson for Ukrainian military intelligence and Ukraine's ambassador in Senegal both publicly admitted Kyiv's involvement in the "cowardly, treacherous and barbaric attack" by terrorist groups that caused the death of Malian security and defence forces in TinzawatAne on 24 to 26 July. Worse, he said, was that "Ukrainian high-level officials publicly announced other 'results' to come".
Noting that his Government has decided to sever diplomatic ties with Ukraine, he called on the Council to uphold its responsibilities "to prevent subversive action that threatens the stability of the Sahel, and even the entirety of the African continent". He also called on the countries supplying weapons to Ukraine to ensure that such weapons do not fall into the hands of terrorist and extremist groups in the Sahel, stressing: "Mali has no desire to be used as a proxy battlefield between the Powers."
At the outset of the meeting, the representative of the United Kingdom, noting the inclusion of Mali on the speakers' list, said he did not accept the premise that its interests are specially affected by Western weapons transfers to Ukraine. The Russian Federation's delegate responded by asking for an explanation about how "a whole number of EU countries' interests are specifically affected" when they are invited to speak under Rule 37. Mali has encountered the impact of Ukraine's support for terrorism, he said.
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Ukraine, Russia trade attacks, leaving dozens dead or injured
By VOA News August 30, 2024
A Russian bomb attack on the northeastern Ukraine city of Kharkiv on Friday hit a playground and a 12-story residential building.
Officials say seven people, including a 14-year-old girl, were killed, and at least 77 people were injured. Twenty of the injured are reported to be in serious condition, officials say.
The residential building in the city's Industrialnyi district caught fire.
Ukrainian officials say Russia used glide bombs in the attack. Such bombs are equipped with navigation systems that direct them to their targets. They are difficult to intercept and can cause massive destruction.
Following the strike on Kharkiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy once again called on his country's Western allies to relax their restrictions and allow Ukraine to use long-range Western weapons in attacks on Russian military bases.
The strike "would not have happened if our defense forces had the ability to destroy Russian military aircraft where they are based," Zelenskyy said on Telegram. "There is no rational reason to restrict Ukraine's defenses."
Meanwhile, in Washington on Friday, a delegation of top Ukrainian officials, including Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, met with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
"The Ukrainian side noted that Ukraine needs to strengthen its air defense in order to protect people and critical infrastructure," Zelenskyy's office said in a statement about the meeting.
The statement also said Andriy Yermak, Ukraine's head of the office of the president, "emphasized that it is extremely important for our state to receive weapons from the already announced defense packages as soon as possible."
On the Russian side, officials said Ukraine fired cluster munitions on the city of Belgorod, killing five people and wounding 37 others.
Meanwhile, in Brussels on Friday, European Union defense ministers called on Ukraine's allies to deliver on those promised weapons systems, and Ukraine's top diplomat urged Britain and the United States to lift restrictions on his nation's use of their weapons on targets inside Russia.
The defense ministers met for their first informal meeting following a summer recess, and, speaking to reporters ahead of the meeting, said military aid for Ukraine remains at the top of the agenda.
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said Ukraine's recent incursion into Russia's Kursk region was going in the right direction but added that Ukraine is doing so with one hand "behind the back," because it needs more weapons systems. He urged colleagues to deliver on promised weapons systems.
On that note, Netherlands Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said his country is close to delivering Patriot missile defense systems it has promised to Ukraine. He said he did not want to give a precise date because he did not want to tip off the Russians but said it would be soon.
Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, attended the EU defense ministers meeting in Brussels and urged EU member states to pressure Britain and the United States to drop restrictions on using donated long-range weapons against "legitimate" targets deep inside Russia.
Both Britain and the United States have put limits on Kyiv's use of donated long-range missiles for fear of escalating the conflict with Russia. Earlier this year, U.S. officials had agreed to allow Ukraine to fire on targets inside Russia in direct response to Moscow's offensive against the city of Kharkiv but left other restrictions in place.
Speaking to reporters, Kuleba said he expects permission to be granted and the delivery of weapons to be used for that purpose. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, speaking alongside Kuleba, expressed his support for lifting the restrictions and urged EU members to pressure Britain and the U.S. to do so.
Also Friday, fighting continued in Ukraine, with local authorities in the northeastern city of Sumy saying a Russian strike killed two women and wounded eight other people.
The city's prosecutor general's office said the airstrike caused a fire, prompting regional authorities to ask residents to stay inside and close the windows. The office said that a factory that was hit manufactured packaging for baby food, juices and household products.
Sumy lies just across the border from Russia's Kursk region, where Kyiv launched an offensive on August 6 it said was aimed at creating a "buffer zone" in Russian territory, among other goals.
Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
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Readout of National Security Advisor Sullivan's Meeting with Quad and Ukrainian Counterparts
August 30, 2024
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan convened a meeting at the White House today with French Diplomatic Counselor to the President Emmanuel Bonne, German Chancellery Foreign and Security Policy Advisor Jens Ploetner, British National Security Advisor Tim Barrow and Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak to discuss our strong and steadfast support for Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression. Mr. Sullivan conveyed the United States' unwavering support for Ukraine, and partners discussed the steps we are taking to strengthenUkrainian forces on the battlefield, including through the provision of artillery, air defense, and other critical capabilities.
They discussed our efforts to continue to strengthen Ukraine's air defenses and harden Ukraine's energy grid amid Russia's renewed aerial attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure as well as the investments the United States and our allies are making in Ukraine's defense industrial base to support its long term security. In addition, the group conferred on efforts to generate support for a just and lasting peace based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity following the Ukraine Peace Summit in Switzerland.
Following the meeting, National Security Advisor Sullivan met with Mr. Yermak to discuss the ironclad partnership between the United States and Ukraine, including through support for Ukraine's military and Ukraine's economic reconstruction.
###
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Washington, D.C., Aug. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The following is a statement from Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) President & CEO Dr. Harry L. Williams:
My colleagues and I at Thurgood Marshall College Fund mourn the loss of former board member and trailblazer for Black Americans in the military, Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Gregg. He was a longtime supporter of TMCF and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
Gen. Gregg retired as the highest-ranking Black officer in the U.S. military in 1981 and his impact still reverberates, as a fort named after a Confederate general was recently renamed in his honor (Fort Gregg-Adams in Virginia). He bore witness to desegregation in the military, which was slow to non-existent at the start in 1948. Despite having to give up his interest in medical science because of limitations imposed on Black soldiers, Gen. Gregg found a new niche and became the first Black brigadier general in the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps in 1972. He later became the first Black lieutenant general in the Army.
Gen. Gregg was also present for a pivotal time in TMCFs history: when it merged with Opportunity Funding Corporation in 2013. He has been a fixture at TMCF and held a deep commitment to the HBCU community.
We share in our grief with his family and friends and honor his legacy of service, dedication and making new paths for Black Americans in the military.
TORONTO, Aug. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medivolve Inc. (Medivolve or the Company) (OTC: MEDVF; FRA: 4NC) announces today that David Preiner has resigned from his position as president and chief executive officer of the Company, effective August 26, 2024. Mr. Preiner will continue to support the Company in his capacity as a consultant. The board and management thanks Preiner for his service and contributions and wish him well in his future endeavours.
About Medivolve
Medivolve is a Canadian healthcare technology company headquartered in Toronto, Canada. The Companys mission is to improve health and lives by delivering world-class diagnostic solutionsstarting with COVID-19as well as to enable faster and better care to patients through innovative technology. Medivolve, through its subsidiaries, operates retail patient-care locations in California.
DELAND, Florida, Aug. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the 10th straight year, Stetson University has been named as one of The Princeton Reviews Best 390 Colleges in America for 2025, a distinction awarded to only about 15% of four-year institutions.
Stetson was selected based on outstanding academics, as well as surveys of its students and survey data from college administrators. The Princeton Review recommends Stetson in its annual college guide, The Best 390 Colleges: 2025 Edition, and as a Best College in the South.
We are grateful that Stetson continues to be nationally recognized year after year for the excellent academic programs, which lead to excellent outcomes and success rates for our graduates, said Stetson President Christopher Roellke, PhD. We also are very pleased that our students speak so highly of our beautiful and vibrant campus, our close-knit community and their sense of belonging here.
In its profile of Stetson, The Princeton Review praises the school for providing a vibrant educational environment through experiential learning, collaborative projects and interactive technologies. With Stetsons small size, professors help ensure students are successful in class and provide real-life experiences that can help prepare them for careers after graduation.
"We salute Stetson University for its outstanding academics, and many other impressive offerings. We recommend it as an ideal choice for students searching for their best-fit college, said Rob Franek, The Princeton Review's Editor-in-Chief and lead author of The Best 390 Colleges.
The Princeton Review surveys Stetson students and includes their comments in the guide. Students said they love Stetsons beautiful campus, which offers many student organizations, guest speakers, 18 NCAA Division I sports, and other fun events to attend.
One of the schools big strengths is the sense of vibrancy, warmth, and relaxation the environment has overall, commented one student. Another one said: The overall impression is that everyone is happy and taken care of here.
About Stetson University
Founded in 1883, Stetson University is the oldest private university in Central Florida. Stetson focuses on intense learning experiences in a supportive community that allows students to develop their voice in a connected, inclusive environment. Stetson University ranks No. 4 on U.S. News & World Reports 2024 list of Best Regional Universities (South) and has been recognized as one of The Princeton Reviews Best 390 Colleges in America for 2025.
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BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA, Aug. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LINK Business Brokers Brisbane announces enhancement of educational initiative to empower business sellers with essential knowledge for successful transactions.
LINK Business Brokers is amplifying its efforts to educate business sellers by launching an initiative that provides resources and guidance throughout the selling process. This program supports sellers with seminars, personalised consultations, and comprehensive online materials.
Co-Director Blair Luckman spoke about LINK's dedication to education. "Our mission is to empower business sellers by enhancing their understanding of the selling process. This knowledge prepares them for negotiating sales and improves the outcomes of their transactions," he says.
Co-Director Vince Konig adds, "Informed sellers make strategic decisions that positively impact their business deals. Our educational programs are designed to turn sellers into well-informed market participants."
The initiative includes resources like seminars, workshops, and one-on-one consultations to clarify the sales process. LINK experts cover topics such as preparing a business for sale, understanding market valuation, and effective marketing strategies. This approach ensures sellers are well-prepared and confident.
LINK also uses advanced technology and data-driven insights to support its educational services. They provide sellers with realistic appraisals, market analyses, and trend reports that aid decision-making.
LINK's educational resources, including webinars, downloadable guides, and an interactive Q&A series where sellers can engage directly with LINK's expert brokers, are available online.
With this initiative, LINK Business Brokers Brisbane continues to lead in the business brokerage industry, supporting their clients through education and empowerment.
About LINK Business Brokers
Established in 1996, LINK Business Brokers is the largest business brokerage group globally. They operate across New Zealand, Australia, and the USA and are committed to facilitating business sales with confidentiality and integrity. Each broker at LINK is a sector specialist, equipped with deep market knowledge and a commitment to delivering superior service. LINK combines powerful analytics with a personalised approach, establishing itself as a trusted partner in business sales.
Contact Information
Brand: LINK Business Brokers Brisbane
Contact: Media team
Email: brisbane@linkbusiness.com.au
New York, United States , Aug. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Carpet Tiles Market Size is to Grow from USD 12.57 Billion in 2023 to USD 23.32 Billion by 2033, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.37% during the projected period.
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Carpet tiles, frequently referred to as carpet squares or modular carpets, are separate carpeting pieces that range in size from 12 by 12 inches to 24 by 24 inches. They are typically measured in squares. These tiles are affixed to the floor surface using adhesive or tackifier, they are easy to install and modify. The carpet tile industry provides a wide range of designs, colors, patterns, and materials to suit various practical requirements and aesthetic preferences in both home and business environments. Carpet tiles are a common flooring option for reasonably straightforward work and commercial spaces like restaurants and bars. The variety of colors, patterns, textures, and materials available for carpet tiles creates endless possibilities for design. Owing to its versatility, flooring is frequently used by architects, designers, and homeowners to create distinctive, eye-catching designs that complement their personal aesthetic and interior decor. Moreover, because carpet tiles are modular, they are easy to install when used in complex designs. However, most of flooring options have their advantages and design options, they could impact consumer choices and restrict the market potential growth in the forecast period for carpet tiles.
Browse key industry insights spread across 208 pages with 110 Market data tables and figures & charts from the report on the " Global Carpet Tiles Market Size, Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Square, Rectangle, and Others), By Application (Residential, Commercial, and Others), By Distribution Channel (Online and Offline), and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa), Analysis and Forecast 2023 2033."
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The square segment is anticipated to hold the greatest share of the global carpet tiles market during the projected timeframe.
Based on type, the global carpet tiles market is divided into square, rectangle, and others. Among these, the square segment is anticipated to hold the greatest share of the global carpet tiles market during the projected timeframe. The square market is the outcome of the increasing availability of unique square carpet tiles in various colors and patterns.
The commercial segment is predicted to hold the greatest share of the global carpet tiles market during the estimated period.
Based on application, the global carpet tiles market is divided into residential, commercial, and others. Among these, the commercial segment is predicted to hold the greatest share of the global carpet tiles market during the estimated period. The global commercial sector creates a large amount of demand for carpet tiles due to the growing need for durable and simple-to-install commercial flooring materials.
The offline segment is anticipated to hold the greatest share of the global carpet tiles market during the projected timeframe.
Based on distribution channel, the global carpet tiles market is divided into online and offline. Among these, the offline segment is anticipated to hold a significant share of the global carpet tiles market during the projected timeframe. Due to customers often prefer a hands-on shopping experience when selecting different carpet tiles in various colors and designs for household or business end-users, offline distribution channels are becoming more and more popular.
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North America is expected to hold the largest share of the global carpet tiles market over the forecast period.
North America is expected to hold the largest share of the global carpet tiles market over the forecast period. North America's rapidly expanding infrastructure and rising construction activity are the main factors driving product adoption. There is a growing demand for carpet tiles in the North American market as a result of the real estate sector upgrades in the United States and Canada. Carpet tile market growth is mostly being driven by American consumers' increased interest in interior decor.
Asia Pacific is predicted to grow at the fastest pace in the global carpet tiles market during the projected timeframe. The primary drivers of the region's improvement are the population's rising disposable income and their burgeoning interest in fashionable products.
Europe is expected to hold a significant share of the global carpet tiles market over the forecast period. The European carpet tile market is supported by an increase in research and development activities within the carpet tile sector. Manufacturers in Europe are increasingly using eco-friendly materials to set their products apart from the competition.
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 global carpet tiles market include Interface Inc., Freudenberg Group, Milliken & Company, Tarkett, Hunan Tianxin Technology Co. Ltd., Beaulieu, Suminoe Textile Co. Ltd., Nabel Ceramics, EO Technology Co. Ltd., Shaw Industries Group, Japan Carpet Co. Ltd., Mohawk Industries, Abbey Carpet & Floor, Bentley Mills Inc., and Others.
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Recent Developments
In July 2024, an exclusive multimedia event was organized in Dubai to celebrate the Middle East launch of Interface Inc.'s latest collections of luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) and carpet tiles, Etched & ThreadedTM and Earthen FormsTM, by the global leader in flooring solutions and sustainability.
Market Segment
This study forecasts revenue at global, regional, and country levels from 2020 to 2033. Spherical Insights has segmented the global carpet tiles market based on the below-mentioned segments:
Global Carpet Tiles Market, By Type
Square
Rectangle
Others
Global Carpet Tiles Market, By Application
Residential
Commercial
Others
Global Carpet Tiles Market, By Distribution Channel
Online
Offline
Global Carpet Tiles Market, Regional Analysis
North America US Canada Mexico
Europe Germany Uk France Italy Spain Russia Rest of Europe
Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Australia Rest of Asia Pacific
South America Brazil Argentina Rest of South America
Middle East & Africa UAE Saudi Arabia Qatar South Africa Rest of the Middle East & Africa
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About the Spherical Insights & Consulting
Spherical Insights & Consulting is a market research and consulting firm which provides actionable market research study, quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight especially designed for decision makers and aids ROI.
Which is catering to different industry such as financial sectors, industrial sectors, government organizations, universities, non-profits and corporations. The company's mission is to work with businesses to achieve business objectives and maintain strategic improvements.
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George Medicines demonstrates potential of novel, low-dose, triple combination pill to transform management of hypertension in Hot Line Session at ESC Congress 2024
Results from two Phase III trials testing multi-mechanism, triple combination of existing best-in-class medicines in novel low and ultra-low dose pills
Combination pill significantly reduced blood pressure and improved control rates vs dual therapy or placebo, with good tolerability and no increase in adverse event withdrawals
Results also presented from first trial in Africa evaluating a low-dose triple combination pill as initial or early therapy for hypertension, with GMRx2 superior to standard care protocol and achieving over 80% BP control from 1 month to end of follow-up
London, UK 31 August 2024 George Medicines, a late-stage, biopharmaceutical company addressing significant unmet need in the treatment of cardiometabolic disease, today announced the presentation of results from its two pivotal Phase III trials at a Hot Line session of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Annual Meeting in London
The trials tested GMRx2, George Medicines novel, multi-mechanism triple combination candidate for the treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure), including initiation of treatment. GMRx2 contains best-in-class medicines, telmisartan, amlodipine and indapamide, in proprietary, triple quarter-dose (ultra-low dose), triple half-dose (low-dose) and triple standard-dose options.
Globally, most people treated for hypertension do not achieve sustained blood pressure (BP) control, primarily due to continued use of low efficacy regimens such as monotherapy. Currently available triple combinations are only available for patients who are still not achieving adequate BP control following treatment with the three separate medicines or two of the components. While trials of low-dose combinations had shown considerable promise for initial and early treatment, these were all with research-only formulations which were not available to patients long-term. GMRx2 has been developed to meet this need.
GMRx2 vs dual combinations
In the first Phase III trial, among patients in Australia, Czech Republic, New Zealand, Poland, Sri Lanka, UK and the US, GMRx2, standard- and half-dose forms were tested against dual combinations of its component drugs. The trials primary efficacy outcome was the difference between GMRx2 and its comparators in home-measured BP change from randomization to week 12. The trial met all primary safety and efficacy endpoints:
GMRx2 was more effective than dual therapy, significantly reducing both home- and clinic-measured BP and improving BP control rates, with both standard- and half-dose forms.
The primary outcome was superiority of GMRx2 vs each of the three dual combinations for home systolic blood pressure reduction and each endpoint was met (p<0.0001).
GMRx2 half-dose achieved 63% clinic BP control <140/90mmHg, which rose to 74% at the end of follow-up on GMRx2 standard-dose superior to all three dual combinations at standard-dose (53-61%).
Tolerability was good, with no increase in withdrawal from treatment due to adverse events.
The head-to-head trial provides the first large scale comparison of a low- and standard-dose triple combination pill and its dual combinations at the same doses. It assessed the safety and efficacy of the triple combination among patients with starting blood pressure levels that were considerably lower than those in previous trials and, as such, is highly relevant to recent guideline recommendations for lower blood pressure targets.
GMRx2 vs placebo
A second Phase III trial, conducted in Australia, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, UK and the US, compared half- and quarter-doses of GMRx2 against a placebo pill, examining the difference between GMRx2 and placebo in home-measured BP change from randomization to week 4. In that trial GMRx2 significantly improved home- and clinic-measured BP and control rates, in both half- and quarter-doses. Again, tolerability was good, with no increase in withdrawal from treatment due to adverse events.
Presenting at the ESC Congress, Professor Anthony Rodgers, Chief Medical Officer of George Medicines and Professorial Fellow at The George Institute for Global Health, said: The clinical and public health significance of these findings is considerable, given the continuing global disease burden of hypertension. Control rates are suboptimal in all countries, even where access and affordability are not major factors, principally due to continued use of low-efficacy regimens. With evidence increasingly showing the value of lower blood pressure targets, the potential of an effective, low-dose, triple combination with a good safety profile for the early treatment of hypertension should not be underestimated.
Chair of the trials steering committee, Dr. Paul Whelton, Show Chwan Chair of Global Public Health at Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, and President of the World Hypertension League, said: "These clinical trial results confirm GMRx2 as a novel antihypertensive therapy that could substantially improve hypertension control rates, worldwide.
GMRx2 for hypertension in Africa
The potential of GMRx2 in Africa was also demonstrated at the ESC Congress with results shared from a recently completed clinical trial in hospital-based family medicine clinics in Nigeria, the first trial to evaluate a low-dose triple combination pill as initial or early therapy for hypertension in Africa. Led by Professor Dike Ojji at University of Abuja and Dr. Abdul Salam from the George Institute India, the VERONICA (deliVERy of Optimal blood pressure coNtrol in afrICA) trial, recruited black African adults with uncontrolled hypertension, who were either untreated or already receiving a single BP-lowering drug. The trial compared GMRx2-based treatment protocol with existing, standard care protocol for six months.
The trials primary effectiveness outcome was home-measured BP from randomization to month 6 and the primary safety outcome was discontinuation of trial treatment due to an adverse event. The trial demonstrated:
Clinically and statistically significant improvements in efficacy with GMRx2 reductions in home- and clinic-measured BP from randomization to month 6.
Over 80% BP control achieved at month 1 and maintained throughout follow-up control rates were superior at all timepoints, even though by 6 months 70% BP control had been achieved in the comparator group, which was a high standard of care and at least as good as that seen in most high-income settings.
None of the patients withdrew from the trial due to adverse events; tolerability was good with only hypokalaemia observed, mostly mild.
The trial was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia, supported by The George Institute for Global Health and medicine was supplied by George Medicines.
Mark Mallon, Chief Executive Officer of George Medicines, said: These comprehensive data underscore the science behind GMRx2 and reinforce its potential to transform the management of hypertension. GMRx2s multi-mechanism approach delivers the synergistic efficacy benefits of a triple therapy while maintaining tolerability, and in a single pill that can be expected to improve patient adherence. Subject to its review by regulators, GMRx2 would be the first medicine approved for the initial treatment of hypertension for over a decade, and could deliver profound results for patients globally, including in low- and middle-income countries whose populations carry a significant hypertension burden.
Earlier this month, George Medicines announced its submission to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of a New Drug Application (NDA) for GMRx2. Data from GMRx2s clinical development program will support additional global regulatory filings.
George Medicines is an independent spin-out company from The George Institute for Global Health, one of the worlds leading medical research institutes with a focus on addressing global health inequity. The Companys GMRx2 development program built on earlier research by The George Institute, including the 700-patient TRIUMPH trial undertaken in Sri Lanka in 2016/17, which found that among patients with mild to moderate hypertension, treatment with a low-dose triple combination pill led to an increased proportion of patients achieving their target blood pressure goal versus usual care.
Ends
About hypertension (high blood pressure)
Globally, more than one billion adults have hypertension1.
In the US, nearly half of adults have hypertension (120 million) and only around 1 in 4 of those have their hypertension under control (27 million), either because they are not being treated or their treatment is suboptimal2.
In the UK, around 1 in 3 adults has hypertension. Half of those with high blood pressure are not diagnosed or receiving treatment. In England alone, there are more than five million people that are undiagnosed3.
Many diagnosed patients arent achieving sufficient blood pressure control because they are on inadequate therapy, arent receiving the right combination of medicines at the right doses or arent taking their treatment as prescribed or continuing their treatment in the long term.
The major, globally recognized treatment guidelines4 recommend the use of fixed dose combination therapy for most patients with hypertension, including for first-line treatment and yet, in practice, newly diagnosed patients will often still be prescribed monotherapy treatment. This is despite a broad evidence base indicating that, individually, blood pressure medicines are only modestly effective at reducing blood pressure, even at high doses, and most patients will require two or more medicines to achieve control.
As dosage of hypertension drugs is increased, so too are side effects, which can preclude the use of high doses for many patients. These side effect challenges, alongside the management of multiple hypertension medicines being taken together with treatments for other conditions, can significantly impact treatment compliance and adherence, including failure to take medications as prescribed and to persist on long-term therapy.
About George Medicines
George Medicines is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company addressing significant unmet need in the treatment of cardiometabolic diseases with innovative combinations of best-in-class existing treatments, designed for optimal efficacy and safety.
Combining best-in-class molecules from existing medicines in novel low-dose formulations, George Medicines is developing innovative and proprietary treatments to be more efficacious, safer and accessible than currently available treatment options. These multi-mechanism, single-pill combinations offer the potential to bring significant improvements in clinical outcomes and therapy adherence in patients with cardiometabolic disorders, including hypertension and diabetes, each of which remain the leading causes of premature death and disability worldwide.
The Companys lead candidate, GMRx2, has completed a Phase III development program for the treatment of hypertension, including first-line therapy, and a global trial focused on the prevention of recurrent intracerebral hemorrhage (the most severe type of stroke) is underway.
George Medicines is an independent spin-out company from The George Institute for Global Health, one of the worlds leading medical research institutes with a focus on addressing global health inequity. The Company is backed by George Health, the commercial arm of The George Institute, and Brandon Capital, Australias leading life sciences venture capital firm. For more information, please visit www.george-medicines.com.
References
World Health Organization Hypertension factsheet https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hypertension Million Hearts https://millionhearts.hhs.gov/data-reports/hypertension-prevalence.html#:~:text=Nearly%20half%20of%20adults%20have,5%20adults%20(25.0%20million) Blood Pressure UK https://www.bloodpressureuk.org/news/media-centre/blood-pressure-facts-and-figures/#:~:text=Around%20one%20in%20three%20adults,that%20are%20undiagnosed%5B6%5D 2017 ACC/AHA/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/AGS/APhA/ASH/ASPC/NMA/PCNA Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/HYP.0000000000000065; WHO Guideline for the pharmacological treatment of hypertension in adults https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/344424/9789240033986-eng.pdf;; 2018 ESC/ESH Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Arterial Hypertension https://www.escardio.org/Guidelines/Clinical-Practice-Guidelines/Arterial-Hypertension-Management-of
Media contacts
ICR Consilium
David Daley, Lindsey Neville, Isabelle Abdou
georgemedicines@consilium-comms.com; Tel: +44 (0) 203 709 5700
Last weeks meeting marked a prelude to GVNs international meeting in Durban, South Africa, September 16-18, 2024
TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A correction has been issued for the release disseminated on August 29th. Sten Vermund's full title was corrected to Sten Vermund, MD, PhD, GVN President and Professor of Yale University, USA. The complete and corrected release follows.
To mitigate the mpox outbreak, the Global Virus Network (GVN) is leading a panel of experts to develop guidelines and streamline testing standards, including strengthening infrastructure to sequencing and early detection. On August 22, 2024, the GVN, headquartered at the University of South Florida, USA, convened a critical mpox discussion online with leaders from the World Health Organization (WHO), Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), major industry partners, renowned virologists, and public health experts at the forefront of the mpox outbreak response.
Lorenzo Subissi, PhD, WHOs Mpox Task Force lead, advised the group that the current mpox epidemic was escalated to a grade 3 emergency, requiring a major to maximal WHO response. He reported that 38% of children infected are under age 10 and noted sustained human-to-human transmission of clade 1b in Africa.
Mpox is a viral infection that spreads through close contact, including sexual relations, and causes flu-like symptoms, including fever, chills, muscle aches, and pus-filled lesions. Mpox is usually mild but sometimes fatal, mostly in children. The new clade 1b variant is responsible for the rising infections, primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and identified in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Thailand, as well as reported in the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, and Sweden.
The discussion highlighted the urgent need to enhance diagnostic capabilities, vaccine development, and global collaboration to mitigate the impact of the mpox outbreak, particularly in regions most at risk.
To facilitate recommendations catalyzed by the discussion, the GVN assembled a subcommittee on point-of-care diagnostics chaired by Rachel Roper, PhD, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at East Carolina University, USA and Co-chair of GVNs Mpox Action Committee, Marion Koopmans, DVM, PhD, Erasmus Medical Center, Netherlands, a GVN Center of Excellence, and Deborah Williamson, PhD, Professor of Public Health Microbiology, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom, a GVN Center of Excellence, and Director of the UK Health Security Agency. The subcommittee is meeting weekly to develop global testing and diagnostic standards and generate suggestions through a collaborative whitepaper addressing issues such as sample collection, assays, and clinical triage procedures for frontline workers.
Its not just how a sample is transported, Dr. Roper said, but what type of sample is collected. For mpox, each lesion can have unique viral populations, and we need to have a universal sample type defined and well documented to aid surveillance.
During the meeting, Emmanuel Agogo, PhD, Director of Pandemic Threats at FIND, Switzerland, emphasized the need for local capacity building: To effectively combat mpox, we must empower local health systems and researchers. This will not only help contain the current outbreaks but also build long-term resilience against future threats. In particular, the need for decentralized diagnostic options is critical for surveillance, access to therapeutics and effective vaccine roll out.
Maggie L. Bartlett, PhD, Program Director at the GVN and faculty member at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA, a GVN Center of Excellence, emphasized the importance of inclusive and equitable strategies: Our efforts must reach those in the most affected regions, and we must prioritize health equity in our response to ensure that no one is left behind.
Laurens Liesenborghs, MD, PhD, Assistant professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), Belgium, member of ITMs multidisciplinary Outbreak Research Team, and member of the GVN Mpox Action Committee, echoed the call for an innovative approach: We cannot be content with the status quo. Our goal is to develop tools and strategies that are not only effective but also scalable and sustainable. This is a global challenge that demands a global response.
Michael Mina, MD, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of eMed, USA, said Rapid tests and PCR tests are not mutually exclusive. In fact, we learned during COVID how useful a dual strategy can be and how these can be incredibly powerful additive tools in our public health toolbox. We need the big companies to step it up and develop rapid diagnostics and research funding incentives from governments to ensure we dont face the same fallout with the crash of small companies after the surge.
Yenew Kebede Tebeje, MD, Head of Division of Laboratory Systems at Africa CDC advised, Mpox poses a significant threat to public health, particularly in regions where health systems are already stretched thin. To effectively combat this virus, we must strengthen our surveillance, diagnostic, and response capabilities across Africa. Our collective efforts must ensure that we are not only containing the current outbreaks but also building the resilience needed to face future health challenges.
In addition to addressing the immediate response, the meeting also focused on long-term strategies for pandemic preparedness and response. The participants discussed the critical role of partnerships between global organizations like WHO, GVN, Africa CDC, CEPI and FIND in driving innovation and ensuring that resources are directed where they are most needed.
Sten Vermund, MD, PhD, GVN President and Professor of Yale University, USA, said, "The initiatives originating from the meeting represent part of the GVN effort to assist in the global effort to combat mpox and other emerging viral threats. Collaboration is imperative and we are keen that the GVN help leverage and focus resources and expertise helping to mitigate the mpox outbreak and plan for future threats.
GVNs coalition of the worlds leading virology researchers, who work together to prevent illness and death from viral disease, will continue these discussions about the mpox outbreak amid high-level scientific sessions examining pandemic preparedness and current threats, including at GVNs International Annual Scientific Meeting, Navigating Virologys Frontiers in Africa, co-hosted by the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), a GVN Center of Excellence, September 16-18, 2024.
Salim Abdool Karim, MB, ChB, director of CAPRISA and CAPRISA Professor of Global Health at Columbia University, USA, is chair of the Africa CDC Emergency Consultative Group and warned that mpox spread is eminent, but with a global response it can be controlled and stopped. Dr. Karim also said the outbreak is particularly concerning as it disproportionately affects young people. He continued, I look forward to continuing these discussions at the GVN international meeting in Durban as we tackle this rising threat, among other pressing global issues, including COVID-19, scientific misinformation, and pandemic preparedness.
During GVNs international meeting, experts will exchange ideas on themes including: evading viral evasion; translational virology and complex co-infections; training the next generation; post-viral diseases; bats, rats, and other vectors; genetic sequences and epidemiological insights; cutting-edge diagnostics and therapeutics; regional responses to disease; perspectives from agencies; pandemic preparedness; and combating scientific misinformation.
Everybody's personal life is flawed. We're all humans, but he turned God, and that's what counts. Jesus forgives the repentant sinner where man seems to hold others accountable...Still love his movies!
John Wayne, known for his tough cowboy roles and memorable performances, left a lasting mark on the film industry. But behind the scenes, there were whispers and speculations about his personal life and career. Now, years after his passing, his secretary has stepped forward to finally set the record straight. Get ready to separate fact from fiction as we unravel the legacy of one of cinema's greatest icons.
5) "The Sands of Iwo Jima" (1949), where he played a Marine sergeant. His portrayal of strong, courageous soldiers and leaders resonated with audiences,
4) "The Conqueror" (1956), starring John Wayne. It is infamous not only for its portrayal of Genghis Khan by Wayne but also because a significant number of the cast and crew developed cancer later in life. This has often been attributed to the fact that the film was shot near nuclear test sites in Utah, where radioactive fallout was still present.
There she goes. This Veteran's Day weekend, we pay tribute to all the brave men and women who have served, both past and present. We salute you. Watch SANDS OF IWO JIMA ('49) this Sunday at 3p ET on FETV. ????
USMC Hollywood Best Ever - two minutes. Two stirring minutes that will motivate any red blooded American One awesome United States Marine Corps epic film, which captures the determination and grit of the worlds finest gun club. Sergeant John M. Stryker, a squad leader on 23 February 1945 , leads his Marines up Mount Suribachi to raise the our then 48 star flag. Photographed my A Ps Joe Rosenthal & sculptured by Felix Weldon captured the heart of America. This scene has become the quintessential combat picture of all time. Bravo Zulu to director Allan Dwan for this moving moment. God Bless our corps of Marines. Marine General Lejeune / luh jern would be proud. Semper Fidelis & God bless all Leathernecks ! Sands of Iwo Jima is a 1949 war film starring John Wayne that follows a group of United States Marines from training to the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. The movie also features John Agar, Adele Mara, and Forrest Tucker, was written by Harry Brown and James Edward Grant, and directed by Allan Dwan. The picture was a Republic Pictures production. Sands of Iwo Jima was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role(John Wayne), Best Film Editing, Best Sound, Recording (Daniel J. Bloomberg) and Best Writing, Motion Picture Story
As a black person, I strongly agree with his narrative. He was ahead of his time. he was not prejudiced; he was a realist. he was a very intelligent person and I respect him highly. his views were candid.
***
H/t:
John Wayne (born Marion Robert Morrison on May 26, 1907, in Winterset, Iowa, USA; died June 11, 1979, in Los Angeles, California, USA) was an iconic American actor and filmmaker. He became a major figure in Hollywood, especially renowned for his roles in Westerns and war films, which cemented his image as a symbol of rugged American masculinity and patriotism.
Early Life
Wayne was raised in Southern California after his family moved there when he was a child. He attended the University of Southern California (USC) on a football scholarship, but his sports career ended due to a shoulder injury. This turn of events led him to start working in the film industry, initially doing odd jobs, which eventually led to minor acting roles.
Rise to Fame
John Wayne's big break came with the 1939 film "Stagecoach," directed by John Ford. His portrayal of the Ringo Kid made him an instant star and solidified his place in Hollywood. Over the next few decades, Wayne starred in numerous Westerns, becoming synonymous with the genre. Some of his most famous Western films include "Red River" (1948), "The Searchers" (1956), and "True Grit" (1969), the latter earning him an Academy Award for Best Actor.
Career and Legacy
Throughout his career, Wayne appeared in more than 170 films. He was known for his distinctive voice, walk, and physical presence, making him one of the most enduring figures in American cinema. Besides Westerns, Wayne also starred in several notable war films, such as "The Sands of Iwo Jima" (1949) and "The Longest Day" (1962).
Wayne's influence extended beyond the screen. He was a vocal supporter of conservative political causes and an advocate for American patriotism, which was reflected in many of his films and public statements.
Controversy and Health
Despite his popularity, Wayne's career was not without controversy. His involvement in politically charged films and his outspoken views on various social and political issues, such as his support for the Vietnam War, often divided public opinion.
In the late 1960s, Wayne was diagnosed with lung cancer, which he battled successfully for a time, leading to the removal of one lung. However, he was later diagnosed with stomach cancer, which eventually claimed his life in 1979.
Personal Life
Wayne was married three times and had seven children. His personal life was as colorful as his on-screen persona, marked by his love for the outdoors, including his passion for hunting and sailing.
Awards and Honors
In addition to his Academy Award, John Wayne received numerous accolades throughout his career. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously in 1980, and his legacy is honored through various memorials, including the John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California.
Legacy
John Wayne remains an enduring symbol of American culture, particularly of the values associated with the American West and the military. His films continue to be celebrated, and he is remembered as one of the most iconic actors in the history of cinema.
***** H/t 2:
Ironically, he refused to go for WW2, but portrait WW2 hero characters
BALTIMORE, Aug. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Summary
The consortium of Greater Baltimore law firms comprised of civil rights litigators from Jenner Law, Grant & Eisenhofer, and Baird Mandalas Brockstedt & Federico will hold a comprehensive litigation update-news conference on September 5th prior to the upcoming (September 10th) Maryland Supreme Court arguments on the constitutionality of the Child Victims Act of 2023 (CVA). Joined by several survivors-plaintiffs, advocates and the team will review the history of the legislation, and litigation (in state and federal courts), and the devastating impacts on generations of childhood sexual abuse survivors. They will also present the inaugural screening of Survivors Stories: At the Crossroads of Justice, a video featuring several leaders in the fight for CVA passage and survivors rights. To the survivors many now elderly, unable to come forward for decades after their horrific abuse the CVA is a beacon of hope that represents possibly their last chance for justice after a lifetime of dislocation and suffering. The Courts ruling is expected to have profound ramifications in Maryland as well as nationally. The case Valerie Bunker v. The Key School, et al. is one of three lead cases before the Court; the argument follows a federal courts request that the state Supreme Court decide the pivotal question of constitutionality.
When & Where
Time/Date: 10:00 a.m. ET / Thursday, September 5, 2024 Place: Jenner Law / Meadow Mill, 3600 Clipper Mill Rd., Suite 240, Baltimore, Maryland 21211 Note: Media set up starts at 9 a.m.; on-site parking available
Program - Participants (partial list)
Survivors Stories: At the Crossroads of Justice, first showing, featuring survivors and advocates.
first showing, featuring survivors and advocates. Survivors-Plaintiffs, including those that were among the first to file claims against Maryland defendants under the CVA.
Attorneys-Advocates: Including counsel for named plaintiffs and attorneys from civil-childrens rights organizations among those filing Amicus briefs urging retention, as enacted, of the CVA. Robert K. Jenner, Jenner Law Steven J. Kelly, Grant & Eisenhofer Phil Federico, Baird Mandalas Brockstedt & Federico
Survivor-Advocate David Lorenz, SNAP, Maryland
Advocate Gemma Hoskins (The Keepers)
Contacts
Vancouver, August 30, 2024 - Gold Basin Resources Corp. (the "Company" or "Gold Basin") - (TSX-V GXX, OTCQB: GXXFF) today announced that that it has obtained an unsecured loan in the aggregate principal amount of USD $500,000 (the "Loan") from Charrua Capital, LLC, an arm's length lender (the "Lender"). The Loan has a maturity date of August 21, 2025 and will bear interest at a rate of 15% per annum. The Loan shall be advanced by the Lender in two tranches, the first USD $250,000 tranche within 10 business days of the execution of the balloon note evidencing the Loan, and the second USD $250,000 tranche with 60 days of the advance of the first tranche.
Under the terms of the Loan, the Company will (i) reimburse the Lender for its legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with the Loan, not to exceed USD $25,000; (ii) pay to the Lender a facility fee in the amount of 2.5% of the principal amount of the Loan; and (iii) pre-pay the full amount of the annual interest, all as a deduction from the first tranche of the Loan. Upon the occurrence of a "Change in Control", the Lender will have the option to declare the unpaid principal balance and any accrued interest on the Loan immediately due and payable. A "Change of Control" means any of the following: (i) the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to a third party; (ii) the acquisition by a third party of fifty percent (50%) or more of the Company's outstanding stock or other form of ownership or equity in the Company; (iii) the issuance of additional shares by the Company, a reverse split, split, or similar transaction which causes a change of fifty percent or more in the ownership of the Company's outstanding stock or other ownership or equity interest; or (iv) the conversion, merger attempted dissolution/termination or consolidation of the Company with or into another entity; and/or (v) the Company's entry into a letter of intent or similar instrument, or the Company's receipt of an unsolicited offer or bid for or to accomplish, any of the foregoing items. The proceeds from the Loan will be used for costs associated with the Company's ongoing exploration activities, Bureau of Land Management claim maintenance fees, and general working capital.
ABOUT GOLD BASIN RESOURCES CORPORATION
Gold Basin Resources Corporation is advancing the 42 km2 Gold Basin Project, located in the tier one mining jurisdiction of Mohave County, Arizona. Gold Basin is accessible year-round via a 1.5-hour-drive on Highway I-93 southeast of Las Vegas, and high-power electrical lines from the Hoover Dam crosscut the southern Project area. The immediate focus of Gold Basin's highly experienced technical team is to expand and delineate multiple at-surface oxide gold deposits and prove the project's district-scale potential. For further information, please visit the Company's web site at: www.goldbasincorp.com.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
Charles Straw
President & Director
For further information, please contact:
info@goldbasincorp.com
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:
This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "may", "should", "would", "will", "potential", "scheduled" or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward looking information. Such risks and other factors include anticipated business plans, direction and timing of future activities of the Company, the ability of the Company to obtain sufficient financing to fund its business activities and plans, delays in obtaining governmental and regulatory approvals (including of the TSX Venture Exchange), permits or financing, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, currency fluctuations, title disputes or claims, environmental issues and liabilities, risks relating to epidemics or pandemics such as COVID-19, including the impact of COVID-19 on the Company's business, financial condition and results of operations, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, title disputes, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents, approvals or authorizations, the timing and possible outcome of any pending litigation, environmental issues and liabilities, and risks related to joint venture operations, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's continuous disclosure documents. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedarplus.ca and readers are urged to review these materials.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this news release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law.
Copyright (c) 2024 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
Vowles apologises to Schumacher for stupid comment
James Vowles issued a grovelling apology to Mick Schumacher at Monza, after stating that the 25-year-old German is not a "special" driver.
James Vowles, Bahrain 2023
Williams
The Williams boss was explaining to the media on Friday why he opted to replace Logan Sargeant with rookie Franco Colapinto rather than Mercedes reserve Schumacher.
If we had put Mick in the car, he would have done a good job, no question, said Vowles. We think he is good, but not special. Like Logan Sargeant. We have to be completely honest about that.
While it's true that Schumacher has also been overlooked by other prospective Formula 1 teams for a 2025 comeback, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admits Vowles words were blunt.
James is a strategist who sometimes says things very bluntly, Wolff told Sky Deutschland. "It was a statement he probably could have kept for himself.
Mick has won everything there was to win. Formula 4, 3 and 2, said the Austrian. "Then he operated in an environment under Gunther Steiner, which is of course brutally tough. That was not what he needed to develop further as a driver.
He deserved a chance and if you don't give it to him, you shouldn't comment on it like that, Wolff added.
Vowles admits that when he saw his words reproduced in the media, he was shocked how badly they came across.
It was a stupid word, he told Sky Deutschland when faced with German reporters asking why Schumacher is not regarded as 'special'. "It's what I said, but I was shocked when I read it. I'm not here to put Mick down.
'Special' for me is a multiple world champion - Lewis Hamilton, Ayrton Senna level. But it may have hurt Mick and that was not my intention at all.
So I am also here to apologise to Mick, Vowles added. He is still a good friend. I tell everyone not to doubt Mick, but I have to make decisions for Williams.
(GMM)
Vowles denies money behind Colapinto decision
Williams boss James Vowles has confirmed that he turned down Red Bull's terms for a 'loan' of Liam Lawson.
Franco Colapinto, Italian GP 2024
Williams
Vowles' patience with the struggling Logan Sargeant finally ran out after Zandvoort. There were three options on the table which many of you already know about, he told reporters at Monza.
They were Liam Lawson, Mick Schumacher, and Franco Colapinto.
With Lawson, his contractual position at Red Bull wouldn't have worked out for me, Vowles said.
Indeed, while Red Bull was willing to discuss a loan, Dr Helmut Marko admits that the deal would have contained plenty of conditions.
What I can say is that in principle we were prepared to loan him, Red Bull's senior F1 consultant told Sky Deutschland. "But we wanted to have the guarantee that we could bring him back if necessary, because he is the official reserve driver of both Red Bull teams.
And we couldn't say exactly how many races he would be available for, Marko added. Based on this, it is understandable that Williams did not agree to this deal.
However, there are rumours that Williams always intended to put its own junior Colapinto, 21, in the car, with Lawson and Schumacher only used to drive up the costs for the young Argentine's substantial backers.
Reports suggest Williams is collecting $500,000 from Colapinto's financiers, with on-car sponsor deals for Globant and Mercado Libre already announced.
It's not as if he took over this seat because of sponsors, Vowles insists. "Actually, it worked the other way around.
We announced that he would be driving for us, and since then the lines have been running hot from Argentina, with enormous interest from his country, the team principal added.
(GMM)
Even though Nokia has struggled to compete with major players like Ericsson and Huawei over the past few years, the Finnish company is still a major player in the network infrastructure business. Samsung also has a Radio Access Network (RAN) branch of its own, but it is relatively small, with a reported market share of around 6.1% last year.
Industry insider rumors have now started to surface, indicating Samsungs desire to purchase Nokias infrastructure business to strengthen its own RAN positions. An alleged figure of $10 billion for the sale has been tossed around. If the deal goes through, Samsung will effectively become the second-biggest RAN supplier worldwide, with a 25.6% market share.
Samsung already makes 4G and 5G base stations, chipsets, devices, radios, and core equipment, so its not like the Korean giant is new to the infrastructure business. It has already supplied carriers worldwide, including Telus Canada, O2 in Germany, Reliance Jio in India, KDDI and NTT DoCoMo in Japan, Dish and Verizon in the US and Vodafone in the UK.
Source
Xiaomi launched the 13T and 13T Pro in late September of last year, and so we're getting very close to the arrival of their successors, the 14T and 14T Pro. Today a list of their most important specs has been leaked along with pricing for the EU.
Let's jump right in and start with the prices. The Xiaomi 14T with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage will go for 649, while the 14T Pro with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage will be priced at 899.
Xiaomi 13T Pro
It's unclear at the moment if there will be more RAM/storage options for these handsets. The 14T will be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8300-Ultra, while the Pro will get the Dimensity 9300+. It's a shame that this device will launch with this chipset in (most likely) late September while the Dimensity 9400 (and the first smartphones powered by it) will arrive in early to mid October, according to the latest rumors on the matter.
Anyway, both phones are said to be offered in three colorways: Titanium Black, Titanium Grey, and Titanium Blue. We know what you're thinking: with so much titanium in the names, does that mean that the frame of these phones is made from titanium? We wouldn't hold our collective breath. After all, this isn't Xiaomi's most high-end line, and titanium is still considered a premium material in the mobile world, so we see no reason why the company would offer it here. Then again, (much) stranger things have happened, so we can't rule it out completely either.
Xiaomi 13T
Moving on, both devices get a 6.67-inch 144 Hz AMOLED screen with 1220x2712 resolution and 4,000-nit peak brightness. The 14T will have a 1/1.56" main camera using Sony's IMX906 sensor, a 50 MP telephoto with 2.6x optical zoom and 4x "optical equivalent" zoom, and a 12 MP ultrawide with 120-degree field-of-view.
The Pro has a larger 1/1.31" type main camera using the Light Fusion 900 sensor with 2x "optical equivalent" zoom, and the same other cameras. Both phones have a 32 MP selfie snapper and a 5,000 mAh battery. They're also both IP68 rated for dust and water resistance. The Pro gets Wi-Fi 7, the 14T has to make do with just Wi-Fi 6E. They will both run Android 14 from day one, with Xiaomi's HyperOS on top.
The 14T measures 160.5 x 75.1 x 7.8 mm and weighs 195g, while the 14T Pro comes in at 160.4 x 75.1 x 8.39 mm and 209g.
Source (in French)
Sure, your standard New Orleans tour guide will tell you who won the War of 1812, but what do they know about Marlon Brandos bisexual French Quarter proclivities?
More importantly, will they be wearing assless leather chaps?
If you book an outing with Marcus Shacknow of Walking with the Gay Ghosts of New Orleans, expect to hear all the smutty gossip your heart desires, along with fascinating historical facts on New Orleans queer culture.
As an added bonus, Shacknow says, his scantily-clad outfits will only get funner with time.
Shacknow shares the lesser-known gay history behind Jackson Square, in front of the St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans.Emily Topping
I join the tour on a drizzly Thursday evening, as the streets of the French Quarter begin to swarm with Southern Decadence attendees.
At the beginning of our two-hour trek, our group stands huddled beneath the former apartment of Tennessee Williams one of Marlon Brandos many rumored lovers, alongside comedian Richard Pryor.
Now, Richards wife was aware of his gay affairs, Shacknow proclaims with an eyebrow raise. When asked about it, she responded, and I quote: It was the 70s. If you did enough cocaine, youd fuck a radiator and send it flowers in the morning.
(This line is met with horrified glances from a camo-clad family walking by, who were presumably unaware that Gay Mardi Gras overlapped with their Labor Weekend vacation.)
As the tour continues, Shacknow imparts us with tales of wealthy gay aristocrats, secret love children and the citys most iconic lesbians like nightclub owner Miss Dixie, who reportedly used the contents of her bars cash register to bail out unfairly arrested gay men.
Shacknow leads a group of tourists down Bourbon Street, where rainbow flags celebrate this weekend's Southern Decadence festival.Emily Topping
Part of the magic of New Orleans gay history is its tendency towards folklore. Because much of queer existence has been kept underground, stories have been passed on orally, or pieced together using private letters and unearthed journals.
Shacknow acknowledges this, occasionally adding, That last detail isnt confirmed, but I like it, while orating a story on cross-dressing pirates or the presumed-sapphic architect of Jackson Square.
While much of the tour is fun and campy, other moments are heart wrenching. Theres the story of Fernando Rios, a twenty-six-year-old gay man lured to his death by a group of Tulane frat boys in 1958, then the arson attack at the UpStairs Lounge in 1973, which killed 32 people.
Through both the lighthearted and the heavy, it is Shacknows obvious love for the city and its lore that makes the tour worthwhile.
This reverence is made clear through his opening line: I feel confident in saying that New Orleans is the gayest city in the entire country. You guys are all here, so its even gayer now.
Gay Ghost Tour tickets are $30. Tours are held at various times throughout Southern Decadence, from Aug. 31 - Sep. 2.
Haiti - FAdH : Soldiers trained and certified in human rights
On August 29, 2024, the Ministry of Defense organized a certificate award ceremony for trainers and trainers of trainers who had completed human rights training. The National Guard's human rights training manual was also unveiled.
Nearly twenty recipients received their training certificates on International Humanitarian Law, Human Rights, and Gender Equity. This training, conducted in December 2023 for senior executives of the National Guard Unit of the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAd'H), was organized under the direction of the Ministry of Defense, in partnership with the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH).
Based primarily on International Human Rights Law (IHRL) and International Humanitarian Law (IHL), the Training Manual is structured in 7 modules covering a wide range of themes of crucial importance in the daily lives and missions of soldiers, such as: responsibilities and consequences of human rights violations, rules of engagement and use of force, protection of civilians in conflict situations, judicialization of the field of operations, the Geneva Conventions and their additional protocols, as well as the integration of the gender dimension.
This document represents a significant step forward in the evolution of the Haitian military institution towards a modern approach, anchored in respect for human rights.
During his speech, Major Wolsby Ted Tesnor, declared "This manual is of capital importance to us because it better equips the soldier to carry out his duties, while instilling in him that above all : he is a human being, with rights, just like those he is called to serve and defend [...]" adding "More than a simple training manual for the National Guard, it is a guide intended for all soldiers, which will be used for the training of the next promotion." During his speech, Minister Antoine, said he was proud to present certificates to about twenty soldiers trained in human rights, international humanitarian law and gender equity, stating "The FADH aspire to comply with the standards of the armies of the region, with an emphasis on respect for human rights."
"On this day, we celebrate not only the acquisition of new skills by our military trainers, but above all the strengthening of our commitment to a modern army, respectful of human rights, international humanitarian law, and gender equity," said the minister, before adding that these values, now integrated into the heart of our prestigious institution, are not simple ideals, but rather guiding principles that must always guide each of the actions of the Armed Forces.
Furthermore, he highlighted the process of transformation of the Haitian military institution, specifying that the Haitian army is no longer the one that was once accused of certain bad practices. "In the current situation, this new Haitian army aims to be professional, disciplined, and entirely devoted to serving the population. It aspires to comply with the standards of other armies in the region, with particular emphasis on respect for the rights of each individual and democratic values," said Antoine, saluting the courage and spirit of our sacrifices of the military, who are currently alongside the National Police and the Support Mission to fight for Peace and security in all corners of the country. The commitment of these young men and women are models of dedication and patriotism for the Nation.
IH/ iciHaiti
Haiti - Economy : End of World Bank mission on the renewal of its commitment...
On Friday, August 30, 2024, Dirk Reinermann, Director of Resource Mobilization for the World Banks International Development Association (IDA), leading a delegation composed of Lilia Burunciuc, Country Director for the Caribbean, and Ronke-Amoni Ogunsulire, Resident Representative of the International Finance Corporation for the Dominican Republic and Haiti, completed a three-day mission to Haiti
During their stay, the priorities of the new administration were discussed and the World Banks commitment to continue fighting extreme poverty in Haiti was underscored.
The delegation met with Prime Minister Garry Conille, Minister of Finance Ketleen Florestal, cabinet members, development partners, and other key stakeholders.
"We had very important discussions with the Government, donor partners, and civil society organizations on how we can further maximize the impact of World Bank investments in Haiti. IDA contributes to stability, reaches the poorest people, and produces sustainable results," said Dirk Reinermann, adding "IDA is committed to continuing its support to Haiti to address the key drivers of fragility and poverty in the country."
During the mission, the World Bank delegation stressed the importance of completing the consultation process for the new Country Partnership Framework, as well as the preparation of the eligibility note to access the Fragility, Violence, and Conflict (FCV) Envelope. The FCV Envelope is a World Bank facility dedicated to countries affected by fragility, violence, and conflict. If approved, it will provide an opportunity for Haiti to benefit from additional funds to finance the response efforts to the current crisis and help address the underlying causes of violence.
The delegation also visited projects in the Southern region of the country as well as the new site of the National Emergency Operations Center of the General Directorate of Civil Protection, financed in part by IDA under the Project to Strengthen Disaster Risk Management and Climate Resilience in Haiti.
While more than 80% of the World Banks IDA-supported programs, currently valued at $1.3 billion, are implemented outside of Port-au-Prince, in communities where the security situation is more stable, the needs of the poor are addressed through responses to food insecurity, risk management, building resilient infrastructure, and supporting urban development.
HL/ HaitiLibre
Haiti - News : Zapping...
3rd day of combat, the PNH advances
"We have made progress, we continue to advance" declared Divisional Commissioner Michael Ange Louis, Spokesperson for the Haitian National Police (PNH) in summary of the first 72 hours of the joint operation against gangs in the neighborhoods of Bas Delmas, Bel Air and Solino. He declined to give details explaining that the operation was underway but promised that a report would be communicated at the appropriate time. Finally, he specified that the operation will continue until the gangs in these areas are completely dismantled...
See also :
https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-43087-icihaiti-security-pm-visits-3-wounded-swat-agents.html
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-43079-haiti-flash-first-major-joint-operation-kenya-pnh.html
Council of Ministers canceled
A Council of Ministers scheduled for August 29, 2024, during which major decisions were to be adopted did not take place. The reason was the absence of several ministers who refused to sit alongside the three members of the Presidential Council indexed in the BNC scandal. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42866-haiti-flash-3-presidential-advisers-in-turmoil-scandal-or-conspiracy.html
Brazil to strengthen Haiti's electoral process
On Friday, Haitian Chancellor Dominique Dupuy met with Carmen Lucia, President of Brazil's Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE). On behalf of the TSE, Carmen Lucia pledged to provide logistical support, assistance in designing awareness campaigns, and electoral training with Brazilian experts to strengthen Haiti's electoral process. A visit to Haiti is planned very soon to formalize this partnership.
Minister Hercules on tour in the North
"In a dynamic of proximity with the country's jurisdictions and to inquire about the situation on the ground, I left the capital this morning to go to Cap-Haitien to meet the Departmental Directors of the PNH, the Commissioners and the Bar Association of the North. Several other meetings are planned as part of this tour aimed at giving us a better idea of the security situation and the functioning of justice in the Far North," declared Carlos Hercule, Minister of Justice and Public Security
Anse-a-Pitre : Strengthening the Binational Dialogue
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP - Haiti), through the Binational Dialogue Strengthening Project, organized a workshop in Anse-A-Pitre from August 28 to 30, 2024 on the management of shared waters with regard to the conventions in force and local development and Migration and border security.
Atlanta : Consulate of Haiti closed
The Consulate General of Haiti in Atlanta informs the Public in General and the Haitian Community in Particular that its premises will be closed on Monday, September 2, 2024 on the occasion of "Labor Day".
HL/ HaitiLibre
An Ohio man was arrested Wednesday afternoon in the Town of Newfane after an argument that allegedly led to threats at gunpoint, the Niagara County Sheriff's Office reported.
Howard Blevins, 73, of Vermilion, Ohio, was charged with second-degree menacing and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was taken to Niagara County Jail in Lockport for centralized arraignment.
Also arrested was Michael Dolphin, 61, of Lockport, who was charged with second-degree harassment, resisting arrest and second-degree obstruction of governmental administration. He was given tickets and released pending an appearance in Newfane Town Court.
According to the report, multiple 911 calls about 2:30 p.m. brought deputies to 5970 E. Lake Road, where an investigation determined that during an argument between two men, one of them had gone to his vehicle, brought out a handgun and threatened people nearby. The report noted that deputies found two handguns at the scene.
- Dale Anderson
Apple recipe contest winners announced
Keegan Capps, 6, of Zirconia, won first place in the kids category of the N.C. Apple Festival recipe contest with his cream cheese danish.
Some of Henderson Countys best cooks came to the N.C. Apple Festival on Friday to compete in the 2024 Apple Recipe Contest.
View the Slideshow
The contest for best desserts made with apples included 31 entries this year, according to the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service in Henderson County.
Prizes were awarded to winners in multiple categories including a Grand Champion and a kid division winner.
Keira Donaldson, of Hendersonville, won the Grand Champion title with her apple crumble macarons.
Keegan Capps, 6, of Zirconia, won first place in the kids category with his apple cream cheese danish.
A complete list of contest winners includes:
Grand Prize - Keira Donaldson - Apple Crumble Macarons
Desserts
1st Keira Donaldson - Apple Crumble Macarons
2nd Jamie Beshears - Cozy Afternoon Apple Cookie
Pies/Pastries
1st Donna Freeman - Apple and Sweet Italian Sausage Puff Pastries
2nd Christopher Alexander - Apple Dumplings in a Monkey Bread Bed
Bread
1st Kathy Y Ham - Apple Pumpkin Bread with Praline Icing
2nd Marlene Merrell - Rise and shine Apple Muffins with Oatmeal-Walnut Crumble
Cakes
1st Marlene Merrell - Blue Ridge Mountains Apple Cake with Buttermilk Sauce
2nd Savannah Langford - Apple Pie Cupcakes
Kids
1st Keegan Capps - Apple Cream Cheese Danish
2nd Max Donnelly - Max's Apple Pie Surprise
Local Business
1st Stanley "Steamer" LeCarpentier - Apple&Pork "Steamer Bread w/BBQ ICING(c)"
-Tarheel-Texan BBQ
2nd Christina Mirkovic - Caramel apple cupcakes - Refresh Beverage Catering
Six public swimming pools in underserved communities in Western New York will receive state grants totaling $14.1 million as part of a $150 statewide initiative recently announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Locally, the biggest grant is $7.2 million to the city of Buffalo to fund the replacement of the Houghton Park pool on Clinton Street, along with the nearby shelter house and garage.
Buffalo also was awarded $2.6 million to replace the pool decking at the Riverside Park pool, which includes the addition of a new filtration and regeneration system, and upgrading locker rooms for Americans With Disabilities Act access.
Other grants awarded include:
$2.2 million to the Town of Cheektowaga for its Town Pool Beautification and Enhancement Project that includes the installation of a new security fence, public safety cameras and a new ADA ramp.
$400,949 to the city of Niagara Falls to renovate the Center Court pool, to include the replacement of the current pool lining and installing new main drain covers and a new filtration system.
$704,988 to the city of Olean in Cattaraugus County for the rehabilitation of the William O. Smith Recreation Center pool, which calls for replacing filter equipment, pumps, underground drains and fencing.
$920,000 to the Village of Westfield in Chautauqua County to renovate the Welch Field pool that includes replacing the concrete deck and pool house with a new ADA-compliant facility.
The New York Statewide Investment in More Swimming initiative is the states biggest investment in swimming infrastructure since the New Deal of the 1930s, said Hochul.
Every region of New York State will soon have brand-new public pools to help provide New York families with safe ways to learn how to swim, Hochul said in a statement.
Through the initiative, grants between $50,000 and $10 million were awarded to municipalities to help them design, construct, rehabilitate or modernize public swimming facilities, particularly those in disadvantaged and underserved communities with a lack of access to safe swimming and outdoor recreational opportunities. According to the Governors Office, grant applications were evaluated on numerous variables, including need, impact and viability. A portion of the grants can be used to add amenities, including splash pads, concession stands, picnic areas and playgrounds around the swimming facilities.
In addition to these funds, Hochul also secured nearly $2 million in the states 2025 budget to help State University of New York campuses offer lifeguard certification courses and expand access to learn-to-swim classes for youth.
The funding will help facilitate a partnership between the University at Buffalo, local Buffalo schools and community centers to expand learn-to-swim courses at the UB South and North campuses, as well as partnering with Special Olympics to expand access to practice sessions.
Nearly $700,000 in state funds have been awarded to 11 SUNY campuses in the first round of this funding.
Saturday August 31, 2024
By YANG CHENG
Jama Mohamed Askar, a member of the finance committee of the House of the People in Somalia and chairperson of the Somali-Chinese Parliamentary Friendship Group, paid a visit to Tianjin Port on Tuesday. Provided to chinadaily.com.cn
Members of the Somali Parliament who recently visited North China's Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanxi province have expressed admiration for China's progress.
They were particularly impressed by China's advancements in agriculture and technology, and are looking forward to the upcoming Forum on the 2024 Summit of China-Africa Cooperation scheduled for Sept 4-6.
The delegation of three Somali Parliamentarians participated in the 2024 Interregional Seminar on the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals for Parliaments of Developing Countries.During their visit to Tianjin on Tuesday, they visited the world's first zero-carbon terminal at Tianjin Port.The trip, which took place from Aug 19-28, was organized by the National People's Congress in China and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.The seminar, attended by 153 parliamentary leaders and legislators from 32 developing countries in Beijing, facilitated discussions and research excursions in Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanxi province."We anticipate the participation of our senior leaders in the 2024 Summit of China-Africa Cooperation in early September, and we are confident that the event will enhance diplomatic and economic relations between China and Africa," remarked Askar.
Saturday August 31, 2024
Ministers of Defences Somalia and Egypt after signing the security cooperation agreement. Present are Somalia President Hassan Sheikh and his Egyptian counterpart Abdifatah Al-Sisi in Cairo
Somalias Minister of Defence Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur has termed Ethiopias comments over the deployment of Egyptian soldiers in the country as destabilizing to the region.Abdulkadir was responding to comments from the Ethiopian government expressing concern that the transition from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to a new peace support mission is fraught with dangers for the region.The minister asserted that the region has descended into chaos since Ethiopia attempted to claim Somali territory.This was in reference to the controversial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that Ethiopia signed with the breakaway Somaliland.The Federal Government of Somalia termed the agreement illegal."Ethiopia should be told that the region fell into chaos the day they attempted to encroach on Somali territory, undermining our territorial, political, and national unity," Abdulkadir said.He added, Let no one cry. Everyone reaps the fruits of their labour."The Defence ministers remarks came after Ethiopia, in a statement, warned that it could not stand idle while other actors are taking measures to destabilize the region.Somaliland broke away from Somalia more than 30 years ago, but Mogadishu regards it very much as part of its territory - and described the deal as an act of aggression.The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the country remained vigilant and was monitoring developments across the region that could threaten its national security.The statement followed Egypts delivery of its first military aid to Somalia in more than four decades on Tuesday.The move is seen as the beginning of the implementation of the defence cooperation and partnership agreement signed weeks ago when President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met with his Egyptian counterpart, Abdelfatah Al-Sisi, in Cairo.At that time, both leaders stated that Somalia and Egypt share a long-standing friendship and brotherhood, which they now seek to strengthen further.Senior Somalia officials, including Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Bare, indicated that the country plans to expel thousands of Ethiopian troops stationed in the country to assist with security by the end of the year unless Addis Ababa cancels the disputed port deal with Somaliland.On New Years Day, Ethiopian PM Abiy signed a controversial deal with the self-declared republic of Somaliland to lease a 20km (12-mile) section of its coastline for 50 years to set up a naval base.
Saturday August 31, 2024
By OMAR FARUK
FILE - A Somali soldier controls the crowd as thousands of people attend a protest rally in Mogadishu, Somalia, Wednesday Jan.3, 2024, after being angry with an agreement signed between Ethiopia and the breakaway region of Somaliland to give landlocked Ethiopia access to its shoreline. (AP Photo/Farah Abdi Warsameh, File)
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) Ethiopia is increasingly concerned over a recent defense deal between Egypt and Somalia, two countries that Addis Ababa is embroiled in disputes with amid rising tensions in the Horn of Africa region.
Cairo and Mogadishu earlier this month signed a security agreement during a visit to the Egyptian capital by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who held talks with his Egyptian host, President Abdel-Fatah el-Sissi.
Details of the deal have not been made public but Ali Abdi Aware, the Somali ambassador to Cairo, told a radio station in Mogadishu that the arrival of military equipment from Egypt to Somalia this week was the first practical step to implementing that deal.
There was no confirmation of such plans from Egypt, which has been seeking to strengthen its influence in the Horn of Africa. Cairo has also not confirmed sending military equipment to Somalia.The prospect of having Egyptian troops next door has raised concerns in Ethiopia. The foreign ministry in Addis Ababa issued a statement saying the country cannot stand idle while other actors are taking measures to destabilize the region.There are two key disputes involving the three African countries.The first dispute between Ethiopia and Egypt is over Ethiopias construction of a $4 billion dam on the Blue Nile, a key tributary to the Nile River. Egypt fears it will have a devastating effect on its water and irrigation supply downstream unless Ethiopia takes its needs into account. Ethiopia is using the dam to generate badly needed electricity.The second dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia is over Somalias breakaway region of Somaliland.Somalia has sought to block landlocked Ethiopias ongoing efforts to gain access to the Red Sea via a contentious agreement with Somaliland to lease a stretch of land along Somalilands coastline, where Ethiopia would establish a marine force base. In return, according to Somaliland authorities, Ethiopia would recognize Somaliland as an independent country.Somaliland seceded from Somalia more than 30 years ago but is not recognized by the African Union or the United Nations as an independent state. Somalia still considers Somaliland part of its territory.Somalias federal government has since 2007 been supported by an African Union peacekeeping mission in fighting the Islamic extremist group al-Shabab, which has ties with al-Qaida and is responsible deadly attacks across the country.Even after the AU peacekeepers leave, troops from countries such as Uganda and Burundi may stay in Somalia under bilateral deals.Ethiopia said Wednesday it was vigilantly monitoring developments in the region that could threaten its national security and accused Somalia of colluding with external actors to undermine regional stability.Somaliland also issued a statement Thursday saying it strongly objects to any deployment of Egyptian troops in Somalia.
Seventy-five years ago, I arrived in Western New York, child of a Buffalo fireman. My family then lived on Amber Street in South Buffalo.
In the ensuing years, educated in Catholic grammar schools and Bishop Timon and South Park High Schools, I immersed myself in the cultural ethos of Buffalo. It is a city rich with history, its inception dating back to just after the founding of the Republic.
The Martins who had come before me have lived and walked on the streets of Buffalo for 100 years before my arrival. Their life and times are similar to all that of the immigrants who came here. The struggle for success, the sweat of their labor and their energies forged a newer America that was better for their coming. I did my best to script histories of both my familys and Buffalos passage throughout these many decades. The books can be found on Amazon.
Buffalos immigrants did find a better life. In the grain mills, the steel plants, the railroads, the docks and a dozen other industrial incubators, our men found work and a means to live. The Catholic schools took us in and helped make us the proud Americans that we became. Later, public schools took up the task. These hardy immigrants taught their children to work hard, study and get a good education, pay their debts and honor their country for the wonderful sanctuary that it was to all of us.
It took a few generations for most of our families to climb the socioeconomic ladder, but we all grew up with decent educations and found job opportunities. In a very real sense, Buffalo was the promised land to all of our own. After several generations, our children were even sent off to college and had greater opportunities than any of those poor and landless immigrants could ever have imagined.
It wasnt streets of gold that our immigrant families found here in Buffalo, but golden opportunities. My family and I took great advantage of this wealth of opportunity. My wife, Mary, and I worked and lived out our lives in Buffalo. By the fifth generation of our familys arrival, we had 11 undergraduate degrees, one law degree and one medical degree. We were all beneficiaries of the great bounty that America had to offer.
And now, in my later years, Mary and I reluctantly bid farewell to the only home that I have ever known. Recent medical restrictions have made life for me here problematic. However distant I may find myself, in the years to come, the raucous cheers for the Bills, the Sabres and the Bisons will always ring in my ears and bring a smile to my face.
The memories that I have from and about Buffalo will live with me always. And when I run into one of your friendly ambassadors from Buffalo, as I do often enough in many parts of the country, I will smile broadly and say Go Bills.
Vaya con dios, Buffalo. May the heavenly roads rise up to meet yall and the celestial winds be always at your back. Know that you send forth from your ranks an enthusiastic ambassador, who will enlighten the world on the decency, warmth and goodness of the people of this wonderful city.
The illegal practice of wealthy and influential individuals in Kerala allegedly purchasing captive elephants from northeastern states for financial gain, particularly during festivals like Thrissur Pooram, has once again come under national scrutiny. The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has launched a thorough investigation, highlighting the urgent need for immediate action.
The WCCB, a statutory body under the Union ministry of environment, forests, and climate change, has taken decisive steps to dismantle the criminal networks involved in the interstate elephant trade. It has directed its officials in the northeast, specifically in Arunachal Pradesh, to take strict action against Keralas procurement agents, corrupt local forest officials, and other groups overseeing the supply of these elephants.
The WCCB's order cites the 'clamour and demand' for elephants from Kerala, particularly in the districts of Namsai and Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh. The order also details some notorious elephant traders from Kerala with a long history of wildlife crimes in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Tripura.
According to a complaint received by the WCCB, a buyer from Kollam recently boasted on social media that he had already identified ten new elephants from the northeast to be used in Keralas festivals.
This development comes at a time when the organisers of the Thrissur Pooram, a traditional spectacle featuring caparisoned elephants adorned with vibrant parasols and synchronised with the rhythm of the panchavadyam ensemble, are concerned that the parade may lose its grandeur due to the dwindling availability of elephants.
The decline in Kerala's captive elephant population, from 900 in 2008 to just 407 this year, underscores the severity of the issue. The state is losing an average of 25 elephants annually, which calls for urgent corrective measures.
In Kerala, captive elephants are revered almost as deities, with some enjoying a popularity that rivals movie stars. In March this year, the Kerala Elephant Owners Federation approached environment minister Bhupendra Yadav, requesting amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act to relax regulations on the ownership and interstate transfer of elephants, citing the steep decline in the state's captive elephant population.
The delegation included Keralas transport minister, actor K B Ganesh Kumar, and actor-turned-BJP politician Suresh Gopi, who later became a Union minister. As a result, the ministry issued the Captive Elephants (Transfer or Transport) Rules, 2024, ostensibly to ease the transfer and movement of captive elephants.
Under the new rules, the chief wildlife warden (CWW) can authorise the transfer of elephants between states if the current owner cannot provide adequate care or if the animal would be better maintained under new circumstances. However, many key provisions ensuring only non-commercial transfers have been removed.
Animal conservationists have long argued that these relaxations encourage the illegal sale of elephants under the guise of moving them for better care. They see the WCCBs investigation as a clear validation of their concerns.
Alok Hisarwala Gupta from the Centre for Research on Animal Rights in India contends that illegal traders from Kerala are driving a high demand for elephants in the northeast, compelling local players to exploit the system and mistreat the animals. This mistreatment includes separating young elephants from their mothers, subjecting them to harsh training methods, and keeping them in inadequate living conditions, all of which have severe physical and psychological effects on these intelligent and social animals.
According to Gupta, these groups exert financial pressure on traditional communities in the northeast to capture young elephants from the wild and keep them in captivity until a lucrative buyer emerges. They also misrepresent the commercial trade of elephants by falsifying documentation, turning an actual "sale" into a legal "gift" on paper, further highlighting the exploitation these elephants endure.
In response to the complaint, WCCB's Eastern Region division has directed the CWWs of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tripura to submit information on registered captive elephants, the number of transit permits issued for moving captive elephants within and between states, and details of cases related to illegal procurement and trade over the past three years.
V.K. Venkitachalam, secretary of the Thrissur-based Heritage Animal Task Force and a WCCB complainant, welcomed the investigation, stating it would expose the dubious intentions of Keralas elephant owners.
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh recently wrote to Bhupender Yadav, highlighting flaws in the amended rules. The senior leader pointed to recent instances of commercial elephant trade from Arunachal Pradesh to Kerala, Odisha, and Gujarat.
Thiruvananthapuram-based environmentalist Sreedhar Radhakrishnan argues that the modified rules now permit the transfer of elephants between individuals or states for "religious and other purposes," a practice previously prohibited.
Meanwhile, the ministry has acknowledged the negative effects of the recent relaxations and emphasised that transfers should only be permitted after recording the elephants' genetic profiles in the ministrys electronic monitoring system. Genetic profiling involves collecting animal DNA samples, which are then analysed to create a unique genetic profile for each elephant.
After receiving numerous complaints about illegal activities involving the procurement, trading, and transfer of captive elephants, the ministry established a committee to investigate these activities. The committees scope includes registering captive elephants, issuing transportation permits, and following up on cases of illegal procurement and trade over the past three years.
A coalition of animal rights organisations, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, Heritage Animal Task Force, Kaziranga Wildlife Society, the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO), and the Centre for Research on Animal Rights (CRAR), is calling for immediate action to prevent the exploitation of relaxed regulations for illegal capture, exploitation, or commercial trading of captive elephants.
The organisations are urging the establishment of a national database for captive elephants, including ownership certificates, genetic mapping, owner information, and location, with public access to this database.
According to official data, the northeastern states have the highest number of captive elephants in India. Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Nagaland, and Meghalaya account for over 41% of the countrys captive elephants.
In 2016, the Supreme Court restrained the Kerala government from issuing ownership certificates to elephant owners and directed that those who possess elephants in the state not transfer the animals outside Kerala.
Official data shows that Kerala now has 518 captive elephants. Meanwhile, a Heritage Animal Task Force (HATF) survey revealed that 88 captive elephants died between 2008 and 2022, likely due to being paraded at temple festivals during the peak summer months, which take a toll on their health.
The festival season in Kerala coincides with the summer months when temperatures rise significantly. Due to the high demand for elephants at each festival, every elephant is forced to participate in at least fifty ceremonies during this period. Wildlife specialists claim that Kerala is notorious for mistreating captive elephants during these festivals.
During the festival season, the elephants must travel on roads coated with bitumen and remain in the same location for extended hours, enduring the scorching sun. Transportation poses an additional concern regarding the availability of essential resources such as water and feed.
Sunday, August 25 marked the latest escalation in the deadliest phase of the Baloch insurgency when over 70 individuals members of the security forces and ordinary workers were systematically targeted in Pakistans restive Balochistan province and the areas bordering Punjab.
This is the most recent manifestation of the lack of socio-political cohesion in Pakistan and the enforced deprivation and devastation inflicted on the Baloch people by the leadership for over 75 years.
While neither the insurgency nor the volatility in Balochistan is a recent phenomenon, what makes the most recent attacks significant is that they occurred on the 18th death anniversary of Nawab Akbar Bugti, a former leader of the insurgency movement in a sharp rebuke to the announcement of Azm-I-Istekham (Resolve for Stability operation) by Shahbaz Sharifs government in June this year.
The latest counter-terror operation was announced after Sharif and his army chief, Asif Muneer after Beijing pointed out Islamabads inability to safeguard personnel and projects associated with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Arguably, the attacks seek to underscore the government and armed forces inability to eradicate persisting security threats despite Azm-I-Istekham being the 12th counter-terror operation to be launched since 2007.
Notably, soon after the August 25 attacks, Baloch Liberation Armys Majeed Brigade as part of Operation Herof, according to reports, killed more than 100 soldiers and seized control of army camps along Balochistans major highways. Similar attacks can be expected to occur in the face of faltering safeguards and counter-responses by the state.
The marginal optimism, if at all, attached to Azm-I-Istekhams success, has taken a resounding beating by the attacks.
Over the years, CPEC has fuelled widespread discontent due to the part it has played in socio-economically marginalising the ethnic Baloch community and as such been targeted frequently, at least thrice this year, by Baloch and Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) fighters. Despite being ideologically opposed, TTP and secular Baloch leaders have joined against their mutual foe the state of Pakistan and the Communist Party of China in a classic case of salad bar extremism. One of the key features of salad bar extremism is that sometimes ideologically opposed groups or movements forge transactional ties to achieve common goals or objectives. In this case, it involves toppling primarily Pakistans federal government and compelling China to pull out its investments.
Understandably, while the attack on security forces can be understood as an attack on the state of Pakistan by extension, the systematic targeting of ordinary workers based on their ethnic identity of being a Punjabi (albeit not for the first time) and the series of attacks occurring close to the Punjab province has another important connotation.
Punjab is the seat of power in the country and ethnic Punjabis have dominated state institutions, including the political realm, military, and bureaucracy since Pakistans inception. This has occurred even as the Baloch community has been deprived of equitable access to resources and opportunities, and desired autonomy. For decades, Baloch people have also confronted mounting suppression, human rights violations, extra-judicial killings, and enforced disappearances. Therefore, the ethno-sectarian factor must also be considered while examining the attacks carried out by the Baloch insurgents.
At the same time, the recent events cannot be looked at in isolation from the broader economic and security situation keeping Pakistan in a state of continued turmoil and which has stretched its resources thin over time. The targeted attacks have taken place at a moment when the country is experiencing increasing threats from TTP and Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISIS deadliest affiliate) and is at odds with its former ally, the Afghan Taliban.
The jubilance seen in Pakistan after the Afghan Taliban captured Kabul in August 2021 has dissipated as cross-border air strikes have been carried out in Afghanistan in a bid to target TTP hideouts and camps.
On numerous occasions, Pakistani officials have lambasted the de facto leaders of Afghanistan for harbouring TTP members and violating their assurance of disallowing their territory to be used as a launchpad to carry out terrorist attacks elsewhere. At the same time, despite the announcement of Azm-I-Istekham, it would not be far-fetched to display scepticism about the viability of carrying out a prolonged and multi-pronged counter-terror strategy while it remains dependent on bailouts by the International Monetary Fund to navigate the turbulent waters.
These trends indicate a worrying trend for Pakistan as it is expected that Chinese pressure to address concerns related to extremism and terrorism will intensify due to the deteriorating security situation in the country. However, at the moment, it seems unlikely that China will pull out its investments considering that CPEC is a critical lynchpin of Chinas global infrastructure-focused Belt and Road Initiative.
Finally, despite the misguided belief, brute force to address security concerns will only aggravate the security threats faced by the state.
Saman Ayesha Kidwai is a Research Analyst in the Counter-Terrorism Centre at Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. The views expressed are personal and do not reflect those of the institute or the Government of India.
Aquarius (20th January to 18th February) Daily Horoscope Prediction says your life is smarter today Take troubles easily and settle them with a positive note. Your attitude is crucial in the relationship and office life. Wealth issues may also exist today. Aquarius Daily Horoscope Today, August 31, 2024: Take troubles easily and settle them with a positive note..
Overcome the relationship issues and be ready to take up the love affair to the next level. You may see new opportunities to excel in your career today. Minor money issues will be there but your health will be good.
Aquarius Love Horoscope Today
Take your lover in confidence while making crucial decisions. Your partner prefers your presence. Those who are on the verge of a break-up will also give a second thought to it. However, keep control over anger and arguments as this can hamper the relationship. Some fortunate single male natives can expect a new relationship to commence today. Married females have higher chances to conceive. An extramarital affair is a strict no-no today as your spouse will catch you red-handed.
Aquarius Career Horoscope Today
You are good at taking up crucial tasks at the office. Your management will have trust and confidence and it is your duty to assure better performance. Those who are into sales and marketing will travel today. IT, healthcare, animation, hospitality, and automobile professionals will have opportunities to relocate abroad. Females holding senior positions at the office may need to be extra vigilant as some employees under you can try emotionally influencing you for personal interests.
Aquarius Money Horoscope Today
Minor monetary issues will be there but the routine life will be unaffected. You may receive money from previous investments but not all investments will be lucky for you. Some pending dues will be cleared while you may also inherit a family property. You should be ready to provide financial help for a needy relative. Businessmen looking for trade expansions will succeed in raising funds and partnerships will also be fruitful.
Aquarius Health Horoscope Today
Those who have cardiac issues will need medical attention today. Keep a distance from oily stuff and junk food. You may suffer from high blood pressure but no other serious health issue will affect you. Females may develop migraine in the first half of the day. Some seniors will develop breath-related issues and children will have vial fever, throat infection, or allergies.
Aquarius Sign Attributes
Strength: Tolerant, Ideal, Friendly, Charitable, Independent, Logical
Weakness: Disobedient, Liberalistic, Rebel
Symbol: Water carrier
Element: Air
Body Part: Ankles & Legs
Sign Ruler: Uranus
Lucky Day: Saturday
Lucky Color: Navy Blue
Lucky Number: 22
Lucky Stone: Blue Sapphire
Aquarius Sign Compatibility Chart
The lifting of restrictions on ethanol production from B-heavy and C-heavy molasses and sugarcane juice will normalize ethanol production volume for sugar companies, asserted Mumbai-headquartered financial advisory firm DAM Capital. Ethanol is ethyl alcohol that is made from molasses, grains and farm waste. (Representational image/Reuters)
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On Thursday, the food department lifted the previously imposed restriction on ethanol production from sugarcane juice, sugar syrup, B-Heavy molasses, and C-Heavy molasses. These restrictions were imposed in December 2023, purportedly given rising sugar prices before the Lok Sabha election.
"We believe the clarity of ethanol blending and full utilization of distillery capacity by sugar mills would pave the way for strong earnings growth from Q3FY25 onwards," said DAM Capital, asserting that it was positive on sugar industry.
"This would result in sector re-rating," it said, "Hence, we are assigning higher earnings multiple for the companies in our coverage universe."
The food department, in coordination with the petroleum and natural gas ministry, periodically reviews the diversion of sugar to ethanol production vis-a-vis the production of sugar in the country so that availability of sugar for domestic consumption is ensured throughout the year.
DAM Capital said sugar inventory levels in the country is expected to be above 8 million tonnes by October, which is more than the minimum requirement of 5 million tonne. Further, gross sugar production is expected to remain at 32 million tonne, higher than consumption of 29 million tonne.
This it believes would result in the availability of more than 5 million of sugar inventory for the production of ethanol from B-heavy and sugarcane juice route.
"We estimate 4-5 mt of equivalent of sugar diversion towards ethanol, which would be sufficient for 4.5 to 5.0 bn liters of ethanol production in the country," said DAM Capital.
The other key decision the food department took yesterday was to allow the participation of distilleries in the FCI rice auction.
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Ethanol distilleries are allowed to participate in the rice auction of FCI, subject to certain compliances. A maximum of 23 lakh tonne rice will be allowed for lifting to ethanol distilleries, the food department said.
"The distillery would be allowed to participate in e-auction and lift the rice as per final auction rate of rice every week. These moves would pave the way for resumption of ethanol blending program in 2024-25 season," DAM Capital said.
The government's ambitious target of attaining 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol by 2024-25 and 30 per cent by 2029-30 is likely to get a fresh boost because of the latest policy intervention.
Of the total ethanol produced in the country, ethanol from cane juice notably accounts for 25-30 per cent while that from B heavy molasses accounts for over 60-65 per cent. Ethanol from C-heavy molasses and grains accounts for the rest.
E20 blending in petrol was introduced by the Centre to reduce the country's oil import cost, energy security, lower carbon emissions and for better air quality.
The government has advanced the target of E20 fuel from 2030 to 2025.
Notably, at the COP26 summit in Glasgow in 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi committed to an ambitious five-part "Panchamrit" pledge, including reaching 500 GW of non-fossil electricity capacity, generating half of all energy requirements from renewables, and reducing emissions by 1 billion metric tonnes by 2030. India also aims to reduce the emissions intensity of GDP by 45 per cent. Finally, India commits to net-zero emissions by 2070.
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A newly elected British Sikh Labour Member of Parliament has defended his record as a landlord after UK media reports highlighted anonymous complaints from his tenants of being subjected to poor living conditions in properties owned by him. Jas Athwal, elected to Parliament in last months general election from Ilford South constituency in east London, said he was shocked and profoundly sorry to hear of residents issues after the BBC reported on mould and ant infestations on Friday. (HT File)
Jas Athwal, elected to Parliament in last months general election from Ilford South constituency in east London, said he was shocked and profoundly sorry to hear of residents issues after the BBC reported on mould and ant infestations on Friday.
Athwal, 60, is said to own 15 rental flats and says he had not been aware of the issues due to the properties being managed by an agency. He has now promised that repairs and maintenance will be completed through immediate action.
I am a renters champion. Im proud to rent out homes with secure tenancies at below-market rents, Athwal said in a detailed statement.
I want my tenants to have excellent accommodation. Im shocked at the reported condition of a number of properties and have asked the managing agent for an explanation and immediate action to rectify any issues. I know it is my responsibility to have issues addressed as soon as they arise and have met with the property management company to understand failures in communication, he said.
Im profoundly sorry that tenants have been let down and will be reviewing the property management and how matters are escalated going forward, he added.
Athwal, previously a local politician as leader of Redbridge Council, is also required to have a selective property licence to rent out a block of seven flats a system he introduced in 2017 when he oversaw the council.
However, the BBC found that the councils public licence register indicated that none of the seven properties had a licence.
Athwal admitted that he had recently seen an email which said the licences were due to expire.
I am in the process of renewing all licences. As a council leader, I implemented the most rigorous landlord licencing scheme in London in 2017 and expanded the scheme in 2023 and 2024. The scheme wouldve been even stronger if Conservative housing secretaries had not repeatedly watered it down, Athwal said.
In 2019, I led a campaign calling on the government to abolish Section 21 evictions, further protecting tenants rights, which was again blocked by the Conservatives, he added.
According to the BBC investigation, in one block of seven flats owned by Athwal nearly half the tenants said they had to regularly clean their bathroom ceilings to remove mould.
The news corporation said it also saw evidence of ant infestations in a number of the seven properties.
Andrew Boff, a Conservative member of the London Assembly who also visited the flats, is calling on the governing Labour Party and local Redbridge Council to investigate as the partys 2024 general election manifesto included a commitment to prevent private renters being exploited and discriminated against.
The Punjab and Haryana high court on Saturday disposed of a plea seeking revocation of the screening certificate of the film Emergency as the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) told the high court the film has not yet been cleared for public viewing. Actor-politician Kangana Ranauts upcoming political drama Emergency has sparked controversy due to its sensitive theme. (File)
The certification of the movie is under consideration. It has not been granted as of now. It will be granted as per rules and regulations, as applicable in this case. If anyone has any grievance, the same can be sent to the board, additional solicitor general of India Satya Pal Jain, who appeared for the CBFC, told the court.
Jain asserted that the CBFC takes into account all aspects and ensures that sentiments of a religious or any other group are not hurt before issuing certificates to any film.
Actor-politician Kangana Ranauts upcoming political drama Emergency has sparked controversy due to its sensitive theme, with the Shiromani Akali Dal even calling for a ban over its misrepresentation of the Sikh community.
The petition, filed by Mohali residents Gurinder Singh and Jagmohan Singh, both of whom claimed to be baptised Sikhs and social workers, had demanded that the certificate granted by the CBFC to film be revoked and it be allowed to be reviewed by eminent Sikh personalities before permitting its release.
The alternate prayer in the petition was that the CBFC had deleted scenes allegedly targeting the Sikh community through the projection of false and erroneous facts.
The petition had also demanded registration of criminal cases against the makers of the movie for allegedly tarnishing the Sikhs community. The movie, which delves into a turbulent period of national emergency in 1975, is slated for release on September 6.
In view of the statement of CBFC, the high court bench of chief justice Sheel Nagu and justice Anil Kshetarpal disposed of the plea. The detailed order of the proceedings is awaited.
Seven persons, including two juveniles who were part of a cow vigilante group, were arrested for allegedly beating to death a migrant worker from West Bengal in Charkhi Dadris Badhra over suspicion that he had eaten beef, police said on Saturday. The two juveniles were sent to a safe house in Faridabad. Five of the accused in police custody in Charkhi Dadri on Saturday. (Manoj Dhaka/HT)
The accused -- Abhishek, Mohit, Ravinder, Kamaljit and Sahil had allegedly called victim Sabir Malik to a shop under the pretense of selling empty plastic bottles and then thrashed him mercilessly, resulting in his death.
Malik, who hails from Miarbheri in West Bengals North 24 Parganas district, worked as a scrap dealer. He, along with his wife and two-year-old daughter, lived in a shanty in Hansawas village in Charkhi Dadri.
Badhra deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Bharat Bhushan said the incident took place on August 27 when cow vigilantes got information that some migrant workers from Assam, staying in Hansawas village, have allegedly consumed beef, and visited the area for inspection.
Sabir was also staying in the same village. During inspection, meat was found in utensils, which was sent to a laboratory to confirm if it was beef. Hours later, these youths called Sabir and his aide Aseeruddin to a shop in Badhra on the pretext of selling empty plastic bottles and started thrashing them. While Aseeruddin managed to flee, the accused took Malik to the nearby Bhandwa village and assaulted him again, as a result of which he died, the DSP added.
Victims brother-in-law Surajuddin Sarkar that on the fateful day, the family members had also been called to the police station. On August 27, police had called me and my father to Badhra police station. We told them we had not consumed beef. Then, my sister called me and said that Sabir has not returned. We informed the police and my brother-in-law was found dead the same evening, he said.
Political row erupts
Meanwhile, a political row erupted in poll-bound Haryana after the migrants killing. The Opposition took on the Nayab Singh Saini-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state, saying that law-and-order has gone for a toss.
Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) general secretary Digvijay Singh Chautala said, Who has given the cow vigilantes the right to kill a ragpicker. The chief minister has failed to provide safe places to residents. This incident is a blot on the BJP government. Strict action should be taken against culprits.
Former two-time Badhra MLA and senior Congress leader Ran Singh Mann said the chief minister (CM) has failed to maintain law-and-order in the state, adding that cow vigilantes are taking law into their own hands with backing of the state government.
There is a deep conspiracy to divide people on caste and religion lines during the Haryana polls. Police should probe the case from all angles and give strict punishment to the culprits, he added.
Meanwhile, Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini said that cows are respected in the state but such incidents are unfortunate. Mob lynching is not right but people from villages react when such incidents come to light. I hope that such incidents wont happen again and I condemn this incident, he added.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader MP Mahua Moitra also took to social media site X to condemn the incident, saying, Haryana cow vigilantes kill 26-year-old migrant Sabir from Bengal on suspicion that he ate beef. Justice is required for him and countless like him killed by BJP-fuelled hatred (sic).
Farm unions to hold mahapanchayats in Haryana and also question BJP candidates over anti-farmer policies Olympian Vinesh Phogat being felicitated at a farmers' rally on the 200th day of their ongoing protest, at Shambhu border, Saturday, Aug 31, 2024. (PTI)
Farm unions called for a two-hour rail roko protest on October 3, the third anniversary of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, where eight people, including four farmers and a journalist, were killed in 2021 during a protest against now repealed three farm laws.
Former union minister Ajay Mishra Tenis son Ashish is the main accused in the case.
Farm leader Sarwan Singh Pandher, convener of Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, said that the protest is to demand justice for the victims.
We demand that the Central government open the route and let us advance to Delhi where we can peacefully demand the legal guarantee for MSP as well as other demands.. The October 3 two-hour rail roko is part of wider protests. Fresh announcements will also be made later, Pandher added.
Pandher also announced that two mahapanchayats will be held in Jind (September 15) and Pipli (September 22) to mobilise farmers and highlight the Central governments anti-farmers policies.
Haryana is bracing for upcoming assembly elections with polling scheduled for October 5. Our Delhi Chalo march has been going on since February 13 and attempts have been made to crush this agitation. We are undeterred, he said, adding that farm unions will pose questions to the BJP candidates about several key issues during Haryana polls.
Tejveer Singh, spokesperson for the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU-Shaheed Bhagat Singh), stated that the protests would be aimed at holding the BJP accountable for anti-farmer decisions.
We will question the BJP candidates as to why farmers were stopped from marching to Delhi, Tejveer Singh said.
Pandher said that the protest is growing every movement and this is a clear message to the BJP-led Union Government. BJP would face another electoral setback in Haryana, similar to the one it faced in the rural belts of North India during the recent Lok Sabha elections. We will make the voters aware regarding the anti-farmers decisions of the BJP, Pandher said.
The Punjab government might face penalty nearing 400 crore per year for its failure to comply with timely installation of Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) systems in thermal power plants (TPPs) across the state. The Punjab government might face penalty nearing 400 crore per year for its failure to comply with timely installation of Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) systems in thermal power plants (TPPs) across the state. (HT File)
Also, an additional fine of 1,026 crore will be imposed by National Green Tribunal (NGT) for non-compliance with the environmental laws, further exacerbating environmental and financial challenges faced by the state.
The FGD systems to control sulphur dioxide (SO) emissions was mandated by the Ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEF&CC) across India in 2015. The FGD systems are crucial to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions from fossil-fuelled power stations.
Initially set for completion of the said systems by 2017, the deadline for installation is learnt to have been extended multiple times by the central government.
The latest and final extension is set to expire in December 2026. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has ruled that no further extensions will be granted.
Vinod Gupta, an expert of power sector, explained that installing these systems will take over 30 months, implying that any further delay might make it impossible to meet the 2026 deadline. He informed that Ropar thermal plant, which falls under category B, has to install the FGD by December 31, 2025, and the remaining, which falls under category C, need to comply with the directives by December 31, 2026.
Despite the looming deadline, the Punjab government has appeared to have not been mindful of public exchequer and has not made any substantial progress in this regard.
As many as five thermal power plants in the state Rajpura Thermal Power Plant, Talwandi Sabo Power Project in Mansa, Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Power Plant in Ropar, Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant in Lehra Mohabbat, and Guru Amardas Power Power Plant in Goindwal are at risk.
Failure to comply with the FGD installation timeline could result in substantial penalties. And sans immediate action, Punjab is likely to miss the deadline, further worsening the challenges of the state.
In June 2024, the Union power ministry took serious note of the delays, with the Cabinet Secretary directing all TPPs within 300 km of Delhi-NCR to expedite FGD installation and comply with SO norms as per the MoEF&CC guidelines.
Despite these warnings, sources in the state government and Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) have not indicated any concrete plans to meet the critical environmental standards.
PSPCLs lackadaisical approach not only threatens its compliance with national environmental regulations but also risks severe penalties that could further strain its resources.
When asked about the delay in installing FGD systems in TPPs, a senior official of PSPCL, on condition of anonymity, said Of course, we couldnt make any development in this regard, but we will look into the matter.
Paramjeet Singh, director (generation), PSPCL could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
Meanwhile, PSPCL officials said that they would have to spend nearly 150- 200 crores on each thermal plant to install FGD systems.
Dehradun: A chopper, which was being airlifted by an MI-17 helicopter to Gauchar in Uttarakhands Chamoli for repair after it made an emergency landing at the Kedarnath Dham in May, crashed after it lost balance and slipped in Rudraprayag on Saturday morning. (Ht Photo/Sourced)
Rudraprayag district tourism development officer Rahul Chaubey said the chopper was being airlifted to Gauchar airstrip for repair by the air force MI-17 choppen when it crashed near Tharu Camp.
The plan was to take the chopper to Gauchar airstrip on Saturday for repair by hanging from the Air Forces MI-17 helicopter at around 7am. As it covered some distance, the MI-17 lost balance due to the weight of the damaged helicopter and wind. The chopper had to be dropped from MI-17 when it reached near Tharu camp. No passenger or luggage was being carried in the helicopter, Chaubey said.
The rescue teams have already reached the spot where the helicopter has fallen, he added. Chaubey said he had appealed to all the people not to spread rumours about anyone being injured in the crash.
The helicopter, which belonged to Kestrel Aviation, was carrying six pilgrims when it made an emergency landing due to a technical snag near the helipad in Kedarnath shrine on May 24.
During the Char Dham yatra, choppers make a daily average of 400 sorties in the Kedarnath area.
In April 2023, a senior official of the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) was killed after being hit by the tail rotor of a helicopter in Kedarnath.
In October 2022, a chopper crashed in Kedarnath, killing all six devotees and a pilot on board.
News / Local
by Staff reporter
Police rounded up 22 children who were begging on Harare's streets and handed them over to the department of social welfare.Police carried out an operation in response to a viral social media post which showed children begging for money outside Joina City mall in Harare.In a statement on Friday, police said they had also removed from the streets guardians who were in some instances using the children to solicit donations on their behalf, some of them disabled.National police spokesman Commissioner Paul Nyathi said: "On August 23, police in Harare in conjunction with the department of social welfare carried out an operation in the streets of Harare removing children and their guardians who were begging for food in Harare CBD."The operation targeted mainly Ruzende Street, Joina City and Town House areas.Nyathi added: "As a result, 22 children and their guardians were handed over to the department of social welfare."Guardians are implored not to use children and the disabled to beg for money and food in the streets as they risk arrest for violating the country's laws protecting children."Growing poverty across Zimbabwe and lack of central government support for the disabled has fuelled street begging and homelessness.
A doctor working at a private nursing home in Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur, accused by a female patient of inappropriate' touch, has been given clean chit by the police, a senior officer said on Saturday. A video of the woman alleging that the dermatologist touched her inappropriately, had become widely circulated on social media. (Representational Image)
The dermatologist (skin doctor) was cleared by the police following a preliminary probe that involved analysis of CCTV camera footage, according to Ashok Kumar Meena, the Superintendent of Police (SP).
The woman had accused the doctor of touching her inappropriately on the pretext of examining her. An immediate investigation was conducted and the CCTV footage showed that he examined the patient from outside the cabin, the SP stated.
The footage supported the dermatologist's assertion that he had inspected the woman with a magnifying glass from outside the cabin.
According to the doctor, the woman came to him on Tuesday with a skin problem and was examined in the cabin by a female employee of the hospital. The patient was accompanied by her husband.
She left after taking the medicine but returned half an hour later and created a ruckus in the nursing home and alleged that she has been touched inappropriately by the doctor.
Meanwhile Meena, the Superintendent of Police, said that following a meeting with District Magistrate Umesh Pratap Singh and the owners of the nursing home, instructions were issued to keep CCTVs installed on the premises, operational.
Additionally, a team has been formed to inspect the nursing home from time to time, the officer stated.
(With PTI inputs)
MUMBAI: The BJP which, after its poor showing in the Lok Sabha elections, had decided that it would contest the assembly elections under a collective leadership, has begun implementing its plan and announced its former state unit chief and former union minister Raosaheb Danve as the election coordinator. This is being viewed as a major setback for deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who has been the face of the BJP in all elections since 2014, although Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that Fadnavis would be leading the party campaign in the state. Given the unrest in the Maratha community over reservation, the BJP believes Raosaheb Danve, a Maratha from Marathwada, would be a better pick than Devendra Fadnavis. Kunal Patil/HT Photo (Kunal Patil/HT Photo)
Bawankule announced Danves appointment late on Friday night and added that other senior leaders would be appointed to head 16 other committees for the polls. The decision to appoint Danve as the election coordinator was taken in the core committee, he said. He will shoulder the entire responsibility of the election coordination for the state. Nineteen other leaders will head various other committees that are important for the polls.
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Given the unrest in the Maratha community and the anger that Marathas and their representative Manoj Jarange-Patil hold against Fadnavis, the party has decided to play up other faces. Projecting Fadnavis as the leader could cost the party dear in the assembly polls, said Bawankule. Therefore, we will choose different leaders in specific regions to woo different communities.
To this end, OBC leaders like Pankaja Munde, Ram Shinde and Bawankule himself, and Maratha leaders like Ashok Chavan and Chandrakant Patil are expected to be chosen to woo different communities. Raosaheb Danve is a Maratha from Marathwada, where the party performance in the Lok Sabha election was very poor, said Bawankule.
The leader said that the formation of such committees for elections was happening for the first time. We had an election management committee headed by Shrikant Bharatiya for the Lok Sabha election, but such a structure is being introduced for the first time, he said.
This was decided in the core committee meeting held in Delhi immediately after the Lok Sabha poll results. The central leadership is directly handling election-related affairs in Maharashtra as indicated by the frequent meetings held by union minister Bhupendra Yadav and Ashwini Vaishnaw, who are in-charge and co-incharge respectively. They recently changed some of the decisions taken by the state unit of the party.
Also Read | Prime Minister Modi apologises for collapse of Shivaji Maharaj statue in Malvan
Bawankule, however, said that Fadnavis would lead the party in the election. He is our leader and the assembly elections will be fought under his leadership, he emphasised. The BJPs state leader is Fadnavis; Raosaheb Danve is the states election coordinator.
Another BJP leader believed otherwise. Although our party leaders have been saying that Fadnavis is their leader, the central leadership has been systematically divesting him of his powers, he said.
Within days of the Lok Sabha debacle, Fadnavis had expressed his desire to be relieved of the responsibility of his deputy chief minister post. He had said he was going to request the partys central leadership to allow him to work solely at the organisational level in the assembly polls for better results.
The central leadership had turned down the request. At the same time, however, it decided to develop a collective leadership in the state.
Reeling under public pressure, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) issued notice to a contractor instructing road repairs under the defect liability period (DLP). The defect liability period for reinstatement work carried out by PMC contractor shall be of specific timeframe from the date of completion of project. Any damage before the time specified attracts repairs by the contractor as per the contract and liability clause. (HT PHOTO)
The Karvenagar Citizens Forum had filed a complaint regarding a 25-lakh road project on Dnyandeep Colony Lane Number 1 that developed cracks and damage within days of construction.
Tanmay Kanitkar of Karvenagar Citizens Forum, who filed the complaint with the ward officer on July 30, said, As per the tender conditions, the project falls under the defect liability period and the contractor is liable to carry out repairs at own expense.
The defect liability period for reinstatement work carried out by PMC contractor shall be of specific timeframe from the date of completion of project. Any damage before the time specified attracts repairs by the contractor as per the contract and liability clause.
Following the complaint, civic officials conducted a surprise inspection and found the faulty road was under the defect liability period.
Later, the civic administration issued a notice to the contractor, Sandeep Enterprises located at Dhankawdi, to carry out repairs.
The notice, issued on August 23, stated, The citizens forum raised concerns about the road quality. Our inspection confirmed it falls under the defect liability period. As per the tender document, it is mandatory for the contractor to repair the road if it gets damaged during the said period. PMC will take further action against the contractor, if necessary, as per the tender conditions.
Kanitkar said, Ideally, PMC should have monitored the roads condition and issued the notice proactively. Its surprising that the civic body had to slap the notice after we filed the complaint.
Civic activist Vivek Velankar said, Citizens need to voice their concerns about public works. We pay taxes and seldom the administration and politicians act on their own. Citizen activism is crucial for driving improvements in our daily lives.
Kanitkar said that generally residents neglect the defect liability period clause mentioned in the contract of civic projects.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to undertake a structural audit of over 50 statues installed across the city in the wake of the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Malvan. Statue of Jamnalal Bajaj near Sarasbaug. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)
Most of the statues are installed at Karve Road, Yerwada, Kasba Peth, Central Peth areas, Kothrud, Mandai, and Shivajinagar areas with funds from the state government, donations and under corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
The building designs department has collected details of such statues and work will commence Monday, September 1, said officials.
Yuvraj Deshmukh, chief engineer, building design department, said, We have obtained information of 50 statues from the municipal secretarys office. Some of the statues are in the form of busts while some of them are full statues.
The structural audit is being done from a safety and stability point of view. We will ensure that adequate security is maintained and wherever essential repairs will be carried out, he added.
PMC administration has not done any structural audit of any of the public statues so far since their installation.
The statues are spruced up only for anniversaries and important events commemorating personalities. For those special occasions, tenders are released for painting and cleaning work and after that no review is undertaken for the entire year till the special occasion arises.
The rules state that the statues should not be installed in any private property without the permission of the state government committee and the plot should be a non-controversial land. The rules add that the police must give clearance after thorough checks. If a statue must be installed on government land, necessary permissions from the departments concerned are required. The statue should not come in the way of traffic movement.
Jaymala Dhankikar, citizen rights activist, said, The statues are symbols of our history and pride and hence PMC must always ensure their longevity and safety. At the same time, it must ensure that the statues are kept clean. The statues under jurisdiction of PMC are unclean and need a cleaning at the earliest.
Structural audit is a welcome step, and it would determine their safety and stability, he added.
Bouncers who are hired to handle difficult situations without resorting to violence and becoming a nuisance themselves.The brutal attack on a citizen in Wagholi a week ago, which resulted in the victim needing stitches in the head, has brought the focus on the private security agencies and their emerging role as a parallel security system at residential societies due to the lax policing in the city. According to activists, bouncers are generally associated with places such as pubs and nightclubs. However, educational institutes, politicians, social workers, and housing society members in the city hire them for security reasons. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)
Prakash Gurnani, 56, was assaulted by a security guard and his brother over a society entrance issue in Wagholi on August 17. The victim sustained seven stitches on his head after being hit with a wooden stick and was admitted to a private hospital for treatment following the attack.
On August 18, the Lonikand police lodged a complaint against the accused identified as bouncer Anand (surname unknown) and his brother Rahul under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 115, 118 (1), 352 and 3(5).
In March 2024, 25-year-old bouncer Shubham Nichal, a resident of Holkarwadi, slashed the necks of two persons in Kharadi over personal enmity.
In March 2020, the city police registered a non-cognizable (NC) offence against a woman bouncer working for a school in the city for allegedly roughing up parents.
The members of society appealed to the government to come up with clear-cut guidelines that guarantee citizen safety over the issue.
Danish Khan, a member of Imperial Cooperative Housing Society, said, Security guards must be professional workforce from licenced security agencies. Bouncers should not be allowed in residential area as their very charter of duty is different.
According to activists, bouncers are generally associated with places such as pubs and nightclubs. However, educational institutes, politicians, social workers, and housing society members in the city hire them for security reasons.
Citizen rights activists point out that during the recent past, several incidents had occurred where the aggressive behaviour demonstrated by bouncers led to grievous injuries to citizens.
Vijay Kumbhar, civil rights activist, said, According to the law, the societies and institutions must hire guards from Maharashtra State Security Corporation which is not happening. Bouncers are not allowed to function as security at societies, schools and social spaces as per the law.
Police inefficiency is being replaced by bouncer security by societies who have greater security and pushing harder measures. Bouncers by the very nature of their professions have developed the habit of pushing and shoving citizens which is leading to increased cases of violence, he said.
Sameer Khan, managing director, Sharp Edge Security Service, said, The bouncer industry is a respected profession and they have to follow protocols related to public safety. The incidents related to violence by some bouncers happen because the credibility of the agency and the manpower they are hiring is a big question mark.
Arvind Chawariya, additional commissioner of police ( admin ), said, Housing societies can appoint bouncers but if they misbehave then individual complaints can be filed against the accused and the agency and the police will probe them.
Suggestions by activists
*Unaccountable personnel may not have the necessary training or experience to handle security situations, leading to potential mishandling of incidents.
*Bouncers may intimidate or harass residents, creating a hostile living environment.
*They may resort to physical force, leading to injuries or even fatalities.
*The society may be held liable for the actions of bouncers, exposing residents to financial risks.
*The presence of bouncers can create a negative atmosphere, eroding the sense of community and trust among residents.
*Hire trained and licensed security professionals who are accountable to society and its residents.
Last weeks attack on an assistant police inspector has once again raised concerns as the assault indicates a trend that Police personnel in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad have experienced a troubling rise in assaults over the past five years. On average, six officers are attacked each month while discharging their duties, underscoring a disturbing trend of violence against law enforcement in the region. The assaults range from verbal abuse to physical attacks and typically occur while officers are managing traffic, responding to emergencies, or conducting routine patrols. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)
Recently, API Ratnadeep Gaikwad, in charge of the Mohammadwadi police station suffered severe head injuries after being attacked with a sickle while attempting to break up a fight near the Sasanenagar railway gate.
Data from the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad police departments reveal that between 2020 and 2024, Pune reported 200 attacks on police personnel, while Pimpri-Chinchwad reported 156.
In Pune city, the highest number of attacks occurred in 2021, with 46 incidents, followed by 33 in 2022, 30 in 2023, 24 in 2024, and 23 in 2020. In Pimpri-Chinchwad, the peak was also in 2021 with 70 attacks, followed by 51 in 2022, 39 in 2020, 29 in 2023, and 11 in 2024.
The assaults range from verbal abuse to physical attacks and typically occur while officers are managing traffic, responding to emergencies, or conducting routine patrols.
The trend of escalating violence has raised significant concerns among police officials and local authorities.
The safety of our officers is a top priority. We are committed to ensuring their protection and will take stringent measures against those who attack our personnel, said a senior police official on condition of anonymity.
Nikhil Pingle, DCP (crime) Pune Police, stated, We treat attacks on police personnel as serious crimes. Those convicted may face difficulties in future job prospects, and administrative clearances for passport, and visa applications.
Pingle noted that traffic police are disproportionately affected by these attacks due to their visibility and frequent interactions with the public. Regular police, by contrast, generally encounter individuals only during emergencies. He advised that complaints about police conduct should be directed to senior officers via email, phone (dial 112), online, or written complaints. However, he emphasized that resorting to violence against the cops is unacceptable.
In response to the rise in attacks, both Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad police departments are enhancing security protocols, providing additional training for handling confrontational situations, and increasing public awareness about the consequences of assaulting police officers.
Authorities are also boosting community engagement efforts to foster better understanding and cooperation between the police and the public. Residents are urged to support officers and report any instances of abuse or violence.
A 35-year-old employee of a sweets shop has been arrested for the sexual harassment of a 12-year-old girl. The incident was reported between June 1 and August 30. Over the past three months, the accused, who works at a sweetshop located on the bus route, allegedly blew kisses at her as the bus passed by. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)
According to police, the victim regularly travels to school by bus. Over the past three months, the accused, who works at a sweetshop located on the bus route, allegedly blew kisses at her as the bus passed by. He also made lewd gestures and attempted to engage in a conversation.
Amid Badlapur incident, police along with school authorities are conducting an awareness campaign on good touch, bad touch at school level. A similar session was organised by Pimpri-Chinchwad police at school where the victim is studying.
During the session, the victim informed the lady police officer about the incident who later informed the parents.
The accused is the brother of the sweet shop owner and as per the complaint filed by the parents of the victim, we have arrested the accused, said police.
A case was registered at the police station under sections 78,79 of the BNS and sections 11,12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012 on Friday.
Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, will conclude the registration process for IIT Madras Data Science Admission 2024 on September 15, 2024. The registration process is ongoing for the September 2024 batch. All interested candidates can apply for the IITM BS degree course for Data Science and Applications on the official website of IIT Madras at iitm.ac.in. IIT Madras Data Science Admission 2024: Where, how to apply for IITM BS Degree
The qualifier examination will be conducted on October 27, 2024 and the qualifier result will be announced on November 1, 2024.
IIT Delhi JAM 2025 registration window set to open from September 3, check complete schedule and details here
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates who have passed Class 12 or equivalent can apply irrespective of age or academic background. Those who qualify can join the program immediately. School students who have appeared for their Class 11 final exams can apply irrespective of their group/stream/board. Those who qualify can join the program after passing Class 12.
Also Read: IIT Roorkee, Jaro Education partner to launch comprehensive course in Data Science & AI, check eligibility details here
How to Apply
To apply for the Data Science course, candidates can follow the steps given below.
Visit the official website of IIT Madras at iitm.ac.in.
Click on Study at IITM link available on the ticker of the home page.
A new drop-down box will open where candidates will have to click on Non-Campus BS degree.
Click on Data Science course and again a new page will open.
Now click on the registration link and fill in the details.
Once done, log in to the account and fill out the application form.
Make the payment of the application fee and click on submit.
Download the page and keep a hard copy of the same for further need.
Application Fees
The application fee is 3000/- for General category/ OBC applicants, 1500/- for SC / ST Category / PwD (>= 40% disability) Applicants and 750/- for SC / ST Category Applicant who is ALSO PwD (>= 40% disability). An additional exam facilitation fee will apply for learners opting to write the Qualifier Exam in an Exam Centre outside India. The payment should be done through online mode. For more related details candidates can check the official website of IIT Madras.
The State Common Entrance Test Cell, Maharashtra, will release the Maharashtra NEET UG 2024 seat allotment result for Round 1 on August 31, 2024. Candidates who have applied for the Phase 1 counselling round can check the seat allotment result on the official website of MAHACET at medical2024.mahacet.org. Maharashtra NEET UG 2024 allotment result releasing today, how to check
As per the revised schedule notice, the CAP Round 1 selection list for Group AMBBS/ BDS only will be declared on August 31, and the physical joining and filling out of the status retention form with all original documents and requisite fees by DD/Cheque will be done from September 1 to September 5, 2024.
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Maharashtra NEET UG 2024 allotment result: How to check
To check the seat allotment result, candidates can follow the steps given below.
Visit the official website of MAHACET at medical2024.mahacet.org.
Click on Maharashtra NEET UG 2024 seat allotment result for Round 1 link available on the home page.
Enter the login details and click on submit.
Your seat allotment result will be displayed on the screen.
Check the seat allotment result and download the page.
Keep a hard copy of the same for further need.
Candidates who will get a seat will have to produce these certificates in original and their attested copies for scrutiny at the time of physical document verification, as well as at the time of admission.
Check This: AACCC counselling for NEET UG 2024 begins today, check details here
The list includes- admit card and mark sheet of NEET UG 2024 exam, Nationality certificate, Domicile certificate, SSC or Class 10th or equivalent examination certificate or school leaving certificate or Birth certificate indicating name of the candidate, Class 12 or HSC or equivalent examination Statement of Marks, Medical fitness certificate, Online Application Form of NEET-UG 2024filled on www.mahacet.org and Aadhar card. For more related details candidates can check the official website of MAHACET.
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) and Indian Institute of Technology Ropar (IIT Ropar) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will enable the IITM BS Degree (Data Science and Applications) students to take campus courses at IIT Ropar with a pathway to MS admission. The MoU was signed by Prof V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, and Prof Rajeev Ahuja, Director, IIT Ropar. (File)
As per the collaboration between the two institutes, the partnership will also facilitate the completion of IITM BS Degree credits by taking courses at IIT Ropar. The MoU was signed by Prof V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, and Prof Rajeev Ahuja, Director, IIT Ropar.
MoU Details:
IIT Madras BS (Data Science) graduates who achieve a specified CGPA will be eligible for direct admission to the MS program at IIT Ropar without the need for GATE scores.
IITM BS Degree Students can spend up to a year at IIT Ropar
IITM BS Degree Students can apply for Research Programs offered by IIT Ropar in the summer
IITM BS Degree Students can pursue projects and internships under IIT Ropar faculty
Students enrolled for the IIT Madras BS (Data Science) course, on meeting the eligibility criteria may complete their credit requirements by taking courses at IIT Ropar. This facilitates an exchange of academic resources and expertise.
As per the MoU, undergraduate students studying at IIT Ropar may study courses on data science and programming that are offered in the IIT Madras BS program.
Additional student exchange programs, internship opportunities, and other collaborative initiatives will also be supported, mentioned the official website.
Also Read: IIT Madras hosts 5-day International Conference on Quantum Communication, Measurement & Computing
As the BS degree programs of IIT Madras intends to democratise higher educational opportunity for all, this move by IIT Ropar to admit exceptional students in the BS programs of IITM to postgraduate degree programs at IIT Ropar is a very visionary step and will go a long way in building strong careers for deserving students especially from Rural India. I congratulate and thank the Director of IIT Ropar for the same. I hope other Higher educational institutions in our country shall also follow the IIT Ropar path, said Prof V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras.
As we embark on this exciting journey, we are laying the groundwork for transformative advancements in education and research. By joining forces, IIT Ropar and IIT Madras are not only broadening our academic and research horizons but also creating opportunities for our students and faculty to engage in meaningful exchanges that foster both professional and personal growth. This partnership is set to forge new paths in higher education and research, establishing new benchmarks for success, said Prof Rajeev Ahuja, Director, IIT Ropar.
For more information, visit the official website.
Also Read: IIT Madras Data Science Admission 2024: Where, how to apply for IITM BS Degree
News / Local
by Staff reporter
The High Court of Zimbabwe has ordered writer and lawyer Petina Gappah to pay US$18,000 in damages to Nelson Chamisa ally Fadzayi Mahere following a protracted defamation lawsuit.The case, which has been closely followed since its inception in October 2018, culminated in a written judgment issued by Justice Mafusire on 29 August 2024.The lawsuit stemmed from defamatory statements made by Gappah, which Mahere claimed had significantly harmed her reputation. Despite initially contesting both the liability and the amount of damages sought, Gappah ultimately admitted liability shortly before the trial. However, her attempts to retract the statements and issue an apology were rejected by Mahere, leading the court to focus solely on determining the appropriate level of damages and the issue of costs.Justice Mafusire described the legal battle as "long, arduous, and acrimonious," noting the intense legal strategies employed by both sides, who are both accomplished lawyers with strong academic and professional backgrounds. The judge emphasized that the defamatory statements were "vile and persistent," justifying the substantial damages awarded to Mahere.In addition to the US$18,000 in damages, Gappah has been ordered to pay interest on this amount at a rate of 5% per annum from the date of judgment until the full amount is settled. She is also required to cover the legal costs incurred by Mahere throughout the case.Justice Mafusire's ruling took into account the financial context at the time the summons was issued, clarifying that the initially higher claim amount could not be justified by the monetary regime in place during October 2018, thereby dismissing Gappah's argument regarding the inflated claim.This ruling marks a significant moment in Zimbabwean legal history, underscoring the seriousness with which the courts are prepared to handle defamation cases, particularly those involving high-profile individuals. The case has garnered widespread attention, given the prominence of both parties in Zimbabwe's legal and political spheres.
Actor Rhea Chakraborty had some trying times after her ex, actor Sushant Singh Rajput, died in June 2020. She was also in judicial remand for a while before she was cleared of all charges. Talking to Humans of Bombay, Rhea said she was a delusionally optimistic person before all this. (Also Read: Rhea Chakraborty reveals she auditioned for Laal Singh Chaddha, Aamir Khan sent her this message after she was not cast) Rhea Chakraborty spoke about what she went through in the past.
Rhea Chakraborty on what happened
Rhea said that she was the kind of actor and person who always wanted to enjoy her work, be financially independent without having any goals. She said, I definitely could never imagine that the whole country could have any opinion on me, forget good or bad - any at all! Even as an actor, my ambition was never to be number 1, I started enjoying acting as a craft. That was about it, there were no goals. No one prepared me for what was to come. They call me names like chudail, kaala jaadu karne waali, naagin etc, but I really dont care. It used to upset me earlier.
However, Rhea says that she was almost forced to go down a path of forgiveness if she was to get her life back. She said, I didnt think I would have it in my heart to forgive for all that had happened. But, it just became the simpler way to be because I was very angry for a long time. All anger gave me was gut issues and acidity. I suffered from acidity for about three years, very badly. Forgiveness became the only option. I was almost forced to go down the path of forgiveness.
What happened
After Sushant died in 2020, it was alleged that Rhea had abetted his suicide. She and her brother Showik were also questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over allegations of money laundering.
After the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the case, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested her and her brother alleging they supplied marijuana to Sushant. The Bombay High Court rejected NCBs theory that Rhea financed and harboured Sushants alleged addiction.
Nicole Kidman returned to Venice Film Festival two decades after the Jonathan Glazer film Birth opened to boos and polarised the audience. This time, she arrived with another risky feature, Halina Reijn's Babygirl, an erotic thriller that electrified that festival to such a thrill that the film went to earn a six-minute-long standing ovation. Within the span of two decades, what has remained unchanged is the Australian actor's willingness to take risks and carve out fearless performances from every single project she touches. (Even Nicole Kidman thinks her new film is too erotic: Not something that the world normally sees) Nicole Kidman poses on the red carpet during arrivals for the screening of the movie "Babygirl", in competition, at the 81st Venice Film Festival, Venice, Italy, August 30, 2024. REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki(REUTERS)
At 57, the Academy Award-winner is more prolific that she has ever been. She's everywhere from featuring on the AMC ad marveling over the transformative power of cinema, to receiving the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award, and anchoring the most buzzworthy titles on Television. Kidman is still going strong, and if her recent output is any indication, that is not going to slow down anytime soon. Take a look at her most recent and upcoming works.
Recent projects
A Family Affair
The actor took a chance in this Netflix romantic comedy film directed by Richard LaGravenese and written by Carrie Solomon and came out with flying colours. The film had Nicole playing the role of a widowed writer who begins a relationship with a young actor (Zac Efron) for whom her daughter (Joey King) works.
Expats
Nicole Kidman was in top form as a housewife and former landscape designer coming to terms with a personal tragedy in Lulu Wang's drama Expats. Based on a novel by Janice Y. K. Lee, the miniseries released on Prime Video earlier this year on January.
Upcoming projects
The Perfect Couple
Next week, Nicole Kidman enters Big Little Lies territory with the release of The Perfect Couple, the new Netflix drama series. An adaptation of the 2018 novel of the same name by Elin Hilderbrand, it also stars Liev Schreiber, Dakota Fanning, Eve Hewson and Ishan Khatter.
Babygirl
Nicole Kidman plays a successful businesswoman who has an affair with an intern in the erotic thriller Babygirl. It also stars Harris Dickinson, Antonio Banderas and Sophie Wilde. Babygirl will release in theatres this December.
Lioness
Nicole Kidman teams up with Zoe Saldana to headline season two of Special Ops: Lioness, a spy drama from Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan. It is all set to release on October 27 on Paramount +.
Hope
The actor is attached to star and executive produce the series adaptation of Hope, which takes place within the span of twelve days of a familys Christmas together, and the unravelling that occurs within their relationships.
Spellbound
Nicole is included in the voice cast of animated musical adventure fantasy comedy film directed by Vicky Jenson. Also starring Rachel Zegler, John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis and Javier Bardem, the show will hit Netflix on November 22.
Pretty Things
As per a Variety report, Nicole will play one of the two leads in an Amazon adaptation of Janelle Browns novel Pretty Things. Details about the cast and crew of the project is yet to disclosed.
Things I Know To Be True
The TV series adaptation of Andrew Bovell's award-winning play of the same name will star Nicole. Ill never forget the experience I had watching Andrews play in Sydney, having one of those transcendent theater experiences. Andrews play is exquisite and his scripts for the series are just as good. With Amazons belief, Jen Salkes guidance, and an extraordinary producing team, we have big hopes for what this can be, said the actor in a report by Deadline.
Crime Farms
Nicole is also attached to executive produce the drama series Crime Farm for WarnerMedias upcoming streaming service. Billed as a psychosexual love story, Crime Farms is based on forensic homicide experts and real-life couple Selma and Richard Eikelenboom, reported Variety.
Holland, Michigan
Nicole will team up with Mimi Cave from a screenplay by Andrew Sodroski for Holland, Michigan. The thriller also stars Succession star Matthew MacFayden, and Gel Garcia Bernal.
Mice
The team behind two of Nicole's most recent projects, Nine Perfect Strangers and The Undoing- Blossom Films and Made Up Stories, unite to put a new project titled Mice. It will be directed by Justin Kurzel.
Indian Ocean members Rahul Ram and Amit Kilam have issued their official statement after band co-founder Susmit Sen recently filed a police complaint against them. They said that they learnt about the matter "from the media" and "haven't seen a copy of the complaint yet". (Also Read | Indian Ocean co-founder Susmit Sen files police complaint against bandmates) Indian Ocean members Rahul Ram and Amit Kilam issued a statement.
Rahul, Amit issue statement
Their statement also said that a pending matter is already with the National Company Law Tribunal between the shareholders for more than a year. The statement further added that as the case "is still in process", it's surprising to them that a "police complaint has been filed with what appears to be the same issue".
The statement read, "We are saddened to learn from the media that a police complaint has been filed against us by Mr Susmit Sen (Former member of Indian Ocean) and Ms Sunita Chakravorty (Spouse of former Indian Ocean member Asheem Chakravorty). We have not seen a copy of the complaint as yet and thus cannot address it on its merits. There is a pending matter in the NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) between the share holders for more than a year. That case is still in process, and thus everything therein is sub-judice."
Rahul, Amit say complaints are frivolous
"It is thus quite a surprise to us that a police complaint has been filed with what appears to be the same issue considered by NCLT. Filing of a criminal complaint on what is evidently a civil law issue seems to be an afterthought and to arm twist us to agree to their illegal and unwarranted demands. Nevertheless, we shall cooperate fully with the police in any enquiry they choose to carry out. We are quite aware that the complaints are essentially frivolous and mala fide and completely confident about the legality of all procedures carried out by us. Rahul N Ram, Amit Kilam," it concluded.
What did Susmit allege?
Susmit, in his complaint, has made allegations against Rahul and Amit, including criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, cheating, and misappropriation, among others. Furthermore, he has also accused Rahul and Amit of financial irregularities within the band.
According to India Today, Susmit filed a police complaint against Rahul and Amit on August 16 in Delhi. Susmit took the legal action along with Sunita Chakravarty, wife of deceased Indian Ocean co-founder Ashim Chakravarty. They have also named Kandisa Music Productions Pvt Ltd, the company that runs the Indian Ocean band, in the complaint.
Mark Chavez, one of the two doctors implicated in the death of actor Matthew Perry, has accepted a plea deal that could see him sentenced to up to 10 years in prison, according to the Associated Press. Dr. Mark Chavez, right, a physician from San Diego who is charged in connection with actor Matthew Perry's death from an accidental ketamine overdose, and his attorney Matthew Binninger, leave the Roybal Federal Courthouse in Los Angeles, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)(AP)
Chavez appeared in the Roybal Federal Courthouse in Los Angeles on Friday, where he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute ketamine after he sold the drug to Dr. Salvador Placensia, who allegedly provided it to Perrys longtime assistant, Kenneth Kenny Iwamasa.
Iwamasa had confessed earlier to administering the fatal dose of ketamine to the Friends star on October 28, 2023.
ALSO READ| Matthew Perry doctor ordered not to practice medicine ahead of guilty plea
Perry had been undergoing ketamine therapy for years to manage his depression, a treatment he described in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, as being akin to being hit in the head with a giant happy shovel. However, it was the acute effects of ketamine use that ultimately led to Perrys tragic drowning, according to authorities.
Doctor charged in Matthew Perry case released on $50k bond
Following Chavez's guilty plea, US Magistrate Judge Jean Rosenbluth ruled that he could remain free on a $50,000 unsecured bond, with several conditions attached. One of the key conditions is that Chavez must surrender his passport and his medical license.
Chavezs attorney, Matt Binninger, told the press, He is doing everything in his power to cooperate, to help in this situation, and hes incredibly remorseful.
He then added, Its a shame what happened to the universally beloved Perry, and assured that Chavez would do the right thing and continue to cooperate with authorities going forward.
ALSO READ| Matthew Perrys ex makes shocking claim about his needle phobia, doubts ketamine death: You only die when'
Besides Chavez and Iwamasa, Dr. Salvador Placensia, Perrys friend Erik Fleming, and Jasveen Sangha, known as the Ketamine Queen, have also been arrested. They face a range of serious charges, including conspiracy to distribute ketamine, distribution of ketamine resulting in death, possession with intent to distribute, and altering and falsifying records.
US Attorney Martin Estrada addressed in a press conference following the arrests: These defendants took advantage of Mr. Perrys addiction issues to enrich themselves. They knew what they were doing was wrong. They knew what they were doing was risking great danger to Mr. Perry, but they did it anyways. In the end, these defendants were more interested in profiting off Mr. Perry than caring for his wellbeing.
John Cena, the WWE superstar turned actor, recently shared insights into his rap career. John Cena
According to Billboard, during an appearance on Shannon Sharpes Club Shay Shay, John Cena reflected on his youth in West Newbury, Massachusetts, and described how he channelled his teenage rebellion through hip-hop.
I was one of five boys, and I had a lot of angst with how the household was being run. I was a rebel. That music found me at the right time, Cena recounted.
Also read: John Cena announces retirement from WWE, 2025 to be his last year in professional wrestling
According to Billboard, he mentioned that tracks which resonated deeply with him, seeing the police as symbolic of his own rebellious spirit.
Cena also discussed his decision to pursue rap music despite WWEs rock-dominated focus.
At the time, WWE was a rock and roll company. They didnt have any depth of field for hip-hop, and I listened to my own music being like, I could do better than this, he explained.
This led to his 2005 debut album, You Cant See Me, which achieved significant success, peaking at No 15 on the Billboard 200 chart.
In his interview, Cena revealed his top athlete-rappers--Shaquille ONeal, Kobe Bryant, and Master P--and shared his personal Mount Rushmore of rap, featuring Rakim, Jay-Z, Nas, and Eminem, according to Billboard.
He acknowledged that his list might stir debate, emphasizing the subjectivity and personal nature of music.
We all have our bias. We all have our favourites. Thats what makes music special. Thats what makes creativity, Cena said.
He also credited Tony Yayo of G-Unit as the inspiration behind his famous You cant see me hand gesture, a detail he previously shared during a 2022 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
The Malayalam film industry has been rocked by a seismic scandal following the release of the Justice Hema Committee report on August 19, which laid bare the harassment, exploitation, and mistreatment faced by female professionals within the industry. The report unleashed a storm of revelations, exposing the prevalence of sexual harassment, casting couch practices, pay disparities, and lobbying in the Malayalam film industry. As the fallout from the report intensifies, several actors have come forward to share their harrowing experiences of abuse, implicating well-known figures in the industry. Mohanlal (L), Sajitha Madathil (Centre), Mammootty (R)
Subsequently, the entire 17-member executive committee of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), including its president and actor Mohanlal, resigned en masse on August 27. Mohanlal stepped down citing moral responsibility amid allegations of sexual misconduct against members of the association's governing body.
Recently, we spoke to Sajitha Madathil, actor and one of the founding members of the Women in Cinema Collective about the findings of the Hema Committee, its aftermath, Mohanlal's resignation and the way forward.
Also Read: Lakshmi Manchu speaks out after Hema Committee report findings: Women are constantly being silenced
Here are some excerpts:
What are your thoughts on the resignation of AMMA president Mohanlal and the executive committee?
While this is not connected to the Women in Cinema Collective, as an outsider, I can say there could be multiple reasons for their resignation. One possibility is that they might want to evade from further discussion or public attention, possibly because theyre concerned about potential allegations that could arise against more members of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). So, their resignation appears to be an attempt to avoid responsibility. They should have stayed and worked towards resolving the issues and supporting the victims. Its disappointing to see them step away instead of taking on the responsibility of addressing the problems. Its very sad. They are powerful people. Mohanlal is a respectable person in the industry. He should have taken the initiative to clear the situation. We were expecting that. Mammootty never spoke anything about it (Hema committee report). B. Unnikrishnan, actor-director and FEFKA leader, he too never talked about it, just issued a press release. Mammoottys silence is also very sad.
However, its also a positive development in some ways. In 2017, women didnt even have the space to discuss these issues. When we (WCC) tried to address support for women in the industry back then, the response was dismissive. When we asked for support for Bhavana (Menon), they were not even bothered, they wouldn't even listen. But now, there seems to be more recognition that these issues cant be ignored and they can't get away from this discussion. The resignation and the findings have opened up space for dialogue and for women to be heard. This is a step forward.
When the WCC was formed in 2017, did it have a significant impact on addressing these issues?
Initially, when we raised concerns about sexual harassment in the industry, AMMA and the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) dismissed these claims, insisting that nothing was happening. In response, we decided to approach the government and request the formation of the Hema Committee to conduct a thorough investigation. The WCC has certainly made strides, but the impact has been gradual. The Hema Committee report has highlighted a range of issues beyond just sexual harassment, including wage contracts, working hours and shooting schedules, which had not been properly examined before. There's a significant focus on these issues now that they are officially documented.
Also Read: 2018 director Jude Anthany Joseph on Hema Committee report: Perpetrators should be named
What measures do you think should be taken to prevent these issues in the future?
Proving these allegations is very difficult. In 2022, we advocated for the establishment of Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs), and the Kerala High Court mandated their creation in all film production units. However, these committees have not been functioning effectively because of attitudinal problems. But a proper redressal mechanism like ICC is important. Additionally, there are several steps that could be taken. First, improving attitudes and ensuring systematic changes in the industry is crucial. Government and the industry insiders must sit together to chart out ways to bring out change. Second, creating effective mechanisms for reporting and addressing complaints is essential. Finally, fostering an environment where both men and women can work together to bring about these changes is necessary.
How do you feel about the role of male-dominated leadership in organizations like the AMMA in addressing these issues?
The male-dominated leadership often reflects a lack of understanding of the issues. We get to know about how they are thinking is by observing their actions and decisions, the shows and skits AMMA does, the statements the members have made in the past, it's very misogynistic. They even performed a skit against WCC. All of these reveal their attitudes, which are sometimes not supportive of meaningful change. While there are individuals who are sensitive to these issues, and not everyone is the same, the overall leadership often does not prioritise concerns raised by women.
How do you perceive the impact of the Hema Committee report in different film industries, such as in Bengal, Kannada, Telugu or Tamil cinema?
This has sparked a significant cultural shift, but it varies across different regions. The movement in Kerala is pioneering, but other industries will need time to catch up. Each region has its own pace of change, and while we are making progress, its a gradual process. But I must mention that we are struggling a lot.
When the #MeToo movement shook Bollywood, it did not have the desired impact. Do you think that real action will be taken, given the difficulties in proving abuse?
The reality is that speaking out can sometimes lead to personal repercussions for those involved. Most artists who have raised their voices are out of the industry now. The female artists are out of work while the men continue working. The legal fight is not easy. It's not easy to prove something that happened years ago, right? Its challenging, but the important thing is to keep raising awareness and pushing for change. The exposure and discussion are crucial. Governments and industry leaders need to acknowledge and address these issues more effectively.
Given the current situation, how do you feel about the future of the industry? What advice would you give to newcomers entering the industry?
Despite the challenges, there is progress being made. We cannot go back to the old ways. The industry is evolving, and while its a struggle, we are moving forward. While we all (WCC) know that we will in trouble and that there will be no work for us, theres a commitment to continue working for a better, more equitable environment.
To the youngsters who want to join the industry, I would tell them that while the industry is a creative and beautiful space, it is also patriarchal and challenging. Women entering the field need to be aware of these dynamics and work together to address them. The industry is evolving, and we need to continue pushing for positive change.
Sona Mohapatra has never seen herself as a victim; rather, she views her journey as one of a fighter battling against sexual harassment in her career. Mohapatra was among the first voices to publicly accuse music composer Anu Malik of making lewd comments and harassing her. Sona Mohapatra
Despite her early advocacy, the #MeToo movement faced a gradual decline over time. However, the recent Hema Committee report, which exposed the pervasive power dynamics and casting couch culture in the Malayalam film industry, has reignited discussions on these critical issues.
Also read: Sona Mohapatra hopes government forms a more vibrant culture ministry: We underestimate the soft power of art, music
When asked if positive changes can be anticipated following this report, Mohapatra reflects, I do believe it is better than before in the Hindi film industry. The conversations have raised awareness about appropriate behaviour in the workplace for sure. Many production houses have put some redressal mechanisms in place where there is a form available for people to report untoward behaviour and escalate matters. There is a better awareness of the POSH guidelines too. The world is getting better and that is a wonderful feeling to carry.
Mohapatra, who faced professional setbacks for speaking out against injustice, remained undeterred. She emphasises the importance of persistence despite the challenges. "Public memory is indeed short and forgives these perverts in a jiffy. While I am finally back on the saddle after my vanwaas having launched a new show, Lal Pari Mastani, making my own documentary and winning awards across the world, I do believe this report is a validation of what many of us are fighting forsafer workplaces and winning, based on merit and fair opportunity," she asserts.
Reflecting on her professional struggles, Mohapatra recounts being "thrown out" as a judge from a music reality show. "I couldnt pay out my team that year, having even lost a USA tour, and had to eventually let go of them. I was branded a troublemaker, a difficult professional, and till date no TV channel has called me back to make amends," she says, adding, Meanwhile, the perverts- who multiple including myself named- are happily back on national TV with youngsters around them. All of them including Anu Malik, Kailash Kher, Sajid Khan, Vikas Bahl, and several others found space in the public domain to gloat over the fact that it is very much a mans world.
Mohapatra also notes the public's reaction to her stand. "Many men and even women I know are of the belief that people like me should let bygones be bygones and move on."
"Some like Sonu Nigam expressed deep concern and sympathy for Anu (Malik) losing work in the public domain while they demanded hard proof from the survivors. That a 15-year-old Shweta Pandit shared her disturbing experience with him or several others, that didnt hurt him (Nigam) that much; Anu losing some temporary work did!" she wraps up.
We attempted to reach out to Anu Malik, Kailash Kher, Vikas Bahl and Sonu Nigam, but they were unavailable for a comment.
The debate over who deserves the credit for the massive success of Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank continues, with fans passionately discussing online whether the accolades should go to actor Rajkummar Rao or Shraddha Kapoor. However, one aspect everyone seems to agree on is the film's exceptional story and dialogues, which have been widely praised for their humour. Niren Bhatt has written Stree 2.
Also read: Rajkummar Rao shares his favourite and funniest scene from Stree 2: It didnt make it to the final cut
Niren Bhatt, the man behind the films story, dialogues and screenplay, is aware of the ongoing discussions about credit. Addressing these conversations, he tells us, "I am aware about the credit talks. I think some narratives are formed by fan clubs... I don't know where is all this coming from. Eventually, people know it's a piece of art, everyone is equally important."
He further says, You just talk about people you see on screen. There are people behind the sceneswriter, director, producer, production designer, art designer, VFX, the background music was recorded by a 70-piece orchestra in Budapest... Sachin-Jigar's music! There are a lot of people behind the success of a film.
Bhatt says that many a time, especially with big films, nobody talks about the writing of the film. He, however, notes that "this time, people are [talking about the film's writing]". "I have been fortunate enough," he beams.
He draws attention to the documentary series Angry Young Men, which explores the significant impact of writers Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar in the 1970s and 80s. "It shows the swagger writers used to have. I obviously see things changing for the better. Many more people are getting inspired to make good content. That has reinstated the fact that good storytelling is basic for cinema. It was never a particular formula, genre or star. Even stars need good scripts to have big films," he concludes.
Paintings featuring flora from the Delhi Ridge, mixed-media textile works, tapestry harking back to Afghan heritage, metaphysical drawing installations and so much else the Delhi Contemporary Art Week (DCAW) is here to welcome a galaxy of contemporary voices in South Asian art. Contemporary works by Delhi-based galleries, Blueprint 12 and Latitude28, which are displayed as part of the ongoing art week.
In its seventh edition, DCAW has six leading art galleries of the Capital coming together, namely Blueprint12, Exhibit 320, Gallery Espace, Latitude 28, Shrine Empire, and Vadehra Art Gallery. Among the highlights are a drawing installation by Bangladeshi artist Soma Surovi Jannat exploring cyclical existence and birth and death (Gallery Espace); Al-Qawi Nanavatis work that infuses her late mothers belongings into her art (Latitude 28); Hema Shironi and Natasha Das work with textile that traces their personal histories, South Asian politics and sustainability (Shrine Empire).
A new set of paintings by Baroda-based artist Rashmimala, depict the ground plant species specific to the Delhi ridge, Ravi Agarwals photographs of an abandoned office, and Tanmoy Samantas luminous canvases of liminal shapes. This year we are celebrating the gallery's 35th anniversary and our presentation at DCAW will give a glimpse of the depth of our programming with fresh works by Rashmimala, Ravi Agarwal, and Tanmoy Samanta alongside senior artist Amit Ambalal. Ishita Chakraborty, Sharad Sonkusale, Sheetal Gattani, and Sonia Mehra Chawla are also part of the showcase, said Renu Modi, founder-director of Gallery Espace, in a statement.
Meanwhile, freely traversing styles and mediums in works by artists from each gallery, will be the group exhibition A Bold Step Sideways, curated by Girish Shahane. Painting and photography, among a spectrum of other mediums, form the core of Vadehra Art Gallerys curation, for which director of the gallery, Roshini Vadehra says, Across its six editions, DCAW has managed to further the rising talents and ideas of contemporary and emerging artists. I always look forward to the exciting week-long curations that come together under a common space for seasoned and new collectors from the capital and across the country. It is a unique collaborative presentation by the Delhi galleries that is always welcomed by great enthusiasm by the art community and we hope to see more of that this year as well.
While new media buffs will be able to further their pursuit of aesthetic exploration and visual dialogue at Exhibit 320, others must also checkout the the works of the established and emerging artists from the subcontinent such as Zoya Chaudhary, Gopi Gajwani, Soma Surovi Jannat, Khadim Ali, Chandan Bez Baruah, Tayeba Begum Lipi, Jagannath Panda, Anju and Atul Dodiya.
Catch It Live
What: Delhi Contemporary Art Week
Where: Bikaner House, Pandara Road, India Gate
When: August 31 to September 4
Timing: 11am to 7pm
Entry: Free
Nearest Metro Station: Khan Market (Violet Line)
For more, follow @htcity.delhijunction
A Delhi court on Friday ordered the framing of charges against Congress leader and former Union minister Jagdish Tytler in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case that resulted in the death of three people in the Capital. Jagdish Tytler. (HT Archive)
Sufficient ground are there to proceed against the accused person, special judge Rakesh Syal said, paving the way for charges to be framed under sections 109 (abetment) read with 302 (murder), 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting) 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 188 (disobedience of the order duly promulgated by a public servant), 295 (injuring or defiling a place of worship), 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house), 451 (house trespass), 380 (theft in dwelling house), and 149 (every member of unlawful guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) of the Indian Penal Code.
The court, however, discharged Tytler under Section 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons).
The matter has now been listed for September 13, when Tytler would have to physically appear before the court and charges will be formally framed against him.
The case against the former Union minister is related to his alleged involvement in an incident of November 1, 1984, when three people Badal Singh, Sardar Thakur Singh and Gurbachan Singh were burnt to death, and the Pul Bangash Gurudwara was set ablaze, a day after the then prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated on October 31.
Delhi Police initially registered a case on November 1, 1984, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the investigation on November 22, 2005, after the Union home ministry issued directions based on recommendations by the Nanavati Commission, which was formed in 2000 to look at cases from the 1984 riots.
The 1984 anti-Sikh riots broke out after the assassination of then PM Indira Gandhi by her two Sikh bodyguards. Thousands of Sikhs were killed in the riots in which Delhi was the worst hit city followed by Kanpur. During three years of probe, a total of 92 accused have been identified for involvement in murder, rioting, arson and loot in 11 cases of heinous crimes pertaining to riots.
CBI filed the charge sheet on May 20, 2023, in which it said Tytler instigated, incited and provoked the mob assembled at Gurdwara Pul Bangash which resulted in burning of the gurudwara and killing of three Sikh persons by the mob.
Taking cognisance of the charge sheet, the court issued summons to Tytler on July 26 last year. Tytler moved an anticipatory bail application on August 1, in which year, which was allowed by the court on August 4, and later converted to regular bail.
According to the CBI charge sheet, the agency established Tytlers presence at the crime scene based on the testimonies of six witnesses, of which four saw him allegedly instigating the crowd. The charge sheet claimed that Tytler was disappointed that more Sikhs were not killed in his constituency. It further pointed out that he was also influencing the investigation and threatening the witnesses.
The Congress leader had previously said that he is prepared to hang himself if there are is any evidence against him.
News / National
by Staff reporter
The government has introduced new regulations banning unleaded petrol in Zimbabwe to encourage the use of environmentally friendly fuel and reduce reliance on imported fuel. The ban was announced through Statutory Instrument (SI) 150 of 2024 by Energy and Power Development Minister Edgar Moyo, following consultations with the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority.The new regulations require that all unleaded petrol imported into Zimbabwe must be blended with anhydrous ethanol before being sold. This blending mandate will come into effect seven days from the publication of the regulations.The regulations replace a previous rule from SI 17 of 2013, which mandated that unleaded petrol could only be sold if blended with a minimum of 5% locally produced anhydrous ethanol. The new regulations maintain that only licensed ethanol blenders and producers can carry out this blending process, with strict quality assurance measures in place.
Raipur: The deforestation drive in Chhattisgarhs Pendramar forest started on Friday for the second phase of the Parsa East Kente Basan (PEKB) mining project, even as locals and tribals protested, activists said, adding that around 250,000 trees are likely to be felled over 1,136 hectares of the Hasdeo Aranya forest region. Locals protest against the deforestation at Hasdeo region for mining work (HT Photo)
The central government had allocated the PEKB coal blocks to Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RVUNL) for second-phase mining after the first phase was completed in March 2022.
The first phase of mining was on 762 hectares of land allotted to RVUNL in 2007.
In 2023, the then Congress-led Chhattisgarh government had reversed its approval of the decision in the face of protests from locals and tribals.
The state had also submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court, stating that there is no need to allocate or use any new mining reserve areas for mining in Hasdeo Aranya. It added that that the ongoing Parsa East and Kente Basan (PEKB) mine contains a coal deposit of 350 million tonnes, adequate to meet the entire coal demand for the linked power plants of 4,340 MW for nearly 20 years.
The ongoing PEKB mine still contains a coal deposit of 350 million tonnes that is yet to be mined. This deposit is sufficient to meet the entire coal demand for the linked power plants of 4340 MW for nearly 20 years. Therefore, there is no necessity to allocate and use any new mining reserve areas for mining, the affidavit from the Chhattisgarh government had then claimed.
Alok Shukla, the convenor of Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan, who has been leading the protest in Hasdeo for the past decade, said on Friday that a few days ago, the chief minister gave a clarification on a statement from the Rajasthan chief minister who thanked the previous government for allowing deforestation through fresh orders, keeping in mind the power needs of Rajasthan.
Stating that the deforestation is illegal and violates the rights of tribal communities enshrined in the fifth schedule of our Constitution, he said, We all have seen how Gramsabhas land acquisition of Ghatbarra village was conducted in the presence of a heavy police force, which was not in accordance with the due procedure under PESA (The Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) and RFCTLARR (Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement) Act 2013. It violated the principles of free, informed, prior consent.
Shukla said that despite huge resistance from residents, the second phase of the mining got both environmental and forest clearance. The former Congress-led state government granted the final forest clearance under Action 2 of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, in March 2022. In phase two, around 250,000 trees are going to be felled over 1,136 hectares of forest land. Out of which around 134 hectares of forest land had already been cleared in the last two major deforestation drives under the heavy police force deployment in the area, Shukla added.
Also Read: Over 200k trees to be felled in Chhattisgarhs Hasdeo, 960k in Great Nicobar: Govt
On Friday, the Chhattisgarh forest department issued a statement, saying tree felling is being carried out on 32 hectares out of the proposed 74.130 hectares of forest land.
The felling of approximately 3,694 trees out of 10,944 present in the said area has been completed, and the remaining felling work is in progress, the statement said.
Due to the sensitivity of the area, the tree felling work is being carried out peacefully by forming a joint team comprising the district police force, district administration, and forest personnel. Some villagers from the villages adjacent to the mining area are interfering with the tree felling work, but they are being persuaded not to disrupt the felling process, the departments statement further claimed.
The statement claimed that the Rajasthan government has been granted permission for the felling of 10,944 trees standing in an area of 74.130 hectares of forest land in the 10th year of the project by the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Production) Chhattisgarh and by the Chief Conservator of Forests, Sarguja Forest Division, on August 22, 2024.
In this regard, permission for the felling and transportation of a total of 10,944 trees in an area of 74.130 hectares of forest land has been granted to the Forest Range Officer, Udaipur (Production), it added.
While the Union government allocates the blocks, the clearance of forest land for mining requires the final go-ahead from the state.
In October 2021, the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education and Wildlife Institute of India submitted a study report to the Chhattisgarh government according to which the Hasdeo Arand forest is one of the largest contiguous stretches of dense forest in central India, spanning 170,000 hectares.
The forest is also the catchment of the river Hasdeo, the Mahanadis largest tributary, and is therefore critical for perennial river flow. It is also the watershed for the Hasdeo Bango reservoir, which is critical for the irrigation of 300,000 hectares of double-cropped land in Chhattisgarh.
Chhattisgarh possesses approximately 70,000 million metric tonnes of coal, whereas Hasdeo Aranya accounts for around 8% of that reserve. Hasdeo Arand is one of the largest contiguous stretches of very dense forest in central India, spanning 170,000 hectares and having 23 coal blocks.
At least 47 Indians who were trapped in cyber scam centres, have been rescued from Bokeo province in Laos, the Indian embassy in the Southeast Asian nation said on Saturday. So far, the Indian mission has assisted in rescuing 635 Indians from Laos and ensured their safe return home. The Embassy of India successfully rescues 47 Indians trapped in cyber scam centres in Golden Triangle SEZ of Lao PDR.(X/@IndianEmbLaos)
Indian authorities have advised citizens to be wary of fake job offers in Laos and emphasised the need for careful verification to avoid falling victim to scams.
According to a statement from the Indian Embassy in Laos, the embassy recently successfully rescued 47 Indians caught in cyber scam centres within the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Bokeo province. Of these, 29 were handed over to the Embassy by Laos authorities after their crackdown on illegal activities in Golden Triangle SEZ, while other 18 had approached the Embassy in distress, seeking help, the embassy said on X, sharing the pictures of the rescued Indians.
According to an NDTV report, the scammers would impersonate women on dating apps to chat with potential victims. After some time, they would convince the target to invest in cryptocurrency trading. Many were duped in India this way, one of the rescued Indians was quoted as saying. The cyber slaves were deprived of food and rest if they failed to meet their daily targets, the report added. HT cannot independently verify this information.
In its statement on Saturday, the Indian Embassy urged the Laos government to take action against the unscrupulous elements involved.
The Embassy has issued a strong advisory to Indian nationals contemplating job offers in Laos, advising them to exercise caution and perform thorough checks to avoid falling victim to scams.
The advisory, available on the Embassy's website, offers detailed guidance and urges individuals to reach out to the Embassy if they have any doubts.
Embassy officials travelled from capital Vientiane to Bokeo to liaise
Indian embassy officials travelled from the capital, Vientiane, to Bokeo to coordinate with local authorities for the rescue operation, according to the official statement. Prashant Agrawal, the Indian Ambassador to Laos, met the rescued group upon their arrival to discuss the challenges they encountered and to provide guidance on the next steps.
The embassy has completed all necessary procedures with the Laos authorities for their repatriation to India. The statement added that 30 of those rescued have already returned to India or are en route, while the remaining 17 are awaiting final travel arrangements and will be departing soon.
The embassy's statement said that Agrawal stressed that "ensuring safety and well-being" of Indian nationals is a top priority for the Embassy. Last month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar raised the issue of Indian national trafficking with Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone during his visit to the Southeast Asian nation.
In the same month, the Indian embassy in Laos rescued 13 Indians who had been lured into cyber scam centres in the country and facilitated their return to India.
Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Saturday that the government aims to reform the film industry, which led to the establishment of the Hema Committee to investigate the sexual abuse of women in the Malayalam film industry. He emphasised that all aspects of cinema influence the public and that it is crucial for women to work in the industry without fear. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan (ANI)
Speaking at the ceremony to present the Sreekumaran Thampi award to Malayalam actor Mohanlal, Vijayan said that the film industry should reciprocate the public's love for cinema by promoting moral values or lessons.
Anything that degrades human values in cinema is dangerous. Women should be able to work in the film industry without fear, and artists should not face conditions or limitations in their profession. Every aspect of cinema influences the public. The governments actions are aimed at reforming the film industry, which is why the Hema Committee was established, Vijayan was quoted as saying by ANI
He further emphasised that women should have the freedom to showcase their artistic talents in the film industry without fear, and there should be no conditions imposed on them.
Kerala #MeToo: Latest developments
A second case of sexual offence has been filed against director Ranjith following a complaint by a male actor from the district, police said on Saturday. An FIR was registered under Section 377 (unnatural offence) of the IPC and Section 66 E (punishment for violation of privacy) of the Information Technology (IT) Act at the Kasaba police station on Friday night, according to a senior district police officer.
The complainant alleged that the director called him to a hotel in Bengaluru in 2012, asked him to strip, and took his nude photos. He also claimed in media interviews that these photos were sent to a well-known veteran female actor, who has denied the allegations.
In his first address after resigning as the President of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) amid the #MeToo controversy in Mollywood, actor Mohanlal on Saturday urged people not to "destroy" the Malayalam film industry.
Mohanlal welcomed the Hema Committee report, emphasising that those found guilty will be punished, and assured that they will cooperate with the investigation. He also mentioned that elections for new positions in AMMA would be conducted soon.
The Hema Committee report, released on August 19 after four-and-a-half years since its submission by the three-member panel, faced criticism from opposition parties and activists.
The reports release triggered a surge in sexual abuse allegations by women actors against male figures, reigniting the #MeToo movement. In response to the rising accusations of sexual harassment and exploitation involving several actors and directors, the state government announced on August 25 the formation of a seven-member special investigation team to investigate the claims.
Raipur, Azad Samaj Party leader Chandra Shekhar Azad on Saturday said caste census should be conducted in Chhattisgarh and the 16 per cent quota for Scheduled Castes in the state must be restored. Azad, MP from Nagina in Uttar Pradesh, was addressing the 'Samajik Nyay Yatra' rally organised by Bhim Army Bharat Ekta Mission Chhattisgarh here at Science College ground. "The Scheduled Castes were getting 16 per cent reservation in Chhattisgarh, which was slashed to 12 per cent without conducting a caste census. The state government must hold a caste census and, based on the population, restore the 16 per cent quota," he said. He also said the arson and violence on June 10 and vandalisation of 'jaitkham' or 'victory pillar', a sacred symbol worshipped by the Satnami community, near the holy Amar Gufa at Giroudpuri Dham in Balodabazar-Bhatapara district in the intervening night of May 15 and 16 must be probed by Central Bureau of Investigation . On June 10, a mob set fire to a government building housing offices of district collector and superintendent of Police and more than 150 vehicles in Balodabazar city during a protest called by the Satnami community against the desecration of the religious structure. The influential Satnami community, founded by medieval-era social reformer Baba Guru Ghasidas, represents the largest Scheduled Caste group in Chhattisgarh. Azad also sought unconditional release of those arrested in connection with Balodabazar arson incident, adding those fighting for the honour of 'satnam' were arrested by the Vishnu Deo Sai government as part of a conspiracy. As per police, more than 160 persons, including Congress MLA Devendra Yadav, have been held for alleged involvement in arson and violence. Those who have been arrested will spread the message of peace and brotherhood once they are released and will emerge as leaders, he asserted. Apart from a CBI probe into the 'Jaitkham' desecration and the violence during the resultant protest, Azad also sought implementation of quota rules in promotion in government jobs as well as minimum wage of 700 per day for workers. Meanwhile, an office-bearer of Bhim Army Bharat Ekta Mission Chhattisgarh said a memorandum addressed to President Droupadi Murmu was handed over to an official here.
Azad seeks caste census in Chhattisgarh, CBI probe into Balodabazar arson-violence
A special court for public representatives in Bengaluru has ordered the initiation of defamation proceedings against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal on a complaint filed by Tabu Rao over alleged incendiary comments made against her husband and Karnataka health minister Dinesh Gundurao. The complaint stems from a controversial statement made by Yatnal during a Lok Sabha election campaign in Vijaypura on April 4 (Wikimedia Commons)
The complaint stems from a controversial statement made by Yatnal during a Lok Sabha election campaign in Vijaypura on April 4. He accused Gundurao of harbouring anti-national sentiments, saying, More or less, half of Pakistan is in Gunduraos house. Making statements against the country has become an addiction for Gundurao.
Outraged by these remarks, Tabu Rao lodged a complaint at the Sanjay Nagar police station in Bengaluru on April 7.
Along with her complaint, she presented several pieces of evidence, including press reports to the court to support her case.
The complaint specifically requested the registration of a case under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which pertain to defamation.
On Thursday, the court, after considering the evidence and the seriousness of the allegations, directed to issue summons to Yatnal.
The alleged comments from Yatnal revolves around the NIA investigation into the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case on March 1. The agency had brought in Tirthahalli BJP leader Saiprasad for questioning in connection with the blast case.
At the time, Dinesh Gundurao had taken to social media, questioning the BJPs role and accountability in the blast, given that a party leader had been detained for questioning.
Gundurao said, What will the saffron leaders of the state say now that our government is being blamed for the explosion? Does the fact that a BJP leader has been taken into custody by the NIA mean that the BJP is involved in the Rameswaram Cafe blast?
The state BJP leaders, who have hastily blamed the Congress government for the Rameswaram bomb blast without considering national security, must now provide answers, he added.
Yatnal, responding to these developments, repeated his controversial statement, further escalating the situation.
In response to Yatnals remarks, Tabu Rao strongly condemned the statement on April 8 and labelled it as derogatory and defamatory.
Rao emphasised that while she was born a Muslim, her Indian identity should not be questioned, and called on the Election Commission of India to take action.
She also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president JP Nadda to address the issue and take action against what she termed as a routine culprit.
Senior advocate and Supreme Court Bar Association president Kapil Sibal on Friday stressed the importance of empowering trial courts, district courts, and sessions courts to deliver justice without fear or favour. Addressing the inaugural event of the two-day National Conference of District Judiciary, Sibal asserted that these courts should not be viewed as subordinate but rather as vital components of the justice system. Supreme Court Bar Association president and Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal addresses the inaugural session of the two-day National Conference of District Judiciary.
"They are not subordinate as they deliver justice. The judiciary at that level should be instilled with the confidence that their judgments will not be held against them and that they represent the spinal cord of the justice delivery system," Sibal said.
Also Read | VP Dhankhar 'appalled' by Kapil Sibals description of Kolkata rape-murder case: What a shame!
Reflecting on his long legal career, Sibal expressed concern over the infrequency of bail being granted at the district court level.
"In my career, I have seldom seen bail granted at that level. This is not just my experience but even CJI has said this because higher courts are burdened. After all, bail at the lower court is an exception," he said.
"Liberty is the foundational substratum of a thriving democracy and any attempt to throttle it impacts the quality of our democracy," Sibal added.
Also Read | Kapil Sibal's predecessor threatens no-confidence motion over SCBA resolution
CJI Chandrachud on colonial-era practice
The Supreme Court is organising a two-day national conference of the district Judiciary beginning August 31 and September 1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a commemorative stamp and coin to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Supreme Court of India.
In his speech, Chief Justice of India Chandrachud called for an end to the colonial-era practice of referring to district courts as subordinate. "To sustain the spine of the legal system, we must stop calling the district judiciary as the subordinate judiciary. Seventy-five years after Independence, the time has come for us to bury one more relic of the British era the colonial mindset of subordination," he said.
Also Read | Kapil Sibal laughs in SC amid hearing on Kolkata case, SG Tushar Mehta responds: somebody has died
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Supreme Court Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Attorney General R Venkataramani, and Bar Council of India Chairman Manan Kumar Mishra also addressed the gathering.
President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to deliver the valedictory address on September 1, where she will also unveil the flag and insignia of the Supreme Court.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for coastal Karnataka in response to the rare Cyclone Asna threat, forecasting very heavy rain for Gujarat on Saturday, August 31. An Indian Coast Guard ship tows boat Padmawati to safety after it drifted into the sea due to rough weather conditions off the Dwarka coast in Gujarat. (PTI Photo)
Cyclone Asna moved past Gujarat on Friday evening without making any serious impact on the prone regions. It was formed over the coast of Kutch in Gujarat earlier during the day, moved into the Arabian Sea and headed towards Oman without causing significant damage in the coastal state.
Pakistan proposed the name Cyclone Asna as the storm intensified. Between 1891 and 2023, only three such storms have formed over the Arabian Sea in August with instances recorded in 1976, 1964, and 1944, reported English Jagran.
The 1976 storm originated in Odisha, moved west-northwest into the Arabian Sea, circled and eventually weakened near Oman's coast. Similarly, the 1944 storm intensified after reaching the Arabian Sea before losing strength. In 1964, a brief storm developed off the South Gujarat coast but weakened near the shoreline, the report said.
Cyclone Asna, which Pakistan has named, is the first cyclonic storm to develop in the Arabian Sea in August since 1976. The storm is now advancing west-northwest, moving away from the Indian coast.
In the past 6 hours, the deep depression over the Kachchh coast, parts of Pakistan, and the northeast Arabian Sea has been moving westward at 6 kilometres per hour. It has intensified into Cyclone Asna and was located around 11:30 AM at the same spot, approximately 190 kilometres west-northwest of Bhuj, Gujarat, according to the IMD.
Wind speeds in a deep depression vary from 52 to 61 kmph, whereas cyclones have wind speeds between 63 and 87 kmph.
How rain wreaks havoc in Gujarat?
In Gujarat, recent rainfall has caused the loss of 26 lives over the past four days. Over 18,000 individuals have been evacuated, and around 1,200 people have been rescued from areas severely impacted by flooding.
Although rainfall decreased across most of Gujarat by Friday morning, officials reported significant waterlogging in several towns and villages due to overflowing rivers.
The State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) noted that between 6 am and 2 pm, only four locations in the state received 15 mm to 26 mm of rain, while other areas experienced either dry conditions or light showers.
West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Saturday claimed that the parents of the trainee doctor who was allegedly raped and killed at a hospital in Kolkata are being kept under virtual "house arrest" by the authorities. Congress leader Adhir Chowdhury leads a protest rally over alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor of RG Kar Hospital and seeking resignation of CM Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata, India, on Thursday, August 29, 2024. (Photo by Samir Jana/ Hindustan Times)
"I visited the family of the deceased doctor at their residence and spoke to them for a long time. The police have kept the family under house arrest. They are not allowing them to come out of the house on the pretext of various excuses. The police have created a barricade around them, the CISF has no clue about this," Chowdhury told reporters.
His visit comes amid ongoing protests by junior doctors and allegations from the victim's parents that more than one individual was involved in the crime.
Also Read | NHRC issues notice to Kolkata commissioner over police action on protestors
Chowdhury also claimed that the police, under instructions from the TMC-led West Bengal government, offered the victims father money and urged him to quickly cremate the body.
"The Kolkata Police following the directive of the state government had offered the father money while telling him that the body of his daughter be cremated without delay," Chowdhury alleged.
The body of the post-graduate trainee doctor was discovered in the seminar hall of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, triggering outrage across the medical community in the state. Protesting junior doctors have been on a cease-work strike since the discovery, demanding justice for their colleague and calling for stronger security measures at medical institutions.
Also Read | Shreya Ghoshal postpones Kolkata concert due to doctor rape-murder case: 'Deeply affected by heinous incident'
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury stopped from entering RG Kar Medical College
The senior Congress leader hit out at the police for preventing him from meeting the agitating doctors during his visit to RG Kar Hospital.
"I went there as a common person and not as a political leader, to express solidarity with them (the protesting doctors). But I was stopped from meeting them by the police... Had they shown this promptness earlier, our sister doctor would not have met this fate," he said.
One civic volunteer of the Kolkata Police has been arrested in connection with the crime, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has now taken over the investigation following an order from the Calcutta High Court.
DK Sunil, who has spearheaded several key aerospace programmes and is known for his design expertise, will take over as the next chief of the Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Sunday as the aircraft maker gears up to execute some critical projects for the armed forces. DK Sunil.
He replaces CB Ananthakrishnan who retired on Saturday.
Sunil, who joined HAL as a management trainee, has been with the firm for 37 years and contributed significantly to design, production, quality enhancement and customer support, HAL said in a statement on Saturday, announcing his appointment as chairman and managing director (additional charge). He will continue to head engineering, and research and development.
HT reported on August 29 that Sunil was the frontrunner for the top job at a time when HAL is at a critical juncture --- it is grappling with a delay in the Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA Mk-1A) programme, working towards finalising a deal for joint production of jet engines in the country, and awaiting orders worth tens of thousands of crores for new fighter planes and helicopters.
Sunils extensive design expertise ranges from equipment to system-level projects for both aircraft and helicopters, covering the entire spectrum of HALs design activities, the statement said.
During his tenure at the Mission Combat Systems R&D Centre in Bengaluru, he led teams focused on groundbreaking projects such as the advanced active electronically scanned array radar for fighters, automatic flight control system for the light combat helicopter and mission computers for helicopters and fighter platforms.
Several new technologies were developed under his leadership, including radar power supply, modern voice activated control systems and combined interrogator/transponder systems for identification of friendly and hostile aircraft.
Accelerating the LCA Mk-1A programme will be one of his top priorities as a question mark hangs over HALs ability to meet the delivery timeline of the 83 LCA Mk-1As on order. IAF is unhappy with the current pace of the programme because of the possible risks the delay in the induction of new fighter planes could pose to the air forces combat effectiveness, and has flagged the hot-button issue to HAL, calling for timely execution of the 48,000-crore contract, as first reported by HT on July 12.
HAL had then said it will deliver 16 of these fighters to IAF in FY 2024-25 as per schedule. It also said it hoped to deliver all the 83 aircraft on order by 2028-29. Many in the air force are sceptical about the LCA Mk-1A deadlines being met, and one of the main reasons for that is the lingering delay in the supply of the F404 engines to HAL by US firm GE Aerospace.
Sunil also takes over at a time when HAL is negotiating a deal with GE Aerospace for the joint production of F414 engines in India. The two firms signed a memorandum of understanding in Washington in June 2023 to produce 99 F414 engines for Indias future LCA Mk-2 programme. The joint production of the engines will help the country overcome a striking technology gap, lay the foundation for indigenous development of bigger jet engines and possibly open doors to exports.
Big orders are in the pipeline for HAL.
The defence ministry could award it a contract by the year-end for 97 more LCA Mk-1As to strengthen the air forces capabilities. It is estimated to be worth 67,000 crore. The upcoming deal will be the second order for the LCA Mk-1A after the ministry awarded HAL the 48,000-crore contract for 83 such aircraft in February 2021.
Also, in June 2024, the defence ministry issued a tender to HAL for the proposed acquisition of 156 Prachand light combat helicopters (LCH) to sharpen the capabilities of the Indian Army and IAF. The new helicopters, 90 for the army and 66 for IAF, are estimated to cost 50,000 crore and will further boost Indias self-reliance drive.
New Delhi: The Election Commission of India on Friday published partial expenditure reports for the 2024 general elections. Political parties are required to submit their expenditure reports within three months of the conclusion of elections. The Bharatiya Janata Partys report was not uploaded. (Representative Photo)
The Bharatiya Janata Partys report was not uploaded. Data for 24 constituencies was available for the Congress. The party spent 70 lakh each in two constituencies won by senior leader Rahul Gandhi, Rae Bareli and Wayanad, 75 lakh for Dhubri candidate Rakibul Hussain in two tranches, and 87 lakh on Mandi candidate Vikramaditya Singh in six tranches.
The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), according to its partial expenditure report, spent 36 crore on candidates.
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen spent 52 lakh on Hyderabad candidate Asaduddin Owaisi. The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party said its state unit spent a total of 325.67 crore, of which 21.42 crore were spent on travel expenses of star campaigners, 87.36 crore on advertising, 47.89 crore on publicity materials, 8.64 crore on public meetings and rallies, and 160.35 crore on other expenses for general party propaganda by state unit.
Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) said it received receipts worth 11.06 crore during the general elections. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam got receipts worth 11.03 crore. It spent 23.34 crore, of which 22.67 crore was spent on advertising. The Telugu Desam Party did not give any figures in its partial report. The Biju Janata Dal spent 254.6 crore for both the general and state elections.
News / National
by Staff reporter
The United States is keen on improving diplomatic relations with Zimbabwe and increasing trade between the two nations, according to US Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Pamela Tremont.Following her credential presentation to President Mnangagwa, Ambassador Tremont met with Acting President Dr. Constantino Chiwenga to discuss various issues, including Zimbabwe's priorities in agriculture, education, manufacturing, and tourism.Ambassador Tremont noted that while Zimbabwe exports more to the US than it imports, there is room for growth in trade. She highlighted the presence of US companies like John Deere and Hyatt Regency, which recently took over the Meikles Hotel, and expressed a desire to see more American businesses invest in Zimbabwe.Despite past tensions due to US sanctions imposed in the early 2000s, Zimbabwe has maintained a stance of openness towards international relations, emphasizing President Mnangagwa's policy of "friend to all and enemy to none." Ambassador Tremont's comments suggest a potential thawing in relations and an opportunity for increased collaboration.The US has been a significant donor to Zimbabwe, particularly in drought assistance, and continues to support various sectors in Zimbabwe. The focus now is on improving the investment climate to make Zimbabwe more attractive to global investors, including those from the US.
Five cow vigilantes have been arrested for allegedly lynching a man over suspicion that he had consumed beef, Haryana Police said on Saturday. File Photo: Women hold placards and candles during a protest against the recent mob lynchings in India. (REUTERS/Amit Dave)
The incident happened in Charkhi Dadri district on August 27, a senior police officer said, adding that the victim, identified as Sabir Malik, was a worker from West Bengal.
Suspecting that the victim had eaten beef, the accused Abhishek, Mohit, Ravinder, Kamaljit, and Sahil called him at a shop on the pretext of selling empty plastic bottles. There, they beat him, PTI quoted the officer as saying.
After some people intervened, the group took Malik to another location and beat him again, leading to his death, the officer stated further.
The deceased lived in a shanty near Bandhara village and collected waste and rag for a living.
In addition to the five accused, two minors have also been apprehended in the matter. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Also Read | Capital punishment for mob lynching under new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill
In February last year, two Muslim men from Rajasthan were allegedly abducted, assaulted, killed and their burned by a cow protection gang in Haryana's Bhiwani. The duo's charred bodies were then found in a car.
Monu Manesar aka Monu Yadav, a functionary of the right-wing group Bajrang Dal, was booked by the Rajasthan Police in connection with the murder of Junaid (35) and Nasir (25).
Also Read | Bhiwani killings accused Monu Manesar sent to 15-day judicial custody
Absconding since the incident, Manesar was arrested in September by the Haryana Police, ending a hunt that spanned several months.
Four people from the Gokak tehsil of Belagavi district were burnt alive when their electric vehicle rammed into a fuel carrier tanker in Oman, said officials familiar with the matter on Friday. Belagavi district in-charge minister Satish Jarkiholi said that the state government was in contact with Oman government through the foreign affairs ministry and have asked to handover the dead bodies to the relatives in Karnataka (File photo)
The incident took place in the Haima region of capital city Oman on Thursday evening. Local police said the four were travelling in a car, which collided with an oncoming truck. The four deceased were identified as Vijay Mayappa Tahasildar (22), Pavankumar Mayappa Tahasildar (22), Aadhishesha Basappa Uppar (32), and Pooja Aadhishesha Uppar (21). Another person travelling in the car suffered minor injuries.
One of the deceased, Aadhishesha was an engineer working with a private company. Her mother and brother from Gokak had gone their to bring Pooja back for delivery who was six-month pregnant, Belagavi deputy commissioner Mohammed Roshan told HT.
He further said the deceased were residing in Nizwa for past five years. They were on their way home from Salalah when the accident took place. Following the accident, their electric car caught fire immediately, leaving the deceaseds body burnt beyond identification, he said.
District in-charge minister Satish Jarkiholi said that the state government was in contact with Oman government through the foreign affairs ministry and have asked to handover the dead bodies to the relatives in Karnataka. The deceased were in Gulf country for work for several years..., Jarkiholi said. We have appealed to the external affairs ministry to attempt to bring back the bodies of the dead, so the relatives can bid adieu to the departed souls.
Following the incident, MP Kadadi visited the family at Uppar Oni (Uppar street) in Gokak town. After the meeting, he told reporters, I am in touch with external affairs ministry to get the dead bodies which are expected to arrive either on Monday or Tuesday.
Roshan said that the external affairs ministry has approached the Oman government and the DNA of the deceased would be conducted on Sunday and the bodies are expected to arrive on Tuesday. The family has appealed the administration to handover the bodies. The body of Aadhishesha will be send to his hometown in Raichur, Roshan added.
Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini downplayed the lynching of a migrant worker from West Bengal by a group of cow vigilantes over suspicion that he had eaten beef. Saini argued the term mob lynching does not accurately reflect the incident given the stringent cow protection laws enacted by the Haryana Assembly. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.(PTI)
It is not right to say things like mob lynching, because a strict law has been made in the Assembly for cow protection and there is no compromise on it, the chief minister said.
Villagers have so much respect for cows that if they are informed about such things, then who can stop them? I want to say that such incidents should not happen and these incidents are unfortunate, he added.
Also Read | Let us not go by religion or caste,Supreme Court says on mob lynching cases
7 arrested for mob lynching
Sabir Malik, a labourer from West Bengal, was beaten to death allegedly by a group of individuals from a cow vigilante group in Charkhi Dadri district on August 27. The group reportedly suspected Malik of consuming beef, which is a serious offence under local cow protection laws.
Five menAbhishek, Mohit, Ravinder, Kamaljit, and Sahilalong with two juveniles, have been arrested in connection with the crime.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Dheeraj Kumar confirmed that a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered and that the accused are currently in police remand.
Also Read | To fight mob lynching, police reforms a must
Malik, who worked as a scrap dealer near Bandhra village, was lured to a shop under the pretence of selling empty plastic bottles before being assaulted, according to police.
After intervention by bystanders, the accused took Malik to a different location and beat him again, resulting in his death.
"A migrant labourer was beaten to death by some people. A case has been registered under BNS and 7 people, including 2 juveniles, have been arrested. Police is working on the case actively and the accused have been taken on police remand and are being questioned," DSP Kumar said.
The Election Commission on Saturday deferred the polling date for Haryana assembly elections to October 5. Earlier, voting was scheduled to be held on October 1.
There has been no change in the polling date for the third phase of the Jammu and Kashmir elections, set to be held on October 1. The election results for both J&K and Haryana will be declared on October 8.
In a notification, the poll panel said,"Subsequently, representations have been received from National Political Parties, State Political Party and All India Bishnoi Mahasabha regarding mass movement of people of Bishnoi community of Haryana to Rajasthan to participate in centuries old Asoj Amavasya festival celebration."
ALSO READ: On EC's assembly polls schedule, Cong takes One Nation, One Election jab at PM
It may deny voting rights to large number of people and may lead to reduce voters participation in general election to legislative assembly of Haryana, the EC notification read. ECI has changed poll day for Haryana elections to October 5(HT file)
Haryana BJP leader sought deferment of polls
On August 24, Haryana BJP's state election management committee member Varinder Garg had said,"We have reasoned that the Assembly election date of October 1 (Tuesday) is preceded by a weekend and followed by more holidays which might hit the voting percentage as people tend to go on vacation on long weekends."
The opposition Congress and Aam Aadmi Party had slammed the move. Former chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda had hit out at the BJP, saying that the party's stand showed it already accepted defeat.
Polls should be held according to the date fixed by the EC... People of Haryana don't want to see the BJP government in power even for a day, PTI quoted the veteran leader as saying.
The AAP's Haryana unit said even before the elections took place, the ruling BJP had started looking for excuses as it could sense its impending defeat in the election.
The BJP is eyeing a third consecutive term while the Congress is looking to wrest power from the ruling outfit.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has changed the polling date for the Haryana assembly elections from October 1 to October 5, considering the mass movement of the Bishnoi community of Haryana to Rajasthan due to the Asoj Amavasya festival, which could lead to reduced voter participation. The Phase-3 polling of the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held on October 1, as was announced by the poll body earlier. However, the counting for both the states will now happen on October 8 (instead of October 4) and the polls must be completed before October 10 (instead of October 6). The Phase-3 polling of the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held on October 1, as was announced by the Election Commission earlier.
[R]epresentations have been received from National Political Parties, State Political Party and All India Bishnoi Mahasabha regarding mass movement of people of Bishnoi community of Haryana to Rajasthan to participate in centuries old Asoj Amavasya festival celebration. It may deny voting rights to large number of people and may lead to reduce [sic] voters participation in general election to legislative assembly of Haryana, the ECI said in a press note on Saturday.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Haryana state unit chief Mohanlal Badoli, in a letter dated August 22, had urged the ECI to change the date of the polls in Haryana. He had written that September 28 and September 29 are a weekend, October 1 would have been a holiday because of polling, and October 2 is a national holiday because of Gandhi Jayanti. He had said that this could lead to many people taking an extended leave from September 28 to October 2, thereby reducing voter turnout. He also talked about how the Bishnoi community would likely be absent on October 1 due to their annual pilgrimage to Mukam village in Rajasthan.
THe Congress, however, had dismissed BJPs concerns and interpreted it as a sign of the partys nervousness. Congress MP Deepinder Hooda had said that the BJP was giving childish arguments after seeing its defeat in front.
Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has ordered a probe into allegations of a hidden camera being installed in the washroom of the girls hostel of an engineering college in Krishna district and purported videos from the camera being circulated among students in the boys hostel, the state government said in a statement on Friday. Students protest outside Gudlavalleru College of Engineering at Gudivada in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday. (HT photo)
Meanwhile, hundreds of female students staged a dharna at Gudlavalleru College of Engineering at Gudivada after an alert about the hidden camera placed in the washroom of the girls hostel was raised by a student on Thursday. Following allegations that videos from the secret camera were being sold to students in the boys hostel, the local police detained a final-year BTech student for questioning and seized his laptop and cell phones, officers said.
A five-member team of technical experts as well as a special investigating officer have been appointed to look into the matter, the government statement said on Friday evening. The team has swung into action and taken up the inspections in the girls hostel, it added.
Also Read | AP college hidden camera row: Spy cameras now a tool for voyeurism in hostels?
The chief minister, who is reviewing the situation hourly, also instructed the police to investigate the incident from all angles and bring the culprits to book.
Protesting students claimed that a final-year female student allegedly helped in arranging the hidden camera which was installed in the washroom. Students gathered in front of the college building, raising slogans and demanding strict action against the culprits. They also raised concern over the safety and privacy of female students on the campus.
Some protesters also attempted to attack a student who was reportedly selling the videos recorded by the hidden camera.
Earlier in the day, protesting students expressed their anger at a senior police officers statement that police had not found any hidden cameras in the girls hostel during their inspection.
Also Read | Chandigarh: Girl places hidden camera in her PG facility, arrested
We have seized the suspected students laptop, mobile phones, and other electronic gadgets in the presence of students and college staff. No videos were found, Krishna superintendent of police R Gangadhar Rao said. I think there is no need for the girl students to worry about this issue. Further investigation is in progress.
Enraged at the SPs statement, parents of several students as well as representatives of various student unions gathered at the college and staged a dharna.
Following instructions from the chief minister, local legislator and state minister Kollu Ravindra, along with district collector DK Balaji, Pedana legislator Kagita Krishna Prasad, former parliamentarian Konakalla Narayana Rao and senior district officials rushed to the college and assured the students of a comprehensive investigation into the matter.
Later, the students called off their protest, but said they would attend the classes only after the completion of probe and action taken against the culprits.
Protesting students also alleged that the college management did not pay heed to their complaints. Chief minister Naidu has also directed officials to conduct a probe into the allegations, saying if any negligence from the college management is proved, action will be initiated against them, a state government official said.
The CM has asked the students to directly send to him if they have any evidence in the alleged incident, the official said, adding Naidu has instructed officials to brief him on the ongoing probe every three hours and submit reports directly to him.
I have asked the authorities for details about the protest of female students at Gudlavalleru Engineering College of Krishna District. I have ordered an inquiry into the allegations of hidden cameras, state education minister Nara Lokesh said in a post on X.
Lokesh, who is also the son of chief minister Naidu, added that strict action will be taken against the culprits and those found responsible for any mistake in the investigation.
New Delhi, The IMA has written to the National Task Force , which has been mandated to formulate protocol for ensuring safety and security of healthcare professionals, again demanding a central law on violence against doctors and hospitals and declaring hospitals as safe zones. IMA again demands central law on violence against doctors, hospitals
Stating that the Supreme Court has constituted the NTF to evolve a national consensus and to formulate protocols with due consultation of all stakeholders, the Indian Medical Association in its letter formulated its submission in three sections.
The NTF was constituted the apex court in the wake of protests by doctors and healthcare professionals following the recent rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
Firstly, putting forth its demand and justification for a central act on violence on doctors and hospitals, the IMA submitted its study 'Safety During Night Duty: Survey of 3885 Doctors Across India", its draft proposal for Central Act, draft legislation - "The Healthcare Service Personnel and Clinical Establishments Bill, 2019", the Epidemic Diseases Act September 2020 among others as annexures.
Justifying the demand for a central act, the IMA in its letter said that healthcare facilities vary in nature both infrastructure wise and human resources wise.
"The only preventive strategy that could be applied across the board and across all the states is deterrent central law in statute. Absence of such law has resulted in half-hearted actions by the police and less that optimum investigations and prosecution of the incidence," it said.
Reasoning that deterrence is the best form of prevention, the IMA said that unlike other measures, a strong central law will prevent violence across all sectors especially the small and medium ones. It will serve as an enabling Act to the state legislations.
Secondly, for its demand for declaring hospitals as safe zones, the IMA said the concept of safe zones could be embedded in the proposed law as well.
"Declaration as safe zone entitles the hospitals with security entitlements. These security entitlements however should be tempered with patient friendly nature and cultural sensitivity," it said.
Third, it demanded improving the working and living conditions of the resident doctors.
Ever since the resident system was created, there have been administrative and judiciary pronouncements. "Yet few things have changed on the ground," it said.
"We the medical profession of India expect the National Task Force to live up to our expectations and instill confidence into the minds of the demoralised doctor community," the doctors' body said in the letter.
The IMA also stated that it is the national organisation of modern medicine doctors established in 1928 which played a part in the freedom struggle of the country and has its headquarters in New Delhi.
It has presence in almost all the districts of the country with 1,800 local branches, 28 state branches and 3,85,000 members. In addition, IMA has it presence in all the medical colleges of the country through its Junior Doctors Network and Medical Students Network, the letter mentioned.
The entire medical fraternity of India heeded to the call of IMA by withdrawing of all services except emergencies and casualties on August 17, it mentioned.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Kolkata doctor's rape-murder case: Hours after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday wrote a second letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterating her request for stringent central legislation and exemplary punishment on heinous crimes like rape and murder, in the wake of the Kolkata doctor's rape-murder case, the Centre asserted that existing laws were stringent enough to tackle violence and crimes against women. Chief minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee. (Samir Jana/HT file)
In a second letter to Mamata Banerjee in a week, Union minister for women and child development Annapurna Devi urged the West Bengal government to implement the same in letter and spirit.
Annapurna Devi claimed that the information contained in the Bengal chief minister's letter was factually incorrect and suggested that it aims to cover up delays in the operationalization of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) in the state.
Devi said the state government has not operationalised additional 11 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSC) to specifically deal with cases of rape and POCSO cases.
Mamata Banerjee, who wrote to PM Narendra Modi recently on the issue following nationwide uproar over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old woman trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9, sought mandatory provision for time-bound disposal of cases of rape/rape and murder.
'48,600 rape, POCSO cases pending of in West Bengal'
"In spite of the pendency of 48,600 rape and POCSO cases in West Bengal, the State has not operationalised additional 11 FTSCs which may be exclusive POCSO courts or combined FTSCs dealing with both rape and POCSO cases, as per the state's requirement," Annapurna Devi said in the letter to Mamata Banerjee.
As may be seen, the information contained in your letter in this regard is factually incorrect and appears to be a step in the direction to cover up the delays in operationalising the FTSCs by the state, the letter added.
Responding to Banerjee's observation on the need to post permanent judicial officers in FTSCs, the Union minister said the scheme guidelines clearly provide for one judicial officer and seven staff to work exclusively for the disposal of rape and POCSO Act cases.
Hence, an additional charge of FTSCs cannot be given to any permanent judicial officer or court staff. This position was clarified earlier to the West Bengal, Annapurna Devi explained.
Existing laws strong enough: Centre to Mamata
The minister added that in the event of an insufficient workforce, states and union territories have the option to engage judicial officers and court staff on a contractual basis under the FTSC scheme.
Devi said the enactments by the central government are comprehensive and stringent enough to tackle the violence and crimes against women.
"If the state government follows the central legislations in letter and spirit, it will certainly have a lasting impact on strengthening the criminal justice system, bringing the perpetrators of such crimes to face the consequences commensurate with the offence and also in ensuring justice to the victims or survivors," the union minister said.
"I once again request you to ensure due sensitisation and positive approach of all duty holders at appropriate levels to ensure proper handling of cases with due care and attention to bring finality as per the timelines prescribed under the statutes," Devi said.
India has a special China problem and the four-year military standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the state of the bilateral relationship call for precautions such as scrutiny of Chinese investments, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday. External affairs minister S Jaishankar speaks at a conclave in Delhi on Saturday. (ANI)
Jaishankar, who has maintained for long that the normalisation of India-China relations cant be delinked from peace and tranquillity on the border, made the remarks while speaking on foreign policy issues at a conclave in New Delhi. Relations between the two Asian countries have been at a six-decade low since the face-off on the LAC began in April-May 2020.
He said India is not the only country debating problems linked to China, since China is among the key economic and national security discussions in European countries and the US. India has a China problem, a special China problem, thats over and above the worlds general China problem, he said.
While dealing with trade, investments and exchanges of different kinds with China, the basics start to go off track if one neglects to consider that this is a very unique country with a very different way of working. India, he said, has had a very difficult situation on the border for the last four years and the sensible response is to take precautions.
Its common sense that investments from China would be scrutinised. I think the border and the state of relations between India and China call for it, Jaishankar said. Even countries that dont have borders with China, such as the US and European states, are scrutinising Chinese investments, he noted.
Now it has never been the governments position that we should not be having investments from China or doing business with China...The issue is not do you have investments from China or not, its not a yes or no answer. It is what should be the appropriate level of scrutiny, how should you handle it, he said.
Jaishankar contended that the concept of national security too has been expanded. If we were completely reliant...on pharmaceuticals from China, does it not have national security implications? If your telecom is based on Chinese technology, can you be impervious to it? he questioned.
This is a complex factor and the separation between economics and security with certain countries is a very thin line, Jaishankar said.
He also pointed out that countries, including India, are complaining about trade deficits with China because they consciously chose to overlook the nature of Chinese production and the advantages which they enjoyed in a system where they got a level playing field decades ago.
In May, Jaishankar had contended that Indian firms have to assess business dealings with China through a national security filter and do more sourcing from domestic manufacturers amid the standoff on the LAC. Speaking at the annual business summit of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), he had argued that national security sensitivities should be evaluated in business propositions.
India on Friday said that it is willing to play a constructive role in restoring peace between Russia and Ukraine, though it is the prerogative of the two warring countries to decide when and how to commence peace talks. There has been widespread speculation in diplomatic circles about any possible role for India in mediating between Russia and Ukraine following Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Moscow in July and to Kyiv last week (AFP)
Addressing a regular media briefing, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal sought to play down Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys recent criticism of Indias oil purchases from Russia and New Delhis decision not to sign on for the joint communique issued after the first peace summit on Ukraine.
There has been widespread speculation in diplomatic circles about any possible role for India in mediating between Russia and Ukraine following Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Moscow in July and to Kyiv last week. People familiar with the matter had said on condition of anonymity that New Delhi would prefer to pass messages between the two sides instead of engaging in direct mediation.
Also Read | PM Modi speaks to Vladimir Putin; underlines importance of dialogue, diplomacy
Jaiswal, who faced several questions at the briefing about Indias role in helping end the conflict, sought to play down the possibility of mediation. We have always advocated constructive, solution-oriented and practical engagement with all stakeholders to achieve a negotiated settlement to this conflict, he said.
This is evident in our outreach to both Russia and Ukraine at the highest level. Prime Minister has already indicated Indias willingness to play a constructive role in the interest of peace, he added.
Jaiswal emphasised it is too early to comment on specific modalities and pathways for ending the conflict and restoring peace.
The decision [as] to when and how to commence peace talks is the prerogative of the two parties to the conflict. As friends and partners, we would support any feasible and mutually acceptable solution or format that could restore peace, he said.
Also Read | PM Modi, Joe Biden discuss Ukraine conflict, Bangladesh unrest
Jaiswal also faced questions about Zelenskys criticism of Indias position at a media conference following his meeting with Modi on August 23. Zelensky had said that India is helping sustain Russias war economy through its purchases of crude oil and that President Vladimir Putin would be forced to end the war if India changed its stance. He had further proposed that India could host the second peace summit on Ukraine, but it would have to sign on for the joint communique from the first summit for that.
Jaiswal described this criticism as the Ukrainian sides perspective on various matters that was shared with the media.
As far as we are concerned, we will be guided by the bilateral discussions weve had with them, including the exchange of views during [Modis] visit, which we believe will pave the way for stronger bilateral ties, apart from facilitating more forward-looking discussions on the possibility of peaceful resolution of the conflict, he said.
Modi, Jaiswal reiterated, had clearly told Zelensky that India, as a friend of Ukraine, is ready to play an active role for peace.
India has so far not criticised Russias invasion of Ukraine and abstained on most Ukraine-related resolutions at the United Nations. The Ukrainian side has called on India to do more, as a voice of the Global South, to help end the conflict.
News / National
by Staff reporter
Zimbabwe's Consul-General in South Africa, Eria Phiri, says that the government of Zimbabwe will carry the costs of repatriating the bodies of the people that died in a bus accident in Louis Trichardt, Limpopo on Tuesday evening.Phiri was speaking during a visit to the accident scene, alongside Deputy Transport Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa.The bus crash victims are five women and five men, all Zimbabwean nationals.They were travelling to Gauteng from Zimbabwe.Phiri says they are busy identifying the bodies."We are still trying to verify the real identity of those who perished in the accident. We have got 10 and so far, I think we still have seven who are still admitted in various hospitals here in Makhado and 32 were treated and discharged. We're right now in contact with the families back home in Zimbabwe, firstly to ascertain the identities of those who are in the mortuary. So far, two have been positively identified by their relatives. The government of Zimbabwe will start facilitation of the repatriation, all the costs towards the repatriation of the deceased are going to be met by the government of Zimbabwe."
New Delhi: Indias ties with the US constitute a very invaluable relationship, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Friday, while simultaneously asserting that New Delhi should not be intimidated from pursuing its economic relations with Russia. S Jaishankar at the book launch event Strategic Conundrums: Reshaping Indias foreign policy by former ambassador Rajiv Sikri (X/@DrSJaishankar)
Jaishankar spoke extensively on Indias foreign policy and relations with countries in the neighbourhood and with key global powers such as China, Russia and the US at an event to mark the release of the book Strategic Conundrums: Reshaping Indias foreign policy by former ambassador Rajiv Sikri.
He said, just as the book acknowledges, the relationship with the US is for strategic and economic purposes a very invaluable relationship for us. He added, Therefore, I would actually argue that the US is today indispensable for our multipolarity to go up, that if we need that decision-making space, that freedom, we need countries whose interest it is that we have those margins on our side.
Jaishankar said no one is in denial about the history of the India-US relationship, which faced a series of challenges from the 1950s to the 1980s. The challenge for us is when we think of multipolarity and strategic autonomy; because of that history, it is often a concept where we posit ourselves against the US, he said.
The reality of the world today is something very different. If we look at where the pressures are, the primary source of pressure is no longer the US.
In a way, because the world has changed, our understanding of the US has changed...The US understanding of us has too.
Jaishankar also pointed to convergences in India-US relations. India and the US, by their nature, will always have interests that will differ and diverge from those of the other part, he said.
When it comes to Russia, India will have to be sensitive to a Eurasian balance, he said. Its a core strategic requirement for us. But I would also say if you look at trade with Russia, which has gone up five times, and its not just a simple oil issue, I would urge you to look at it much more deeply, that there is an economic complementarity between India and Russia, he said, referring to Indias decision to ramp up purchases of discounted Russian crude since 2022.
And we should not be intimidated from pursuing the advantages of that complementarity, he added. Russia is now following its own look east policy and there has been a shift in how Moscow approaches the world after 2022, and India needs to understand and take advantage of this.
In the case of Pakistan, Jaishankar said, the era of uninterrupted dialogue is over and where Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, the issue of Article 370 is done. He was referring to the Indian governments move to scrap Jammu and Kashmirs special status in 2019.
In a reference to Indias long-standing concerns about Pakistan sponsoring cross-border terrorism, he said, Actions have consequences. While the book suggests that India would be content to continue at the current level of the relationship with Pakistan, Jaishankar said, Maybe yes, maybe no. What I do want to say is we are not passive and whether events take a positive or a negative direction, either way, we will react.
Turning to China, with which India has been locked in a military standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since 2020, Jaishankar said New Delhi has done substantial work to fix the border infrastructure deficit, which is key to maintaining peace and tranquillity in border areas.
An Indigo flight, with 174 people on board, made an emergency landing at the Kolkata airport late on Friday night after one of the aircrafts engines failed in mid-air, airport officials said. The flight from Kolkata to Bengaluru took off from Kolkata at 10.36pm on Friday.
Officials said that all passengers were safe and there were no reports of any injuries.
The flight from Kolkata to Bengaluru, with 161 passengers and 13 crew members, had taken off from Kolkata at 10.36pm on Friday.
An emergency was declared at 10.39 pm. The left engine had failed. No fire or spark was reported, said an official.
I was on the flight and there was a loud boom some five minutes into being airborne. The plane started turning north within a minute or so of the sound. We landed back at Netaji (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport) without incident. Kudos to the pilots and the crew for keeping us safe and not allowing panic to set in, Gourab Dey, a passenger wrote on social media.
Officials at NSCBI airport said that a full emergency was declared and both runways were cleared for the flight to land. Fire tenders and ambulances were deployed to tackle any eventuality.
The flight landed safely at 10.53pm. The passengers and crew were evacuated. The aircraft was inspected. Emergency was withdrawn at 11.08 pm, said an official.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar humorously reflected on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent 10-hour train journey to Ukraine, saying he could have done that with a Vande Bharat. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.(DrSJaishankar - X)
Responding to a question at the ET World Leaders Forum about PM Modi's train ride, Jaishankar quipped, I could have done with a Vande Bharat.
He added, It was 10 hours each way, and I think, given the situation, obviously, you got what you got, but 10 hours is 10 hours.
When asked about the last time an Indian prime minister took a train ride, Jaishankar recalled Modi's ride on Japan's Shinkansen bullet train, pointing to the rarity of such events.
"I remember Prime Minister Narendra Modi going on a Shinkansen bullet train in Japan, I often cannot remember any other train ride at least for a long time," the minister said.
Also Read | Vande Bharat Express sleeper coaches to get dispatched from Bengaluru's BEML, expected to be launched by December
The Vande Bharat Express is a high-speed train service in India, developed as part of the government's efforts to modernise the country's rail infrastructure. It is a fully air-conditioned, semi-high-speed train that can reach speeds of up to 180 km/h, though it typically operates at around 130-160 km/h (81-99 mph) on most routes due to track conditions. The first Vande Bharat Express was launched on February 15, 2019, on the New Delhi-Varanasi route. Since then, several more routes have been introduced, connecting major cities across India.
Modi visited Ukraine last week, becoming the first Indian premier to do so since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992. The visit was seen as part of India's delicate balancing act amid the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, especially after Modi's recent visit to Russia for a summit with President Vladimir Putin.
Also Read | PM Modi, Joe Biden discuss Ukraine conflict, Bangladesh unrest
Modi's journey to Ukraine
Prime Minister Modi's journey to Kyiv involved a 10-hour train ride from Poland amid the challenges of travelling in a war-torn region.
Upon his arrival, Modi was warmly received by members of the Indian community and held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.
The prime minister's visit included a poignant stop at the National Museum of History in Kyiv, where he paid tribute to children who have lost their lives in the conflict.
Zelenskyy warmly hugged and shook hands with Modi at the exposition.
Amid widespread speculation about Indias role in peace efforts, Modi said he came with a message of peace from 1.4 billion Indians and the countries of the Global South, and a solution can only emerge through talks between Russia and Ukraine. He also conveyed Indias support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The path to a solution emerges from dialogue and diplomacy and, without wasting time, we should move in that direction. The two sides should sit together and search for ways to get out of this hour of crisis, Modi said in televised opening remarks at his meeting with Zelenskyy.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was on Saturday hit by two exits of two more leaders in the Jammu and Kashmir unit ahead of the assembly elections. Two BJP leaders have quit party over ticket distribution for J&K assembly elections.(HT_PRINT)
Kashmir Singh, the BJP's Samba district president, resigned from the party's primary membership. Opposing the candidature of former J&K minister Surjit Singh Slathia who switched over from Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference to the BJP, Singh said,"With a heavy heart, I am submitting my resignation from the primary membership of the party for which I have worked for 42 long years. I was compelled by the circumstances after the party gave ticket to a person who had come from the National Conference (NC) and vociferously opposed our ideology for decades."
ALSO READ: Denied ticket, J&K BJP veteran Chander Mohan Sharma quits
Slathia, who served as a minister in the Congress-NC coalition government headed by Omar Abdullah, joined the BJP in 2021.
Kashmir Singh, recalling his contributions to the BJP, further told PTI,"We strengthened the BJP in Samba and made numerous sacrifices to carry forward the ideology of Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee and the BJP. We held demonstrations and organised strikes for the revocation of Article 370 and the ticket was given to the one who was always against our ideology and the revocation of Article 370. This is not justice with ordinary workers."
ALSO READ: BJPs damage control exercise in J&K after workers protest ticket allotment
In his resignation letter to J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina, Singh said he will withdraw his resignation if the party replaces Slathia with a senior BJP member.
Otherwise, I am going to take forward this struggle and file my nomination papers as an independent candidate against him," he added.
ALSO READ: Ravinder Raina rushes to Katra after revolt rattles BJPs J&K unit
BJYM youth leader quits party
Another BJP leader Kanav Sharma also resigned in protest against the party fielding Yudhvir Sethi from Jammu East.
Sharma, the Jammu district chief of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, said,Sethi is well known for his corrupt practices when his wife Priya Sethi was education minister I hereby tender my resignation along with my team members and my team is dissolved with immediate effect."
The assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the first in 10 years, will be held on September 18, 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 4.
(With PTI inputs)
The Karnataka high court on Friday adjourned the hearing on former chief minister BS Yediyurappas plea to quash a case against him for the alleged sexual harassment of a minor to September 5. Pocso case was registered against Yediyurappa on March 3 at the Sadashivanagar police station in Bengaluru on charges of sexual harassment of a minor (PTI)
Justice M Naga Prasanna postponed the hearing after senior public prosecutor Ashok Naik, representing the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), sought time to submit documents in the case.
The single judge bench of justice Naga Prasanna has also continued its interim order of June 14, directing the police not to initiate any action against Yediyurappa. The court had restrained the CID police from arresting Yediyurappa, who had been issued a non-bailable warrant.
A protection of children from sexual offences (Pocso) Act case was registered against Yediyurappa on March 3 at the Sadashivanagar police station in Bengaluru on charges of sexual harassment of a minor. The mother of the minor had filed the complaint, stating Yediyurappa had sexually assaulted her daughter, when they had gone to seek help at his residence in February.
Considering the seriousness of the case, the government had transferred it to CID. Officials had issued a notice on June 12 to Yediyurappa and asked him to attend the hearing.
The former CM had filed two separate petitions in the HC for anticipatory bail and to quash the case. During the hearing on Friday, senior counsel CV Nagesh, representing Yediyurappa, submitted to the court that everyday one or the other ministers of the Congress government were issuing statements about sending the former chief minister to jail. They claim that they will get the interim stay vacated and get him arrested.
Nagesh said the ministers were making statements that Yediyurappa should surrender before the police in the case and that he will be sent to jail. I challenge the other party to place the arguments now. If it is in the fate of my client to go to prison, let him land in prison, he submitted. Replying to it, Naik said: We are ready for arguments in the case.
Veteran Malayalam actor Mohanlal on Saturday spoke out on the ongoing sexual abuse allegations that have rocked the Malayalam film industry, saying any wrongdoers should be punished if there is concrete evidence against them. Malayalam star Mohanlal says wrongdoers should be punished if there is evidence against them. (Facebook | Mohanlal)
Mohanlal also lauded the Kerala government's decision to release the Justice Hema Committee report, which has brought to light numerous accounts of sexual harassment and abuse within the industry.
"Releasing the Hema Committee report was a good decision by the government," he said.
Mohanlal asserted that he's neither a part of any power group in the Malayalam film industry nor aware of the existence of any such group.
Also Read | '#MeToo is a fad': An old video of Mohanlal dismissing the #MeToo movement resurfaces after his AMMA resignation
The Hema Committee report, which was made public last week, has sparked widespread protests in Kerala, with female actors coming forward with harrowing stories of abuse by well-known figures in the industry. The report, which had been kept under wraps for five years, has exposed the persistent sexual harassment faced by women in Malayalam cinema, leading to a public outcry and demands for accountability.
In the wake of the report's release, Mohanlal and other office-bearers of AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) resigned en masse, taking moral responsibility for the allegations and the association's failure to adequately address the issue.
He said Malayalam cinema is a huge industry where thousands of people work and the actors's association AMMA could not address issues that cropped up there.
"Wrongdoers should be punished if there is evidence against them," the "Kireedam" actor said.
Also Read | What after the Hema panel report? Answer lies with us
It was for the first time that Mohanlal, former president of AMMA, was addressing the media following the release of the expert panel report.
The Justice Hema Committee was established in 2019 following the high-profile 2017 actress assault case involving actor Dileep. The report highlights the widespread nature of sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry, with several women revealing that they were subjected to unwanted advances, intimidation, and threats while working on film sets.
With PTI inputs
Kolkata doctor's rape-murder: Sanjay Roy, the main accused in the Kolkata doctor rape-murder case wh is currently detained at Presidency correctional home, has reportedly shown dissatisfaction with the meals provided in the prison. Sanjay Roy accused in Kolkata rape-murder case
Upset with the basic roti-sabzi meal, Sanjay Roy demanded to be served egg chowmein instead, News18 reported citing unnamed sourced.
HT could not independently verify the news.
As per prison regulations, all inmates must eat the same food that is prepared for everyone, so his request was denied.
The sources from the prison told news portal that that Sanjay Roy became agitated when served the standard roti and vegetables, but after being reprimanded by the jail staff, he eventually agreed to eat the meal.
Earlier, upon his transfer from CBI custody to the correctional home, Sanjay Roy had requested extra time to sleep and was noted to be muttering to himself. However, after a few days, he seemed to return to his normal state, News18 added.
So far, the investigation into the rape-murder of the Kolkata doctor has resulted in only one arrest, that of Kolkata Police civic volunteer Sanjoy Roy, who currently remains in judicial custody.
RG Kar hospital rape-murder: CBI continues to quiz Sandip Ghosh
On Friday, tbe Central Bureau Investigation summoned former principal of RG Kar Medical College Sandip Ghosh for the 14th consecutive day for questioning in connection with its probe into the case.
Sandip Ghosh, officials said, has already been quizzed by the agency for over 140 hours, news agency PTI reported.
Besides the gruesome crime, Sandip Ghosh is also under the agencys lens in the financial misconduct case at the hospital in which the sleuths have already registered an FIR against him and other entities.
Agency officials also searched and questioned the former principal at his residence last Sunday.
Sandip Ghosh was seen walking inside the CGO Complex in Salt Lake, which houses the agencys eastern regional headquarters, at around 10.45am.
On Thursday, multiple CBI teams visited the state-run RG Kar hospital as part of its ongoing investigations.
(With inputs from agencies)
Aug 31, 2024 10:26 PM IST
Kolkata rape-murder case live updates: Two security guards were arrested on Saturday for allegedly assaulting doctors and other staff members at a hospital in the Cossipore area of the city, police said. Officials indicated that the guards were likely intoxicated at the time of the incident.
"The matter is under investigation. We arrested the guards after receiving a complaint from the hospital authorities," said an officer from Cossipore Police Station.
A senior hospital official also alleged that the guards had threatened him with severe consequences.
New Delhi: The leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will visit the United States from September 8-10 during which he will engage with the Indian diaspora, academic communities, and business leaders in Dallas and Washington DC, said the Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress (IOC), Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda, in a video message on Saturday. Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi (File Photo)
Since Rahul Gandhi has become the leader of the opposition, I, as chairman of the Indian overseas Congress with presence in 32 countries, have been bombarded with requests from the Indian diaspora, diplomats, academicians, businessmen, leaders, international media, and many others for interactions with Mr Rahul Gandhi, Pitroda said.
He added that Gandhis visit to the US will be brief but significant, with stops in Dallas on September 8 and Washington DC on September 9 and 10.
In Dallas, Gandhi is scheduled to engage with students and academics at the University of Texas. He will later participate in a large community gathering, where he will meet with technocrats and local leaders at a dinner event.
The following day, Gandhi will engage in similar interactions with a diverse group, including think tanks and members of the National Press Club.
According to Pitroda, several events are planned with various stakeholders, reflecting the growing interest among people in states governed by the Congress, particularly Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and hopefully Maharashtra, as well as Gurugram.
We see great interest in conversations from the business and tech communities. We look forward to a very successful visit and welcoming Rahul Gandhi to the US, Pitroda said.
We look forward to a very successful visit, he added.
The arrest of a 37-year-old man in Magadi for the murder of a 22-year-old woman has revealed that he had murdered his wife, who was initially reported to be missing, five years ago, a police officer said. On May 26, 2019, Kirans wife was reported to have gone missing. He had allegedly told the womans family that their daughter had eloped (File photo)
Magadi police inspector K Giriraj said that the accused, identified as Kiran Kumar, a resident of Hujugal village in Magadi taluk in Ramanagara district, was arrested on Monday for being one of the accused of the murder of Divya, wife of one of the accused Umesh, on August 12. She was allegedly killed by Kiran, Shashank, Rohit, Umesh and Bharat. While the other accused were soon arrested but Kiran remained absconding, Giriraj said.
He further said that during interrogation, Kiran admitted to have also murdered his wife, Pooja, five years ago. On May 26, 2019, Kirans wife was reported to have gone missing. He had allegedly told the womans family that their daughter had eloped. Meanwhile, Kiran had buried Poojas body in the Hoojal forest area of Magadi, he said.
He further said: After watching a movie Drushyam, Kiran became paranoid about being caught if Poojas body remained buried. Two years after the murder, he exhumed her remains and incinerated them over a period of two days, in an attempt to destroy all evidence.
Her missing report was filed by her mother Lakshmamma on August 26 after Kirans confession.
After his confession, the Magadi police launched an investigation into the whereabouts of Poojas remains. They recovered bones and teeth from the site in the Hoojal forest. They were then sent to a forensic laboratory for analysis. Magadi Tahsildar DP Sarathkumar was also present during the recovery operation, Giriraj said.
Kiran has been booked under BNS 103 (murder) for the murder of two women and was sent him to judicial custody, he added.
News / National
by Staff reporter
Zimbabwe's central bank said it's "strategically intervening" in the foreign-exchange market to meet demand for dollars among lenders amid a slump in the nation's bullion-backed currency.The intervention is being done using 50% of the foreign-exchange proceeds that the central bank collects from exporters, Governor John Mushayavanhu said, without disclosing the amount. The Reserve Bank will continue to participate in the foreign exchange market "to ensure operational flexibility within the supply and demand dynamics," he said Friday in an emailed statement of the mid-term monetary policy.In July, the central bank put $50 million in the foreign-exchange market to help meet a surge in demand for dollars and support its gold-backed unit, the ZiG, adopted in early April.The ZiG, short for Zimbabwe Gold, is the nation's sixth attempt at having a functioning local currency in 15 years. It is backed by gold, precious minerals and cash reserves. The ZiG weakened to 13.85 per dollar Friday its lowest-level since launch.
A man was arrested for alleged sexual misconduct with a student from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Tamil Nadus Trichy in the hostel, a police officer said on Friday. A man was arrested for alleged sexual misconduct with a student from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Tamil Nadus Trichy in the hostel (File photo)
The incident has led to a massive protest on campus with hundreds of students gathering overnight on August 29 to protest over the institutes alleged apathy over the crime.
The accused has been arrested and sent to judicial remand, said superintendent of police Varun Kumar who met the protesting students on Friday morning. When the student was alone, he sexually harassed her The protesting students have raised some complaints against the institution.
The accused has been identified as G Kathiresan. He has been booked under sections 332(3) and 75(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and under section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Women Harassment Act, he said.
Also Read | Hidden cam found in girls hostel washroom in Andhra college; CM orders probe
The incident allegedly took place on Thursday at around 11:30 pm. After the incident, the survivor at first informed the hostel warden who reportedly shamed her then she informed her father who filed a complaint with the police. Meanwhile, the NIT management campus informed the local inspector, police said.
A student requesting anonymity said that as soon as the victim had complained to the warden, she was shamed and they didnt take any action.
The warden criticised her clothes, blamed her for the incident, the student said. The institute should apologise and not shame the victim. They must support whoever is complaining.
A senior police officer said: The warden asked her about her clothes which upset the victim. Despite security and the warden being there, the students are questioning how the accused was able to enter the hostel.
The institute has agreed to look into these issues. There has been a lapse in the security agency. We have instructed the institute to take action against them too, the officer said.
The warden has apologised to the students, the institute said in a statement. The administration is distressed at the gross sexual misconduct of an outsourced worker in the Opal womens hostel, the institute said.
It further stated: The matter, which brought the students out in protest, is viewed with utmost sensitivity and concern. Following the incident, the administration of NIT have drawn out more stringent measures to ensure the safety of all students on campus, particularly, the safety of its girl students.
The security officer has been instructed to be more vigilant so as to prevent such eventualities. The NIT administration emphasised that all measures will be put in place to prevent any recurrence of such incidents in the future, the statement added.
The Meghalaya government on Saturday formally handed over the body of Bangladeshi politician Ishaque Ali Khan Panna to his relatives at the Dawki-Tamabil international border with Bangladesh. Pannas decomposed body was found on August 26, 2024, from a betel nut plantation in the Dona Bhoi area of East Jaintia Hills District, approximately 1.5 kilometers from the Indo-Bangladesh border. His identity was confirmed through a Bangladesh passport found from his body. The body of Bangladeshi politician Ishaque Ali Khan Panna was officially transferred to his kin in the presence of officers and personnel from both sides of the border on Saturday. (HT Photo)
Following standard procedures, an inquest and post-mortem were conducted at Khliehriat Civil Hospital. The body was then handed over to two representatives of the Bangladesh High Commission and Pannas family members by the East Jaintia Hills District administration, led by Additional Deputy Commissioner Jacqueline U. Kharpuri. The handover process, which began at 5am, faced delays as some of Pannas relatives sought further clarification on the post-mortem report.
After addressing their concerns and requests, the body was officially transferred to Pannas kin around noon, in the presence of officers and personnel from both sides of the border. On the Indian side, representatives from the West Jaintia Hills District administration, the Border Security Force, and Meghalaya Police were present, while on the Bangladeshi side, officials from the Border Guard Bangladesh and Bangladesh Police attended the handover.
It is noteworthy that while the Dawki-Tamabil international border with Bangladesh falls under West Jaintia Hills District, the body was found in the Dona Bhoi area of East Jaintia Hills District. As a result, the entire process involved coordination between two districts of the state. Panna, who had been evading capture following the fall of the Awami League government, reportedly died while attempting to flee to India. Preliminary reports suggest that he suffered a cardiac arrest while trying to cross the Indo-Bangladesh border near Meghalaya. However, conflicting reports suggest he may have been involved in a shooting incident with the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), leaving questions about the exact circumstances of his death.
On the same day, another body was found near the residence of Saddam, son of Raffikul Islam, in Donachera village, Kanaighat, Sylhet District, about 400 meters from the border. Saddam is under investigation for his alleged role in an illegal border crossing involving retired Bangladesh Supreme Court judge AHM Shamsuddin Chaudhary Manik, who was reportedly carrying 40-50 lakh Bangladeshi Taka. There are suspicions that Saddam may have betrayed the judge, raising questions about his potential connection to Pannas death.
Authorities are actively investigating the links between Saddam, the deceased body, and the judges attempted border crossing.
Senior officials from the Border Security Force (BSF) Meghalaya Frontier said there had been no incursion into Indian Territory. We received reports of a body on the Bangladesh side but have not ventured into the neighboring country. We remain committed to securing our nations border, a senior BSF official said.
Cyclone Asna, which originated as a depression over Gujarat, formed over the Arabian Sea on Friday, marking only the fourth such occurrence in August since 1891. Kutch: A flooded area at Kothara village in Kutch district, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024. The India Metrological Department (IMD) has warned that a deep depression over the Kutch region might turn into a cyclonic storm. (PTI Photo)(PTI08_30_2024_000229B) (PTI)
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday that the deep depression over the Kutch coast and adjoining areas of Pakistan and Northeast Arabian Sea intensified into a cyclonic storm and was centred about 190 kilometres west-northwest of Bhuj (Gujarat), 100 kilometres west-northwest of Naliya (Gujarat), and 170 kilometres southeast of Karachi (Pakistan) at 11.30am.
While the cyclone is unlikely to unleash the sort of destruction caused by a recent low-pressure system that turbocharged the monsoon rains in Gujarat over the last week, Asna is rare and scientifically intriguing, meteorologists said.
Also Read | Gujarat floods: IMD warns of cyclone; several towns, villages remain inundated
Unlike typical cyclones that form over warm ocean waters, Asna developed over land in Rajasthan, moved through North Gujarat, and then intensified upon reaching the Arabian Sea.
Ashok Kumar Das, scientist and head of the IMD Met Centre in Ahmedabad, highlighted the rarity of this event: This is a rare occurrence. The last time something similar happened was in 1976, when a depression formed on land, transitioned into a cyclone, and then moved out to sea. Usually, its the other way around.
Asna is further slated to intensify as it heads west, towards Oman. The Arabian Seas current temperature of 27-28C is just above the 26.5C threshold typically required for cyclone formation. When it enters the Gulf of Aden, it will encounter very warm waters at over 32C. The temperature gradient between the colder west-central Arabian Sea and the warmer surrounding waters could influence the cyclones trajectory and strength.
Also Read | More rain likely in Gujarat, IMD predicts cyclonic storm Asna
According to IMD data, only on three occasions (1976, 1964 and 1944) have cyclones originated over mainland India in August and gathered strength as they entered the Arabian Sea. In 1976, the storm formed over Odisha, moved west-northwestwards across the plains, emerged into the Arabian Sea, made a loop, and weakened over the northwest Arabian Sea near the Oman coast.
In 1944, a cyclone similarly intensified and emerged into the Arabian Sea before weakening over the waters. In 1964, a short-lived cyclone developed near the South Gujarat coast and weakened near the coast.
In contrast, the Bay of Bengal has recorded 28 such systems in August over the past 132 years, according to the IMD.
Current environmental conditions indicate sea surface temperatures of 28-30 degrees Celsius over the Bay of Bengal and around 27-28 degrees Celsius over the Arabian Sea.
Speaking about why this activity is unusual, M Rajeevan, former secretary, ministry of earth sciences and climate scientist, said that one of the reasons could be because the Indian Ocean remaining warm. In monsoon, depressions do not intensify to cyclone. Over Arabian Sea, wind shear should be high during this season which is also not suitable for intensification. That is why I am surprised, said Rajeevan.
According to Rajeevan, normal temperatures over Arabian Sea during this season are expected to be 25 to 26 degree C.
Recent studies show that cyclones are becoming more frequent on the western coast due to climate crisis and the warming of the Arabian Sea, with states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan facing increasingly intense storms. According to a CEEW study, over 41% of districts in the western zone are now cyclone hot spots. Gujarat can significantly enhance safety during cyclones by channelling funds into constructing robust structures. Prioritising early response through well-prepared shelters will strengthen our resilience, reducing potential loss of life and property, said Vishwas Chitale, Senior Programme Lead, CEEW
Meanwhile, a well-marked low-pressure area over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh and South Odisha is expected to intensify into a depression within the next 36 hours. This system is likely to bring very heavy rainfall to Odisha, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, and Telangana over the next 2-3 days.
The formation of Cyclone Asna follows a period of severe weather that has already battered parts of Gujarat. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel visited the rain-affected Devbhumi Dwarka district on Wednesday to oversee ongoing relief efforts. Khambhaliya, one of the worst-hit areas, recorded an extraordinary 944 mm of rainfall over five days, causing widespread disruption and displacement.
Rescue operations have been in full swing, with the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Army working tirelessly to save lives both at sea and on land.
On Thursday morning, an ALH helicopter of the Indian Coast Guard rescued four crew members from the fishing boat Dostana, which was stranded 30 km southwest of Dwarka in precarious conditions.
The Coast Guard also conducted multiple helicopter operations, evacuating 24 people, including five women and two children, from the flood-stricken villages of Dumthar, Thepada, and Kutiyana. Many of those rescued were stranded on rooftops or clinging to pillars for safety. Between 28 and 29 August 2024, the Coast Guard successfully evacuated a total of 57 stranded individuals and 17 fishermen.
The Army mobilised eight columns, equipped with engineering resources and medical expertise, to provide critical assistance and disaster relief in Vadodara, Jamnagar, Dwarka, Rajkot, Morbi, and Bhuj. In one notable incident, the Indian Army rescued eight people, including six children, who were trapped for four days in a village in Jodiya, Jamnagar district.
Vadodara has been especially hard-hit by the monsoon, with the rapid rise of the Vishwamitri River leading to severe flooding. The Indian Army on Thursday rescued over 200 people from flood-affected areas in the city, relocating them to safer locations.
As of Thursday, 130 people had been rescued in Devbhumi Dwarka district, and 1,596 individuals had been relocated to safer areas. Over 12,000 food packets have been distributed to those displaced by the flooding.
In the last 24 hours ending at 4pm on Friday, Kutch recorded the highest rainfall at 112.50mm. Mandvi in Kutch emerged as the wettest location, recording 388mm of rainfall.
The state has received a total of 980.37mm of rainfall so far this year, which is 111.03% of the average annual rainfall. At least 35 people have died so far in rain-related incidents across the state since August 25.
Mumbai, A woman witness in the Patra chawl redevelopment project case, wherein Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut is one of the accused, has written to the Enforcement Directorate alleging that she was receiving threats to change her statements given during investigations. Patra chawl case witness alleges threat to withdraw her statements against Sanjay Raut
She posted a letter written on August 28 to Amit Dua, additional director , ED, on X.
"I have mentioned my plight to all the authorities in the country. No action was taken. No investigation done. No FIR, why? There will not be any point in giving justice after I am dead" , she claimed.
Reacting to the letter, a Shiv Sena leader said the matter will be raised with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the commissioner of police, Mumbai.
Raut was arrested by the ED in a money laundering case related to the Patra Chawl redevelopment project on August 1, 2022. He was released on bail on November 9, 2022.
The special court, while granting him bail, questioned why the ED did not arrest the main accused, Rakesh and Sarang Wadhawan of realty firm HDIL.
In the detailed order, the court said Sanjay Raut's arrest was illegal and a "witch-hunt. The reason the agency did not arrest concerned officials of MHADA and other government departments was "nothing, but conveying a message to then Union agriculture minister and then chief minister, creating a fear psyche in their mind that they are the next in this queue," the judge had said without naming the politicians in question.
Notably, the woman witness had last year complained to the Mumbai Police claiming that she had received a threatening letter pressuring her not to raise her voice in court.
"I would like to bring it to your notice that the accused in the referred case and his touts/goons are constantly indulging in witness threatening/tampering with me and maybe with others as well. I am continuously being threatened and being pressured to change my statements given during the investigations.
"I am also being pressurised for the title of some lands and properties in the name of Sanjay Raut and his family members," she stated and requested the ED official to investigate the matter expeditiously.
Manisha Kayande, who belongs to Sena led by Shinde, said the party extends its support to the witness.
"It is our responsibility to stand firmly behind her. The reasons why Sanjay Raut has not been summoned must come out. Even Uddhav Thackeray has not uttered a single word about this issue. It is Thackeray who politicises attacks on women and calls himself a civilised and cultured politician, which doesn't suit him," Kayande said on Saturday.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday underlined the need for swift justice in cases involving crimes against women and said that it will give them greater assurance of their safety. His remarks came as India is witnessing an outrage over the alleged murder and rape of a 31-year-old woman trainee doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and the sexual assault on two kindergarten girls in Thane. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a gathering during the inauguration of the National Conference of District Judiciary in New Delhi on Saturday.(PTI)
Today, atrocities against women, safety of children are serious concerns of the society. The faster justice is delivered in cases of atrocities against women, the greater assurance half of the population will have about their safety, Modi said while addressing the inaugural session of a national conference of the district judiciary in the presence of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud.
Modi said there were several stringent laws to deal with crimes against women and there was a need to ensure better coordination among the criminal justice system to ensure swift justice.
His remarks came after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday wrote to Modi, reiterating her request for stringent central legislation and exemplary punishment on heinous crimes like rape and murder.
In his address, Modi said, In the Amritkaal of Independence, 140 crore countrymen have only one dream - Developed India, New India. New India, that is - a modern India in thinking and determination. Our judiciary is a strong pillar of this vision.
The prime minister said that significant efforts had been made to eliminate delays in justice.
"In the past decade, significant efforts have been made at various levels to eliminate delays in justice. In the last 10 years, the country has spent an amount worth around Rs8,000 crore on the development of judicial infrastructure. Interestingly, 75% of the total amount spent on judicial infrastructure in the last 25 years has been spent in just the last 10 years alone," the PM said.
"We have got new Indian judicial law in the form of Indian Judicial Code. The spirit of these laws is - 'Citizen First, Dignity First and Justice First'. Our criminal laws are free from the colonial mindset of rulers and slaves," he added.
PM Narendra Modi also said the judiciary is considered a guardian of the Constitution, and that the Supreme Court and the judiciary have lived up to the responsibility.
Modi also said the people of India have never shown any distrust of the Supreme Court or the judiciary.
Describing the imposition of the Emergency as a "dark" period, the prime minister said the judiciary played a key role in upholding fundamental rights.
On matters of national security, Modi said, the judiciary has protected national integrity by keeping national interests paramount.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday slammed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav's Chinese version of Yogi Adityanath barb at Assam chief minister, after the state assembly scrapped the two-hour namaz break.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has hit out at Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing him of seeking cheap popularity by targeting Muslims.
Tejashwi Yadav said that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is the 'Chinese version'. just because he was born in Assam.. Has Sam Pitroda's spirit entered Tejashwi Yadav?... It is the character of the INDI alliance to not respect the Constitution and insult every person, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla told ANI.
Rahul Gandhi had started his Bharat Jodo Yatra Part 2 from the Northeast itself. He (Rahul Gandhi) should tell whether if this is a statement to unite India?... On this, Rahul Gandhi and Gaurav Gogoi should say when will they (Congress) break ties with RJD? the BJP leader added.
ALSO READ: Assam CM warns of 'dangerous trend' against indigenous Hindu MLAs in Assembly
The Assam assembly scrapped a two-hour break on Friday that allowed Muslim lawmakers to offer namaz (prayers). Reacting to the move, the former Bihar deputy chief minister said,"In an attempt to gain cheap popularity and become the "Chinese version of Yogi", the chief minister of Assam deliberately keeps doing acts that harass Muslims."
The proposal to do away with this provision in the Rules of Procedures of the assembly was placed before the Assam assembly's Rules Committee, headed by the Speaker, which unanimously agreed to drop the practice.
What Sarma said on assembly scrapping Namaz break?
Defending the assembly's decision, Himanta Biswa Sarma had said that the decision to do away with the two-hour Jumma break was a decision of all the Hindu and Muslim MLAs in the House.
He further said that when the assembly speaker announced the decision, none out of 25 Muslim MLAs raised any protest.
The chief minister said that the decision was being criticised only outside Assam, while the state legislators showed their commitment for working towards the development of the country.
(With agency inputs)
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday commended the Union government for its significant efforts in tiger conservation, noting a steady growth rate of 6% and an increase in the tiger population to 3,682 in 2022. This makes India home to approximately 75% of the worlds tiger population. (Representative Photo)
We have seen your (Centres) report. Good work has been done, a bench comprising justices Sanjiv Khanna and PV Sanjay Kumar said after reviewing the data and measures implemented by the government and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
The bench was hearing a petition filed by advocate Anupam Tripathi in 2017, which sought action to protect endangered tigers whose numbers had been declining across the country.
During the proceedings, additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati, representing the Centre and NTCA, presented statistics highlighting the success of the governments conservation efforts. She informed the court that substantial work had been undertaken to increase the tiger population.
This positive development marks a significant improvement over the last decade, with the number of tigers rising from 2,226 in 2014 to 3,682 in 2022. Satisfied with the progress, the court decided to close the public interest litigation (PIL) proceedings.
According to the governments latest status report, regions like Central India, the Shivalik Hills, and the Gangetic plains saw notable increases in tiger populations, particularly in Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Maharashtra. However, some areas, such as the Western Ghats, experienced localized declines.
Indias tiger population is primarily concentrated in 53 dedicated tiger reserves, covering 75,796 square kilometers or 2.3% of the countrys total land area. The reserves with the highest tiger numbers include Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand, which reported 260 tigers, followed by Bandipur (150) and Nagarhole (141) in Karnataka.
The estimated figure of 3,682 tigers is an average, with the population likely ranging between 3,167 and 3,925. These estimates are based on the number of unique tigers captured on camera, along with an extrapolation of tigers that may not have been photographed.
In its latest status report before the court, the government also presented data on tiger deaths, informing the bench that as of April 12 this year, India had lost 47 tigers, with 17 deaths in Madhya Pradesh, 11 in Maharashtra, and 6 in Karnataka. In 2023, 181 tigers died, with Maharashtra recording the highest number of deaths at 45, followed by Madhya Pradesh (43) and Uttarakhand (21).
While the 2024 tiger deaths are still under investigation, the status report revealed that 115 of the 181 deaths in 2023 are also under scrutiny. The report noted that 44 tigers died of natural causes in 2023, 9 were victims of poaching, and 7 died due to unnatural reasons not related to poaching, while 6 deaths were due to seizures.
The top court in 2017 had issued notice to the Union ministry of environment, the National Board for Wildlife and the NTCA on Tripathis plea, which had also sought relocation of people living near tiger reserves. The petition added tigers were being killed either by poisoning by locals or the authorities, shooting by forest guards or by poaching.
A key three-day conclave of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the Centre's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), began in Kerala's Palakkad on Saturday. Screengrab of a visual from day 1 of the three-day meet (PTI)
According to senior RSS office-bearer Sunil Ambekar, the 2024 Akhil Bharatiya Samanvay Baithak is a meeting of the multiple RSS-linked organisations, and not an executive meeting of the Sangh.
Here's all you need to know:
(1.) RSS will launch five initiatives for social reformation and nation building ahead of its 100th anniversary, due in September 2025.
(2.) These are Samajik Samrasta, Kutumb Prabodhan', Paryavaran Sanrakshan', Swadeshi' and Nagrik Kartavya.
(3.) Bangladesh, where Sheikh Hasina was ousted as prime minister on August 5 and the subsequent attacks on minorities, including Hindus, will also be discussed.
(4.) Another press conference will be held after the meeting concludes on Monday, Ambekar added.
(5.) As many as 32 RSS-linked organisations, represented by 320 karyakartas are participating in the event.
(6.) RSS sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat and six joint general secretaries will also attend the seminar.
(7.) The meeting comes amid reports of a rift between the RSS and BJP. In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the saffron party won 240 seats, down from 282 in 2014 and 303 in 2019, largely due to this alleged rift.
(8.) Though it failed to secure a third successive majority, the BJP formed government with its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
(9.) In Uttar Pradesh, which sends the highest 80 members to the 543-seat Lok Sabha and where the BJP has been in power since March 2017, its tally slipped to 33, behind local rival Samajwadi Party (37).
(10.) The party had won 71 and 62 seats in 2014 and 2019, respectively, in Uttar Pradesh.
(With PTI inputs)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged the Indian judiciary to accelerate the resolution of cases involving crimes against women, stressing that swift justice would significantly enhance the sense of security for women and girls, who make up half of the countrys population. CJI DY Chandrachud and Prime Minister Narendra Modi interact during the inaugural event of the National Conference of District Judiciary, at Bharat Mandapam, Delhi, on Saturday. (ANI)
Inaugurating the National Conference of the District Judiciary, organised by the Supreme Court of India, Modi termed the issue of atrocities against women and safety of children a burning issue and a matter of serious concern for society. He emphasised: In cases of atrocities against women, as quickly the decisions come, half the population in the country will have greater assurance of their safety.
The PM pointed out that many stringent laws have been made for the safety of women, including in 2019 when the government planned for establishing fast-track special courts. Under this, there is a provision for setting up deposition centres for key witnesses. To effectuate this, the role of district monitoring committee is yet again important. This committee comprises the district judge, district magistrate and superintendent of police. In order to have coordination and synergy between different aspects of the criminal justice system, they have an important role to play. We need to make these committees more active, he said.
Modis appeal comes amid a national outrage over the horrific rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor in Kolkata. The incident has sparked a wave of protests across Kolkata, with students and members of the BJP taking to the streets to demand accountability and justice.
Since the brutal incident on August 9, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has penned two letters to PM Modi, urging the introduction of more stringent central laws to combat sexual assault. The political tension between the state and the Centre intensified, with Union women and child development minister Annapurna Devi responding to Banerjee just a day ago, berating the state government for attempting to cover up delays in the operationalisation of fast-track special courts in the state and the alleged failure of the state in implementing the stringent legal regime.
On Saturday, Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and his two successor CJIs, justices Sanjiv Khanna and Bhushan R Gavai, shared the stage with the PM at the event in the national capital. Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, attorney general R Venkataramani, Supreme Court Bar Association president Kapil Sibal and Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra were also present at the dias.
Referring to the implementation of three new criminal laws to replace the colonial era legislation, PM Modi highlighted the stricter provisions under the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (the BNS, which has replaced the Indian Penal Code), for crimes against women and children.
The spirit of these laws is Citizen First, Dignity First and Justice First. With the implementation of these laws, Indias criminal laws have been freed from the colonial mindset of rulers and slaves, said Modi, as he underlined the crucial role of policies and laws along with infrastructural and technological advancements in the transformational journey of the nation. The PM also gave the example of repealing a colonial-era law like sedition and the provisions of community service for punishment for minor crimes for the first time, stating that the idea behind the BNS to not punish citizens but to protect them.
Imploring the Supreme Court to take necessary steps to train the district judiciary in this new system, Modi expressed confidence that the district judiciary conference will come up with solutions to several issues to fulfil the promise of justice to all, as he noted that people in the country have reposed unwavering faith in the Indian judiciary.
The Supreme Court of Indias journey of 75 years does not merely associate with one institution but is also a journey of Indias Constitution, its values and the journey of India evolving as a democracy...People in India have never shown lack of trust for the Indian judiciary. This is why 75 years of the Supreme Court emboldens Indias glory as the mother of democracy, he stressed.
Noting that the nation has completed 75 years of its independence and is about to celebrate 75 years of the Constitution, Modi said that the occasion is filled with pride and inspiration as he underscored that the judiciary is considered as the protector of the Constitution in our democracy.
It is a huge responsibility. We can say it with a sense of satisfaction that the Supreme Court and our entire judiciary have efficiently discharged their responsibilities. The Judiciary has safeguarded the spirit of justice since Independence. Even during the dark times of Emergency, the judiciary played an important role in protecting the Constitution, said the PM.
Adding that the Supreme Court also protected against the attacks on fundamental rights, Modi asserted that whenever the question of national security arose, the judiciary protected the unity and integrity of India by keeping the national interest paramount.
The PM underscored that a developed and modern India is the shared vision of 140 crore citizens during Azadi ka Amrit Kaal, with the judiciary, particularly the district courts, serving as a foundational pillar. He stressed that modernising district courts is essential since they are the first point of contact for justice for ordinary citizens.
Highlighting the importance of improving the standard of living through better access to justice, PM Modi said that modern infrastructure and technology in district courts are key to achieving this.
Modi also referred to some of the governments efforts over the past decade to modernise the judiciary, emphasising the mission-level work to upgrade court infrastructure. He pointed out that over the past decade, significant efforts have been made to reduce delays in justice, with around 8,000 crore spent on judicial infrastructure, and 75% of the funds spent in the last 25 years being utilized in the past decade alone. This has led to the development of over 7,500 court halls and 11,000 residential units for the district judiciary.
Citing the role of e-Courts in speeding up judicial processes and reducing burdens on all stakeholders, the PM mentioned the approval of the third phase of the e-Courts project in 2023 and Indias progress towards a unified technology platform incorporating AI and optical character recognition. Such advancements, he said, would help analyse and predict case trends, and integrate the work of various departments like police, forensics, and courts, making the justice system future-ready.
Praising the Supreme Court and judiciary for their contributions, the PM also noted the significance of events like the national conference for district judiciary and all India district court judges conference that was held earlier this year in Gujarat.
Modi pointed to the upcoming discussions on managing case backlogs, enhancing human resources, and improving the legal fraternity, and expressed satisfaction that a session on judicial wellness, crucial for promoting health in the work culture, was also planned.
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin during the first leg of his United States trip announced on Friday in San Francisco that he has secured investments worth over 900 crore and creating over 4,000 jobs at Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai and Chengalpattu. Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin during a meeting with business leaders, in San Francisco, US. (PTI)
A total of six MoUs were signed between Tamil Nadu and companies like Nokia, PayPal, Yield Engineering Systems, Microchip, Infinix and Applied Materials at the Tamil Nadu Investment Conclave at San Francisco, US on Thursday evening local time.
The first day in San Francisco has set a promising tone for the days to follow. Secured investments exceeding 900 crores at Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, and Chengalpattu, paving the way for 4,100 new jobs in multiple sectors, Stalin said in a post on X. With two more weeks ahead, we continue to intensify this momentum and attract more investors to Tamil Nadu, propelling our march towards a trillion dollar economy.
Telecommunications major Nokia has pledged to establish its largest fixed network testbed at an investment of 450 crore in Chennai. Nokias new facility which will function as the testbed for the companys technological innovations in 10G, 25G, 50G, and 100G passive optical networks will be set up in an area of three acres at an industrial park in Siruseri run by the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT), an official familiar with the matter said on Friday.
Fintech company PayPal, which already has 2,500 people working in Chennai, signed a MoU for setting up an advanced development centre focussed on AI employing about 1,000 people.
US-based Applied Materials will set up an advanced Artificial Intelligence-enabled technology development centre for manufacturing semiconductor equipment in Chennais Taramani area, generating around 500 jobs. It will be an advanced AI centre for semiconductor manufacturing. Applied Materials already has a small centre in Chennai and this new facility will be in addition to the existing one, an official said.
Microchip Technology will set up a R&D centre in Semiconductor Technology at Chemancherry in Chennai with an investment of 250 crore, generating employment for 1,500 people. Yield Engineering Systems will set up a product development and manufacturing facility for semiconductor equipment in Coimbatore, employing 300 people with an investment of 150 crore.
Infinix Healthcare will also set up a Technology and Global Delivery Centre at ELCOT (Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu) in Madurai with an investment of 50 crore. It will provide employment opportunities to 700 people, the government said in a statement.
National Law University, Jodhpur - Admission to PG Courses : On the basis of CLAT 2024 https://career.webindia123.com/career/dates_and_events/entrance/law/national-law-university-jodhpur-pg-admissions.htm Details of National Law University, Jodhpur - Admission to PG Courses : On the basis of CLAT 2024 2024-7-23 2024-10-15 https://career.webindia123.com/career/images/exams.png India India National Law University, Jodhpur - Admission to PG Courses : On the basis of CLAT 2024 Law
National Law University, Jodhpur Post Graduate Admissions 2024
National Law University, Jodhpur - Admission to PG Courses : On the basis of CLAT 2024 Category : Law Admissions 2024 Published : On July 23, 2024 By Webindia123 Editor
Important Dates
Last date for receipt of completed applications October 15th,2024 Common Law Admission Test December 1st,2024
National Law University (NLU), Jodhpur was established in the year 1999 by an enactment of Rajasthan State Legislature and it became functional in 2001. It is the first institution of its kind where study of Law is coupled with other disciplines such as Science, Management and Policy Sciences. For this purpose, the University has established six Schools of learning, i.e., School of Policy Science, School of Management, School of Science, School of Languages, School of Insurance and School of Law. The purpose is to produce professionals who can operate globally with a strong foundation in their respective areas of specialization.
Post Graduate Program
The University offers Post Graduate Degree Programs in:
LL.M. (Corporate Laws)
(Admission will be through CLAT only. For details visit https://consortiumofnlus.ac.in )
(Admission will be through CLAT only. For details visit https://consortiumofnlus.ac.in ) LL.M. (IPR and Technology Law)
(Admission will be through CLAT only. For details visit https://consortiumofnlus.ac.in )
(Admission will be through CLAT only. For details visit https://consortiumofnlus.ac.in ) M.B.A. (Insurance) (Four Semesters - 2 Years)
Master of Science (Insurance) - (Two Semesters - 1 Year) - For Engineering Graduates only
All the above-mentioned programs are full time residential. Any of these programs shall be offered subject to a minimum number of ten students in each program.
Eligibility for Admission :
An LLB Degree or an equivalent examination with a minimum of 50% marks or its equivalent grade and 45% of marks or its equivalent grade in case of candidates belonging to SC/ST categories. Candidates who have appeared/ are appearing in the final year of qualifying examination may also apply.
Candidate must have Minimum 50% marks in class 10th and 12th and a Bachelor's Degree in any discipline including B.E./B.Tech from a recognised university with at least 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA.
A relaxation of 5% marks for academic qualification shall be given to candidates belonging to reserved categories.
CLAT Eligibility
An Ll.B. Degree or an equivalent examination with a minimum of Fifty percent (50%) marks or its equivalent grade in case of candidates belonging to General/OBC/NRI/PIO/OCI categories and Forty-Five percent (45%) marks or its equivalent grade in case of candidates belonging to SC/ST/PWD categories. Candidates appearing for their qualifying examination in April/May 2025 are also eligible to apply.
There is no upper age limit for appearing for the CLAT 2025. Tie Breaker Rule : In case of equal marks, the break of tie shall be by the following procedure and order as under:
(i) Higher age;
(ii) Computerized draw of lots.
Application Procedure
Application form for CLAT-2025 shall be filled On-line only.
The online application form has to be accessed from the CLAT-2024-25website (https://consortiumofnlus.ac.in).
For more details of CLAT-2024 visit the official website.
More details can be obtained from the institute website.
Contact Details Address : National Law University
NH-62, Nagour Road,
Mandore, Jodhpur - 342304 (Raj.) - INDIA Phone : +91-291-2577530, 2577526 Fax : Mobile : E-mail : Contact Website : https://nlujodhpur.ac.in/
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Trinamool Congress MP Shatrughan Sinha on Saturday defended West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's if Bengal burns remark, which has triggered a massive controversy.
While speaking at a public rally in Kolkata, Banerjee alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was using his chair to cause fire in Bengal.
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 cause fire here. If you burn Bengal, Assam, North-East, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Delhi too shall burn! We will topple your chair, she was quoted as saying.
ALSO READ: Kolkata rape-murder: BJP intensifies attack on Mamata Banerjee, compares her with Kim Jong Un
On her party chief's remarks, Sinha told PTI,"As far as I know my 'Didi' (Mamata Banerjee), what she said was a very mature thing. She meant to say that if they are trying to instigate people over the Kolkata incident which is being heard in Supreme Court and being probed by CBI, the impact of this will not be limited to just West Bengal."
The BJP has been relentlessly attacking the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government over its handling of the Kolkata rape and murder case.
ALSO READ: Didi, how dare you?: Assam CM blasts Mamata Banerjees burn warning to Modi TMC MP Shatrughan Sinha (PTI File Photo)
BJP's West Bengal unit president Sukanta Majumdar on Friday alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's "fire" comment has the potential to foment unrest in the various states.
Don't you (Mamata Banerjee) believe that your comment can stir unrest in neighbouring states? You seem to speak in the voice of certain disruptive forces active in the neighbouring country, PTI quoted Majumdar as saying.
Did not threaten junior doctors: Mamata
Mamata Banerjee, on the other hand, said she did not threaten junior doctors at state-run hospitals.
Let me most emphatically clarify that I have not uttered a single word against the (medical etc.) students or their movements. I totally support their movement. Their movement is genuine. I never threatened them, as some people are accusing me of doing. This allegation is completely false, the TMC chief said in an X post.
(With agency inputs)
Union minister and firebrand BJP leader Giriraj Singh was allegedly attacked on Saturday during a junta darbar in Bihar's Begusarai district. Union Minister Giriraj Singh speaks with the media after an individual attempted an attack on him during a programme in Ballia, in Begusarai district, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. (PTI)
The attacker, identified as Mohammad Sahjadu Zaman alias Saiky, tried to slap the minister while he was walking down the stage during the junta darbar, a public outreach program where citizens can voice their grievances.
When the program concluded, some people including Saiky tried to submit a memorandum but Giriraj allegedly said, I am not your Member of Parliament, according to the people familiar with the matter.
This irked them, who raised slogans against Singh and, in the meantime, Saiky attempted to slap the minister but security personnel caught him and handed him over to the local police.
"One person has been arrested. The Union Minister (Giriraj Singh) had a program in the Ballia subdivision this afternoon, during which a person behaved indecently. The policemen present in the security cordon caught him and further action is underway," Begusarai Superintendent of Police said.
"He was caught behaving indecently and trying to break the security cordon... He is a resident of Ballia and is said to be a ward councillor," he added.
Singh said the attacker who has since been taken into custody stormed the event, grabbed the microphone, and shouted slogans against the minister, including "murdabad" (down with).
According to Singh, the mans actions appeared to be an attempt to assault him.
Also Read | Giriraj Singh : A dive into his rise to power in politics
In junta darbar, a person forcefully took the mic and spoke something. It appeared that he wanted to attack me. He also raised murdabad slogans, the BJP leader said.
He claimed that political leaders like Tejashwi Yadav of the rival Rashtriya Janata Dal and Akhilesh Yadav of Samajwadi Party might support the attacker because of his appearance.
Unfortunately, just because he (the attacker) had a beard, today Tejashwi Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav will support him. However, I am not afraid of such things and I will raise my voice against anyone trying to break communal harmony in Ballia, Begusarai and other nearby areas, Singh said.
Giriraj Singh on namaz break row
Giriraj Singh also welcomed the recent decision by the Assam Legislative Assembly to abolish the "Friday namaz break," a policy in place since the British era.
Speaking to media persons in his constituency, Singh said, I thank the Speaker of the assembly in Assam as well as the government of the state for taking this step. It is essential to have uniformity in law, and no preferential treatment should be given to any religious community,
The abolition of the Friday namaz break, which allowed Muslim legislators to take a two-hour recess for prayers, has been a topic of heated debate, especially among members of the INDIA bloc, a coalition of opposition parties.
Known for his Hindutva hardline stance, Singh was quick to criticise leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, and Tejashwi Yadav, accusing them of pandering to Muslim voters.
Leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, and Tejashwi Yadav are champions of the Muslim vote bank. If they had their way, there would be holidays across the country every Friday," Singh said.
(With inputs from Avinash Kumar in Patna)
In Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich, villagers have been stocking up on lights and firecrackers for weeks to keep wolves away at night. With constant howling from nearby forests disrupting their sleep, they burst crackers to protect themselves. Forest officials involved in search operations in Bahraich. (Sourced)
The forest department and local police have teamed up for the initiative, which has been planned to deter wolves using loud noises and bright lights, The Times of India reported.
Firecrackers are being burst every hour in multiple villages to safeguard the residents, the report quoted divisional forest officer Ajeet Pratap Singh as saying.
Forest officials have trapped four of the six wolves linked with the killings, including seven children, but two wolves have managed to dodge all the traps laid for them.
They said awareness being a key factor in the hunt against the killer wolves, public awareness programmes will be continued for at least up to two months, until it was ensured that the area had been freed of wolves.
The encounter of Bahraich with the wolves is not usual and as a result the state machinery and different stakeholders have got involved in relief and capture operations. The forest department is also using drones to spot the wolves in the area.
Lions and leopards do not have a tendency to take revenge, but wolves do. If the habitat of wolves is disturbed or a bid is made to capture/kill or domesticate its cub, they retaliate by hunting down humans, said the forest officer.
How Bahraich villagers stay alert against wolves?
Blaring loudspeakers asking villagers to be awake in the 50-odd villages close to Ghaghra river in Uttar Pradeshs Bahraich district following the killing of nine people, mostly children, in the past 40 days. The forest department has confirmed that seven deaths were caused by a wild animal.
According to a paper published by Wildlife Institute scientists including Jhala in March 2002, after examining 34 million pictures of wild animals, India has an estimated 2,812 wolves, the majority of which are found in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Indias ties with the US constitute a very invaluable relationship, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said on Friday, while simultaneously asserting that New Delhi should not be intimidated from pursuing its economic relations with Russia. Jaishankar spoke extensively on Indias foreign policy and relations with countries in the neighbourhood and with key global powers such as China, Russia and the US at an event to mark the release of the book Strategic Conundrums: Reshaping Indias foreign policy by former ambassador Rajiv Sikri. (DrSJaishankar - X)
Jaishankar spoke extensively on Indias foreign policy and relations with countries in the neighbourhood and with key global powers such as China, Russia and the US at an event to mark the release of the book Strategic Conundrums: Reshaping Indias foreign policy by former ambassador Rajiv Sikri.
He said, just as the book acknowledges, the relationship with the US is for strategic and economic purposes a very invaluable relationship for us. He added: Therefore, I would actually argue that the US is today indispensable for our multipolarity to go up, that if we need that decision-making space, that freedom, we need countries whose interest is that we have those margins on our side.
Also Read | S Jaishankar's strong words on Pakistan: Era of uninterrupted dialogue is over
Jaishankar said no one is in denial about the history of the India-US relationship, which faced a series of challenges from the 1950s to the 1980s. The challenge for us is when we think of multipolarity and strategic autonomy, because of that history, it is often a concept where we position ourselves against the US, he said.
The reality of the world today is something very different. That if we look at where the pressures are, the primary sources of pressure, it is no longer the US.
In a way, because the world has changed, our understanding of the US has changed...The US understands us too.
Also Read | Article 370 is done, says Jaishankar; points to double conundrum with China
Jaishankar also pointed to convergences in India-US relations. India and the US, by their nature, will always have interests which will differ and diverge from those of the other, he said.
When it comes to Russia, India will have to be sensitive to a Eurasian balance, he said. Its a core strategic requirement for us. But I would also say if you look at trade with Russia, which has gone up five times, and its not just a simple oil issue, I would urge you to look at it much more deeply, that there is an economic complementarity between India and Russia, he said, referring to Indias decision to ramp up purchases of discounted Russian crude since 2022.
And we should not be intimidated from pursuing the advantages of that complementarity, he added. Russia is now following its own look east policy and there has been a shift in how Moscow approaches the world after 2022, and India needs to understand and take advantage of this.
In the case of Pakistan, Jaishankar said, the era of uninterrupted dialogue is over, and where Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, the issue of Article 370 is done. He was referring to the Indian governments move to scrap Jammu and Kashmirs special status in 2019.
In a reference to Indias long-standing concerns about Pakistan sponsoring cross-border terrorism, he said, Actions have consequences. While the book suggests that India would be content to continue at the current level of the relationship with Pakistan, Jaishankar said: Maybe yes, maybe no. What I do want to say is we are not passive and whether events take a positive or a negative direction, either way, we will be happy.
Turning to China, with which India has been locked in a military standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since 2020, Jaishankar said New Delhi has done substantial work to fix the border infrastructure deficit, which is key to maintaining peace and tranquillity in border areas.
Olympian Vinesh Phogat attended an event of farmers at the Shambhu border as their protest, demanding a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP), entered its 200th day on Saturday, August 31. Protests are also scheduled to occur at the Khanauri, Shambhu, and Ratanpura borders. Wrestler Vinesh Phogat at Delhi's IGI airport. (RAJ K RAJ/HT)(RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)
Farmers, who are asking for a legal guarantee for the MSP for all crops, along with other critical issues, have been protesting at the Shambhu border since February 13, after their march to Delhi was blocked by authorities.
Vinesh Phogat, a well-known athlete and supporter of the farmers' movement, was honored by the farmers during the day's events.
"It has been 200 days since they are sitting here. It is painful to see this. All of them are citizens of this country. Farmers run the country. Nothing is possible without them, not even athletes - if they don't feed us, we won't be able to compete. Many a time we are helpless and can't do anything, we represent the country at such big levels but we can't do anything for our family even when we see them sad. I urge the Government that they should listen. They had admitted their mistake last time, they should fulfill the promises that they made. The country won't progress, if people sit on streets like this," Vinesh Phogat said at the event.
It has been a topsy-turvy month for Vinesh after she reached the final of the women's 50kg event but still returned to India empty-handed. On August 7, Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of the United States stood between Vinesh and the gold medal.
However, things went downhill after she was disqualified before the final after breaching the 50kg weight limit. A day after her heartbreaking disqualification, Vinesh announced her decision to retire from wrestling. She also made a plea to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to award her a joint silver medal.
The CAS deferred the verdict a couple of times and eventually dismissed the application filed by Vinesh for a silver medal in the women's 50kg event at the Paris Olympics.
Amritsar district farmer leader Baldev Singh Bagga claimed that efforts to communicate with the government have gone unanswered, The Times of India reported.
"Farmer organisations had repeatedly written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh but have received no responses. As Modi enters his 11th year in office, rather than addressing our demands, the government continues to suppress the voice of farmers, ToI quoted Baldev Singh Bagga as saying.
Convenor of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha Sarvan Singh Pandher appealed to the farmers to gather in significant numbers at the Shambu and Khanauri points on August 31, it added.
"We will once again present our demands to the government, and new announcements will be made," India Today quoted Pandher as saying.
'Take action against Kangana Ranaut'
The farmers have also called for strict action against Bollywood actress and Member of Parliament Kangana Ranaut. They have urged the Bharatiya Janata Party to take a firm stance against Kangana Ranaut, whose past remarks have stirred controversy and anger within the farming community.
Additionally, the farmers hinted at unveiling their strategy for the upcoming Haryana elections. They plan to announce their next steps soon, signaling their intention to take an active role in the state's political landscape.
Olympian Vinesh Phogat on Saturday refrained from commenting on her political plans as she joined the protesting farmers at the Shambhu border. Olympian Vinesh Phogat being felicitated at a farmers' rally on the 200th day of their ongoing protest at Shambhu border.(PTI)
Vinesh Phogat joined the farmers at the Shambhu border as their protest, demanding a legal guarantee for the minimum support Price (MSP), reached its 200th day on August 31.
When asked if she would contest the polls if the Congress fields her from Haryana, the Indian wrestler said, I don't want to talk about it. I have come to meet my family members (farmers) and if you spin it, their fight and struggle will be wasted. The focus shouldn't be on me, but on the farming community. I am a sportsperson and a citizen of India; elections are not my concern. My only focus is on the welfare of farmers, Vinesh Phogat told reporters.
Earlier, former Haryana chief minister and leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda had downplayed speculations about former Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat joining the Congress, terming it a hypothetical question.
The ace wrestler retired after being disqualified as she was found overweight ahead of her gold medal bout at the Paris Olympics.
While addressing farmers at the Shambu border, Phogat said raising concerns is not always politically motivated.
What did Vinesh Phogat say about protesting farmers?
When people raise issues, they should not be viewed through the lens of politics, religion or community. The government must listen to our family (farmers). They should have the right to speak and express their views. The demands of farmers are legitimate, as I come from a farming background and understand how my mother raised me, Vinesh Phogat added.
Vinesh Phogat, a well-known athlete and supporter of the farmers' movement was honored by the farmers during the day's events. It has been a topsy-turvy month for Vinesh after she reached the final of the women's 50kg event but still returned to India empty-handed. On August 7, Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of the United States stood between Vinesh and the gold medal.
The Supreme Court on Friday said it will consider clubbing multiple FIRs against YouTuber Savukku Shankar if proven that they are related to one interview, and asked the Tamil Nadu government to explain as to why the petitioner was detained just days after the Madras high court granted him relief in connection with several criminal cases. The SC asked the Tamil Nadu government to explain as to why the petitioner was detained just days after the Madras high court granted him relief in connection with several criminal cases (PTI)
A bench headed by chief justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud adjourned the hearing on the plea of the jailed YouTuber to Monday (September 2), the next date of hearing. Shankar has challenged his fresh detention by the state police besides seeking quashing the 16 first information reports (FIRs) registered against him.
Directing both petitions filed by Shankar and his mother A Kamala to be listed on Monday, the bench, also comprising justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said: On detention we will have to take a prima facie view. If a detention order has been quashed, there cannot be another detention order (by state).
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Tamil Nadu, informed that the two detention orders were related to separate matters. When by the bench whether 15 out of the 16 FIRs against Shankar were related to a common interview given by him on April 30, Rohatgi sought time to take instructions. If all 15 FIRs are in respect of same interview, we will direct the clubbing, the bench said.
Shankar had approached the top court for clubbing all FIRs, alleging these cases were meant to harass him and keep him inside the jail. The 48-year-old YouTuber was arrested by the Coimbatore police on May 4 over his alleged derogatory remarks on women police personnel in an interview on April 30, which led to several FIRs against him.
On August 9, the high court set aside the detention order against Shankar under the Goondas Act, directing the state police to set him free if he was not required in any other case. Shankar was released in pursuance of orders of the apex court and the Madras High Court. However, he was detained again by the state police on August 12.
Advocate Balaji Srinivasan, appearing for Shankar, also sought quashing of the cases alleging that 15 of the 16 FIRs have been filed at the behest of policemen.
Why cant you approach the high court for quashing the petitions, the bench told Balaji.
The lawyer pointed out that his petition for clubbing FIRs has been adjourned by the high court. The moment I go to the high court, the state will take time, the counsel said.
The bench replied: That cannot be a reason for us to entertain your petition under Article 32 of the Constitution.
Rohatgi said the petitioner has a habit of speaking ill about judges, police officers and women. He goes on unabated. We do not know what to do with him, the senior advocate said.
The apex court had on August 22 agreed to examine the challenge to the latest detention order to ascertain the allegations by the petitioner that the state was seeking to harass him for exposing the corrupt activities of bureaucrats and powerful politicians in Tamil Nadu. One of the notable cases exposed by Shankar was the alleged cash-for-jobs case that led to the arrest of former state minister V Senthil Balaji.
New Delhi [India], : NAAYAAB is a joint initiative of Craft Maestro&M3M Foundation aimed at preserving, sustaining, and revitalizing Indias heritage art forms. This first-ever one of a kind initiative & exhibit was supported by Dr. Payal Kanodia, Chairperson & Trustee M3M Foundation as Art Promotion Partner. This landmark showcase featured 100 masterpieces by 70 artisans across 17 states who have received the highest national honours, including Padma Vibhushan, Padma Shri, Shilp Guru, and National Awards. Representing over 40 crafts from 17 states, NAAYAAB brought together the finest works of these celebrated artisans in a collective effort to celebrate and safeguard the nations rich cultural legacy. The landmark event, took place from the 25th to 26th August 2024, at the prestigious Hotel Taj Man Singh in New Delhi, attracting a discerning audience of high-net-worth individuals, art aficionados, and cultural enthusiasts. The event curated a special session for the Delhi Chapter of the Young FICCI Ladies Organisation on August 26, 2024, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, which featured a private guided walkthrough the various priceless exhibits along with key dignitaries and ambassadors from Algeria, Russia and Israel. M3M Foundation played a pivotal role in supporting NAAYAAB by bringing the lives and stories of Indias master artisans to a platform and audience that truly appreciates their rich legacy of craftsmanship.In an era where the allure of the new often overshadows the traditional, the stellar NAAYAAB event emerged as a beacon of hope for the preservation and celebration of India's rich cultural heritage. The event was graced by the presence of AlgerianAmbassador His Excellency Dr. Ali Achoui, who was accompanied by his spouse Mrs. Leila Achoui. Spouse of Russian Ambassador Mrs. Diana Alipova and Mrs. YuliaAryaeva, Counsellor along with Israel's Senior Cultural OfficerMs. Avital Barak accompanied by Ms. Shimrit Amir Amsalem. Highlighting the national significance of this initiative, the occasion was graced by Dr.Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon'ble Minister of Culture and Tourism, Government of India, as the Chief Guest. The event, which was a collaboration between Craft Maestro, the M3M Foundation, YFLO, was a unique and conscious initiative to revitalize and rejoice in the glorious legacy of traditional Indian crafts. Sharing her insights after the event, Dr. Payal Kanodia, a passionate advocate for the preservation and promotion of Indias unique master craftsmen, expressed her vision for the international event, "Naayaab is not just a celebration of art, it is a call to action for the passionate patrons of the new age to become custodians of Indias rich cultural heritage. In a world that is constantly moving forward, it is crucial to pause and honour the traditions that have shaped our cultural identity. Naayaab is not just an event, it is much more than that. Naayaab is a national movement conceptualised & curated by Craft Maestro to bring our master craftsmen the recognition and support they deserve. By connecting them with patrons who value their art, we have aimed to ensure that these crafts not only survive but thrive in the modern world. This initiative is our commitment to preserving the legacy of Indian handicrafts for our future generations." Naayaab was conceptualized to showcase solidarity in line with the ruling central governments vision and nonchalant efforts towards reviving Indian artisanal treasures. A central part of his vision is to create sustainable economic opportunities for artisans. Modi Ji advocates for integrating traditional crafts into the mainstream economy, enabling artisans to earn fair wages and access new markets. Initiatives like the One District, One Product scheme aim to promote and market local crafts and products on a national and international scale. With the aim of creating unparalleled economic opportunities for Indias master craftsmen by connecting them with an appreciative audience that not only understood but also deeply valued their intricate work, NAAYAAB featured over 100 masterpieces curated from across the country. Naayaabs first annual event provided a platform for more than 70 highly decorated master artisans, including recipients of Indias highest national honours. These master artisans, some with legacies dating back over 500 years, have dedicated their lives to perfecting their crafts. By providing a platform for these artisans to showcase their work to an HNI audience that truly appreciates their art, Naayaab not only highlighted their contribution towards Indias rich cultural tapestry, but also inspired the next generation of craftsmen to carry forward these timeless traditions. Naayaab concluded as a powerful testament to the enduring value of traditional Indian crafts, offering patrons a rare opportunity to witness and acquire unique, inimitable pieces of art that embody centuries of dedication and skill. Among the masterpieces on exhibit was a priceless 7 kg ruby stone, meticulously chiselled to perfection over the last two and a half years. These intricate works, representing the pinnacle of India's artisanal heritage, were made available to discerning patrons, with each piece verified, valued, and authenticated to the highest standards. As these great legacies continue to be showcased on global platforms in the coming years, the impact of Naayaab on the lives of the artisans will be profound. The event has significantly enhanced their incomes, elevated their recognition, and inspired the next generation to follow in their hallowed footsteps. Looking forward, Naayaab's extended impact on the rejuvenation of craft forms across India is expected to be even greater, with NAAYAAB happening next in Hyderabad on 04 - 05 September& in Mumbai on 13-14 Septemberensuring that the idea of a culturally vibrant India remains alive and thriving for decades to come. .
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Shivaratri vrat is one of the most important and revered fasts in Hinduism, and it is dedicated to Lord Shiva. There are four distinct types of Shivaratri vrat: Nitya Shivaratri, Masik Shivaratri, Magha Shivaratri, and Maha Shivaratri. Among these, Masik Shivaratri is observed on the Chaturdashi, or the fourteenth day, of every month according to the traditional Hindu calendar. The festival holds deep religious significance as it symbolizes the union of Shiva and Shakti, with Shiva representing Purusha (consciousness) and Parvati embodying Prakriti (nature). Masik Shivaratri is predominantly a Hindu festival, celebrated in honour of Lord Shiva.(Pixabay)
Observing Masik Shivaratri is believed to bring spiritual benefits, including enhanced well-being and success in future endeavours. It is also said that through prayer and penance on this day, even the most challenging tasks can be accomplished. Scroll down to know more.
Masik Shivaratri 2024 Date and timings
This year, the significant Hindu festival of Masik Shivratri will be observed on Sunday, September 1. The auspicious timings for the occasion are as follows:
Chaturdashi Tithi Start: 03:41 AM on September 1
Chaturdashi Tithi End: 05:22 AM on September 2
Shivaratri Parana Time : 06:13 AM on September 2
Masik Shivaratri 2024 Significance
According to Hindu mythology, those who observe the Shivaratri vrata gain the strength to overcome two natural forces that affect human nature: the 'tamas' and 'rajas' gunas. By spending the day in meditation dedicated to Lord Shiva, devotees can better control negative emotions such as jealousy, greed, and anger. For devoted followers of Lord Shiva, observing the Shivaratri vrata is considered as auspicious, if not more so, than performing the powerful Ashwamedha Yagna.
It is also believed that anyone who observes the Maha Shivaratri vrata with full discipline and sincerity will be absolved of all sins. They will eventually unite with the supreme power and find eternal happiness in the abode of Lord Shiva, breaking free from the cycle of birth and death.
Masik Shivaratri 2024 Rituals
- Begin the day with a ritual bath and set up the Puja altar early in the morning.
- Perform the 'Abhishek' of Lord Shiva or the Lingam using Gangajal, milk, curd, ghee, honey, vermillion, turmeric, rose water, and 'Bel' leaves.
- Apply sandalwood paste, sprinkle vermillion, and offer flowers to the deity's idols.
- Recite Aarti or hymns in honour of Shiva, accompanied by the blowing of a conch and ringing of bells.
- Offer home-made prasad on the altar.
- Conduct the Puja ideally at midnight, with devotees fasting throughout the day and breaking it the next morning.
- Observe a night vigil (Jagran) with Bhajans and Kirtans to create a positive atmosphere.
- Shivratri Puja is considered especially auspicious on a Tuesday.
- Besides Lord Shiva, worship Goddess Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Parvati, with Pradosh Kaal Puja being particularly significant.
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Also Read: Best hair serums for men: 10 top choices to control hair fall and boost healthy growth
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Also Read: Best hair serum for women: 10 top picks for silky, smooth and healthy hair
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Disclaimer: At Hindustan Times, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. Hindustan Times has an affiliate partnership, so we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase. We shall not be liable for any claim under applicable laws, including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, with respect to the products. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority.
The forthcoming assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) will be the first such election in the Union Territory after the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution. The high voter turnout (58.6%) recorded in the UT in this summers Lok Sabha elections was unprecedented. The revival of democratic processes in the region is welcome. However, the two major parties in the state the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have demanded restoration of Article 370, as well as statehood. They have also called for the resumption of an India-Pakistan dialogue. The attempt to resurrect the old paradigm and re-insert Pakistan into the equation naturally raises questions: How does Pakistan treat Kashmiris on its side of the Line of Control (LoC)? How much power does the elected government enjoy in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) and Gilgit-Baltistan? POK and Gilgit-Baltistan are controlled more tightly than Pakistans provinces. The regional parties there are now at the fringes (AFP)
The government of Pakistan took the northern areas, which account for 85% of the territory of POK, under its direct administrative control in November 1947. Its current narrative states that it took over the territory, since re-named Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), under the Karachi Agreement of 1949 between the Pakistan government and Muslim Conference leaders. The agreement was kept secret because Pakistan had changed the territorial status quo without a plebiscite. This came to light in a historic judgment of the POK high court in 1993, which described Pakistani actions as a violation of the UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir. The high court asked Pakistan to restore the territory to POK as demanded by all political parties of that territory. Islamabad got the judgment reversed by the POK Supreme Court on merely jurisdictional grounds. It continues to exercise direct control over this territory. While India is criticised for splitting J&K, Pakistan had partitioned the area under its illegal control seven decades ago and absorbed the bulk of its territory.
The first election on the basis of universal franchise was held in POK in 1970. POK got its Interim Constitution only in 1974. This created a system of parallel government where all substantive powers were vested in the Kashmir Council headed by Pakistans prime minister (PM) while the elected assembly and the government remained powerless. Critics called this rule by proxy by Islamabad. In 2018, under the 13th amendment of the POK Constitution, the Kashmir Council was relegated to an advisory role. However, its powers were not transferred to the elected assembly. The government of Pakistan has assumed direct legislative and executive powers over 32 subjects within POK.
The northern areas or G-B are even more tightly controlled than POK by Islamabad due to its strategic location. This is the region where the Indus River, as well as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), enters Pakistan. This is a Shia-majority area, which was given limited powers by the Asif Ali Zardari government under the G-B order of 2009. The entire list of 61 subjects on which the local government was given jurisdiction was abolished under the G-B order of 2018. This vested all legislative and administrative powers in the PM of Pakistan. The copies of the order were torn in the G-B assembly in the presence of Pakistans acting PM. The G-B Supreme Appellate Court set aside the G-B order of 2018. The government of Pakistan appealed before the countrys Supreme Court, which sided with Islamabad and, in a judgment in 2019, restored the G-B order of 2018 against which the people of the territory were protesting.
Pakistan has always exercised absolute control over POK and G-B. It has now overtly assumed powers within both territories. The far-reaching changes were made in 2018, a year before the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution. They went unnoticed.
POK and G-B are controlled more tightly than Pakistans provinces. The provinces can exercise power over subjects allocated to them. But, in the case of POK and G-B, even powers within the territories are exercised directly by Pakistan. These include water, strategic highways, taxation, police, citizenship, and migration. Water and roads are the two key resources of this border region. The state subject is loosely defined to allow demographic change. There are no safeguards for land rights. Pakistan did not seek permission from the people of POK or G-B for the construction of the Mangla Dam or Karakoram Highway or gifting a portion to China.
The drama in G-B showed that Pakistans Supreme Court exercises jurisdiction over an area that is not part of Pakistani territory under its Constitution. The 2019 judgment was not the first time this was done. The first judgment of Pakistans Supreme Court came in May 1999. This asked Islamabad to ensure the region got fundamental rights and representative government within six months. Obviously, both were absent. This was at the time when Pakistan had intruded across the LoC to ostensibly liberate Kashmiris from Indian control.
The elections in POK and G-B have resulted in the election of the party in power in Islamabad. There is a complete demise of regional parties. In the last assembly election in 2021, the Muslim Conference that had championed J&Ks accession to Pakistan got one out of 53 seats. Power fluctuates between local chapters of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The 2021 election was won by PTI, which was then ruling in Islamabad. After Imran Khans ouster, POK PM Abdul Qayyum Khan Niazi was replaced by Tanveer Ilyas. He has since been replaced by Chaudhary Anwar-ul-Haq. In G-B, Khalid Khurshid has been replaced by Gulbar Khan as chief minister.
There is, in the meantime, increasing Chinese influence in G-B, where Chinese companies are to build the 4,500 MW Daimar-Bhasha hydropower plant. This will lead to an influx of migrants from outside. Pakistan has decided to go ahead with the project despite the 2022 floods, which underlined the threat to the regions delicate ecological balance. It will improve power supply for Pakistan. G-B will not benefit as it is not connected to Pakistans national grid.
Will dialogue with Pakistan enhance democratic rights within J&K? Pakistan is at odds not only with India but its two Muslim neighbours to the west. It has exchanged missiles and fire with both. There have been food riots in Pakistan. POK saw public protests and clashes with security forces over the scarcity of essential items like aata (flour) and high electricity prices.
DP Srivastava is a former ambassador and author of Forgotten Kashmir: The Other Side of the Line of Control. The views expressed are personal
As Day 2 of NIFD Global's Design Carnival 2024 unfurls, the road to Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI becomes even more crucial for aspiring designers. The event, which started with a bang on Day 1, continued to impress on Day 2, with students pushing the boundaries of design in their quest to secure a spot at the prestigious Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI. Day 2 Winners: Chetan Mali, Mahendra Choudhary, and Shravanee Khot to Showcase Fashion and Interior Design Excellence at Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI.
On Day 2 of the event, Chetan Mali and Mahendra Choudhary from NIFD Global Pune Kothrud Centre; and Shravanee Khot from NIFD Global Navi Mumbai Centre have emerged as winners in Fashion Design and Interior Design category respectively. From more than 1,000 entries, only 80 were shortlisted for the Design Carnival, with 14 advancing on day 2.
The jury included renowned professionals such as Hiloni Sutaria, an acclaimed Architect; Monica Shah, celebrated Fashion Designer from Label JADE; Neeraj Gaba, Creative Entrepreneur and Motivational Speaker; and Shefalee Vasudev, Editor-in-Chief of The Voice of Fashion. Their expertise and insights provided invaluable feedback to the participants, elevating the competitive spirit of the event. The event is being hosted by Bollywood actor and celebrity host Aman Verma.
In the Fashion Design category, Tanvi Agarwal and Gungun from NIFD Global Hyderabad Himayat Nagar earned the first runner-up spot, with Rudra Rane and Siddhi Jadhav from NIFD Global Navi Mumbai Centre being named the second runners-up. In the Interior Design category, Sana Sayyad from NIFD Global Pune Kothrud Centre has been awarded first runner-up, while Sayan Gope from NIFD Global Siliguri secured the second runner-up position.
The fashion design winners will showcase their collections at the NIFD Global 'The Runway' show, while the interior design winners will create immersive sets for designer shows throughout the event. Beyond the runway, the winners will receive substantial cash prizes and invaluable mentorship from industry experts at RISE Worldwide. This support will help them turn their dreams into reality and make a lasting impact on the design world.
The opportunity to present their collections or design sets at Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI is a career-defining moment for these emerging designers, as it not only puts them on a national stage but also positions them at the forefront of fashion and interior design innovation in India.
Other participants from Group B representing various regions from across the country, included Sana Sayyad, from Pune Kothrud; Princy Khamar from Ahmedabad; Nang Senorita Chowhai from Siliguri; Srishti and Sachin from New Delhi Pitampura; Zarein Fatma, Sampriti Ghosh, and Evana Sultana from Kolkata Lindsay Street; Shipra Saini and Preeti from Roorkee; Yash Jain from Hyderabad Himayat Nagar; and Akanksha Jagdale, Anushka Jain, Apeksha Sharma, Sonu Priya, and Suman Nagwani from Bhilwara.
As the event progresses, all eyes are on the emerging talent from NIFD Global, who are set to redefine fashion and interior design.
The NIFD Globals Design Carnival is not just a competition but a crucial stepping stone for students from across the country. The guidance of our renowned mentors like fashion icon Manish Malhotra, celebrated interior designer Gauri Khan, design powerhouse Twinkle Khanna, and costume designer extraordinaire Ashley Rebello, is instrumental in shaping the next generation of design leaders.
To learn more about NIFD Globals comprehensive programs offered through the School of Design, School of Management, and School of Beauty, please visit www.nifdglobal.com
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.
In an incident which left many social media users in disbelief, two passengers on a flight took it upon themselves to stop a screaming toddler. How they tried to educate her about not disturbing others with her cries has caused an outrage. Reportedly, the women locked the girl inside the planes toilet. The incident of two passengers locking a toddler in the toilet took place on a Juneyao Airlines flight. (Unsplash/laowai66)
The incident came to light when one of the passengers, Gou Tingting, who was involved in educating the child, recorded a video and shared it on Chinas TikTok counterpart, Douyin.
What happened on the flight?
Gou claimed that the kid was screaming and crying loudly, which caused some passengers to put tissues in their ears and made some others move their seats, reported Metro. So, she and another of her fellow passengers locked the girl in the toilet to set rules and let everyone have a good rest. The toddler was travelling with her grandparents, and her grandmother allowed the women to handle her.
According to the outlet, the incident took place on a Juneyao Airlines flight. The airline released a statement saying that it launched an investigation into the matter and also reached out to the kids parents. Reportedly, the toddlers mother expressed understanding of the two strangers who locked the kid in the toilet.
How did social media react?
People were angry about how the strangers treated a kid, saying it is normal for a toddler to cry while flying. Children cannot control their emotions when they are one or two years old. Whats wrong with crying? Didnt you cry when you were young too?, an individual wrote on the Chinese social media platform Douyin.
Another person added, We should be thinking about how public spaces can better accept and accommodate young children.
Juneyao Airlines statement:
In order to avoid disturbing other passengers rest, with the consent of his grandmother, two passengers took the child to the toilet for education. During the process, the childs grandmother went with him and waited at the toilet door. We have verified the situation with the childs mother by phone. The childs mother said that she had learned about the whole incident from her grandmother, and expressed her understanding of the two passengers behaviour of assisting in the plane, read a part of the statement, reported the outlet.
A nine year-old Indian girl has been named the runner-up in the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, conducted by the Natural History Museum (NHM) in London. Shreyovi Mehta, a Class Five student from Faridabad near Delhi, captured a striking image of two peafowl while she was on a morning stroll with her parents in the forests of Keoladev National Park in Bharatpur, Rajasthan. Shreyovi Mehta is a Class Five student from Faridabad.(Instagram/shreyovi_mehta)
All about Shreyovi Mehta's photo at Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition
Shreyovi Mehta was walking through the forests with her parents when she spotted the peahens. She ran back to her father, who was carrying the cameras, then got down on the ground to take the photograph that has now received worldwide acclaim.
The captivating photo, titled "In the Spotlight", shows a pair of peahens, silhouetted under a canopy of trees.
Mehta was named runner-up in then 10 Years and Under category of the 60th edition of the prestigious award in wildlife photography. Her photograph was one of the nearly 60,000 photographs by participants of all ages and experience levels from 117 countries and territories.
Peacock is India's national bird.
My heart is filled with immense joy and gratitude, Mehta said in an Instagram post as she thanked her parents, Kahini Ghosh and Shivang Mehta. Her father too is a photographer.
Talking about receiving the recognition, Mehta said she wants to continue practising wildlife photography.
Take a look her her post:
Indian girl's next big goal? Tiger
She also gave a shout-out to parents who encouraged their girl children to explore their dreams. Mehta's big goal in wildlife photography for India's national animal, tiger, to get be recognised on a platform as big as the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
"I will continue to practice so that one day even our national animal - the tiger gets the same recognition," Mehta told news agency PTI.
The Class Five student from Faridabad will receive a medal at an award ceremony at the Natural History Museum in London on October 8.
In this selection you see species diversity, a range of behavior and conservation issues. These images represent the evolution of the competition through the years, from pure natural history to photography that fully embraces representation of the natural world - the beauty and the challenges," Kathy Moran, chair of the judging panel, said in a statement.
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition will open at the NHM on October 11 and will run till June 29, 2025.
(With inputs from PTI)
(Also Read: Punjabs unique water tanks take centre stage at French photography festival)
A video of a Zomato delivery agent has left people irritated and disheartened. It shows the man wading through waist-deep water to deliver food in Ahmedabad. The video has sparked a discussion on whether the delivery platform should allow customers to order food during natural calamities. People tagged Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal on the video and requested that he reward the Ahmedabad delivery agent. (X/@vikunj1)
CA Vikunj Shah shared the video, which was later reshared by another user of X and an investor, Neetu Khandelwal. Zomato delivering food in Ahmedabad amidst extremely heavy rains. I request Deepinder Goyal to find this hardworking delivery person and appropriately reward him for his dedication and determination, Khandelwal wrote while reposting the video.
Take a look at the video of the Zomato agent here:
The video has collected over 3.2 lakh views - and the numbers are only increasing. The share has further prompted people to post varied comments. While some appreciated the delivery agents dedication, others expressed anger with the customer who ordered food during the flood-like situation.
What did X users say about this viral of a Zomato delivery agent?
Who is that intelligent person who ordered food in these testing times? Need to find that person, wrote an X user. Another added, Services need to be turned off in this kind of situation. A third posted, Zomato should be sued. Putting company employees in danger in such natural calamities ~ such services should be closed.
A fourth commented, The customer needs to be penalized for ordering unless they were out of food. A fifth expressed, Responsibility in life teaches one to work very hard, salute to this brother. A sixth wrote, Deepinder Goyal, Zomato, please reward this guy.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned about Cyclone Asna - a deep depression over the Arabian Sea that has also been causing heavy rain in Gujarat. The heavy downpour caused flood-like situations across the state.
It also caused swelling of the Vishwamitra River, home to over 300 crocodiles, which led to the reptiles invading the district. Social media visuals show scary scenes of crocodiles perched on top of a house or crossing a boundary wall with prey in their mouths.
A Karnataka High Court judge expressed her surprise during a case involving a wife seeking maintenance from her husband. During the proceedings, the judge indicated disbelief when she learned that the man with a take-home salary of 12,000 was paying 10,000 for his child. A video from the court proceedings is being widely circulated online. The video of the judges reaction to a man's earnings and his childcare pay sparked chatter on X. (Unsplash/KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA)
What did the judge say?
First of all, from a persons salary of 12,000, how can the court grant 10,000 for maintenance? When a person is getting, without any evidence, when he is taking home 12,000 salary, how can the court grant 10,000 to the child? How will he live? It cant be, the judge said.
No. Where is the evidence for the court to come to such a conclusion that you are entitled for 10,000. You might be, your requirements are that. Court can understand that. But what about He is the person who has to pay, she added.
What else does the viral video show?
At the beginning of the proceedings, the wife's lawyer tells the judge that the petition has been filed seeking maintenance. The judge then asks about the amount granted by the trial court. To which, the lawyer says that nothing is granted to the wife, but 10,000 per month is allowed for the son. The judge then asks about the particulars of the case.
At one point, the judge asks about the respondents earnings. The wife's lawyer responds by saying it is 62,000. However, the husbands lawyer clarifies that his gross salary is 18,000 and take-home pay is 12,000. That is when the judge says, How will he live?, adding her comments mentioned above. She also adds that the wife can file a separate application about an increase in childcare if the husbands salary has increased.
Take a look at the viral video here:
How did social media react?
If a person becomes unemployed then how these maintenance are paid? Do courts consider that case? asked an X user. Maintenance amount will keep accumulating then interest will also have to be paid. It is like he has defaulted on EMI payment or defaulted on loan. Everything will have to be paid in arrears, replied another.
A third posted, Why are husbands always liable to pay maintenance when wives can earn much more nowadays. A fourth wrote, It's crazy. Honourable judge has been quite fair to both the parties in many other cases too when unreasonable demands are made.
The video was originally published on the YouTube Channel of the High Court of Karnataka. The channel is dedicated to Live Streaming of Court Hall Proceedings and other events happening in High Court of Karnataka and Across State of Karnataka Judiciary.
Kala Chashma, a chartbuster that has been a fan favourite since its release, has inspired numerous dance videos on social media. The most famous among them is the choreography by the Norwegian hip-hop and urban dance group Quick Style. A surprising addition to this list is a professor's performance. Her energetic dance moves at a college event left everyone stunned, including rapper Badshah. The image shows a professor dancing to Kala Chashma along with other teachers and students. (Instagram/@thejjjjj_)
A content creator shared the video on Instagram with a caption which reads, We got some coolest teachers. The video shows Arunima Devasish, who works as an assistant professor at St Teresa's College in Ernakulam. Her Instagram bio says she is also a professional dancer.
The video opens to show a group of teachers and students on a stage. Soon, Devasish, wearing a saree, shows her energetic and graceful moves to the dance amid loud cheers and claps from the onlookers.
Take a look at the dance video here:
What did Badshah say about this video?
Taking to the comments section of the video, the rapper wittily wrote, Present mam.
How did social media react to this dance?
The viral video, which has nearly 11 million views, left people stunned. Many expressed their amazement in the comments section.
An individual posted, "Teacher rocks, students shock." Another added, "She stole the show."
A third commented, "Le 90s kid turned to teacher." A fourth wrote, "Wish I had this teacher in my life."
About the song:
Kala Chashma is from the 2016 sci-fi film Baar Baar Dekho. Pictured on actors Katrina Kaif and Sidharth Malhotra, the song is sung by Amar Arshi, Badshah, and Neha Kakkar.
The song's roots are in the 90s Punjabi track of the same name. It was originally composed by Prem Hardeep and Kam Dhillon. Later, Amrik Singh and Kumaar wrote the lyrics, with Badshah rapping.
What are your thoughts on this dance video? Did the clip make you want to groove, too?
London, A newly elected British Sikh Labour Member of Parliament has defended his record as a landlord after UK media reports highlighted anonymous complaints from his tenants of being subjected to poor living conditions in properties owned by him. British Sikh MP defends record as landlord amid tenant complaints
Jas Athwal, elected to Parliament in last months general election from Ilford South constituency in east London, said he was "shocked" and "profoundly sorry" to hear of residents' issues after the BBC reported on mould and ant infestations on Friday.
Athwal, 60, is said to own 15 rental flats and says he had not been aware of the issues due to the properties being managed by an agency. He has now promised that repairs and maintenance will be completed through immediate action.
"I am a renters champion. I'm proud to rent out homes with secure tenancies at below-market rents, Athwal said in a detailed statement.
"I want every one of my tenants to have excellent accommodation; I'm shocked at the reported condition of a number of the properties and have asked the managing agent for an explanation and immediate action to rectify any issues. I know it's my responsibility to have issues addressed as soon as they arise and have met with the property management company to understand failures in communication, he said.
"I'm profoundly sorry that tenants have been let down and will be reviewing the property management and how matters are escalated going forward," he added.
Athwal, previously a local politician as leader of Redbridge Council, is also required to have a selective property licence in order to rent out a block of seven flats a system he introduced in 2017 when he was in charge of the council.
However, the BBC found the council's public licence register indicated that none of the seven properties had a licence. Athwal admitted that he had "recently seen an email" which said the licences were due to expire.
He added: "I am in the process of renewing all licences. As council leader I implemented the most rigorous landlord licencing scheme in London in 2017, and expanded the scheme in 2023 and 2024 the scheme would've been even stronger if Conservative housing secretaries had not repeatedly watered it down.
"In 2019, I led a campaign calling on the government to abolish Section 21 evictions, further protecting tenants' rights, which was again blocked by the Conservatives."
According to the BBC investigation, in one block of seven flats owned by Athwal nearly half the tenants said they had to regularly clean their bathroom ceilings to remove mould.
The news corporation said it also saw evidence of ant infestations in a number of the seven properties.
Andrew Boff, a Conservative member of the London Assembly who also visited the flats, is calling on the governing Labour Party and local Redbridge Council to investigate as the partys 2024 general election manifesto included a commitment to "prevent private renters being exploited and discriminated against".
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London, An Indian-origin playwright has joined hands with a former diplomat for a unique immersive theatrical experience, with the city of London as their stage to tell the story of the East India Company and British Empire. Indian-origin writer dramatises history of Empire for walking play in London
A London Lark Rising is a dramatised walking tour being brought to life by Dr Anu Kumar Lazarus and Lisa Honan, with double shows scheduled next weekend on September 7. The so-called walking play spans hundreds of years of history as it takes audiences through well-known and lesser-known sites in the heart of London, showcasing several famous historic characters from both India and the UK.
Last year, I wrote a huge play about the history of the East India Company wandering around London. When I finished, I realised it was too big for the stage and decided to put it on the streets it had been inspired by, explains Kumar Lazarus, a UK-born doctor and playwright whose parents hail from Uttar Pradesh.
After going on Lisas The East India Company London Walk, I decided that she would be a perfect partner to collaborate with. She is hugely knowledgeable as the ex-Governor of Saint Helena Island, a British Overseas Territory governed by the East India Company for 200 years. So, we set about to rework her walk and dramatise it, she said.
The walking play, structured over 90 minutes, is designed as a promenade performance experience, recounting the history of the East India Company in some of the places where the events actually took place. With the help of artists in period costumes, the tour is intended to transport audiences back to the facades of the 16th century to delve into how todays London was shaped by a shared past with India.
For me, iconic characters like William Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth I walking in the City walls just as they should have done sends a shiver down the spine. But I think the really great thing is the Indian characters that we bring to life in the streets of London alluding to the fact that without India, England would not look like it does today, said Kumar Lazarus.
I return there as often as I can. I have been performing or making theatre type work from a very young age and plan to continue working as a doctor and writing plays and novels, added the multi-faceted professional, who is also a dancer and Yoga teacher.
A London Lark Rising has received the backing of the UKs National Lottery Heritage Fund and Skinners Livery Company for performances to be staged during the summer period in London over the course of three years. The allocated funding also includes Lisa Honan doing non-dramatised walks of the City of London, the financial hub of the UK capital, for schools to bring the history of the Empire to life for students.
We walk between the sites where the East India Company had a footprint as I tell the history of the Company, from the courtyard where it first began in the 17th century and how it changed what the world ate, drank, and wore through its trade with India, Indonesia, China and points beyond, explains Honan, a certified City of London Guide who was awarded a CBE by Queen Elizabeth II for services to international aid.
Her interest in the East India Company dates back to her time as a diplomat, having lived in a mansion built for EIC Governors on Saint Helena Island in the 18th century.
The East India Company, founded in 1600, is seen as a precursor to the modern-day multinational corporation that was granted a royal charter to trade in the Indian Ocean region. Its headquarters were located in what is today the City of London, from where the EIC went on to establish a trading monopoly in India and laid the foundations for centuries of British colonial rule in the subcontinent.
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A planned strike by staff at Kenya's international airport has been delayed again for a week, after already being pushed back by two weeks in August, a union said Saturday. Kenya airport workers' union delays strike again
About 10,000 members of the Kenya Aviation Workers Union had initially planned to walk out August 19 over plans by the Kenyan government to strike an investment deal with India's Adani Group to expand and operate Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport .
That strike was pushed back until Monday September 2 to allow for negotiations, and now the strike has been delayed again.
"The industrial action be halted for seven days to allow us to read, comprehend and make documented demands to the government" on the group's proposals, the union wrote on X.
The union also asked for "immediate cessation of stock-taking" by the Indian firm at JKIA, and the "immediate cancellation of a management and government delegation trip to India slated" on September 2.
The workers warned that any violation of its conditions would set off the strike.
The union has opposed the deal, saying it was an attempt to privatise the airport by stealth.
Under the proposal, Adani would invest $1.85 billion to expand the airport in exchange for operating it for 30 years, according to documents seen by AFP.
Adani would add a second runway and upgrade the passenger terminal, according to airport operator Kenya Airport Authority .
Kenya's government has defended the deal as a necessary measure to refurbish JKIA one of Africa's busiest hubs which is often hit by power outages and leaking roofs.
KAA said last month that the deal would be "subjected to technical, financial and legal reviews alongside requisite due processes".
Last year, Adani Group, the sprawling ports-to-power Indian conglomerate, saw billions of dollars wiped from its market value after a report by the US-based Hindenburg Research firm accused it of "brazen" corporate fraud.
Gautam Adani the family-run conglomerate's founder and the world's 12th richest person according to Bloomberg denied Hindenburg's allegations and called its report a "deliberate attempt" to damage its image for the benefit of short-sellers.
According to the KAA, 8.8 million passengers and 380,000 tonnes of cargo passed through the airport in the 2022/23 financial year. It contributes just over five percent of Kenya's gross domestic product.
sva/ju/gv
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After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into World War II, Bob Worth was pretty sure Uncle Sam wanted him.
Worth, 24 and able-bodied, had no qualms about joining the armed forces. But he was going to do it on his own terms.
So he and a buddy ditched their jobs at a tire-manufacturing plant near his New Jersey hometown and set out to enlist across the country, in sunny Southern California.
They made it a road trip. On the way they hit the beaches in Florida, posed outside the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on New Years Eve, viewed a cattle drive in Texas and gawked at giant saguaro cactuses in Arizona.
You can tell I had a good time, Worth said in a 2020 interview with The World-Herald.
The road trip ended at a Marine Corps recruiting station in San Diego, where Worth and his friend signed on the bottom line and packed off to boot camp just down the road.
Seven months later, they fought as Marine infantrymen at Guadalcanal. Later Worth became an officer and commanded a team of military dog handlers in the battle of Iwo Jima. He was an eyewitness to the iconic flag-raising on Mt. Suribachi.
After the war, Worth married and raised two children, and became a civil servant in his native New Jersey. He stayed active, walking a couple of miles a day well past his 100th birthday.
In recent years, he lived with his daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Ben Sisson, in Omaha. He died Aug. 14, at the age of 106.
Bob is a handful
Robert Worth was the third of five children of a candy-store owner in Westfield, New Jersey, 20 miles from New York City.
By his own admission, Worth was an indifferent student and a classroom cut-up.
He was a talker, and he didnt really follow directions, Barbara Sisson said. His report cards always said, Bob is a handful!
Worth liked birds; in his youth he raised homing pigeons and bantam chickens. He often brought home stray dogs, a foreshadow of his future duties in the Marine Corps.
He graduated from high school in 1937 and worked a series of clerical jobs until the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.
Worth and his friend launched their cross-country road trip, the memories still preserved in a photo scrapbook more than 80 years later. He portrayed the decision to enlist as more pragmatic than patriotic.
It was either that or be drafted, he explained.
They originally planned to join the Navy, Worth said, until they got to the recruiting station in San Diego.
The line was so long, Worth said. We saw the guy at the Marines, he had his feet up on his desk.
He was assigned to the 2nd Marine Regiment and shipped out in early July 1942, on a perilous voyage to the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific. His unit stormed the beaches at Tulagi, near Guadalcanal, on Aug. 7, part of the first ground assault of World War II by U.S. forces.
If you were unlucky, youd run into three or four Japanese (soldiers), he said. You were on edge all the time. Didnt sleep much.
Even in his later years, Barbara Sisson said, Worth didnt care much for drinking water. It reminded him of Marines filling their canteens in streams that were red with blood.
Camp Lejeune to Iwo Jima
After a few months of occupation duty, Worths unit traveled to New Zealand to rest and wait for the next assignment. While there, he fell down the stairs and broke his leg. That turned out to be his worst injury of the war.
In 1943, then-Sgt. Worth was selected to become an officer. He completed his training and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in February 1944. He chose an assignment heading the 6th Marine War Dog Patrol at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Worth and his Marines trained German shepherds and Doberman pinschers for military duty as part of a program called Dogs for Defense. Some dogs were taught to carry messages around the battlefield. Others learned to sniff out enemy soldiers. All had to learn to walk through the woods silently, without reacting to explosions or rifle fire.
Mostly we had to teach them not to bark, Worth said.
In early 1945, his platoon of 60 Marines and 36 dogs got orders to Iwo Jima, the monthlong struggle in February and March 1945 that became the bloodiest battle in Marine Corps history. Americans remember it because of Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthals instantly famous photograph of the flag-raising.
The dog teams carried out the ugly, dangerous work of sniffing out enemy troops. Marines would follow, killing soldiers with grenades or torches. Japanese defenders had built tunnels underground and frequently popped up out of nowhere to open fire at the Marines.
I would travel around and see the dog teams, Worth said. Sometimes there were shells that landed close. You had foxholes that you would jump into.
Creature of habit and good dad
After the war, he returned to civilian life in New Jersey. He married in 1950. He and Bernice raised their two children, Gary and Barbara, in Westfield. His two brothers bought houses on the same block.
Over the years, he held several administrative jobs sometimes several at once at a bank, at a funeral home, and with the New Jersey Department of Labor.
He was a good dad, Barbara Sisson said. He worked an awful lot to make sure I had everything I needed.
When she was young, Worth might splurge on a single steak for his family. But he always saved the best cuts for his kids.
Worth was also the dad that others called on for help. Once, Barbara Sisson said, he climbed a backyard tree to rescue a neighbors pet parakeet.
The family always had pet dogs but they werent always well-behaved.
He trained dogs in the military, but he couldnt train our family dogs, Barbara said with a laugh.
Worth retired from his last job, as an assistant to the township administrator in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, in 1983.
In his later years, he took up woodcarving and learned to play the guitar.
Although he served faithfully in the American Legion and was proud of his service, he never attended Marine Corps reunions and rarely discussed the war. Some stories, Ben and Barbara heard for the first time when The World-Herald interviewed him for a Veterans Day profile four years ago.
He said he saw no reason to bring up the past.
It was over, Worth explained at the time. Im glad I was able to serve.
To his last days, he remained a creature of habit. He punctuated each day with a glass of Wild Turkey American Honey Bourbon at 3 in the afternoon, followed by scrambled eggs and toast for dinner.
He was a great guy, no burden at all, Ben Sisson said.
A steep rise in the number of arrivals of migrants in Spain's Canary Islands from Africa has fuelled a fierce debate in the country over how to tackle illegal immigration. Migrant influx fuels debate in Spain over illegal migration
The issue was thrust into the spotlight during a three-day visit by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to West Africa which wrapped up Thursday.
The trip was aimed at curbing the record number of unauthorised migrants arriving in the Atlantic archipelago in search of a better life in Europe.
"Spain is committed to safe, orderly and regular migration," the Socialist premier said soon after he arrived Tuesday in Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania, in the first stop of his tour which also included Gambia and Senegal.
He called for "circular migration" schemes which allow people to enter Spain legally to work for a limited time in sectors like agriculture, which face labour shortages during harvest time, before returning home.
"Immigration is not a problem, it is a necessity that comes with certain problems," Sanchez said.
His comments were immediately blasted by Spain's main opposition Popular Party , which said the statements would encourage more migrants to try to enter the country illegally at a time when the Canary Islands is struggling to cope with an influx of migrants.
Nearly every day, Spain's coastguard rescues a boat carrying dozens of African migrants towards the seven-island archipelago located off the northwest coast of Africa.
Over 22,000 migrants have landed in the Canary Islands so far this year, compared to just under 10,000 during the same time last year.
The archipelago received a record 39,910 migrants in 2023, a figure it is on track to surpass this year.
"It is irresponsible to encourage a pull effect in the worst irregular migration crisis," PP leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo said, accusing Sanchez of going to Africa to "promote Spain as a destination" for migrants.
This is "the opposite" of what other nations in the European Union are doing, he added.
During the final leg of Sanchez's tour in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, he appeared to take a harder tone by stressing that human trafficking rings that organise boat crossings to Spain sometimes have links to terrorist networks or drug smuggling gangs.
He said security was a "top priority" and said it is "essential to return those who have come to Spain illegally".
Deportations, however, require the agreement of the country of origin of a migrant, which is not easy to get.
Cristina Monge, a political scientist at the University of Zaragoza, said Sanchez had tried to strike a balance in his comments on the issue in Africa but his message was "a bit contradictory".
His first speech in Mauritania came "from a European, human rights perspective" but when he talked about the need for deportations the support "he gains on the right, he loses on the left," she told AFP.
While the PP welcomed Sanchez's sudden emphasis on security, hard-left party Sumar the junior coalition partners in his minority government immediately opposed it.
"Following the same migration recipes called for by the right is a failure and a mistake," Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz, who founded Sumar, wrote on X.
With the number of crossing attempts expected to increase further in the coming weeks as Atlantic waters become calmer, the controversy is expected to intensify, especially since the PP has hardened its position on the issue in recent years in response to the rise of far-right party Vox which is hostile to immigration.
The Spanish government estimates there are some 200,000 people in Mauritania waiting to go to the Canaries. The bulk of them are from Mali where a military regime is battling an Islamist insurgency.
chz/ds/yad/rsc
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Kathmandu, Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Saturday said there is no possibility of repeating the decade-long insurgency in Nepal and rejected the possibility of political unrest similar to what happened in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in recent past. No place for violence and anarchy in Nepal: Oli
Oli made these remarks at a programme organised in Kathmandu to release the book titled "In to the Fire" authored by Captain Rameshwor Thapa, chairman of Simrik Air.
"I don't see the possibility of repeating the decade-long insurgency and the government will not allow such activity to happen again," Oli said.
He also rejected the possibility of repeating the political unrest that happened in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the recent past.
Since Nepal is not the photocopy machine of any country, so such events cannot be repeated here, Oli made it clear.
He was responding to the recent remarks made by CPN-Maoist Centre chairperson Pushpakamal Dahal "Prachanda" who asked the current coalition led by Oli to learn lessons from the political unrest of Bangladesh, that toppled Sheikh Hasina's government.
Following the unprecedented anti-government protests, which reached a crescendo on August 5, Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled the country. She landed in India on August 5 and is currently staying there.
The two-month-long anti-quota protests have led to widespread demonstrations, curfews, and violence.
Oli pointed out,"We have our own identity, different civilisation and culture, therefore there is no point to make speculations that the political unrest that happened in Bangladesh may repeat here in Nepal."
"I want to ask those who advise us to learn from others, to learn for themselves."
We are involved in strengthening democratic achievements we have brought about through a long struggle, he pointed out.
"Those who are fighting against the present democratic system need not scare us," Oli said pointing to the pro-monarchist forces.
"Now there is no place in Nepal for those who want to create disorder, anarchy and violence," said Oli who is also the chairperson of CPN-UML Oli.
The government will not tolerate any activity that would curtail other's rights or promote anarchism, he said.
Oli was pointing to the recent incident in which 2-3 youths shouted slogans against Prime Minister Oli and Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba who were attending a cultural programme organised in the Open Theatre in Kathmandu a few days ago.
The police later arrested two youths in this connection and released them after a couple of days on bail.
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Aug 31 - Tugs are expected to begin towing a damaged Greek oil tanker on Sunday, Yemen's Houthi Foreign Minister Jamel Amer said, as the vessel remains adrift and on fire in the Red Sea. Operation to tow stricken oil tanker to start Sunday - Yemeni Houthi minister
The Greek-registered Sounion poses an environmental hazard after it was damaged in an Aug. 21 strike by Houthi forces.
The tanker, which the Houthis and maritime sources have said has been rigged with explosives, is laden with about 1 million barrels of crude oil.
"Tug boats are expected to arrive tomorrow, Sunday, to begin towing the Sounion ship," Amer said in a statement on Facebook.
The Houthis said on Wednesday they would allow salvage crews to tow the ship - which has been on fire since Aug. 23 - to safety amid fears of a potential slip of 150,000 tonnes of crude oil into the Red Sea.
If a spill occurs, it has the potential to be among the largest from a ship in recorded history and could cause an environmental catastrophe in an area that is particularly dangerous to access.
Sources said on Friday that any salvage operation would require an inspection and survey of the vessel to decide whether it can be towed to a port or if a ship-to-ship transfer of its cargo is required.
Houthi militants have carried out multiple assaults, including planting bombs, on the already disabled 900-foot Sounion, which is operated by Athens-based Delta Tankers.
The Iran-aligned Houthis have been waging a campaign against commercial shipping to support Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
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By Kirsty Needham Pacific leaders remove Taiwan from communique after China complaint
SYDNEY, - The Pacific Islands Forum removed references to Taiwan from a group communique after complaints from China - a change Taipei condemned as a "rude intervention" but which a forum official said did not alter the leaders' decisions.
The communique released on Friday from the 18-nation summit included a section headed "Relations with Taiwan/Republic of China", stating "Leaders reaffirmed the 1992 Leaders decision on relations with Taiwan/Republic of China".
After an angry response from a Chinese envoy, the communique was removed from the forum's website that evening, and a new document was posted on Saturday morning with the references to Taiwan removed.
China says Taiwan is one of its provinces with no right to state-to-state relations, a position the democratically governed island strongly disputes.
Of the forum's members, three have diplomatic ties to Taiwan while 15 recognise China, a major infrastructure lender to Pacific Islands countries, where Beijing is seeking to increase its security presence.
After the Taiwan references were removed, Taiwan's foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday: "Taiwan condemns China's rude and unreasonable intervention and irrational behaviour that undermines regional peace and stability and calls on all like-minded countries to pay close attention to China's actions."
The ministry said, however, that the revised communique did not undermine Taiwan's status at the forum nor preclude it from participating in the future.
A spokesperson for the Pacific Islands Forum secretariat said on Sunday the communique is a "consensus-based document", reflecting the agreed decisions and views of all members.
"The version as finalised does not change nor impact the decisions of the meeting, nor any standing decisions of the forum leaders," she said in a statement.
A development partner to the forum since 1993, Taiwan sent Tien Chung-kwang, its deputy foreign minister to Tonga, to meet its three Pacific allies, Palau, Tuvalu and Marshall Islands.
When the communique was initially released on Friday, China's special envoy to the Pacific Islands, Sian Bo, told reporters in Tonga the reference to Taiwan "must be a mistake", the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Nikkei reported.
Qian had lobbied during the week for Taiwan to be excluded from the forum's official functions, the Chinese embassy's website showed.
"Any attempt by the Taiwan authorities to brush up their sense of presence by rubbing shoulders with the forum can only be self-deceptive," China's foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told at a regular press conference in Beijing on Friday.
Taiwan's diplomatic allies in the Pacific have reduced in recent years as China has increased offers of development funding. Nauru switched ties from Taiwan to Beijing in January, while Kiribati and Solomon Islands, which both now host Chinese police, switched in 2019.
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The Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned the outrageous charges such as crimes against humanity brought against dozens of Bangladeshi journalists and sought the immediate release of arrested reporters and dropping of the unfounded accusations. A Bangladeshi lawyer filed a case at the International Crimes Tribunal against 52 people, including Sheikh Hasina and 27 leading journalists, for alleged crimes against humanity and genocide. (Representational image)
Since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, several cases have been made against journalists. On August 29, a Bangladeshi lawyer filed a case at the International Crimes Tribunal against 52 people, including Hasina and 27 leading journalists, for alleged crimes against humanity and genocide.
Referring to the arrest of journalists, the Paris-based NGO, known for its work in defending press freedom, said in a statement released on Friday: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls for their immediate release and for these unfounded charges to be dropped. This systematic judicial harassment of journalists must end.
The complaint filed by the lawyer alleged the accused were involved in crimes against humanity and genocide during protests by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, which began in July with the demand for scrapping a controversial quota in government jobs.
Earlier, a journalist couple Shakil Ahmed and Farzana Rupa were charged with the murder of demonstrators and are currently behind bars.
Following weeks of student-led protests, Hasina stepped down and fled to India. More than 100 cases have been filed against her, accusing her of different crimes, including murder, crimes against humanity and genocide.
A raft of criminal cases has also been filed across the country against former ministers, Awami League leaders and workers, police and military officers, journalists and those seen as close to the former premier and her party.
Antoine Bernard, RSFs director of advocacy and assistance, said: The purge of journalists who are considered to be affiliated with the former government has reached a new level. Media professionals are bearing the brunt of the need for vengeance that permeates this terrible legal cabal, which is hurting the image of the political transition underway in Bangladesh.
The RSF statement said the complaint filed by the lawyer on August 29 for crimes against humanity marks a new stage in the series of lawsuits targeting media professionals. It said that this time, journalists have targeted in a case being examined by the International Crimes Tribunal, a special court set up in 1973 to judge abuses committed during Bangladeshs war of independence.
The interim authorities, headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, must do everything in their power to end this vicious process. Farzana Rupa and Shakil Ahmed must be released immediately. All charges against journalists must be dropped, Bernard said.
Among the journalists named in criminal cases are Nayeemul Islam Khan, former press secretary to Hasina, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, former information affairs adviser to Hasina, former National Press Club president Farida Yasmin and former general secretary Shyamal Dutta, Ekattor Television editor-in-chief Mozammel Babu, Nabanita Chowdhury, Ekhon TV news head Tushar Abdullah, Bangla daily Jugantors editor Saiful Alam, Bangladesh Pratidin editor Nayeem Nizam, former Samakal editor Abed Khan, ATN News head of news Provash Amin, DBC TVs editor Zayadul Ahsan Pintu, and former editor-in-chief of ATN News, Munni Shaha.
Singapore, The search for an Indian woman in Malaysia abruptly ended on Saturday after the authorities found the search conditions to be "extremely challenging", nine days after she fell into a sinkhole. Search for Indian woman who fell into sinkhole in Malaysia ends due to 'extremely challenging' conditions
G. Vijaya Lakshmi, 48, fell into the sinkhole in the Malaysian capital on August 23 that formed on Jalan Masjid and has remained missing since.
Minister in the Prime Ministers Department Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the decision was reached after a detailed evaluation of expert and technical advice on the operation that was now in its ninth day, The Malay Mail reported on Saturday.
After nine days of search and rescue and consideration from the Cabinet as well as experts including the police, the search team, geologists and more, we've decided to halt the search efforts today," she told reporters at the location of the sinkhole.
Dr Zaliha said that while an obstruction was detected during the search, it could not be positively identified.
At this point, we also have to consider the safety of the SAR personnel involved as conditions for the SAR were extremely challenging, she was quoted as saying by the Malay Mail.
She also said the appearance of a second sinkhole in the area also caused concern of possibly increased risk to the search personnel.
Apart from that, we need to resume normal activities here and ensure the safety of the people using these streets.
The minister also said efforts to locate the woman would still continue despite the termination of the SAR operation but would enter a new stage and come under different agencies.
Dr Zaliha said Kuala Lumpur City Hall would be responsible for utility mapping, land structure analysis, and engaging with vendors to help them resume their activities, the report said.
DBKL will handle the recovery and reconstruction in the affected areas, which will include cordoning off the entrance from Mydin to ensure public safety, she explained.
Dr Zaliha said she has also spoken to the Indian ambassador to Malaysia, whom she said expressed thanks for the efforts expended so far to find his compatriot.
She also said the envoy understood the rationale behind discontinuing the active search.
She also confirmed that the victims family had been informed of the decision and their visas had already been extended for another week to accommodate them during this difficult time.
The search and rescue operation was activated the same day involving members from various security forces and local authorities using various techniques including the use of tracker dog units and the 'jetting' method.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
A draft document on the new climate finance goal, to be negotiated at the UN Climate Conference COP29 in November, indicates developing countries expect contributions in the trillions from developed nations for climate change mitigation efforts. A shepherd leads his flock along the bed of the dried up Studen Kladenets (Cold Well) reservoir dam, near Kardzhali, southern Bulgaria, on August 28. (AFP)
HT has reported that setting a new climate finance goal will be the primary agenda at the annual UN climate meeting when it convenes for this year in Baku, Azerbaijan. The current goal has a floor of $100 billion annually after 2025.
According to the document, the Like Minded Developing Countries (LMDC) group, which includes India, expects at least $1 trillion mobilised by developed countries yearly from 2025 to 2030, with updates until 2035 based on evolving needs.
The quantum set in the NCQG (New Collective Quantified Goal) will be active from 2025-2030 and be updated for 2030-2035 in 2029, in line with the Nationally determined contributions (under Paris Agreement) cycles and others processes under the UNFCCC, to be adjusted according to the evolving needs of developing countries, the group stated.
The United States, however, has not specified a number or timeline. It expects contributions from all sources, including contributing parties, and proposes a goal of investing USD [X] trillion globally in climate action by [timeframe] from all sources leaving those specific details up for discussion.
The Arab group expects developed countries to mobilise $1.1 trillion annually to developing nations from 2025 through 2029, providing a minimum of $441 billion per year. The African group calls for developed countries to jointly mobilise $1.3 trillion annually by 2030, with an aggregate goal of $6.5 trillion.
These positions highlight the polarised stance between developed and developing countries. The U.S. and other wealthy nations have attempted to blur the distinction that finance should flow from developed to developing countries, as specified in UNFCCC principles instead, they are pushing emerging economies to contribute.
Negotiations on the new finance goal have faced challenges and lack of consensus. Major differences emerged between rich and developing countries during an Ad Hoc Work Programme in Cartagena, Colombia, in April. The U.S. described the New Collective Quantified Goal as voluntary for those that choose to pay.
At the next meeting, held at Bonn over two weeks, there was no progress. The United States reiterated its stance that contributing to the new fund should be voluntary, and argued that NCQG is separate from UNFCCC provisions, potentially to avoid mentioning developed countries obligation to deliver climate finance to developing countries.
Developing countries and climate activists criticised developed nations for attempting to broaden the contributor base and shirking their responsibilities.
The dispute harks to a fundamental principle known as the common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC). The principle was formally adopted as part of the UNFCCC when it was established at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
Largely, the principle lays down that developed countries have contributed more to global greenhouse gas emissions historically and are therefore expected to take the lead in addressing climate change.
It implies that developed countries should provide financial resources to support developing countries in their efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change and recognises that countries have different capabilities to address climate change based on their economic and technological resources.
The US stance on voluntary contributions and attempts to broaden the contributor base appear to conflict with this principle.
COP29 president-designate Mukhtar Babayev said in a statement: This latest input paper is a significant step towards preparing concrete proposals for a fair and ambitious new climate finance goal at COP29. We have come a long way but there are still clearly different positions we need to bridge.
Babayev added, We now only have 73 days before COP29 begins and Parties need to accelerate their engagement on this top negotiating priority to reach consensus.
Reaching an agreement on the new climate finance goal at COP29 in Baku is about climate justice. Despite being on the frontlines, developing countries have ambitious plans to scale up renewable energy and address climate impacts, yet they receive inadequate support. Meanwhile, wealthy, industrialized nations continue to fund the very fossil fuels driving this crisis. Without urgent and equitable financial commitments measured in trillions the promise of climate action will remain broken, leaving the most vulnerable to pay the price for others inaction, Harjeet Singh, Climate Activist and Global Engagement Director for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative said.
DULUTH, Ga. A young Georgia Democrat is raising big money from voters across the country by labeling a suburban Atlanta senate race as a chance to unseat a Republican election denier. A Georgia Democrat seeks to unseat an indicted Trump elector who says he only did what he was told
Although incumbent Shawn Still was one of 18 people indicted alongside Donald Trump in Georgias Fulton County in 2023, Still says first-time candidate Ashwin Ramaswami is wrong to label him as a partisan plotter.
The race wont disrupt the comfortably gerrymandered 33-23 Republican majority in Georgias upper chamber. But as Democrats try to chip away suburban Atlanta Republican voters who are turned off by Trump and his crusade against the 2020 election results, the race will test whether they can replicate gains from statewide races in local elections.
While Vice President Kamala Harris hasnt put fighting election denial at the forefront of her campaign the way President Joe Biden did, Democrats are still positioning themselves as defenders of democracy against Republican attacks.
Still was one of three Trump electors indicted on felony charges in Fulton County, along with Trump, Rudy Giuliani and 14 other Trump associates. Prosecutors call the 16 Republicans who gathered in the Georgia Capitol in December 2020 fake electors.
The 25-year-old Ramaswami, who majored in computer science at Stanford University, was still in law school last year when he learned about Stills role. The Democrat was working on a similar case case in Wisconsin, he said, and recognized the name of his hometown senator in testimony before the House Jan. 6 committee.
Theres this pattern of Shawn Still really trying to undermine our votes, of Democrats and Republicans alike, Ramaswami said.
Still says Ramaswami is falsely mischaracterizing him as an anti-democratic extremist.
I think thats all he has to run on. So hes going to punch me in the face with that singular thing, Still said. Theres no merit to it.
The district is drawn to be Republican, stretching across northern Atlanta suburbs in Fulton, Forsyth and Gwinnett counties. But two years ago, Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock won the district over Trump-aligned Herschel Walker even as voters backed Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and Still beat his Democratic opponent by 14 points. Ramaswami hopes to mimic Warnocks win by swaying voters unsettled by Trump and believes he can connect to the districts Indian population. The districts population is more than 30% Asian, the highest share in Georgia.
Ramaswamis campaign has raised more than $460,000, high for a legislative race, and has tapped many out-of-state donors. Still has raised just over $145,000, but Republican groups could potentially pump in more cash if they believe Still is threatened.
Still was the secretary of the 2020 Trump elector meeting, signing and filing documents that prosecutors say were bogus. He says he acted on the advice of party officials and lawyers to preserve Trumps legal options as a lawsuit challenged Georgias election result.
I would characterize my involvement as being a good soldier who did what he was told to do and was following the advice of attorneys who do this for a living, said Still.
Still said said his involvement ended when he left the meeting.
I build swimming pools for a living," he said. I dont think anyone really thought for half a second that I was some political mastermind plotting anything that led to what happened.
To Ramaswami, Stills willingness to go along with his colleagues illegal behavior made him a useful idiot for the Republican party.
Ramaswami points to other actions Still took after the 2020 election, including a lawsuit he filed contesting results in Georgias Coffee County days before the electors met. Ramaswami also says Still didnt take enough responsibility in his testimony before the Jan. 6 Committee.
If elected, the Democrat said he would pursue common sense solutions to issues including gun violence, health care, and abortion rights. One of his top priorities would be investment in education.
We need as a community to look into investing in our future, not on relitigating the past, Ramaswami said.
His cybersecurity internships under leaders from both parties would help him forge bipartisan relationships, Ramaswami said. He has interned in Republican Georgia Attorney General Chris Carrs office and as an intern and part-time employee for the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, where he said he helped protect local election officials and small businesses from cyber attacks.
Still, 51, has been a reliable Republican vote during his first two-year term, but says he has engaged with Democrats and shown a desire and willingness to work with both sides of the aisle. Hes been restrained as a lawmaker, seldom coming to the microphone to score partisan points.
Still said his top achievement is a law that allows students to transfer into another public school district without permission from the one theyre leaving. That measure was tucked inside a bill where the headline achievement was creating a $6,500 voucher for private school tuition and home schooling. The first-term senator said he wants more time in office, in part to work on human trafficking issues.
Still said Ramaswami is not remotely qualified to be a state senator.
He hasnt lived in the district since he graduated high school. He has no life experience. Hes done nothing. His only jobs have been internships. He has accomplished nothing for himself by himself.
Even with Stills experience, conservative voters have reservations. Bisvas Pokala, who works in information technology, leans Republican. But Stills indictment leaves him undecided, with Pokala saying hes very concerned about it.
Pokala was staffing a booth in July at the Festival of India in suburban Duluth. Ramaswami made his way through, chatting with vendors and shoppers. Many recognized Ramaswami and waved.
Vendor Ram Raju is a Democrat but said many Indians in the business community lean Republican, and predicted Still isnt controversial enough to alienate party loyalists.
But Ramaswami says he can help voters of all backgrounds see through Still.
The fact that Shawn Still is now trying to portray himself as a moderate and really distance himself from whats going on is evidence that its something he wants to stay away from, and it is something which the voters dont approve of, Ramaswami said.
But Still has forged many connections. Dilip Mehra, a festival vendor and Still supporter, remembers his appearance at an event his small business held.
He said, if you have any problem, if your community has any problem, if you want any help from us, please come to me, Mehra said. He seemed like a very nice person.
This story corrects the number of Democrats in the Senate. There are 23, not 22.
Charlotte Kramon is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Kramon on X: @charlottekramon
Amy reported from Atlanta.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
The internet went into a frenzy on Thursday, August 29 after rumours were spread that Capri Sun was replacing its iconic and beloved pouches with plastic bottles. The company addressed the rumours as the internet panicked over this information. The juice brand assured people that the pouches are not going anywhere. Capri Sun addresses the rumours about replacing the juice pouches with plastic bottles.(@caprisun/Instagram)
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Capri Sun addresses the rumours
The rumours began with an Instagram post Capri Sun bottles in bottles posted by Instagram user @snackolator. The post had a visual of the fruit juice plastic bottles in three flavoursFruit Punch, Strawberry Kiwi, and Pacific Cooler. Followers assumed the pouches were being replaced by plastic bottles, however, this was far from the truth.
Capri Sun told People, After seeing fans panic to the news, the brand behind the No. 1 kids drink in America is reassuring everyone that the pouch is here to stay in a truly epic way. The fruit juice brand continued, Rolling out exclusively at Walmart next week, Capri Sun is launching a pallet of 3,800+ Capri Sun pouches for purchase, ensuring no one misses out on their fave drink."
The Instagram account of Caprisun also shared a picture of the stocked pouches ready to sell out. The Caption of the post read, Dont believe everything you read on the internet wed never disrespect the pouch and theyre here to stay! Starting next week you can buy a whole pallet of Capri Sun pouches. Find us at Walmart."
Also Read: Cops tase man who stormed press area at Donald Trump's rally in Pennsylvania
Are the Capri Sun bottles real?
While pouches are not going anywhere, the bottles are also a real product but are not yet available in the market. The company told the media outlet, The single-serve bottles are an innovation slated for next year! The snack Instagram account also added a disclaimer in the Capri Sun bottle posts comment section after the post went viral and created confusion.
The disclaimer read, For those who have been hearing (incorrect) reports, the pouches are not going anywhere! This is *, in addition,* to give adults (and probably teens) an option who might want some Capri Sun without walking around with a pouch!"
Former US President Donald Trump blamed Vice President Kamala Harris during a rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, on Friday, accusing her of being responsible for the fate of thousands of children who entered the US illegally and getting sidetracked here. For US President Donald Trump calls VP Kamala Harris a "border czar". (Photo by ALEX WONG / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)(Getty Images via AFP)
Trump alleged that many of these children are now missing, dead, or being exploited as sex slaves, and all because of the Biden administration and Harris.
Speaking to the rally crowd in the key battleground state, Trump claimed that approximately 325,000 minors who crossed the border illegally are now unaccounted for by federal officials. Think of the number325,000 children are missing. Many are dead. Many are involved in sex operations. Many are working as slaves in different parts of probably this country, Trump said.
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She was the border czar. Now she says, I wasnt the border czar, but she was. It was headlinesborder czar, border czarbut now she doesnt want that term. But whether she was border czar or not, she was in charge of the border. 325,000 children are missing.
Thousands of migrant children missing after failing to appear in court
The Department of Homeland Securitys inspector general revealed that 323,000 migrant children under the age of 18 have either failed to appear for immigration court hearings or were released from custody but have not been contacted for further proceedings.
The controversy surrounding unaccompanied migrant children began shortly after President Joe Biden took office when his administration allowed them to remain in the US rather than being deported under a COVID-19-era health policy that had been in place under Trump. Bidens aides described this approach as more humane, but critics argued that it incentivized greater numbers of unaccompanied minorsmany of them in their late teensto cross the border.
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Investigative reports later uncovered troubling details about the fate of many of these children. Some were placed by the Department of Health and Human Services with individuals who treated them as indentured servants, forcing them to work instead of attending school. Disturbingly, some of these minors were made to clean sharp equipment in slaughterhouses for overnight shifts.
Donald Trump and Elon Musk's relationship has taken a spotlight ahead of the November election, with the Tesla CEO extending his support for the former President. Donald Trump stated that he can hear everything that's going through Musk's mind, and added, But he is like, he's a super genius guy.(AFP)
While Musk has been targeting Democrats and the Biden administration in a bid to make a stronger case for Trump, the GOP presidential candidate impersonated the X owner while discussing the advancement of rocket technology.
During the annual Moms for Liberty conference this week in Washington, D.C., Trump informed the attendees that Musk had given him a tremendous endorsement and described him as a very different kind of a guy as he thinks [when] he talks.
With Elon, it's like, well, you know, I'm doing a new stainless steel hub that can get us around the engines much quicker, the Republican leader stated, adding that there is an issue with the type of engine going into space nowadays.
But in the end I think we can have a good hookup because of the new foils that are coming up, he quipped.
Trump went on to say that he can hear everything that's going through Musk's mind, and added, But he is like, he's a super genius guy.
Musk's response on the GOP leader's remarks is awaited.
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Netizens' react to Trump's statement on Elon Musk
Meanwhile, Trump's fans lauded him on X, with one user writing: President Trump is so hilarious tonight. He puts a big smile on my face again. You got to love this man!
While the second user chimed in, This guy is better than most stand up comedians no doubt, a third one said, It was great! He respects and admired you! Big compliment!
Musk recently took a lengthy interview of Trump, which was aired on his social media platform X. In reference to it, he said, I think we are going to do another one too.
Calling himself a huge fan of Musk-owned Tesla's electric car, he said, I think of he does and I'm a big fan of electric, but they don't go far and they are expensive.
The two former Georgia election workers who won a $148 million judgment against Rudolph Giuliani filed a civil lawsuit against the onetime personal lawyer to Donald Trump, accusing him of trying to put his Florida luxury condominium beyond their reach. FILE PHOTO: Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani departs the U.S. District Courthouse after he was ordered to pay $148 million in his defamation case in Washington, U.S., December 15, 2023. REUTERS/Bonnie Cash/File Photo(REUTERS)
In a complaint on Friday, Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea' "Shaye" Moss challenged Giuliani's July 13 declaration that the Palm Beach condominium was his new primary residence.
Giuliani accused of brazen attempt to shield luxury condo
They called it a "brazen" attempt by the former New York City mayor to benefit from a Florida law shielding a person's "homestead" from court judgments.
Giuliani made the declaration one day after a federal judge dismissed his bankruptcy case, which had protected him from the $148 million judgment.
Citing statements on his daily internet broadcasts, Freeman and Moss said Giuliani has since lived mainly or entirely elsewhere, and is only pretending to live in Florida to evade accountability for his actions.
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"He is trying to 'toy with' Florida's homestead exemption to shield a multi-million dollar asset from his creditors," they said in their complaint filed in Manhattan federal court.
Freeman and Moss want court permission to enforce an Aug. 8 lien against Giuliani's condominium and, if they choose, seize and sell the property. Giuliani also has a home in Manhattan.
"The appeal of the objectively unreasonable $148 million verdict hasn't even been heard, yet opposing counsel continues to take steps designed to harass and intimidate the mayor," Giuliani's spokesman Ted Goodman said in an email.
"This lawsuit has always been designed to censor and bully the mayor, and to deter others from exercising their right to speak up and to speak out," Goodman added.
US District Court ordered Giuliani to pay $148 million in defamation case
Last December, a Washington jury ordered Giuliani to pay the $148 million to Freeman and Moss, who said he defamed them and destroyed their reputation through lies that they tried to help steal the 2020 U.S. presidential election from Trump.
Giuliani, 80, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy the following week. The federal judge overseeing that case dismissed it after finding that Giuliani failed to provide a complete picture of his finances and to meet court deadlines.
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That dismissal, which Giuliani also sought, eliminated the possibility a trustee could take over his finances and freed him to appeal the $148 million judgment, but also removed legal protections from creditors like Freeman and Moss.
The case is Freeman et al v. Giuliani, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 24-06563.
Gwen Walz, the wife of Minnesota Governor and Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz, launched a sharp criticism of Republican rival JD Vance in her first appearance as a lone campaigner for her spouse. Gwen Walz attacked JD Vance for his most recent criticism of childless women.(X/AP)
First Lady of Minnesota and former English teacher Gwen attacked Vance for his most recent criticism of childless women.
During a rally in Manassas, Virginia on Friday, she donned her teacher glasses to make it clear to the public that she was taking this issue very seriously.
In his recently resurfaced video from Christian forum in 2021, Vance slammed Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers union and the stepmother of two kids, for attempting to brainwash children while not having a single child of her own.
If she wants to brainwash and destroy the minds of children, she should have some of her own and leave ours the hell alone, he stated.
In response, Weingarten asserted that she views herself as a mother after exchanging vows with her wife, who has two biological kids. She dismissed Vance's remarks as nonsensical.
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Gwen Walz rips Walz by sharing her own infertility experience
The Ohio senator's suggestion that individuals who haven't given birth to children shouldn't be teachers didn't sit well with the Walzes. Gwen utilised her Friday address as crowd-pleasing fodder when she spoke at an Educators for Harris-Walz event. She talked about her and Walz's infertility issues.
Targetting Donald Trump's VP candidate, Gwen said, he was really disturbed by teachers who don't have any biological kids.
Tim and I were teachers who struggled with infertility for a long time and we were only able to start a family because of fertility treatment, she noted, mentioning that this is very personal for her.
Continuing her tirade against the Ohio Senator, she stressed that they do not take kindly to folks like JD Vance telling us when or how to start our families.
So let me use my teacher voice, Gwen remarked, garnering cheers from the crowd. After putting on her teacher glasses, she stated, Mr. Vance, how about you mind your own business?
Notably, Walz recently came under fire for falsely claiming that he and Gwen used IVF, an infamous treatment that has been officially banned in Alabama following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The couple, however, used IUI (Intra-Uterine Injection), a less controversial method of treatment.
Gwen Walz's takedown impresses netizens
Meanwhile, Gwen's assault on Vance with teacher glasses has impressed several netizens, with one writing, Love her teacher voice and that look over the glasses.
Calling her speech a powerful rebuke, another said: Gwen Walz's personal experience and passion shine through in her response to JD Vance's insensitive comments. Her message is clear: family planning is a personal choice, not a politician's business.
Using her 'teacher voice' to set the record straight, she's speaking up for countless individuals who've faced similar struggles. Vance would do well to listen and learn from her perspective, the user added.
Reports have surfaced that Jeff Walz, the brother of VP Kamala Harris' running mate Tim Walz, is contemplating a surprising movealigning himself with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Jeff Walz (R), brother of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (L)(X/Collin Rugg/Laura Loomer)
Tim Walz has three siblings, Jeff Walz, Sandy Walz and Craig Walz. Unfortunately, Craig passed away in 2016 in an accident. And they all graduated from Chadron State College.
Investigative journalist Laura Loomer, Queen of inside scoops and the founder of Loomered, cited Jeff Walz's Facebook profile and detailed his apparent dissatisfaction with his brother, the Minnesota governor.
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Jeff Walz may share his story in a Trump rally
Loomers report suggests that Jeff Walz has long harboured reservations about his brother's political ideology and governance style. According to FEC report, Jeff has not only distanced himself from Tim Walz but also reportedly donated to Trumps campaign during the 2016 presidential election.
Jeff's disapproval of his brother became more publicly apparent when he responded to Loomers findings. He stated, Haven't spoke to him (Tim) in 8 years. I'm 100% opposed to all his ideology. My family wasn't given any notice that he was selected and denied security the days after.
Jeff expresses frustration not only with his brother's political stances but also with the lack of communication and consideration from Tim Walz's camp.
Jeff further hinted at the possibility of sharing his story at a Trump rally. He wrote in the post, I've thought hard about doing something like that! I'm torn between that and just keeping my family out of it. The stories I could tell. Not the type of character you want making decisions about your future.
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He extended his disapproval to the broader Biden-Harris administration. He condemned their leadership, alleging that they were turning the United States into a Banana Republic.
We've just become a third-world banana republic, Jeff said on the exact day, March 30, 2023, the day when Trump was indicted in New York City.
Jeff now resides in Florida with his wife, Laurie.
Recently Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama delivered their speeches at the DNC and comedian Joe Rogan called them out for their hypocrisy on Thursday. Winfrey criticized former President Donald Trump at the convention, emphasizing the need to stand up to bullies and address issues like racism, sexism, and division. Similarly, Michelle also spoke about how her mother taught her the true meaning of meaning of hard work and humility and decency. Joe Rogan calls out Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey for the hypocrisy in their DNC speeches.(@MichelleObama/X, @joerogan/X, @Oprah/X)
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Joe Rogan calls out Michelle Obama
The former lady said in her speech, She and my father didnt aspire to be wealthy. In fact, they were suspicious of folks who took more than they needed. They understood that it wasnt enough for their kids to thrive if everyone else around us was drowning.
However, on Thursday Rogan took a dig at the two women who are wealthy while in discussion about various celebrities turning against Trump in recent years. The comedian said, How about Oprah? Oprah was talking about her and Trump running together, and now shes speaking to the DNC that hes a threat to democracy and shes up there talking about income inequality, like, Hey lady youre rich as f. Im like, How is that equal? as reported by the New York Post.
The podcaster then shifted to Michelle and pointed out the hypocrisy in her speech and said, "Also when Michelle Obama was saying, you know, I think she was saying her mother or grandmother was always suspicious of people who took more than they needed, like, you are worth so much money. Thats so crazy. You did it on a civil servants salary which is insane.
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Others pointed Michelles hypocrisy
Rogan was not the only media personality who pointed fingers at Michelle as her speech about income inequality felt insincere to people given Forbes estimated her net worth was $3 million.
Dana Loesch who is a conservative radio host wrote regarding Winfreys speech, Kinda weird for Oprah, with her Hawaiian estate and multiple homes, expensive wardrobes, frequent luxury vacations, etc., to talk about income inequality.
The Trump War Room also responded to the two womens speeches. The Trump campaign shared a 2000 thank-you letter from Winfrey, in which she had expressed support for him as a potential president, writing, Too bad were not running for office. What a team!
Meanwhile, for Michelle, the official account for Trumps presidential campaign commented, Michelle Obama says her parents were suspicious of folks who took more than they needed. She has a net worth of $70 million and lives in a mansion in Marthas Vineyard.
Kamala Harris sat down for her first television interview as a Democratic nominee on Thursday. Following the highly anticipated CNN appearance alongside her running mate Tim Walz, a body language expert broke down Harris' behaviour, saying she lacked confidence. Democratic presidential candidate US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally at Enmarket Arena during a two-day campaign bus tour in Savannah, Georgia, on August 29, 2024. (Photo by CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA / AFP)(AFP)
Body language expert breaks down Harris' behaviour
Analysing Harris' demeanour during the interview, body language expert Susan Constantine told Fox News that the vice president was not confident in what she's saying. The interview came after Harris was accused of shying away from interviews since earning the Democratic nomination.
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When I look at her overall demeanour, she does not carry the confidence or the presidential appearance in her demeanour to command in her position, Constantine said, adding, So for everything that I saw last night, she definitely needs to make some tweaks into her body language to appear more confident.
The expert went on to highlight that the fact Harris was looking down a lot removes a lot of the fluidity and the authenticity. "When she struggles, you start to see a lot of the head bobbling. You know, the head bobbling is what part of the file in my subconscious am I going to pull out? Which ones are my answers?" Constantine said.
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She couldn't come up with a crystal clear answer, and that's why she tends to bobble, she continued before explaining that her nods were another signal that she's not really... prepared. She doesn't really have confidence in her own answers, Constantine added.
The body language pro also highlighted that Harris continuously kept breaking her gaze, which was a sign of deflection. So when you're removing an eye gaze, not making good eye contact, it's just showing me that she's not confident in what she's saying, she explained.
Prince Harry landed in the United Kingdom in secret on Thursday to attend Lord Robert Fellowes' memorial service. The other mourners present at the ceremony noted that Prince Harry and Prince William did not exchange any words despite standing just metres apart. The two were practically standing back to back with each other, as reported by the sources to The Mirror. The service was held in Snettisham, Norfolk where the two brothers were spotted standing just five yards" from each other but did not utter a single word to each other. FILE - Prine William and Prince Harry avoided talking to each other during Lord Robert Fellowes' memorial service. AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)(AP)
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Prince Harry and Prince William avoid each other
Prince Harry made a quick trip from California to the English soil to attend the memorial service of his uncle, Lord Fellowes. He was the late Princess Dianas brother-in-law and served as the private secretary to the late Queen in the 1990s. He unfortunately passed away last month at the age of 82. His memorial marked the first time the feuding brothers, Prince Harry and Prince William were seen in the same frame since their father, King Charless coronation in 2022.
While the two had made peace to be in the same room for their uncles memorial, the two seemed to have agreed not to talk in public. One mourner reported to The Sun: They were only five yards from each other.
The brothers sat on the far opposite sides of the St. Marys Church putting as many mourners in between them as possible. A mourner said to The Mirror, They were sat two or three rows back from the front, not at the back, but they were on opposite sides of the aisle. And then there were family members on the rest of the seats between them, so maybe that is something that was arranged.
Also Read: Joe Rogan questions Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama's hypocrisy after their DNC speeches: Youre so'
The rift between the brothers continue
The rift between the brothers reportedly began in 2016 when Prince William expressed his concern over the speeding romance between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The rift expanded with the Duke of Sussex exposing the truth about the royal family and his relationship with his brother in his memoir, Spare.
At the memorial, as the people started to intermix, the two did not cross paths again. A source reported the media outlet, A lot of people were taking the chance to speak to them. They were only about five yards from each other, it was virtually back-to-back. When we left the reception they were both still there, but as we were on a walk we saw Harry driven off in a black Range Rover.
Prince Harry recently made a rare visit to England, attending the funeral of his uncle, Robert Fellowes, in Norfolk on Wednesday, August 28. Now, insider reports suggest that Harry harboured hopes of reuniting with his father, King Charles III. Back in February, King Charles delayed a helicopter flight to Sandringham just to meet Prince Harry, reports have claimed (REUTERS/Hannah McKay/File Photo, Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP, File)
The 39-year-old Duke made the last-minute trip to pay his respects at the memorial service, which was also attended by his estranged brother, Prince William.
Charles worries about Prince Harry's cash crunch
Royal journalist Dan Wootton revealed on Friday, August 30, that the monarch is very concerned about Harry losing the Netflix deal and coming cap in hand asking for a cash handout.
ALSO READ| Prince Harry and William reunite at uncles funeral, but were 'keeping distance' after Duke secretly
Charles is concerned about Harry losing the Netflix deal and coming cap in hand asking for a cash handout if they meet for his sons hoped-for reunion, Wootton told InTouch Weekly. This concern is compounded by the Kings ongoing battle with a serious cancer diagnosis, which has left him physically weakened.
According to Wootton, King Charles is under pressure from various quarters, including Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, to reconcile with his son. Phone calls have not been returned and the in-person meeting after his cancer announcement was moved to Clarence House instead of Sandringham so that it could be limited to less than half an hour between Charles and Harry, Wootton added.
In recent months, Charles, with wise encouragement from [Queen] Camilla, has finally realized dealing with Harry is a hindrance to his recovery.
Tension between Harry and William remains palpable
The brothers attended the funeral but cleverly kept their distance. The Sun cited a source, William and Harry were both there but we never saw them speak to each other and they were keeping their distance.
ALSO READ| Prince Harry, Meghan Markle planning to tell Archie and Lilibet about their royal lineage? They know the world
Another insider mentioned, I didnt know they were there. They arrived very discreetly. The two brothers, who were mourning the loss of their uncle, sat separately at the back of St. Marys Church.
Canberra, About 2,890 kilometres beneath our feet lies a gigantic ball of liquid metal: our planets core. Scientists like me use the seismic waves created by earthquakes as a kind of ultrasound to see the shape and structure of the core. Seismic echoes reveal a mysterious donut inside Earths core
Using a new way of studying these waves, my colleague Xiaolong Ma and I have made a surprising discovery: there is a large donut-shaped region of the core around the Equator, a few hundred kilometres thick, where seismic waves travel about 2 per cent slower than in the rest of the core.
We think this region contains more lighter elements such as silicon and oxygen, and may play a crucial role in the vast currents of liquid metal running through the core that generate Earths magnetic field. Our results are published today in Science Advances.
The coda-correlation wavefield
Most studies of the seismic waves created by earthquakes look at the big, initial wavefronts that travel around the world in the hour or so after the quake.
We realised we could learn something new by looking at the later, fainter part of these waves, known as the coda the section that brings a piece of music to its end. In particular, we looked at how similar the coda recorded at different seismic detectors were, several hours after they began.
In mathematical terms, this similarity is measured by something called correlation. Together, we call these similarities in the late parts of earthquake waves the coda-correlation wavefield.
By looking at the coda-correlation wavefield, we detected tiny signals stemming from multiple reverberating waves we wouldnt otherwise see. By understanding the paths these reverberating waves had taken and matching them with signals in the coda-correlation wavefield, we worked out how long they had taken to travel through the planet.
We then compared what we saw in seismic detectors closer to the poles with results from nearer the Equator. Overall, the waves detected closer to the poles were travelling faster than those near the Equator.
We tried out many computer models and simulations of what conditions in the core could create these results. In the end, we found there must be a torus a donut-shaped region in the outer core around the Equator, where waves travel more slowly.
Seismologists have not detected this region before. However, using the coda-correlation wavefield lets us see the outer core in more detail, and more evenly.
Previous studies concluded that waves moved more slowly everywhere around the ceiling of the outer core. However, we have shown in this study that the low-velocity region is only near the Equator.
The outer core and the geodynamo
Earths outer core has a radius of around 3,480km, which makes it slightly bigger than the planet Mars. It consists mainly of iron and nickel, with some traces of lighter elements such as silicon, oxygen, sulfur, hydrogen and carbon.
The bottom of the outer core is hotter than the top, and the temperature difference makes the liquid metal move like water in a pot boiling on the stove. This process is called thermal convection, and we think the constant movement should mean all the material in the outer core is quite well mixed and uniform.
But if everywhere in the outer core is full of the same material, seismic waves should travel at about the same speed everywhere, too. So why do these waves slow down in the donut-shaped region we found?
We think there must be a higher concentration of light elements in this region. These may be released from Earths solid inner core into the outer core, where their buoyancy creates more convection.
Why do the lighter elements build up more in the equatorial donut region?
Scientists think this could be explained if more heat is transferred from the outer core to the rocky mantle above it in this region.
There is also another planetary-scale process at work in the outer core. Earths rotation and the small solid inner core make the liquid of the outer core organise itself in long vertical vortices running in a northsouth direction, like giant waterspouts.
The turbulent movement of liquid metal in these vortices creates the geodynamo responsible for creating and maintaining Earths magnetic field. This magnetic field shields the planet from harmful solar wind and radiation, making life possible on the surface.
A more detailed view of the makeup of the outer core including the new-found donut of lighter elements will help us better understand Earths magnetic field. In particular, how the field changes its intensity and direction in time is crucial for life on Earth and the potential habitability of planets and exoplanets. GRS GRS
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Clark Art Hosts Free Weekly Writing Program
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. As part of the Clark Art Institute's free evening hours through Sept. 25, and in connection with the Guillaume Lethiere exhibition, the Clark presents a free drop-in writing program exploring how creative writing can be used for political and social change.
From 45 pm, workshop participants have complimentary access to the Guillaume Lethiere exhibition. From 56 pm, reserved seating is available for participants to share their writing on the Fernandez Terrace.
According to a press release:
Just as artist Guillaume Lethiere depicted themes of revolt and revolution in his paintings and drawings, participants discuss the power of words to create change and gather together to write and share words of change in a casual workshop setting.
Free. Open to all ages; recommended for ages 12+. Pick up writing prompts at the Clark Center admissions desk.
Tamarack Hollow founders Daniel Cohen, left, and Aimee Gelinas, state Rep. John Barrett III, outdoor guide Vicki Zacharewicz and Tamarack board member Peter Scherff break ground for an educational center. Julie Richburg, the Trustees' lead ecologist of inland natural resources, commends Tamarack Hollow's conservation work. Dancer and instructor Noel Staples-Freeman dances to the beat. PreviousNext
Tamarack Hollow Breaks Ground on Long-Anticipated Nature Center
The education center will allow Tamarack to hold programming without worrying about the weather.
WINDSOR, Mass. Aimee Gelinas and Daniel Cohen have led hikes and other programming at Tamarack Hollow Nature and Cultural Center for more than a decade.
Now an upcoming educational center will create new opportunities to connect people with the natural world and the folklore traditions that honor it.
Last week, the nonprofit held a ceremonial groundbreaking for a 900-square-foot wooden structure with a full foundation and a composting toilet. The excavation process began this week, and completion is expected in 2026.
"This is such a big day for Dan and I," Gelinas said. "We have been working hard for this for 10 years."
For Cohen, it is "very gratifying."
"It's been kind of a dream, an idea of ours for a long time and to see it coming to fruition is really amazing," he said.
The organization received a $50,000 matching grant three years ago from the Massachusetts Cultural Council's Facilities Fund in partnership with MassDevelopment. Through donations, they were able to match it.
The center is estimated to cost around $200,000 and fundraising efforts continue.
Gelinas and Cohen hold guided hikes, snowshoeing, tracking, wild edibles, and plant and tree identification events throughout the year but are limited without a facility to hold indoor programming.
"The building will provide our organization with a much-needed indoor educational space so we can provide programs for schools, teacher training, youth centers, intergenerational programs, lectures, music classes, and more right here on site," Gelinas explained.
"Regardless of the weather."
The conservation and educational nonprofit's mission is to educate about the diverse natural and cultural world through programs for all ages that inspire stewardship of natural, and cultural resources.
With two full-time staff, it serves more than 5,000 people per year.
"We strive to inspire environmental and cultural awareness, appreciation, and stewardship by providing meaningful and engaging year-round educational opportunities for the public through diverse hands-on learning opportunities that connect people's culture and place," Gelinas explained.
"Our mission is to educate the public about the importance of stewarding our natural world, as well as folkloric traditions from world cultures that intrinsically connect music with the rhythms of the natural world. Through awareness and appreciation of the environment and diverse cultures, we can better understand each other and ourselves."
The nonprofit is also conserving 88 acres of rare boreal spruce fir and hardwood forest. The type of terrain, which includes the balsam fir and red spruce species, only grows in a small pocket of the state, with fields, watershed and a waterfall for future generations of fauna, flora, and people, she said.
They began their journey on the land in the early 2000s and in the last two years, have saved a 30-acre plot, a 26-acre plot, and the waterfall. The trail system is now about a two-mile loop.
Tamarack Hollow's land stretches along the northern border of Notchview, a property owned by the Trustees of Reservations. Julie Richburg, the Trustees' lead ecologist of inland natural resources, said they are amazing neighbors.
She commended Gelinas' work with youth and said the local wildlife thank them for preserving the land.
"This forest is really going to be impacted by climate change. It already is," she said.
"We're going to be able to have this land protected, cared for amazingly well, and using that foundation to teach generations, from drummers to kids to older people, people of all different knowledge levels."
State Rep. John Barrett III said the Legislature does something right when its funds something like Tamarack Hollow.
"I can say our money is well spent in the programs that are being developed here and other cultural organizations not just in the Berkshires but throughout Massachusetts," he added.
"You've done good."
Board members, family, and friends clapped and cheered the nonprofit's milestone.
"You guys were really the foundation, in your own way, of how we got here," Gelinas said.
She dedicated the evening, Aug. 21, to her beloved parents because of their unwavering support and belief in this project from the beginning. The next day would have been their 60th wedding anniversary.
Nephew and godson Matthew Gelinas was also commended for his work on the property as an intern for the last several years.
Leading global smart device brand OPPO is set to introduce the all-new OPPO A3. Known for setting the standards for durability and value for money, the OPPO A Series is designed to meet the needs of Filipinos who need a reliable everyday device for their work and play. The OPPO A3 boasts durability and enhanced reliability, making it the perfect partner for indoor and outdoor battles.
Built with a US Military-Grade Shock Resistance and rated 5-star for overall drop resistance in a performance test conducted by SGS, the OPPO A3 will empower Filipinos to live their everyday lives to the fullest as it can survive accidental falls from up to 1.6 meters, whether on their daily commute or doing their jobs or just winding down after a hard day at work.
Further proving the OPPO A3s superior strength among other devices in the A Series is its industry-leading Splash Touch technology and Multiple Liquid Resistance. Filipinos stay connected and worry-free even when they get caught in sudden downpours or accidentally spilling water, coffee or tea on their smartphone when theyre rushing or out and about.
For Filipinos looking for an accessible, highly-capable device as they try out mobile games or simply unwind during break time or after a long day at work, the OPPO A3 will be a solid option for them. Powered by a Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen1 Mobile Platform chipset, the OPPO A3 will ensure reduced latency and enhanced performance, ensuring immersive gameplay without interruptions.
Aside from the OPPO A3 being durable and reliable, it can also capture stunning, high-quality images with its 50MP Ultra-Clear Camera.Filipinos will no longer have to worry about their devices being totally drained or having to recharge for an extended period as the OPPO A3 is packed with a powerful 5,100mAh battery, complemented by OPPOs 45W SUPERVOOC Flash Charge and Smart Charging features.
The OPPO A3 comes in Starlight White, Starry Purple and Sparkle Black and will soon be available on OPPOs Shopee, Lazada and TikTok channels as well as in all OPPO stores nationwide.
Stay tuned for more updates and visit OPPOs official website at www.oppo.com.ph/ or OPPO Philippines official Facebook page for more updates on the upcoming OPPO A3.
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No one in human history lived a more chronicled life than the Queen, Craig Brown writes in the opening pages of A Voyage Around the Queen, his biography of the woman who became Elizabeth II. Its possible, Brown says, to chart her movements, on an almost daily basis, from the moment she was born to the moment she died. She barely went a week of her 96 years without being photographed, and those photographs then being disseminated around the globe. But despite the sheer volume of pictures and press snippets, she remained almost entirely inscrutable: she kept her true self hidden and set the blueprint for what weve come to think of as royal image management in the process (a blueprint that some of her descendants have ripped up).
Is it even possible to find something new, even revelatory, to say about this most documented of women? If A Voyage Around the Queen is anything to go by, the answer is yes you just have to look at her from a different angle. Brown is a satirist previously best known for his parodic celebrity diaries in Private Eye, but in recent years he has pioneered a kaleidoscopic approach to biography.
His books play with this traditional form, giving as much space to examining the cultural phenomenon that springs up around a celebrity as to pure biographical detail. In his previous works, Maam Darling, a portrait of the Queens younger sister Princess Margaret, and One Two Three Four: The Beatles in Time, he shone fresh light on his subjects by approaching them side on, in a slightly topsy-turvy fashion that allows their character to emerge in unexpected ways; he mixed imagined conversations, conspiracy theories and parodies with interview transcripts, magazine cuttings and lists.
There can be no difficulty in finding source material relating to the Queen (for simplicitys sake, Brown refers to the late monarch with this title throughout his book, largely because, he explains, when we hear that word, it is still Elizabeth that we think of first). The first chronicle of her life appeared in 1930, when she was just four she is the worlds best known Baby, its pages declared, before gushingly describing the royal tots beauty and serene courage. A steady stream of books promising an insiders take on her and her family have followed ever since, although, perhaps unsurprisingly, none really seemed to permeate this most private of public figures.
Unlike Browns previous biographical subjects, the Queen could never really say or do anything especially groundbreaking or controversial. By virtue of her royal position, politeness and tradition were her mainstays. These are qualities that dont automatically make for the most fascinating of narratives, so Brown must be ever more creative in his approach.
There is a phonetic guide to the royals unique brand of received pronunciation, a list of the words that Prince Philip hated most (including conurbation and charismatic), letters to newspapers, descriptions of encounters with the monarch both real and made up. There are even dream diaries featuring members of the publics nighttime imaginings, a rendering of a corgi family tree and a compilation of the many, many times that the Queen was described as radiant by the people who met her. Browns focus is on the monarch herself, rather than her younger relatives, but there is a wonderful digressive chapter recounting the woeful failure of Its a Royal Knockout. In 1987, Prince Edward decided that the best way to make the Windsors seem relatable would be for them to star in a medieval-themed game show along with some minor stars. Prince Andrew reportedly ended up trying to push Meatloaf into a moat; Jonathan Dimbleby would later describe it as a nadir for the royals.
The Queen could have a discombobulating effect on her public ( Getty Images )
Indeed, Brown mixes high and low culture even more gleefully in his new book. The Queens meetings with great politicians and poet laureates are as important as her encounters with celebrities, and are recounted with similarly gossipy flair. Kingsley Amis, we learn, was so terrified of becoming flatulent when he received his knighthood that he had his doctor lay down a firewall of Imodium, according to son Martin. Phil Collins, meanwhile, started whistling the theme from Close Encounters of the Third Kind immediately after getting through a conversation with her, possibly out of a sense of relief that his ordeal was over.
Among Browns main preoccupations here is the strange, discombobulating effect that the Queen had on her public the ones who actually encountered her in person and those who only knew her as a face on coins and stamps. One of the illustrative anecdotes he features sees Tony Benn, then postmaster general and an avowed anti-monarchist, attempt to get said face taken off stamps, only to get quietly outmanoeuvred by the Queen and her staff over and over. Elizabeth II, the writer suggests, was essentially a human looking glass: the light cast by fame bounced off her, and back on to those facing her. People saw what they wanted to see in her, which was often some version of their own attitudes.
Sometimes that light dazzled them so much that they might feel giddy or woozy, prone to speaking strangely, behaving oddly or doing a comically low curtsey, a la Margaret Thatcher. Sometimes people would respond to the Queens conversational pleasantries (Have you come far? or How interesting!) with hysterical laughter or great reverence. Brown has plenty of fun skewering the bizarre ways in which we respond to royalty, but he also explores how sometimes the simplest of royal utterances could take on a certain perceptiveness. Take, for example, an encounter with the novelist Sybille Bedford, who tells the Queen she has been writing all [her] life, only for the monarch to respond with Oh dear! Oh well. Those four words, Brown says, inadvertently got to the heart of Bedfords attitude to her work: she had always found the act of writing close to unbearable. Brown doesnt imbue every royal act with an inflated sense of import and meaning (as some biographers have been prone to do) but he also has a light touch when it comes to these moments that sum up the monarchs balancing act between the banal and the almost talismanic or mystical.
A picture of the Queens corgis waiting for her funeral cortege would become one of the defining images of her funeral ( PA )
If the Queens conversation and behaviour were constantly constricted by protocol, the corgis, Brown suggests, seemed to embody all the chaos that her life lacked. The sections he dedicates to these anarchic dogs are among the books silliest and most enjoyable, as Her Majestys fleet of tiny canines tear through palaces and castles, biting the ankles of various notable guests; during one lunch at Windsor, the politician Alan Johnson accidentally ate their unusual dark biscuits, accompanied with cheese. They become her avatars, able to act out in a way that the Queen never could. Dogs have interesting instincts, dont they? the Queen apparently mused, with a knowing look after David Blunketts guide dog took a disliking to Vladimir Putin.
The corgis also feature in one of a few genuinely moving stories recalled here. At another royal lunch, the surgeon David Nott found himself in tears when asked about his work on the battlefields of Aleppo. The Queen briskly turned their conversation towards her dogs, and the pair sat feeding them for half an hour. The humanity of what she was doing was unbelievable, Nott said. In this context, you start to understand why a photograph showing the corgis waiting for her funeral cortege ended up as one of that days most poignant images. Glimmers like these, Brown knows, can be more evocative of character (and perhaps, of how we create a sense of someones character) than stolid facts or tell-all interviews.
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Fatman Scoop, the American rapper and hype man best known for his 1999 hit Be Faithful, has died aged 53 following an onstage medical emergency.
The Grammy-winning musician, real name Isaac Freeman III, collapsed during a performance on Friday in Hamden Town Center Park, Connecticut, before he was rushed to hospital.
According to reports from concertgoers, Freeman was seen struggling before he disappeared from view behind the DJ decks and collapsed. Medics quickly attended the scene and delivered CPR. A cause of death has not been disclosed.
His death was announced on Saturday by DJ and producer Birch Michael, who was Freemans tour manager.
You took me all over the world and had me performing alongside you on some of the biggest and greatest stages on this planet, the things you taught me have truly made me the man I am today, Michael said in an Instagram post.
MN2S, the rappers booking agency, confirmed the news in a statement to The Independent, saying: We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear friend and client, Fatman Scoop, at the age of 53.
Scoop was a beloved figure in the music world, whose work was loved by countless fans across the globe. His iconic voice, infectious energy, and great personality made an indelible mark on the industry, and his legacy will live on through his timeless music.
open image in gallery Fatman Scoop entering the Celebrity Big Brother house in 2015 ( Getty )
Sharron Elkabas, the rappers representative said: I spoke to him just a few days ago, and he was in such good spirits. Its hard to believe he is no longer with us.
Fatman Scoop had been a valued member of the MN2S family for 15 years, and his loss is deeply felt by all of us. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and fans during this incredibly difficult time.
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Scoops vibrant spirit, boundless enthusiasm, and passion for music will always remain in our hearts. He will be deeply missed.
open image in gallery Fatman Scoop onstage at the MOBO Awards in 2017 ( Getty )
A statement shared by his family on the rappers Instagram page spoke of his radiant soul and said he was a beacon of light both on and off stage. He was the laughter in our lives, and a constant source of support, unwavering strength and courage.
They added that he was known to the world as the undisputed voice of the club.
Throughout his career, Freeman frequently collaborated with other artists, including Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston and Missy Elliott.
His raspy and instantly recognisable voice featured on Mariah Careys Its Like That and Missy Elliotts 2005 single Lose Control, which won Best Short Video at the 48th Grammy Awards.
Born in New York, Freeman got his stage name from his uncle Jack, who called him Fatman Scoop due to his love for ice cream as a child.
open image in gallery The hype man performing at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2007 ( Getty )
He found fame with his 1999 hit Be Faithful, featuring the Crooklyn Clan, with his catchy chorus Single ladies, I cant hear you / All the chickenheads, be quiet! leaving a mark on hip hop culture and club culture for decades to come.
The song is still recognised as a club hit today, with the re-released 2001 version with samples from Jay-Z, Faith Evans and Black Sheep giving the song another boost in popularity.
His 2001 track Drop with Timbaland, soundtracked the opening of the 2004 breakdance drama You Got Served.
open image in gallery Fatman Scoop found fame with his 1999 hit Be Faithful ( PA )
The musician was also a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother 16: UK vs USA, which was housed in the UK and aired in 2015. He was the third housemate to be evicted.
Until his death, Freeman regularly released his own remixes of popular songs, and on the morning of his collapse, he released the official music video for his final collaboration with Dyce Payso, with their new song Let It Go.
The music industry has been paying tribute to the hip hop star.
Missy Elliott sent strength and prayers to his family.
She continued: Fatman Scoop VOICE & energy have contributed to MANY songs that made the people feel HAPPY & want to dance for over 2 decades. Your IMPACT will be NEVER be forgotten.
Questlove posted a photo of Scoop on Instagram, thanking him for being an embodiment of what hip hop was truly about, to just forget about your troubles and live in the moment and allow joy in.
Meanwhile, producer Timbaland shared a string of white dove emojis, and in another comment, a string of teary-eyed emojis.
Your voice is forever with us making us all have a good time, rapper Lil Jon wrote.
Scoop was one of those people that reminded you what the word love truly means, Ludacris wrote in an Instagram post of his own. Its an action, and with his actions he exuded the purest form of passion for hip hop.
He added, Every human being that he came into contact with felt that love and that passion. This is the type of legacy we should all continue from here on until eternity.
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Tony McCarroll, the former Oasis drummer who sued the Gallagher brothers after he was sacked from the band in 1995, has spoken out about the bands reunion tour for the first time.
In a new interview, the drummer, who is often dubbed the forgotten man of Oasis, spoke about Noel and Liam Gallaghers reunion tour, which will see the band perform a run of 14 shows in the UK and Ireland next summer for the first time since they broke up 2009.
McCarroll said he is not bitter about not being invited back for the reunion tour or missing out on making a large fortune from it.
Im happy for Noel and Liam. Really happy for them, he told MailOnline. And Im dead happy for the fans more than anything and for those generations who havent seen Oasis.
McCarrolls time with the band began in the late Eighties, when the band was performing under the moniker The Rain and Noel Gallagher hadnt yet joined the band.
After they formed Oasis with Noel, the Manchester-born McCarroll continued as their drummer, performing on their first two albums, 1994s Definitely Maybe and 1995s Whats The Story (Morning Glory?).
Tensions between McCarroll and Noel started to boil over as they repeatedly got into arguments, and Noel felt that the drummer wasnt good enough to play new material.
McCarroll celebrates his out-of-court settlement in 1999 ( PA )
In 1995, McCarroll was asked to leave and was replaced by Alan White, who continued with the band until 2004.
McCarroll then filed a lawsuit against Oasis, alleging that he was unlawfully expelled from the partnership and was therefore owed royalties of 18 m, as part of his five-album deal with Creation.
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McCarroll eventually accepted an out-of-court settlement of 600,000 in March 1999 as well as giving up all claims for future royalties.
McCarroll revealed that his former bandmates had not yet been in touch with him about the reunion tour, telling the publication: They havent reached out yet and to be honest Im not holding my breath.
Would I consider being involved? I dont know. At the end of the day Im not the only ex-member left behind, so Ill just crack on.
I havent made up my mind if Im going to watch them play next year either. I was at their last ever gig in the UK at the V Festival. Its weird and ironic that I was there at the first and last gig.
I think we all knew it was going to happen and it had to happen.
Whether its been a blag for 15 years I havent got a clue. Theyre brothers at the end of the day maybe their mum Peggy clashed their heads together and said sort it out.
McCarroll said he wasnt shocked when the band announced their comeback tour, and claimed he had predicted they would time it to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Definitely Maybe album.
Oasis are to reform for 14 performances ( PA Archive )
Speaking to The Guardian in 1999 after his departure from the band, McCarroll said of his relationship with Noel: I dont have a bad thing to say about Noel Gallagher. Hes an a******* though.
We were in it together. I worked my b*****ks off to set up the group. I was a member of a super-group one day and unemployed the next. I was trying to work out how.
However, McCarroll said he isnt angry anymore, and that he would like to meet up with Noel again.
He said: I last saw Liam just before Christmas and it was all hugs and kisses with him. Were not on the phone to each other but the relationship is amicable, were all good.
Ive not spoken to Noel in a while, but Id love to see all of them again. It would be lovely if something nice happened, but I dont expect anything. If it does, then great, nice ending to it all.
In Supersonic, a 2016 documentary on the band, soundman Mark Coyle talked about how McCarroll had a hard time on the Definitely Maybe tour as tensions between the drummer and Gallagher continued to boil over.
Youd have to feel for the boy. Ill put my hand up with the rest of the band and say I gave him a terrible time as well, he said.
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Behind-the-scenes images released by Oasis see the Gallagher brothers smiling together as they prepare for their much-anticipated reunion tour.
The newly-released black-and-white image sees Noel laughing as he stands next to his brother Liam, who is looking directly at the camera.
The British rock band announced their long-awaited reunion on Tuesday (27 August), and the pair will play 17 shows across London, Cardiff, Manchester, Edinburgh and Dublin as part of their 2025 comeback tour.
The amicable context of the image is a welcome contrast for fans, who havent seen the pair together since they disbanded in 2009 following a heated backstage argument.
The relations between Gallaghers had long been turbulent before their split. Their professional relationship was worsening in the build-up to their last concert, with the pair having regular quarrels, physical altercations and disagreements onstage.
Noel and Liam smile as theyre photographed as part of the Oasis reunion ( Simon Emmett )
Much of their animosity had its roots in their teenage years, when the two shared one bedroom in their parents home. In the Oasis documentary Supersonic, Liam describes a time when he came home drunk and urinated on his brothers stereo. I think thats where the grudge started, he said.
In 2009, Noel issued a statement explaining his reasons for quitting, citing his brothers verbal and violent intimidation towards me, my family and friends of too great a number to list. What followed was 15 years of estrangement and the temporary end of Oasis.
The Gallagher brothers back together again ( Simon Emmett )
People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer, he wrote. Later, would claim that an argument over the advertising of Liams Pretty Green merchandising line had devolved into Liam throwing fruit and swinging a guitar around like an axe he nearly took my face off with it. It was at this point that he decided to quit.
The rest of Oasiss lineup, including Liam, continued to perform under the name Beady Eye until 2014.
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Noel continued to condemn his brothers behaviour during the Oasis years, saying in 2015 that he would never forgive Liams habit of abandoning gigs at the last minute.
He also accused Liam of being obsessed with him, and then Liam eventually became vocal on social media and would sometimes send public insults to his brother online.
In 2017, Liam released his first single as a solo artist, and further dismissed the idea of reforming the band. [Working with Noel] bores the death out of me, he said, revealing that the pair had not had any contact in years.
Noel and Liam Gallagher inspect photos during a session ahead of the Oasis reunion tour ( Simon Emmett )
But the mending of bridges was hinted at across several years its only now that it has actually materialised.
During a set at Reading Festival 2024, Liam dropped a number of hints about a prospective reunion, dedicating the Oasis track Half The World Away to his brother. The gig ended by revealing a date and time, which was also shared by both Gallagher brothers on social media.
At 8am on Tuesday 27 August, both Liam and Noel announced that the band was reforming, stating: This is it, this is happening.
In the announcement, the duo confirmed that there had been no great revelatory moment, but rather the gradual realisation that the time is right.
Close Oasis announce reunion tour
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Thousands of Oasis fans have been left empty-handed and frustrated after struggling to nab tickets to the groups 2025 reunion tour.
Tickets went on sale at 9am on Saturday and were expected to be sold out in minutes, but instead many waited in online queues for up to 10 hours, only to be kicked off booking websites with Error 503 messages appearing on their screens.
Just after 7pm, Oasis and Ticketmaster finally announced that tickets had sold out.
Some of those who did manage to make it through the queue to select tickets for Cardiff, Edinburgh, Dublin, London and Manchester found that the cost for general standing tickets had risen unexpectedly as a result of Ticketmasters dynamic pricing policy, which saw the cost of tickets double in some cases.
For the Manchester shows, for example, a general admission standing ticket was expected to cost 150 but that price had risen to 355 under the dynamic pricing policy that reflects increased demand.
However, Oasis has warned against buying resale tickets at inflated prices with companies other than its promoter, saying those tickets will not be valid.
The British rock band announced their long-awaited reunion on Tuesday (27 August), with brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher set to join one another onstage for the first time since their split in 2009.
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Vladimir Putin has reportedly gifted Kim Jong-un 24 purebred horses in exchange for artillery shells used in the Ukraine war, signalling the two leaders increasingly close bond.
The new consignment of Orlov Trotters, which are said to be the North Korean leaders favourite breed, were brought over the narrow land border on Sunday, according to an announcement made by the veterinary authorities in Primorsky Krai, which is the Russian Far East region connected by rail to North Korea, reported The Times.
The delivery of the 19 stallions and five mares is reported by South Korean media to be partial payment for North Korean artillery shells sent to Russia for use in its invasion of Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un exchange documents during a ceremony for their new partnership in Pyongyang, North Korea, in June ( Sputnik )
It comes two years after Pyongyang received 30 Orlov Trotters, the breed Kim has been seen riding in his regimes propaganda pictures.
Meanwhile, state media KCNA reported the North Korean leader sent President Putin a pair of Pungsan dogs, which is a local breed, in June, after the two leaders signed a comprehensive partnership agreement committing to military cooperation earlier that month. The Russian leader then gifted Kim 447 goats in August.
The horses primarily play a symbolic, rather than military, role for Kim, fuelling his familys personality cult ( Reuters )
Despite its development of nuclear weapons and balliestic missiles, North Korea is investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into a network of equestrian military units, which is among the oldest of military technologies. Between 2020 and 2023, the country spent at least $600,000 importing thoroughbred horses from Russia.
The horses primarily play a symbolic, rather than military, role for Kim, fuelling his familys personality cult. The North Korean leader is depicted riding on 386 occasions at the museum of the Mirim Horse Riding Club, which is the countrys most imporant equestrian centre.
The club also features sayings on equestrianism spoken by Kim, such as, Horses may no longer be used in war, but the war horse is important from the perspective that they display the militarys greatness.
Another reads: Commanders must ride horses. A person who rides horses will gain a stronger disposition and higher command ability, and it is also related to physical strength.
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Doctor Aileen Souza* was examining a patient at a bustling private hospital in Indias southern state of Tamil Nadu when a senior male colleague approached her from behind and rubbed up against her.
There was enough space for at least 10 people to queue up behind me. And yet, my senior came and rubbed his d*** against my b*** in public, Souza, who was 25 when she began her internship at the hospital, tells The Independent.
Born to parents who were doctors and alumni from the same prestigious medical college she attended in the southern city of Vellore, Souza says she entered the profession with a certain sense of security. That illusion was quickly shattered, as she was sexually harassed and assaulted by several colleagues over the years. She says it made her aware of her vulnerabilities as a woman despite the privilege of class, and where it leaves others who are not from similar backgrounds.
Three years after her ordeal shes speaking out, emboldened by the national outcry over the recent rape and murder of a trainee doctor in the eastern city of Kolkata. More than a million doctors in India went on strike this month amid snowballing protests over the 9 August rape and murder of a resident medic who had settled down for a nap in a lecture hall after working nearly 20 hours of a 36-hour shift at the government-run RG Kar Medical College.
Since then, junior doctors have taken to the streets in protest, demanding justice and better workplace safety for women in hospitals. This comes amid what is being seen as a second wave of the #MeToo movement in India as women actors in a southern film industry speak up about systemic sexual abuse by top professionals, emboldened by a government-appointed fact-finding committee backing their allegations.
The Independent spoke to almost a dozen women doctors about their experiences working in hospitals across India, and all described an environment where sexual harassment is rampant. Their names have been changed to protect their identity in keeping with strict Indian laws that do not allow the victims of sexual crimes to be named.
I was an intern in the emergency department, assisting a junior consultant when it happened, Souza says.
Medical students, doctors and members of the civil society attend a candlelight protest march as they demand justice after an alleged rape and murder incident in Kolkata, India, on 23 August 2024 ( EPA )
She remembers being frozen in shock at the senior doctors inappropriate conduct. It was clear to everyone present that his actions served no purpose other than to harass me."
She chose not to speak out at the time, intimidated by the perpetrators position of power and the lack of a reliable redressal mechanism. "As a consultant, he could easily damage my reputation and discredit me. I feared he would spread rumours that I was a troublemaker, always complaining and raising allegations.
Indian laws require all workplaces to have systems in place to address sexual harassment complaints, but a recent analysis by the Udaiti Foundation found that 59 per cent of companies were not compliant. Specific data for hospitals and clinics in India is not publicly available.
I felt violated and confused, wondering what I had done to encourage this behaviour," Souza says.
Medical professionals and students hold placards as they take part in a protest in New Delhi on 21 August 2024 ( AFP via Getty Images )
On 20 August, Indias Supreme Court created a hospital safety task force to recommend steps to ensure medical workers safety. If women cannot go to a place of work and be safe, then we are denying them the basic conditions of equality, said Chief Justice DY Chandrachud.
The court suggested the doctor-led task force consider sweeping reforms to make medical establishments safer for staff, including separate break rooms for female staff, adequate lighting across the campus, CCTV coverage, and the creation of employee panels to conduct quarterly safety audits.
The need for workplace safety for female medical professionals has been reiterated in a letter by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to prime minister Narendra Modi. It is for the authorities to provide for the safety of doctors inside hospitals and campuses, it said while listing a set of demands, including assured security and restricted duty hours.
Medical professionals and students take part in a protest rally against the rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata on 21 August 2024 ( AFP via Getty Images )
We appeal to you for your intervention. This will give confidence to not only women doctors but also to every woman in [the] workplace. Sixty per cent of Indian doctors are women. This percentage is as high as 68 per cent in the dental profession, 75 per cent in physiotherapy and 85 per cent in nursing. All healthcare professionals deserve peaceful ambience, safety, and security at the workplace, the IMA said.
Lavanya Biswas, 32, a medical professional from Kolkata, says a senior colleague at a hospital in Vellore in 2017 threatened her with physical assault after she rejected his sexual advances.
She says he started to target her religion after the rejection. "He got quite offended that I have changed my religion ... and began to make nasty comments about my faith," she says.
One day, while she was struggling to take a blood sample from a newborn a rather difficult procedure she says he commented, Oh! where is your Jesus?
She asked him to keep things professional between them but his behaviour continued to worsen. The situation came to a head when they were on night duty together. "Only the two of us were there at night in the ward and we were doing the night rounds, when he asked, Why are you not talking to me? I told him that if you keep troubling me, Im going to complain against you."
The seniors response was menacing. He allegedly responded, Oh, you want to complain against me? Then Im going to hit you. So that its worth the complaint".
The Indian Medical Association announced a nationwide withdrawal of services by doctors of modern medicine in all sectors from 6am on Saturday, 17 August, for 24 hours with all essential and emergency services remaining operational ( EPA )
Biswas stood her ground but the experience left her shaken and fearing for her safety.
Today, she regrets not reporting the incident out of the fear of being victim-blamed. "I felt that... Ill be the one in trouble... The culture is to put everything under the carpet and make everything hush-hush... I already feel cornered... I didnt want to ruin my tenure and get a bad name."
Dr Himani Iyer, a 28-year-old resident doctor at Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak, narrates a terrifying experience of stalking.
There was a person with long hair in a red car who started chasing me during Holi, says the PGIMS student, referring to the Hindu festival of colours traditionally celebrated around March.
After this continued for a while, she asked the hostel guards to stop the car. That day, the car was stopped outside the boys hostel, says Iyer. But from the next day onwards the driver a man started following her from her hostel to her workplace, the pathology department.
The driver also waited for her to finish work, she says. Since there is free access for everybody inside the campus, it could be anyone, Iyer says. Initially it caused me a lot of anxiety. I could not get a hold of myself to take a picture of the car or note the number.
I did not lodge a complaint and did not know where to seek help. Because going directly to the police did not feel like the first thing I could do, she says. The police in India routinely accept that minor cases will never work their way through the courts. They instead often mete out their own summary justice, whether that be through mediation or simply beating the suspects and then refusing to register complaints.
Even the most serious and high-profile offences in India take many years to reach a conclusion when taken through the courts. Iyer says that when she finally noted the cars number and went to the police, they did not file her complaint.
They were telling me that I should confront my stalker, she says, which she firmly refused to do.
I said no, I cannot do that. Im not from here (the same state). I dont understand the local ways either. So I would like the police to act. So, they tracked down his number. I think the police had a word with him and after that, it stopped.
Iyer, who voiced the need for campus safety at a protest organised at PGIMS Rohtak against the Kolkata rape and murder case, says: Its not easy to go to the police right away and even though it got sorted out for me, there are younger students, the undergrad people, and going to the police will not be the first thing anybody would think about.
If you interact with any of the resident doctors, everybody has a fear inside them. None of the female doctors today want to go out alone. Everybody is trying to be in a group. Even I dont prefer walking alone after its eight or something. I try my best to get a friend [to accompany]me.
She says many women doctors such as herself are feeling very unsafe regarding the whole issue after the Kolkata incident.
Senior and resident doctors take part in a candlelight march during a protest and nationwide strike against the rape and murder of the woman doctor ( Getty Images )
Ananya Kumar, an alumna of PGIMS, Rohtak, says she and her women colleagues were routinely subjected to everyday sexism. There was one incident during an anatomy class around a cadaver that left her shaken, she recalls.
We were all women, surrounding the table when a professor asked for a pair of gloves. So we asked him if he wanted the 6.5 size which is a small pair. He said, Ok, give me 6-and-a-half-size gloves only... because it is a different kind of pleasure to put your fingers into small things a horrific innuendo about a womans vagina.
Dr Umesh Yadav, assistant public relations officer at PGIMS, tells The Independent: I want to assure you on the behalf of PGIMS, we have an institutional committee for these things and that takes these comments very seriously. And let me tell you there has been an expulsion of the faculty member, also on similar grounds, a few years back.
Dr Yadav refers to the action taken by the institution in August against resident doctor Maninder Kaushik, who was accused of abducting and assaulting a 19-year-old student after she declined his advances.
In the present case, the university acted suo motu without any official complaint by the student or parents.
Medical students and doctors make a human chain during a protest as they demand justice ( EPA )
The student was arrested by the police. Along with that there was expulsion the maximum that an institution can do has already been done. He adds that the campus has sanctioned funds for the installation of CCTV cameras and department heads have been directed to assist students in police complaints in cases of harassment.
Nearly 43 per cent of women experienced non-inclusive behaviour such as harassment or microaggressions and nearly half had concerns about their safety at work, or safety while travelling to work, according to an Economic Times article citing Deloittes 2024 Women @ Work report.
Reeza Dey, a 32-year-old doctor, says her estranged father sexually harassed junior employees in the privately-run hospital that he managed alongside her mother.
They used to hire nurses and lab technicians and I have seen my father harass the people working under him, she says of incidents going back to 2007, when Dey herself was in her early teens. She recalls nurses complaining that her father would stop them from leaving a room after assisting in a scan.
Though the matter reached her mother, who was also an administrator at the hospital, the resolution was far from fair. Unfortunately, the whole thing got the twist of infidelity rather than harassment, shares Dey, adding that it was an obvious case of workplace harassment.
Because she was married to him, she looked at it through the lens of infidelity, she says of her mother, with whom she is no longer in touch.
I want to talk about it because the men who harass women are also sometimes our brothers and fathers. I really feel the need to be very vocal about it because I know that people in my family have done this.
Relatives of patients wait as the medical students and doctors attend a protest in Kolkata, India, on 17 August 2024 ( EPA )
She says her father would hold an accountant as she worked on a computer or put his hand over hers when she was working with the mouse.
While doctors are vulnerable to violence, Dey says the other workers in the hospital, especially at private clinics, are rarely better off. If your next paycheck is coming from the owner, then it is not an equal dynamic.
* All victims names have been changed to protect their identities
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The search and rescue operation for an Indian tourist who vanished into a sinkhole a week ago has been officially called off.
After nine days of search and rescue and consideration from the cabinet as well as experts including the police, the search team, Kuala Lumpur City Hall, geologists and more, we've decided to halt the search efforts today, Zaliha Mustafa, a minister in the prime ministers department (federal territories) told reporters at the location of the sinkhole.
There are various factors for halting the operation, which include the safety and health of the rescue personnel.
The family of the victim has been informed, and we are in constant contact with them and the Indian High Commission, she added.
Vijaya Lakshmi Gali, 48, fell into the 8m-deep sinkhole at 8.22am on 23 August while walking to a nearby temple in Kuala Lumpurs Masjid India district. The search had been on for a week and the rescuers had found nothing.
Dr Mustafa said that the next steps to be taken were to be determined by the Malaysian police and that efforts to locate Ms Gali would continue under different agencies, reported Malay Mail.
The Kuala Lumpur City Council will also map the utilities and conduct a soil structure study throughout Kuala Lumpur and proceed with the rebuilding and recovery of Jalan Masjid India, she added.
open image in gallery Rescue personnel enter a deep sinkhole after a woman fell into it in Kuala Lumpur ( AP )
The operation was concentrated around two manholes in the Jalan Masjid India neighbourhood and was extremely challenging due to heavy rains and debris in the sinkhole.
The search team had been using high-pressure jets of water to cut through debris to find the victim.
While the Kuala Lumpur City Hall had placed over 100 sandbags around the exposed sewer lines to protect them from the disruptive flow of rainwater, the existing issues were dangerous enough already for the divers.
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.
It is pitch black in that pipe, a diver told The Straits Times.
You dont want to know whats in there. Its full of human waste and other garbage. We decontaminate immediately after each dive.
Ms Gali and her family were due to return to India last week, but their visas have been extended by the Malaysian government and they were also provided with counselling. The family members do not expect anything and would only want to see her face.
open image in gallery Relatives of an Indian woman who fell into an eight-meter-deep sinkhole wait for news near the accident site ( EPA )
Kuala Lumpurs mayor 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 last week. 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.
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A tweet that recently went viral asked one simple question: Whats your pet theory about the causes of birth rate decline?
The answers that came back varied wildly.
People everywhere have higher expectations for everything: their spouse, quality of life for kids, etc. it can really all be traced back to that.
Birth control + cost of living.
People are too stressed, overworked, and more focused on careers and personal goals.
And, hilariously: Men are mean and everything is too expensive.
The immutable fact that people are having fewer babies is a subject thats been steadily gaining attention. In the UK, the birth rate has been noticeably on the wane since 2010, with the average birth rate in England and Wales sinking to 1.49 children per woman in 2022 the lowest rate on record. Its well below the so-called replacement rate of 2.1 children per woman, the number of babies needed in developed countries to maintain a steady population.
But its not an issue peculiar to the UK; birth rates are falling the world over, other than in Sub-Saharan Africa. Two-thirds of the worlds countries now have childbirth rates below the replacement rate. The issue is particularly pronounced in Southeast Asian countries: Taiwan, China, Thailand and Japan are all towards the bottom of the fertility table.
open image in gallery As women become better educated, they often leave having children until later ( Getty Images )
There are two broad trends at work here, according to Prof Sarah Harper CBE, a professor of gerontology at the University of Oxford. The first is an extension of something that started in Europe 250 years ago: When you improve womens education and healthcare, it reduces the number of children shell have. Thats a very good thing more women being healthy, educated and having access to family planning.
The other trend has happened more dramatically over the last 30 years, and is particularly notable in Asia and Latin America. This second fall in fertility, where were seeing birth rates below 1.5 children, seems to be driven by different dynamics, says Prof Harper. Responses from young women are the same in Southeast Asia as in Europe: yes, women are saying there are economic issues, insecure jobs or challenges with affordable housing. But theyre also saying, Im educated and I understand that if I have a child that will change my lifestyle. I want to consider when I have a child. They might decide to stay child-free, to delay having their first child, or to only have one.
South Korea, whose rate was already the worlds lowest, plunged again last year to a record nadir of 0.72. On the one hand, the countrys twenty and thirty-somethings seem more interested in spending what disposable income they have on fashion, restaurants and travel: They are status hunting. Their high spending habits show young people are working on their own emblems of success online rather than focusing on the impossible goals of settling down and have children, Jung Jae-hoon, a sociology professor at Seoul Womens University, told Reuters.
On the other, a growing gap between the genders has prompted a fringe movement called 4B, in which women swear off heterosexual dating, sex, marriage and childbirth in response to the countrys deep-rooted misogyny. South Koreas incidence of intimate-partner violence was found to be 41.5 per cent in a 2016 survey, compared to a global average of 30 per cent, and its gender pay gap is the largest in the developed world.
Women are becoming more vocal about what they need and that it has to be egalitarian, it has to be equal Professor Pragya Agarwal
These circumstances are clearly very particular to South Korea, but the reality they speak to perhaps resonates further afield. Its a world in which a kind of Peter Pan syndrome sets in and adults appease themselves with smaller luxuries as they feel powerless to afford lifes big milestones like houses, weddings and kids; one in which heterosexual, cis-gender men and women feel increasingly divided when it comes to ideology and emotional maturity.
When a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, Daniel Cox, surveyed more than 5,000 people in the US about dating and relationships, nearly half of college-educated women said they were single because they struggled to find someone who met their expectations. Cox said his interviews with male participants were dispiriting; he found that the men were limited in their ability and willingness to be fully emotionally present and available.
Yale anthropologist Marcia Inhorn also concluded in her book Motherhood on Ice: The Mating Gap and Why Women Freeze Their Eggs that one of the main reasons educated women freeze their eggs is because theyre unable to find a suitable male partner. She charted the frustration, hurt and disappointment of women who were almost without exception trying hard to find a loving partner but came up short.
I see echoes of this suitability discrepancy when I think of my own status as a child-free 37-year-old woman. Not having kids feels less of a choice, more of an inevitability resulting from the dearth of potential partners prepared to put down roots and get serious about the responsibilities that come with a relationship. And, while theres much Id compromise on, I know I would only want children under a very specific set of circumstances: with a committed partner who I was certain would step up and share the load, 50/50, when it came to parenthood.
open image in gallery Childcare costs and lack of support in the workplace can deter women from having kids ( PA )
Women are becoming more vocal about what they need and that it has to be egalitarian, it has to be equal, agrees Prof Pragya Agarwal, author of (M)otherhood: On the choices of being a woman. That its not just the womans responsibility to look after the children or to do certain things at home. Theres a wider conversation happening around emotional and mental labour that women have to perform. Many people who have held a higher position in the hierarchy, like men, havent acknowledged this notion that there was previously inequality and that they now need to step up. That is creating challenges in heterosexual relationships, where there is a gap between womens and mens expectations.
What this means in practice is that, despite the fact that more women are actively opting out of having kids than in previous decades (and facing less stigma for doing so), some arent having them due to circumstance rather than choice.
Its fantastic that women are able to say, this is the kind of life I want, Im not prepared to compromise on that, she adds. But some women are being forced to make this choice even when they want children, because the alternative is that they just take on all the burden, or they become mothers and then dont progress in their careers. They dont have the support in the workplace or at home, and theyre exhausted all the time: financially, emotionally, physically.
One way in which societal infrastructure isnt in place to encourage women to willingly procreate is the often abysmal maternity provision and the exorbitant cost of childcare. In the UK, the latter rose by nearly 6 per cent last year, taking the average price of a full-time nursery place for a toddler under two to 14,836 per year and making it the third-most expensive country for childcare in the world, based on a couple earning the average wage, according to data from the OECD. Some 63 per cent of parents have delayed having another child or decided against having more due to the cost of childcare, according to one 2023 survey of 1,000 parents with children under four.
Then theres climate concern the very real fear that potential parents are bringing children into a world in which the future looks increasingly uncertain, bordering on dire. A piece of research from Nottingham University in 2022 found that 48 per cent of Brits agreed that anxiety about climate change had to some extent made them think they should not have, or now regretted having, children.
There is no level of policy intervention that is likely to encourage childbearing Vegard Skirbekk
But according to one school of thought, the problem is bigger than heightened expectations of equality, mens lost boys affliction, financial barriers and worry about the planet being on fire. The problem, in fact, could encompass all of this and more, attributable to a kind of global malaise. Inequality and social isolation have led to an epidemic of despair and that is whats driving down fertility rates worldwide, posits a 2024 paper by Penn neuroscientists Michael Platt and Peter Sterling.
The cause of this catastrophic rise in anxiety, depression and related diseases? The increase in our lives becoming more digital and the shift from real-world to online interactions, it claimed, hypothesising that this acute sense of loneliness is contributing to more physical and mental ailments, particularly in high-income countries, and dampening the most basic of human drives: procreation.
This perhaps explains why pro-natal government schemes to financially incentivise having kids are doing little to reverse the trend. Essentially, there is no level of policy intervention that is likely to encourage childbearing, that is likely to affect fertility rates during the long term, Vegard Skirbekk, a Norwegian population economist and author of the book Decline and Prosper!: Changing Global Birth Rates and the Advantages of Fewer Children, tells me. Many countries have tried and failed.
And, though there might be issues that come with an ageing population, its also inevitable. The UN said many years ago and any demographer would agree with this that ageing will occur no matter what, says Skirbekk. We are living longer. This means a fairly rapid increase in the number of countries where more than half of the population is aged over 50. Societal adaptations will have to be made, but technological changes and automation could help fill gaps in an older workforce.
open image in gallery One study blamed the rise of digital devices for the fertility decline ( Getty Images )
We also need to consider immigration as a tool There are huge numbers of young people elsewhere with skills and talents, says Prof Harper. She also recommends looking at opportunities within our own local population. If women are having fewer children, they can play a greater role in the workforce, and if were healthier in general, we can work for longer. Its a challenge but I dont necessarily see it as a problem.
In fact, the widespread assumption that a dip in fertility is inherently bad could be misleading. Skirbekk agrees: There is no way around it, and there are many positive aspects that people tend to downplay.
Carbon emissions, for one. On a fundamental level, fewer people equals a smaller footprint. Personally, I think its a good thing, Prof Harper says of lowering birth rates. Were a planet of eight billion people, and well still likely see this increase to potentially 12 billion. We know climate change and the consumption of goods and natural resources is going to only going to increase; the pressure is only going to increase. A fertility decline will, if anything, alleviate some of that pressure.
But she stresses that, if you want children, you shouldnt let environmental guilt stop you from having them. Just make sure your family and your household is low-consuming.
One thing the experts all agree on is that if you want to swap Bye Bye Baby for Hit Me Baby, One More Time, we need to be better supporting those who do want to pursue parenthood. We have to look at equality in the workplace and equality at home, says Prof Harper. There has to be good, affordable childcare available.
Governments creating a panic around declining childbirth isnt going to help anybody. But implementing policies to actually support women who want babies? That just might.
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Princess Martha Louise of Norway will tie the knot with American shaman Durek Verrett on August 31. However, the nuptials have become the center of controversy with other members of the Norwegian royal family.
The 52-year-old daughter of King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway is set to marry a shaman named Durek Verrett at Hotel Union in Geiranger, a village in western Norway.
The festivities will take place over three days surrounded by 350 guests including other European royals and, reportedly, Gwyneth Paltrow. The dress code calls for sexy and cool attire, while a Netflix camera crew will be among the few press outlets granted exclusive access to the wedding.
In fact, its the limited public access to Princess Martha Louise and Dureks wedding that has sparked some backlash from her own royal family.
But controversy surrounding the couple has circulated long before their nuptials were announced.
Who is Princess Martha Louise of Norway?
The Norwegian royal is fourth in line to the throne. Martha Louise was born on September 22, 1971, to the then Crown Prince Harald and Crown Princess Sonja. The royal couple also welcomed a son, Crown Prince Haakon, the current heir apparent to the Norwegian throne.
She is a certified physiotherapist and a self-described clairvoyant, claiming she can communicate with animals and angels. In fact, Martha Louise once opened her own alternative therapy center called Astarte Education named after one of the oldest goddesses in the Middle East to teach others healing techniques and how to make contact with celestial beings. In a 2007 interview with NRK, the Norwegian public service television network, she described her relationship with angels as creatures of light, which gave her a feeling of a strong presence and a strong and loving support.
However, Martha Louise faced much criticism for her professional endeavors, as well as calls for her to give up her royal title. In 2019, Norways royal court confirmed she would no longer use her title of princess during her business activities. Just three years later, the Royal House of Norway announced she was relinquishing her royal role.
"Princess Martha Louise wishes to differentiate more clearly between her own activities and her relationship to the Royal House of Norway. The Princess has therefore decided, in consultation with His Majesty The King and other close family members, that she will not carry out official duties for the Royal House at the present time," the palace said in a statement at the time.
While she gave up attending official royal duties, Martha Louise was still allowed to keep her princess title. Despite her stepping down from her working royal role, she still remains fourth in line to the Norwegian throne.
In May 2002, she married her first husband, author Ari Behn. The former couple welcomed three daughters: Maud Angelica, 21, Leah Isadora, 19, and Emma Tallulah, 15. Her daughters are private citizens and do not have official royal titles.
Martha Louise and her husband announced their separation in 2016. The pair were officially divorced one year later, sharing joint custody of their daughters. The author died by suicide in December 2019.
Who is her fiance, Durek Verrett?
In May 2019, the princess revealed that she was in a relationship with American citizen Durek Verrett, a self-titled shaman. In an Instagram post announcing their relationship, Martha Louise seemingly preempted potential criticism when she wrote in the caption: To those of you who feel the need to criticize: Hold your horses. It is not up to you to choose for me or to judge me. Shaman Durek is merely a man I love spending my time with and who fulfills me.
The pair later announced they were engaged in June 2022. However, that hasnt stopped people from sharing their thoughts about their unconventional relationship.
open image in gallery Durek Verrett is marrying Princess Martha Louise of Norway, who is fourth in line to the throne ( Getty Images )
The 49-year-old California native, born Derek Verrett, works as an alternative therapist. On his website, Durek described himself as a sixth generation shaman and listed Nina Dobrev and Gwyneth Paltrow as some of his high-profile clients. He offers hour-long private sessions on his website for $2,000 in-person or $1,500 virtually.
In 2019, he published the book Spirit Hacking: Shamanic Keys to Reclaim Your Personal Power, Transform Yourself, and Light Up the World. Following its publication, however, the book raised eyebrows for its non-traditional medical theories. The book was even reportedly dropped by its Norwegian publisher, Cappelen Damm, over its unsubstantiated claims.
Our conclusion is that the book should not have been assumed, it will not be published, and the publisher has informed the rights holders about this, the Oslo-based publisher said in a press release at the time, according to the Daily Mail.
According to the outlet, Verrett suggested in the book that childhood cancer is caused by unhappiness. Verrett also claimed in the book that he had risen from the dead, that he predicted the 9/11 attacks in the United States two years before they actually occurred, and that casual sex attracts subterranean spirits that make an impression on the inside of womens vaginas, which he sells exercises to clean out.
Verrett was previously engaged to Hank Greenberg, a masseuse, from 2007 to 2015. In 2012, his sister gave him a kidney.
What is the controversy surrounding their wedding?
Ahead of their nuptials, the couple has decided to only give Hello! magazine exclusive access to the ceremony. This caused quite some uproar among the Norwegian press, which has typically been granted access to a wedding of the royal family.
Here a key member of the Norwegian royal family is breaking what has been a long and good tradition, Reidun Kjelling Nyb of the Norwegian Editors Association told NRK, per English translation, according to People. Major events have been documented via Norwegian broad media, such as NTB and NRK, on behalf of the entire press, which has passed the images on to the people and to other newsrooms that want them, including foreign ones.
As a result of the exclusivity decision, Guri Varpe the Royal House of Norways head of communications told NRK that members of the royal family will refrain from being photographed and filmed by outlets without access.
The public and the press will be able to take photos of the princess and her groom outside the wedding, with one or more photos of the couple with their family to be circulated afterwards, NRK said. Photos from the wedding itself will be exclusively owned by Hello!
Despite the criticism, Martha Louise and Verrett have declared that theyre drawing a line to focus on their future. We know that parts of the press will intensify with lies about us, as our wedding draws nearer. As we prepare for our Big Day, we are dedicated to taking care of each other, prioritizing our mental well-being and love for each other, and have therefore decided that from this day forward, we will not comment on anything the press throws at us, the couple wrote in a joint Instagram post in April.
We are focusing on creating a wedding that reflects the depth of our love and are filled with excitement and joy for the celebrations ahead. Thank you for your understanding as we embark on this beautiful journey together, celebrating our love ending in our wedding in Geiranger.
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Osiel Cardenas Guillen, one of Mexicos most-feared drug lords, has been released from a U.S. prison after serving most of a 25-year prison sentence, authorities confirmed Friday.
A U.S. Bureau of Prisons official said Cardenas Guillen had been released from prison and was placed in the custody of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That would normally suggest he would be deported back to Mexico.
A Mexican official who was not authorized to be quoted by name said Cardenas Guillen faces two arrest warrants in Mexico, making it likely he would be detained upon arrival.
The former head of the Gulf cartel was known for his brutality. He created the most bloodthirsty gang of hitmen Mexico has ever known, the Zetas, which routinely slaughtered migrants and innocent people.
Cardenas Guillen was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2010 and ordered to forfeit tens of millions of dollars. It was not clear why he did not serve his full sentence, but he had been extradited to the U.S. in January 2007.
The 57-year-old native of the border city of Matamoros, Mexico, moved tons of cocaine and made millions of dollars through the Gulf cartel, based in the border cities of Reynosa and Matamoros.
He created the Zetas, a gang of former Mexican special forces soldiers who he recruited to become his private army and hit squad. They committed acts of terror that regularly involved slaughtering dozens of people, decapitating them or dumping heaps of hacked-up bodies on roadways.
The Zetas lived on long after Cardenas Guillen was captured in 2003. By 2010, the Zetas had formed their own cartel, spreading terror-style attacks across Mexico as far south as Tabasco until their top leaders were killed or arrested in 2012-2013.
An offshoot of the Zetas, the Northeast cartel, continues to control the border city of Nuevo Laredo, across from Laredo, Texas.
But Cardenas Guillens own gang, the Gulf cartel, has become hopelessly splintered after more than a decade of bloody infighting between factions with names like The Metros, The Cyclones, The Reds and The Scorpions.
Cardenas Guillens own nickname was El Mata Amigos, or "The one who kills his friends.
Cardenas Guillens most brazen act was when he surrounded and stopped a vehicle carrying two U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents and one of their informants in 1999 in the border city of Matamoros, across from Brownsville, Texas.
His gunmen pointed their weapons at the agents and demanded they hand over the informant, who would almost certainly be tortured and killed. The agents toughed it out and refused, reminding him it would be a bad decision to kill employees of the DEA. Cardenas Guillen eventually called off his gunmen, but not before reportedly saying You gringos, this is my territory.
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Alanna Durkin Richer contributed from Washington, D.C.
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Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
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A grieving family have revealed police missed a string of chances to stop an evil and controlling ex-boyfriend who murdered two women in just 16 months.
Handyman Carl Cooper, 66, was branded a danger to women when he was jailed for 35 years for murdering former partners Naomi Hunte, 41, and Fiona Holm, 48, whose body has never been found. Both women had reported Cooper to the police for domestic abuse before they were killed.
In their first interview about the case, Fionas heartbroken family hit out at the Met for not stopping the abusive killer sooner and failing to alert the mother of four about his violent past.
Under the right to know section of Clares Law also known as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme officers are allowed to disclose information about an abusers history if they fear for a new partners safety. But in a report this month, police inspectors found the Met is failing to make proper use of the law and is only making 3.3 disclosures per 100,000 people under the right to know scheme far below the national average of 17.5.
The domestic abuse charity Refuge slammed the woefully low figures, adding: This is consistent with what we hear from many domestic abuse survivors, as well as in Domestic Homicide Reviews, and begs the question, why arent women being supported when they report their abusers and disclose concerns, especially if their perpetrator is already known to the police?
We need to see police forces acting earlier, listening to womens voices and taking their concerns seriously, enacting vital safety planning to protect them. The focus needs to be on prevention, not issuing apologies when its too late.
Naomi Hunte complained to police about Cooper four times before she was murdered ( PA Media )
In a series of damning developments in the Cooper double murder case, The Independent can reveal:
An anonymous 999 caller reported Cooper for murdering a woman around the time Fiona Holm disappeared but police wrongly classed it as a hoax
Cooper had a history of alleged violence against women and was previously charged with the attempted murder of another former partner in 1999, but was acquitted
Four officers are being investigated by the Mets professional standards department for misconduct
During a four-week trial at Woolwich Crown Court, it emerged that Ms Hunte had repeatedly told officers she was frightened of Cooper, who had been stalking her, during four separate calls alleging abuse between November 2020 and October 2021.
She was found stabbed to death on her blood-soaked sofa on Valentines Day in 2022. Cooper was arrested on suspicion of her murder by police who later found her blood on his coat. But for reasons grieving relatives still struggle to fathom he was released under investigation and left free to start a new relationship with unsuspecting mother of four Ms Holm.
When she also reported him to the police for threatening her with a crowbar and stabbing her with a screwdriver in April 2023, she had no idea the man she was dating was a murder suspect.
Cooper was handed a 28-day Domestic Harm Prevention Order but Ms Holm vanished without trace after it expired the following month, leaving her children, aged 27, 22, 17 and six, without their mother.
The last confirmed sighting of Holm was at an off-licence near Coopers flat in Catford at 10.48pm on 20 June last year ( Met Police )
Police later discovered traces of her blood in multiple locations, including the walls, door and wifi router of Coopers flat, which he had redecorated to cover his tracks, but her body has never been found.
Ms Holms devastated family said the vulnerable mother, who had autism and ADHD, changed after she started seeing Cooper on New Years Eve in 2022.
They warned her to stop seeing him after she came home with puncture wounds from a screwdriver, and thought she was staying with a friend when she went missing on 20 June last year.
At the beginning of weeks of frantic searches, the family visited Coopers flat in Catford, southeast London, to look for her but found the windows had been painted over. They began scratching some of it away only to find Cooper staring back at them from inside.
It was like something out of a horror film, her daughter Savannah recalled.
Cooper, who insisted he had not seen Ms Holm, was not arrested until several weeks later when the family returned on 11 July to find him selling her clothes to a market trader and called the police.
I smelled my sister on the coats, Elise said. I knew something was wrong.
Carl Cooper, 66, was found guilty of the murders of Hunte and Holm at Woolwich Crown Court ( Met Police )
It was only then that they learned he was also implicated in the murder of Ms Hunte.
Elise said they were disgusted with the officers who did not warn Ms Holm that Cooper was being investigated for killing Ms Hunte.
They should have told her, she said. There just has to be something to warn a woman, with domestic crimes especially.
A total of 242 domestic abuse-related deaths were recorded between April 2022 and March 2023, including 80 intimate partner homicides. Four in five suspects were already known to police, according to figures from the National Domestic Homicide Project. Separate figures from the Femicide Census show six in 10 men who killed women in 2021 had known histories of violence against women or were subject to monitoring or restrictions by a statutory agency.
The family have also accused the Met of bungling their investigation into Ms Holms disappearance after discovering that police had received an anonymous 999 call reporting Cooper for murdering a woman in Catford on 25 June. This was wrongly categorised as a hoax call and not followed up.
Holm (top right) with her sister Elise Skillen (top left) and her daughter Savannah Holm ( Supplied )
In the days that followed, Cooper cleared out his flat, stripped the wallpaper and was seen lighting a series of fires as he disposed of her body and other vital evidence.
If the police would have gone round there on that day they might have found evidence, Savannah said. The police officers said themselves if they would have gone round that day they would have treated this case differently.
All these things have been too late. He had two, maybe three weeks to get rid of everything.
She fears her mothers remains may have been hidden in a sectional sofa Cooper had collected. It was taken to a dump in Bermondsey, south London, but by the time police tried to trace it, the sofa had been shipped to Sweden where it was destroyed.
Its just a theory but we dont know, added Savannah, who has applied to visit her mothers killer in prison to appeal for him to give up the location of her body. How are we supposed to move on? We will always be waiting for this phone call.
The family of Holm, pictured with her niece Milan, are calling for a change in the law ( Supplied )
The family described Cooper, who moved to London from Jamaica aged 40, as remorseless and pure evil in court.
Afterwards, they were contacted by another family whose mother was allegedly stabbed by Cooper.
Court records confirmed he was tried for the attempted murder of another woman at Londons Old Bailey in 1999, but acquitted.
Domestic violence campaigners have said the deaths of both Ms Hunte and Ms Holm were preventable, as they hit out at systemic failings in the police response to abuse.
Ikram Dahman, of Refuge, said: We reiterate the words of Fionas family in recognising the multiple failures that led to both her murder and the previous murder of Naomi: both womens deaths were preventable.
Naomi and Fiona each reported domestic abuse to the police before they were killed. The Met has serious questions to answer about why these reports werent taken seriously and acted on with haste, which could have saved their lives.
Rebecca Hitchen, of the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW), said: These awful murders are a harrowing reminder of the serious consequences of systemic failings in how the police treat victims of abuse.
We expect to see urgent, meaningful action to transform policing womens lives lie in the balance.
Holms family want the killer to tell them where her body is ( Supplied )
Four officers are being investigated by the Mets professional standards department for misconduct over their handling of Ms Holms complaint about Cooper.
An Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) spokesperson said they had received a mandatory referral after Cooper was arrested for Ms Holms murder, but decided it should be investigated by the forces directorate of professional standards.
The Met Police said there was insufficient evidence to charge Cooper with the murder of Ms Hunte in 2022. However, a critical incident review has concluded a more thorough initial investigation could have identified key witnesses to help support a prosecution of Cooper for assaulting Ms Holm in April, before she was killed.
A Home Office spokesperson said: The level of violence against women and girls in our country is intolerable and this government recognises it as a national emergency.
Through our unprecedented mission to halve such violence within the next decade, we will overhaul every aspect of societys response to these appalling crimes. This begins with improving policing and the criminal justice system, relentlessly pursuing dangerous offenders and providing sustained support for victims.
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The former Tory minister Michael Gove, known mostly as a Brexiteer but also more recently for his dance moves in a techno club, has defended Angela Rayner, who has been criticised for her own contortions at an Ibiza superclub.
Following a meeting with mayors and housing regulators on Wednesday, the deputy prime minister and housing secretary was filmed just hours later dancing with the Australian DJ Fisher in front of a vast crowd at the Hi Ibiza superclub.
Later, in footage posted to Instagram by actor and presenter Denise van Outen, the MP for Ashton-under-Lyne could be seen singing along to a remix of Gotyes Somebody That I Used To Know with the DJs headphones around her neck, as a sea of smartphones held aloft in front of her captured the moment.
The moment was widely criticised in sections of the right-wing press with former Tory MP Nadine Dorries writing an article saying that Ms Rayners behaviour demeans her office.
Former GB News host Dan Wootton posted: Angela Rayner has been Deputy Prime Minister for 56 days. Shes disappeared from public view as Two Tier Keir warns of doomsday coming for all of us. Yet here she is raving into the early hours at one of the most expensive party clubs in Ibiza. What an absolute p*** take.
Angela Rayner is filmed dancing in Ibiza during parliaments summer recess ( screengrab Denise Van Outen )
But others hit back to tell outraged commentators to lighten up.
Mr Gove responded to a post by Conservative Home founder Tim Montgomerie on Twitter/X, saying: Angela Rayner is absolutely not my political cup of tea (or even my political glass of Sangria) but all right-wingers criticising her for dancing in Ibiza need to lighten up.
Im always glad when politicians take some time off and rest. Plus shes a pretty good dancer.
Mr Gove added: Its a tradition for Secretaries of State in the department.
Angela Rayner takes over on the decks ( Denise van Outen )
He was possibly referring to the moment he was pictured in a suit dancing wildly at Bohemia, a techno club in Aberdeen.
According to accounts, the then cabinet minister, who had recently separated from his wife Sarah Vine, was drinking until last orders and was urged to move onto the club by fellow drinkers.
A claim that Mr Gove tried to avoid paying the 5 entry charge by repeatedly stating that he was the Chancellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster was rejected by friends of the minister.
Michael Gove spotted raving in Aberdeen club
Ms Rayner is due back in parliament on Monday, when the parliamentary summer recess ends.
It is unclear when the deputy PM was due to return from Ibiza, but she has previously spoken of her love for raving and lethal cocktails.
Speaking at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last year, the 44-year-old told comedian Matt Forde that she had just returned from Spain.
The girls I was raving with are half my age, and I was like: Im a grandma. I was proud of that, she said. 4pm I started, and I got home at six oclock in the morning when the sun was shining and I was like, Yes, I can do it.
Asked whether she had managed it with or without chemical support, Ms Rayner reportedly said she just drank vodka, adding: Youve got to go with the music, the vibes. Youve got to be in the moment and it takes you.
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Families are being stung by huge rises in nursery fees as under-pressure early years providers struggle to roll out the next stage of Jeremy Hunts ambitious scheme for free childcare.
Under what was described as the biggest ever public investment in childcare in England, the former chancellor pledged to provide 30 hours of free childcare for children aged from nine months by September next year.
But on the eve of the second phase of the 4bn rollout, with 15 hours to be given to under-twos from Monday, The Independent has found that underfunded nurseries are being forced to put up prices to stay open and parents are scrambling due to a shortage of places.
Bosses have also introduced additional charges to cover the funded hours for items such as food and nappies.
It means parents are having to pick up a bill for the scheme with a third being told to expect price rises outside funded hours over the next six months, according to a survey by Pregnant Then Screwed.
Three in four also say they are being charged the additional fees on funded hours, with almost a third saying it comes to at least 10 a day.
The rise in fees and additional costs are a shock to many parents who believed they would be seeing greater savings on entering their child into free hours for the first time on Monday.
Have you been affected by the rise in nursery costs or lack of spaces? Email alexander.ross@independent.co.uk
And it comes after a parent survey published by the charity Coram Family and Childcare earlier this year found the cost of full-time childcare at nurseries had already risen across all age groups since last year.
The full-time childcare cost at nurseries for under-twos, according to the report, went up 6 per cent to as much as 14,645 a year across the UK, rising to 20,557 in inner London.
Nurseries have told The Independent that fees have had to increase because funding for the scheme from the government does not cover costs. Earlier this year, 73 per cent of nurseries surveyed by the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) said they expected to make a loss or just break even this year.
London parent Chloe Hubbard was shocked to find the cost of full-time childcare at her two-year-old daughters nursery in Twickenham was increasing by 9 per cent, to 2,249 a month, in September.
After the 15 hours of free childcare a week was deducted, she still faced a bill of 1,916 a saving of just 146 a month from Augusts payment.
I couldnt quite believe it when I saw it going up again on top of our monthly expenses we already struggle with, Ms Hubbard said. To have hundreds of pounds put on it; your heart sinks; thats two weekly shops.
I dont know how people not on good salaries like I am are managing because it is financially crippling. You are then trapped because it is hard to find another place elsewhere.
Partly as a result of the cost of childcare, Ms Hubbards family is moving to the south coast where the cost of a nursery will be several hundred pounds less each month.
She added: I remember the announcement [on the free childcare scheme] and thinking when my daughter turns two I will save all this money and it will only be a short amount of time Ill be struggling for, but it has turned out to be a facade. I think it is dreadful.
Mandy Blazey, a bank worker from Henlow in Bedfordshire, has seen nursery fees for her three-year-old son Reuben go up on five occasions since June 2023.
Despite receiving 30 hours of free childcare a week, she pays 1,138 a month following the latest price increase in July, which is under 100 less than she was paying a year ago, when her son did not qualify under the scheme.
Under the childcare scheme, the funding applies for the 38-week school term, so the free hours can be stretched across 52 weeks for a child in nursery all year, meaning it has a lesser impact on monthly bills.
Mandy Blazey says she feels no better off since taking up free childcare for her son Reuben ( Mandy Blazey )
The 34-year-old, whose son is in nursery year-round, said: Parents cant simply afford to go back to full-time work because the cost of childcare is too expensive even with the free hours. I believe there are many females out of work who just cant go back because of money.
She added: As a parent of a three-year-old, we are suffering as a result of the rollout as we are having to pay for the deficit between what the government is paying for the funded children and what it costs to run a nursery.
I have sympathy with the nurseries, but theyre not going to reduce fees. Im worried it will become unsustainable and nurseries could close because parents will drop out.
A survey of parents published by the Department for Education in July found one in five parents who chose not to use preschool for their child said it was because they couldnt afford it.
Six per cent said it was because of a lack of spaces, a figure that looks likely to rise given an accepted shortage of spaces.
On Friday, education minister Bridget Phillipson warned the expansion would not be plain sailing with 85,000 new childcare spaces needed by next September.
But it cant come quick enough for parents like Megan Tremain, who told The Independent she risked losing her television job after being told she could not get her eight-month-old son into her preferred nursery until next April.
The 35-year-old, from Upminster in east London, had tried to get her son in for January but was told several months ago there was no space.
Megan Tremain is unable to go back to work in January as her preferred nursery is full for her son Felix ( Megan Tremain )
Its got busy because of the 15 hours free, which is fine, she said. But there needs to be the spaces for the children or we end up in this situation where we cant go back to work and face losing our careers. It just hasnt been planned properly.
Edmund Greaves and Ellyn Sargent Megicks, who live in Bideford, Devon, were able to get their toddler, Cosmo, in childcare for September despite a scramble for places in their local authority area, Torridge, which has the fewest childcare places per 100 children, according to the latest Office for National Statistics figures.
However, theyve had to share the care between a nursery and a childminder because of the demand.
We first had a place booked with a childminder but it got cancelled due to the rise in children, said Mr Greaves, a financial journalist. We panicked when we started calling round and found many, including a new one nearby, to be full.
We ended up getting lucky but have had to combine nursery with a childminder due to spaces. Its alright giving away free hours but there needs to be a check on supply. It was like a lottery finding a place.
Rhiannon Woods, a teacher living in Keynsham near Bristol, applied for a place for her 22-month-old son, John, when she was still pregnant, but due to a shortage of childminder and nursery spaces in the area, she could only get a part-time place at a childminder and had to cut her hours at work.
Rhiannon Woods with her husband Matt and son John the couple are already preparing to register their unborn child to nursery due to the shortage of spaces ( Rhiannon Woods )
She paid around 500 a month for her son to be looked after two days a week ahead of next month.
Where do people find the money? she said. When the money comes in it goes straight back out. I wonder how other people do it even with the free hours coming in, theres still so much to pay out.
Funding for the free childcare scheme is provided by central government through councils which distribute at least 95 per cent of the cash to providers. For under-twos, councils on average get 11.22 per hour, for two-year-olds 8.28 per hour and for three- and four-year-olds 5.88 per hour.
Early Years Alliance chief executive Neil Leitch told The Independent the funding was far short of what was needed with nurseries forced to increase prices and introduce additional fees for items such as food and nappies.
He added: Nurseries, childminders and preschools are doing their best both to deliver enough places to meet demand and to ensure that costs are affordable for parents, yet under the expansion this is an uphill battle which is only getting steeper.
At Mericourt Nursery in Preston, owner Barkha Rani put up hourly prices for children by 10 per cent in April but she is still oversubscribed for September, having turned around 50 parents away.
She now has a waiting list for January next year, and for next April.
Barkha Rani, who runs Mericourt Nursery in Preston, said she had to put up fees by 10 per cent due to wages rises and additional staffing ( Barkha Rani )
Ms Rani said costs increased because of the rise in the minimum wage in April and additional staffing required to cover the surge in the number of under-twos at the nursery, with younger children requiring a lower staff ratio.
She said: Some parents, they know the prices will rise but with others it is hard because you see how it impacts them.
The NDNA said the funding of free childcare places had been historically lower than the nursery costs, with its survey earlier this year revealing 83 per cent of providers saying the hourly rate for three- and four-year-olds was not enough.
It calculated that the hourly shortfall between government funding and the cost of childcare was 2.36 for three- and four-year-olds and 1.69 for two-year-olds.
Chief executive Purnima Tanuku OBE said: It is important for parents to know that the funded support does not make childcare free. These places are not fully funded and have never been free for either providers or parents
With a 1,400 drop in the number of childcare providers from March 2023 to March this year, a report by the Local Government Association published last week found 25 per cent of authorities were not very confident they had enough spaces for the rollout of free childcare spaces on Monday.
The Department for Education described the challenge of the rollout of free childcare as substantial, adding more nurseries will be opened out of primary school classrooms to provide the needed spaces.
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said: This inherited plan comes with significant delivery challenges I must warn that for some parents it will not be plain sailing and while I am excited to see children starting nursery for the first time, or parents being able to increase their working hours, the work for government starts now.
Over the next year, I will be working flat out with my team to ensure the next phase of the rollout is possible doubling parents childcare entitlements to 30 hours a week.
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Firefighters rushed to the scene of a film set explosion close to the O2 Arena sparking panic among locals.
London Fire Brigade were called to a yard in Dock Road, Silvertown, at 7.51pm on Saturday after a stunt went out of control.
The blaze destroyed a van and damaged a car and a lorry, LFB added.
One resident showed pictures before the explosion of a BBC truck and a police car waiting on the dock
She told The Independent: From my understanding it was part of filming planned for tomorrow.
I didnt see it but heard a loud bang and went outside to see the fire.
She added: We were told it would happen last week, but clearly they forgot to inform the people on the side of the explosion of its postponement and fire services, because they sent so many trucks. Our buildings vibrated.
Pictures taken before the explosion ( @data_barbs )
A total of 25 firefighters tackled the blaze and it was under control by 9.02pm.
No injuries were reported.
LFB posted on X on Saturday evening saying: The fire at an open air yard in #Silvertown is now under control.
One van was destroyed by the fire and most of a car and lorry were damaged by the fire. There are currently no reports of any injuries.
It added: The fire in #Silvertown followed a controlled explosion at a film set which spread out of control. Firefighters worked quickly to extinguish the fire, which is now under control.
Crews will remain on scene for the remainder of the evening.
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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.
After the heaviest general election defeat since the dawn of modern politics in 1832, it is remarkable that there are six people vying to be the next leader of the Conservative Party.
Whoever wins will, most likely, spend the coming years as leader of the opposition one of the worst jobs in politics in charge of a denuded, demoralised and mostly talentless party at a time when the public would rather not listen to them. Its a tough gig, but somebodys got to do it and despite the torpor of political summer, there have been modest signs of life in the contest
Are we talking about Dame Priti Patel?
Yes we are. Launching her leadership campaign, even though it has been running for some weeks now, Patel reinforced her fairly blatant appeal to Tory members to elect her in return for rather more say in the way the party is run.
She identifies as a grassroots activist, she says, and laid the flattery on with a trowel for those 170,000 members she calls the heart and soul of our party. Shed give them a directly-elected party chair, thered be no more parachuted in metropolitan elite types standing as candidates, and much else besides.
Will that be enough to win it?
Probably not. If she made it to the final two candidates that go forward to the membership-wide vote, she might stand a chance with such a formidable charm offensive. However, many of her parliamentary colleagues think handing over more power to the Tory membership so grotesquely unrepresentative of the wider population would be electoral suicide.
For most Tory MPs its the equivalent of what happened when Tony Benn campaigned for the democratisation of Labour, or the Corbynista takeover from 2016 to 2019 both disasters. Given that, and the natural tendency to hoard power, Patels attempt to organise a grassroots coup will probably fail.
Whats happened to Robert Jenrick?
Hes done something odd with his hair, as well as his political views which have veered from the Sunak-style mainstream to Braverman-esque extremism since he quit government over immigration last year (quite conceivably with a view to positioning himself as the next leader following the inevitable election defeat).
Hes still banging on about the small boats but has been upstaged by Tom Tugendhat who wants to pass a law limiting net migration to the tens of thousands a spectacularly impractical proposal. You may as well try to abolish gravity.
James Cleverly has been saying interesting things, hasnt he?
True enough. On something called Choppers Podcast on GB News, Cleverly has posited that the British empire was a good thing because without it he would not now be a contender for the leadership of the Tory party and a possible prime minister.
To quote his own version of hypothetical history: Progressives say how proud they were of the UK that we had a prime minister of Indian heritage and a home secretary of African heritage, a trade secretary of African heritage, a former home secretary that was Muslim that is a direct repercussion of Britains imperial past. That would not have happened had the British empire not existed. So you cannot in good conscience be proud of the ethnic diversity at the top of the British establishment for want of a better word, without also recognising that this countrys amazing history was instrumental in delivering that."
Its obviously flawed but shows an attractive flexibility of mind.
Is Kemi Badenoch still on course to win?
Not so much. Before the general election, she was the bookies favourite to win the leadership, but no longer. Shes been elbowed out of the way by the new-look Jenrick, and now stands a 33 per cent chance of securing the job, with her rival on 40 per cent.
Even so, shes showing no loss of confidence and has the demeanour of someone who believes this is her and Britains moment of destiny (a typically arrogant attitude that has harmed her campaign).
There are echoes of Michael Gove an early Badenoch fan in her rhetoric, and its Gramscian themes are reminiscent of the sort of stuff her former ministerial boss used to come up with. Thus, her plan to renew Britain in the 2030s focuses on the systematic constitutional and traditional political constraints on the abuse of central executive power.
If she did ever make it to 10 Downing Street, Badenoch would seek to emasculate the courts, the devolved administrations and independent agencies (such as, presumably, the Bank of England) and sweeping away the framework bequeathed to us by Blair.
Badenoch says: By design, our legislative, social and political frameworks prevented us from being truly conservative. In some places they prevent us from even being analytical.
What about the NHS, schools, climate change and the economy?
Hardly mentioned yet.
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Theres a rural community in Alaska that is known for dog sled racing and its gold rush history.
But its also become known for dozens of mysterious disappearances.
In June 2016, Joseph Balderas, 36, vanished without a trace. Just four years later, in August 2020, Florence Okpealuk, 33, an Alaskan Native, also went missing.
The unexplained disappearances have stumped law enforcement and worried residents.
Podcast host Payne Lindsey traveled to Nome, Alaska at the edge of the Arctic Circle to investigate the two missing persons cases, which he discusses on Season 4 of Up and Vanished: In the Midnight Sun.
What he discovered brought him one step closer to getting answers for the families.
Everyone is turning on each other, he told The Independent.
If you are an individual involved in one of these cases, I would trust no one. There are people who have been scared to talk for years and now theyre coming forward. There are people who are snitching because they feel guilty.
The disappearance of Joseph Balderas
Joseph Balderas, 36, was last seen on June 24, 2016.
Three days later, he was reported missing by one of his colleagues, after he failed to show up for his job as a law clerk with the Nome Second District Court.
When I came to work on that Monday morning, I believe it was June 27th, I was told that Joseph wasnt at work and that his girlfriend had called the court and was concerned because she hadnt been able to get ahold of him, Tracey Buie told Dateline in a 2022 interview.
Joseph Balderas, 36, was last seen on June 24, 2016 ( Provided )
If Joseph was going to be late to work or not come in on a day, he normally would call me or send a text.
That same day June 27 his truck was found abandoned at mile 44 of the Nome Council Highway, according to Alaska State Troopers.
The truck was unlocked and inside was a backpack that contained fishing accessories, a pair of waders and boots. Troopers believe he was in the area hiking or running.
Joseph, who was an avid outdoorsman, had moved from Lubbock, Texas, to Nome for a job in 2014, and had truly embraced the Alaskan lifestyle, his family said.
He was engaged to a woman named Megan Rider, his family said, and they had planned on moving to Juneau in the coming months.
Nome Search and Rescue and the US Coast Guard searched for him for several days, but there was no sign of Joseph.
By July 6, the search had been suspended due to lack of evidence, according to Alaska State Troopers, who determined that without new evidence, a continued Alaska State Trooper directed search was at great risk to the search party and having searched all egress routes from the vehicle, it was unlikely Balderas was alive, concealed in the brush.
His family is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to successful resolution of the case ( Provided )
A police investigation revealed that Josephs roommate, Jake Stettenbenz, allegedly lied to authorities about his movements during the weekend prior to his disappearance.
Trooper Smith learned in previous interviews that Jake had gone bridge jumping with friends Emery and Tyler in the afternoon that Saturday [June 25], according to a recorded statement by Alaska State Trooper Investigator Steve Kevan.
But, according to police accounts of data collected from Jakes cellphone, on July 4, 2016, he texted his friends Tyler Eide and Emery Booshu that he had to use them in a story for the state trooper.
When confronted with the inconsistency in stories, Jake admitted that he had made up the story of driving to Solomon after bridge jumping. He said he has had little contact with Troopers before and was nervous, Investigator Kevan wrote in police reports.
Officers who searched Jake and Josephs home on July 3, 2016, reported that there were no indications of foul play inside the residence. Police in Nome have not said whether they believe foul play is involved in his disappearance.
Theories swirled that Joseph was attacked by a bear or that he died by suicide. But private investigator Andy Klamser, who was hired by the family, has discounted both theories.
Typically, you know, if there was a bear attack there would be evidence of it, Klamser told Dateline. With the number of people that they had out there on foot, on 4-wheelers and in the air and with scent dogs, it just seems like thats less likely.
Podcast host Payne Lindsey traveled to the edge of the Arctic circle to find out more for a new season of Up and Vanished: In the Midnight Sun: Exposing the Dark Side of Alaskas Mysterious Disappearances ( Up and Vanished podcast )
After a thorough investigation and multiple interviews with his family and friends, Klamser said he also believed suicide is unlikely.
It seemed very unlikely, because everyone I interviewed, you know, talked about his personality and all the plans that he had, Klamser said. I mean, he was within weeks of moving to Juneau to set up a law practice and marry his fiancee.
Lindsey told The Independent that his investigation for the podcast picked up where Klamsers investigation left off.
Joseph is 6ft 1 tall and has brown eyes and black hair.
His family is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to successful resolution of the case.
You know, he was a smart one, his sister Salina told Dateline. And the thing thats sad is that we feel like, if one of us would have been missing, he would have been the perfect one to find us. He wouldnt have quit and he would have found us, you know, found what happened or kept trying.
The disappearance of Florence Okpealuk
Four years after Joseph went missing, Florence Okpealuk, 33, vanished from the same town on August 31, 2020.
A native of Wales, Alaska, a village about 100 miles northwest of Nome, Florence had moved to Nome in 2013.
She was last seen leaving a tent on West Beach, just outside of Nome, around 4pm on August 31, 2020. The area is well known for gold miners to camp during the summer.
Searches were conducted by the Nome Police Department, FBI, Alaska State Troopers, the Nome Volunteer Fire Department Search and Rescue Team, and the US Coast Guard.
Her shoes, socks and jacket were recovered by authorities and given to her family. But there has been no sign of Florence since.
Florence Okpealuk, 33, vanished from the same town on August 31, 2020 ( Provided )
Florence is described as being 5ft 2 and 142 pounds, with black hair and black eyes. It is unknown what she was last seen wearing and which direction she was headed in after she left the tent on the beach.
Her case is just one of thousands in the nationwide Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) crisis, Native News Online reported.
Native women living on reservations are murdered at a rate 10 times higher than the national average, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Alaska is among the 10 states with the highest number of MMIP, according to the Urban Indian Health Institute in Alaska.
From 1960 to 2004, there were a reported 24 disappearances from the remote, isolated town of Nome, according to the FBI.
An investigation was launched amid fears of a serial killer. But the FBI found that alcohol abuse and the Alaskan wilderness were most likely to blame not a killer.
In a March 2024 interview with Native News Online, Lindsey said he hopes Up and Vanished can bring attention to Okpealuks disappearance and the MMIP crisis.
I hope that this resonates for people who may know nothing about this, Lindsey said. And I hope that those people speak up about it.
Part two of Up and Vanished: In the Midnight Sun premiered on August 8, 2024 with new episodes releasing every Thursday.
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The man charged with the murder of tech CEO Pava LaPere has admitted to hitting her with a brick and strangling her on the roof of her Baltimore home nearly a year ago.
Jason Billingsley, 33, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in Baltimore Circuit Court on Friday. LaPere was 26 when she died.
I hold myself fully accountable, said Billingsley while addressing the courtroom, according to The Baltimore Banner. Im very remorseful. I sincerely, deeply apologize.
Baltimore police officers found LaPeres body on 25 September 2023. Surveillance footage showed that she entered her apartment building around 10.30pm and sat in the lobby. She let Billingsley inside and the two of them went into the elevator.
Around 11.08pm, Billingsley came down the stairs, exited the building then wiped his hands on his hand and shorts. A brick with suspected blood was discovered and had LaPeres DNA on it.
Frank LaPere speaks at a vigil honoring his daughter Pava LaPere, who was murdered in September 2023 ( AP )
The Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner later determined LaPere died from blunt force injuries and strangulation. Her manner of death was listed as homicide.
Authorities said LaPere had obvious signs of trauma and was in a partial state of undress. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Billingsley later waived his Miranda rights and confessed to murdering the woman.
LaPere was the CEO of EcoMap Technologies at the time of her death.
Addressing the courtroom and Billingsley, her father, Frank LaPere, said: You have taken away so much. The womans father apologized to her murderer for having an unhappy early life but said that didnt give him the right to kill his daughter.
Billingsley has been ordered to serve two consecutive life sentences with the possibility of parole. Earlier this week, he also pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted first-degree murder in connection with an attack on a man and woman that same month.
Circuit Judge Robert Taylor Jr handed down the sentence, telling Billingsley: I try not to judge people by their worst acts, but no one in any community, in my opinion, will be safe as long as you are free.
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A suspect has been arrested and charged with murder in the killing of a beloved Colorado dog breeder but the victims 10 missing Doberman puppies are still nowhere to be found.
Paul Peavey, a 57-year-old dog breeder, was shot found dead at his Idaho Springs home on August 24 after the alarm was raised when he wasnt seen or heard from since August 19.
A homicide investigation was launched and 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.
On Friday, an affidavit was filed charging Sergio Ferrer, a 36-year-old man from Colorado, with first degree murder, felony murder and aggravated robbery.
The sheriffs office said that Ferrer had been arrested on unrelated charges just hours after Peaveys body was found, after he failed to appear in court on weapons charges in Nebraska.
He had quickly become a person of interest in Peaveys murder when police received a tip-off that Ferrers family member were selling Doberman puppies on Facebook, according to The New York Times.
According to an affidavit, Ferrer then confessed to police that he shot and killed Peavey but claimed he was acting in self-defense during a fight.
A search of Ferrers home then allegedly uncovered several items believed to have been taken from Peaveys home, including jewelry, a cellphone and metal detectors.
But, investigators are yet to track down the missing puppies some of them believed to be as young as four weeks old.
Authorities said that each of Peaveys dogs were microchipped.
The investigation into Mr. Peaveys death continues, including the investigation into his Doberman puppies that are still unaccounted for, the sheriffs office said.
Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to call the Sheriffs Office tip line at 303-670-7567, or submit a tip via email at crime_tips@clearcreeksheriff.us or anonymously via the CCSO website at https://bit.ly/CCSOCrimeTips.
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.
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A Colorado man has been found guilty in federal court of kidnapping a housekeeper working on a ranch owned by Michael Bloomberg as part of what prosecutors said was a plot to kill the billionaire.
Joseph Beecher, 51, faces seven years to life in prison following his Wednesday conviction in Wyoming. He was charged with kidnapping, carjacking, and firearms violations. Jury deliberations last two hours after a two-day trial.
The woman he kidnapped was rescued the day after she was abducted and was unharmed during the ordeal.
Police found the victim and Beecher at a Cheyenne, Wyoming motel approximately 200 miles northeast of Bloomberg's ranch, according to The Washington Times.
Beecher kidnapped the woman in February 2022 after he was fired from his hotel maintenance job in Craig, Colorado, approximately 70 miles (113km) from Bloomberg's ranch.
Joseph Beecher, 51, faces seven years to life in prison following his conviction in federal court for kidnapping, carjacking, and firearms violations after he took a housekeeper at Michael Bloombergs Colorado ranch hostage in February 2022 ( Laramie County Sheriffs Office )
At the time, Beecher was working for the hotel in exchange for a place to live, but he was asked to leave the property, according to court documents.
Prosecutors did not reveal a motive for why Beecher was specifically seeking out Bloomberg and those close to him, but they did argue that he was "intent on killing" the former New York City mayor.
After his firing, Beecher sought out Bloomberg and his family members, and eventually drove his truck through the front gate of the media mogul's ranch in Colorado. He then proceeded to the property, where he encountered the housekeeper.
She told investigators she was working upstairs in one of the ranch buildings when she heard someone in the house. The woman said Beecher asked who she was and that he was holding a black "machine gun," which she said he pointed at her.
The "machine gun" was likely an AR-15 that Beecher had allegedly stolen during a burglary that occurred earlier in the day. Prosecutors said the rifle and ammunition had been stolen from the living quarters of Beecher's former employer.
Beecher ordered the woman at gunpoint into her husband's pickup truck leaving his own truck at the ranch and demanded that she drive him to the Denver area, where he then told her to take him to Cheyenne.
Once they reached the Wyoming city, he told her to stop and got a motel room, which is where law enforcement eventually caught up with Beecher.
Investigators managed to find Beecher by tracking the woman's iPad to the motel. Once they arrived they reviewed security footage and confirmed that the two were at the motel.
A SWAT team raided the room and took Beecher into custody.
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A Republican state representative in Florida has turned herself into authorities after being indicted on several charges including forgery.
Republican state representative Carolina Amesty, 29, was charged with forgery, uttering a forgery, false acknowledgment or certification by a notary public and notarizing your own signature, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
The charges are in connection with her time as an administrator at Central Christian University in Orange County, Florida, which her father runs, according to the Sentinel.
State Attorney Andrew Bain said a concerned citizen brought potential criminal wrongdoing to his offices attention.
That information was presented to the grand jury who found sufficient evidence to return an indictment, Bain said. I am committed to upholding fairness and justice in every case by applying the law equally to everyone and my record reflects this dedication.
Amesty released a statement before turning herself in to the Orange County Jail on Thursday. Amesty faces up to twenty years in prison for the four felony charges.
Florida state lawmaker Carolina Amesty turned herself in to the Orange County, Florida Jail on Thursday after she was indicted on forgery ( Orange County Jail )
This prosecution, initiated just a few weeks prior to absentee ballots being dropped, is based on misleading reports from a partisan newspaper about a notarization of an employee verification background report, the truth of the contents which have not been questioned in any manner, Amesty wrote.
Rep. Amesty calls for a speedy trial, looks forward to her day in court, and is confident of her public vindication, she continued.
The indictment follows major investigations into Amestys past by the Sentinel.
The outlet published a report earlier this year claiming that Amesty notarized a form in 2021 that claimed Robert Shaffer, a long-time educator, was an employee at Central Christian. But Shaffer said that he has never worked at the school, and never signed any forms indicating he did, the Sentinel reported.
The Orlando outlet also reported that Amesty filed false information with the state about Central Christian; failed to ensure taxes were paid on her $1.3 million home; and falsely claimed to run a successful restaurant, among other allegations.
Amesty later called the Sentinels investigation a hit job based on misunderstandings.
The Republican lawmaker is a staunch ally of Donald Trump. She met her fiance at a 2020 rally for the former president, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
The Independent has contacted Amestys office for comment.
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In a resurfaced podcast interview from September 2021, Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance said that professional women choose a path to misery by prioritizing their careers over having children
Donald Trumps running mate also claimed the masculinity of men in America is suppressed, and attacked immigrants and Democratic Rep Ilhan Omar.
The Guardian reported that the now-Ohio senator said of women, such as his Yale Law School classmates, that pursuing racial or gender equity is like the value system that gives their life meaning [but] they all find that that value system leads to misery.
Of Omar, he said that the lawmaker had shown ingratitude to America, and that she would be living in a craphole if she had not moved to the US from Somalia as a refugee.
Vance made the remarks back on September 20, 2021 on an episode of the Moment of Truth podcast run by American Moment a conservative organization of which the senator is a board member emeritus for the group Media Matters reported.
American Moment is a partner for Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation-led plan to provide staffing and policy priorities for a second Trump administration.
This is the latest example of Vances previous on-the-record comments, particularly about women, coming back to haunt him since he was chosen as Trumps running mate.
He has previously called Democratic leaders childless cat ladies and lashed out at the president of the teachers union for not having some of her own children. The senator has since tried to address some of his previous comments by calling them sarcasm.
In the Moment of Truth recording, in which Vance is speaking with American Moments president and founder, Saurabh Sharma, and its COO Nick Solheim, the then-candidate for Ohios Senate seat was asked about what he saw inside elite institutions such as Yale Law School.
You have women who think that truly the liberationist path is to spend 90 hours a week working in a cubicle at McKinsey instead of starting a family and having children.
Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance speaks to attendees at the International Association of Fire Fighters Convention. His comments about women have come back to haunt him ( AP )
Vance added: What they dont realize and I think some of them do eventually realize that, thank God is that that is actually a path to misery. And the path to happiness and to fulfillment is something that these institutions are telling people not to do.
The corruption is it puts people on a career pipeline that causes them to chase things that will make them miserable and unhappy, Vance said. And so they get in positions of power and then they project that misery and happiness on the rest of society.
Continuing along that line, Vance adopted what he sees as the perspective of a professional woman and said: Okay, clearly, this value set has made me a miserable person who cant have kids because I already passed the biological period when it was possible. And I live in a 1,200 sq ft apartment in New York and I pay $5,000 a month for it.
Vance continued: But Im really better than these other people. What Im going to do is project my, like, racial and gender sensitivities on the rest of them even though the way that I think has made me a miserable person, I just need to make more people think like that.
Earlier in the episode, the conversation turned to immigration and the then-recent withdrawal from Afghanistan, wheree Vance derided the claims of Afghan refugees who worked with the US in its 20-year occupation of the country.
Apparently, Afghanistan is a country of translators and interpreters because every single person thats coming in, thats what they say is this person is: a translator and interpreter, he said.
Related: JD Vance responds to criticism of childless cat lady remark
While he conceded there were a lot of great guys, he added that a lot of those who worked with the US were actively helping terrorists plant roadside bombs, knowing our routes.
He did not provide any evidence to back up this claim.
Minutes later, in a discussion about the Somali community in Minneapolis, in which Solheim claimed people are frequently hatcheted to death in the street, Vance said that the left uses racism as a cudgel.
Why dont you want, you know, people getting hatcheted in the street in downtown Minneapolis? Is it because youre a racist or is it because you dont like people getting hatcheted in the street in your own community? Vance said.
Like, obviously, the answer is the latter, he said. But the left uses racism as a cudgel to shut us up and to make it impossible to complain about obvious problems.
Turning to Omar of Minnesota, Vance said she has a complete lack of gratitude toward the US, unlike anyone in his family, continuing: And look, this is the way the laws work. This country belongs to Ilhan Omar in the same way that it belongs to me. But my God, show a little appreciation for the fact that you would be living in a craphole if this country didnt bring you to a place that has obviously its problems, but has a lot of prosperity, too.
Responding to the resurfaced comments, Omar told The Guardian the senators rhetoric was ignorant and xenophobic and not just troubling, but dangerous and un-American adding that she loves America fiercely hence having dedicated her life to public service.
She added that this is a nation of immigrants, no matter how much it terrifies small-minded men like JD Vance.
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Melania Trumps apparent plea to her husband Donald Trump to control his language fell on deaf ears on Friday night when he torched Kamala Harris saying that everything she touches turns to s**t.
The former president and Republican nominee attacked the vice presidents record before a crowd in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, claiming she doesnt have any common sense before noting that both his wife and Reverend Franklin Graham have asked him to not use foul language.
Trump continued: They believe in an ideology and if you look at Kamala and you look at what shes done to every place shes touched has turned to s**t. Every single place shes touched. I have to say, it. Every place shes touched, you know?
He then said: You might have heard this, Franklin Graham is wonderful and he wrote me a letter and he said, Sir, I love your stories, and I love listening to your rallies, but could you please dont use foul language? Your speeches would be even better if you didnt use foul language.
Explaining that he nevertheless sometimes uses foul language to make a point, Trump said: But theres an example. Its not really that bad a word, but how can you top that word for what Im talking about? Right? What word?
Every place she touches wouldnt be nice. People would that would be a thud. It would land with a thud.
No, and Franklin is probably right. Im not sure I agree with him. But hes a great guy, actually. But he did say that to me.
Rev Graham is not the only person who has apparently pleaded with the former president to maintain some decorum in his campaign speeches.
Former president and current Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where he couldnt help but lay into Kamala Harris ( EPA )
Trump said that while he tries to avoid swearing to appease Graham, he has also been warned off it by the former first lady.
He told the crowd: My wife also, she says, Please dont use foul language. But its hard. You know, theres some words that cant be duplicated. They cant. I try, but it cant be duplicated.
Its not the first time expletives have crept into this years election.
In May, Vice President Harris was speaking at a summit for Asia, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Americans, discussing being of mixed Black and Indian heritage.
She told the audience: We have to know that sometimes, people will open the door for you and leave it open, sometimes they wont.
And then you need to kick that f**king door down.
The sentiment was greeted with big cheers from the crowd before Harris laughed and apologized: Excuse my language.
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On Thursday evening, Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz sat down with CNN for their first TV interview since they became the top of the Democratic ticket. Naturally, Harris faced questions about her shifting stance on fracking, a key industry in the pivotal swing state of Pennsylvania.
The vice president weathered the grilling well, firmly defending her change of heart.
I made that clear on the debate stage in 2020 that I would not ban fracking, as vice president I did not ban fracking, as president I will not ban fracking, Harris told CNN anchor Dana Bash. Im very clear about where I stand.
Overall, it was an uncontroversial, do-no-harm interview that made little news which is exactly what Harris needed.
The same cannot be said of Donald Trump. On Thursday, at a rally in Potterville, Michigan, the former president whos been under fire for his partys attacks on abortions rights made a surprising pledge to force insurance companies to pay for in vitro fertilization. Democrats have repeatedly hammered Republicans on IVF since Alabamas supreme court briefly put the treatment on hold in the state.
Earlier in the day, a reporter for NBC News asked Trump who has also been all over the place on abortion issues how he would vote on Floridas upcoming amendment that would enshrine abortion rights. He responded by saying the states six-week ban is too short and that there has to be more time.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, pictured in Georgia earlier this month, has given inconsistent answers on abortion and IVF ( EPA )
I am going to be voting that we need more than six weeks, he said. Trumps campaign spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, quickly went into clean-up mode.
President Trump has not yet said how he will vote on the ballot initiative in Florida, he simply reiterated that he believes six weeks is too short, she said in a statement.
Trumps comments werent well received by some of the anti-abortion activists who are among his supporters. Kristan Hawkins, the president of Students for Life America, blasted his take on X.
So, President Trump clearly doesnt want to be pro-life anymore, she posted. Got it. Pro-lifers are being screwed. We need to demand Trump re-consider.
But dont let this screw the babies we are fighting for, she warned. Vote against Kamala Harris.
Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of the Susan B Anthony Pro-Life America, said that when she spoke with Trump directly, he did not commit to how he would vote on the Trump amendment.
President Trump has consistently opposed abortions after five months of pregnancy, she said. Amendment 4 would allow abortion past this point. Voting for Amendment 4 completely undermines his position.
By Thursday, Trump told Fox News that he would vote against the amendment in Florida, accusing Democrats of wanting to allow abortion up until the ninth month of pregnancy.
All of that stuff is unacceptable so I will be voting no for that reason, he said.
Trumps running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, a fierce abortion opponent, suddenly had audio issues when CNN asked him about Trumps position on abortion on Friday, which led to the channel cutting to a break.
Meanwhile, Democrats arent getting too excited about Trumps vague IVF promises.
There is nothing in what Trump says that actually reverses the underlying policy, Senator Elizabeth Warren said on a press call. Nowhere do Trump and Vance stand up and say they will support a federal law to protect access to IVF.
She pointed out that Vance had voted against Senate legislation that would have protected access to IVF.
Trumps comments dont hold much water with Democrats, who believe little of what he says in terms of abortion protections since hes continuously bragged about being the person who killed Roe v Wade, namely through nominating three Supreme Court justices who created the 6-3 majority that facilitated the Dobbs v Jackson decision.
Even during the one debate between Trump and President Joe Biden, Trump bragged about killing Roe. Many of the abortion bans in red states only exist because of the Dobbs decision.
That makes his backpedalling on abortion even more bitter for social conservatives who trusted him on the issue. Trump, a thrice-married former casino owner, seemed like an imperfect vessel to usher in their plans. Now, he seems almost ashamed about his accomplishments as he recognizes that abortion is a political loser for Republicans, even in his adopted home state of Florida.
The relationship between evangelicals and anti-abortion Republicans always resembled that of a shotgun wedding. Now, evangelicals are just the latest partner Trump is accused of cheating on.
-Alex Woodward contributed reporting
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Less than 24 hours after saying he disagrees with Floridas near-total ban on abortion care, Donald Trump now says he will cast a vote to keep it in place.
On Thursday, the former president told NBC News that the states recently-enacted ban on abortions at six weeks of pregnancy is too short and that he wants more weeks.
If Florida voters approve Amendment 4 on their ballots this fall, the states constitution would be amended to state that no law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patients health, as determined by the patients healthcare provider.
The amendment would effectively overturn the six-week ban that Trump said he opposes.
However, the Republican presidential candidate told Fox News on Friday that he plans to vote against it.
So I think six weeks, you need more time. Six weeks, I disagreed with that from the early primaries, when I heard about it, he said.
At the same time, the Democrats are radical, because the nine months is just a ridiculous situation where you can do an abortion in the nine months, added Trump, who then repeated his false claim that states allow doctors to execute a baby after birth.
He said he would vote against the measure for that reason.
Trumps description of Floridas amendment the Right to Abortion Initiative is also wrong.
Donald Trump, pictured in Pennsylvania on August 30, said he plans to vote against a Florida measure that would overturn the states six-week abortion ban - despite saying he disagrees with it. ( AP )
If passed, the amendment would prevent the state from passing any law that bans abortion care at any point in a pregnancy, before a fetus is viable outside the womb, at roughly 24 weeks. The state would also be prohibited from enacting any law that criminalizes emergency abortion care at any point during a pregnancy.
The former presidents conflicting statements on reproductive healthcare over the last 25 years have drawn criticism from both abortion rights supporters and his anti-abortion allies.
Floridas six-week ban a point before many women even know they are pregnant was only possible after the Supreme Courts decision to strike down Roe v Wade. Trump routinely takes credit for that decision, after he appointed three conservative justices to the nine-member court who voted to reverse the 50-year precedent.
A radically reshaped federal judiciary under his administration has also supported anti-abortion measures that included threats to emergency care and widely used abortion drugs.
Trumps running mate, JD Vance, recently rejected Democratic legislation to protect IVF access. And his allies in Congress, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have also supported federal anti-abortion laws and so-called fetal personhood language that is now baked into the GOPs official 2024 platform.
Trumps allies behind Project 2025, a right-wing think tanks blueprint for his administration, would also effectively outlaw abortion drugs and strip access to birth control and fertility treatments.
In response to Trumps latest comments, Vice President Kamala Harris said that her White House rival made his position on abortion very clear, and underscored her plan to enshrine abortion rights protections into federal law.
He will vote to uphold an abortion ban so extreme it applies before many women even know they are pregnant, she said in a statement through her campaign.
So, of course he thinks its a beautiful thing that women in Florida and across the country are being turned away from emergency rooms, face life-threatening situations, and are forced to travel hundreds of miles for the care they need.
She added: I trust women to make their own health care decisions and believe the government should never come between a woman and her doctor.
Two women at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 19 wore shirts in support of Floridas Amendment 4. ( EPA )
Earlier on Friday, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren slammed Trumps attempts to amend his record on abortion and in vitro fertlization as gaslighting and smoke and mirrors.
American women are not stupid, she said during a press call for Harriss campaign.
The former president will do anything to distract from his abysmal, horrifying record on this issue, added Reproductive Freedom for All president Mini Timmaraju. Its desperation and its lies, she said.
Harriss campaign, meanwhile, is launching a 50-stop bus tour to promote reproductive healthcare access and making its first stop in Trumps backyard of Palm Beach, Florida, on September 3.
Florida is among more than a dozen states that have outlawed all or most abortions in the wake of the Supreme Courts 2022 decision.
Since earlier this year, Floridas six-week ban makes it a felony to perform or actively participate in an abortion in the state after roughly six weeks gestation, or about two weeks after a missed period.
Voters in at least 10 states will vote on abortion rights measures this November, including measures that could enshrine a right to seek abortion care in their states constitutions.
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Kamala Harris has now joined the growing backlash against Donald Trump over his controversial visit to Arlington National Cemetery where his staffers allegedly pushed a cemetery official, he posed with a thumbs up at a soldiers grave and his team filmed a campaign ad.
In a scathing statement posted on X on Saturday, the Democratic presidential candidate slammed her Republican rivals political stunt calling him a man who is unable to comprehend anything other than service to himself.
It is a solemn place; a place where we come together to honor American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of this nation. It is not a place for politics, she wrote.
And yet, as was reported this week, Donald Trumps team chose to film a video there, resulting in an altercation with cemetery staff. Let me be clear: the former president disrespected sacred ground, all for the sake of a political stunt.
Harris pointed to Trumps past record of offending Americas service members and veterans saying that this weeks events are nothing new from Donald Trump.
This is a man who has called our fallen service members suckers and losers and disparaged Medal of Honor recipients. A man who, during a previous visit to the cemetery, reportedly said of fallen service members, I dont get it. What was in it for them? This is a man who is unable to comprehend anything other than service to himself, she wrote.
Donald Trump gave the thumbs up at the grave of a soldier at Arlington National Cemetery ( Utah Governor Spencer Cox )
If there is one thing on which we as Americans can all agree, it is that our veterans, military families, and service members should be honored, never disparaged, and treated with nothing less than our highest respect and gratitude.
Harris said that someone who cannot meet this simple, sacred duty should never again stand behind the seal of the President of the United States of America.
Mere minutes after Harris posted the statement blasting her rival for the White House, Trumps running mate JD Vance leaped to his defense.
President Trump was there at the invitation of families whose loved ones died because of your incompetence. Why dont you get off social media and go launch an investigation into their unnecessary deaths? he responded on X.
Harriss comments come as Trump continues to face the fallout from his scandal-plagued visit to Arlington National Cemetery on Monday.
The former president had been visiting the military cemetery for a wreath-laying ceremony in memory of the 13 US service members who were killed in the Abbey Gate terrorist attack in August 2021, on what marked the third anniversary of the USs chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign event in Savannah, Georgia. She has now weighed in on the Arlington controversy ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )
During Mondays visit, two Trump campaign staffers are accused of verbally abusing and physically pushing a female cemetery official after she warned them that they could not, due to federal laws, film or take photos in Section 60 where recent US casualties are buried.
The US Army confirmed in a statement on Thursday that a female official was abruptly pushed aside by Trump aides during the altercation and that an incident report had been filed.
The woman ultimately decided not to press charges over fear of retaliation,the New York Times reported.
When the incident first came to light, Trumps campaign team members Chris LaCivita and Steven Cheung attacked the Arlington staffer saying she was clearly suffering from a mental health episode and insisted they had permission to film in the area.
The Army has poured cold water on the claims saying that 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.
Trump at the wreath-laying cemetery ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )
The statement continued: This incident was unfortunate and it is also unfortunate that the ANC employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked.
Despite the efforts of the Arlington staffer, Trumps campaign team did film a campaign video during the ceremony and posted it on TikTok this week, prompting further fury with social media users branding it disgusting.
The furor over the filming and physical altercation wasnt the first controversy to plague Trumps visit to Arlington.
The former president had also sparked backlash after he was pictured smiling and flashing a thumbs up next to the graves of fallen soldiers.
Trump, meanwhile, has tried to deflect the scandal back on Harris by claiming that she killed US soldiers in Afghanistan while on stage at a campaign event in Michigan on Thursday.
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Former president Donald Trump sparked laughter at the Moms for Liberty event in Washington DC when he mocked Tesla CEO turned close political ally Elon Musk.
On Friday night, Trump appeared on stage at the annual summit for Moms for Liberty a national nonprofit that has led efforts to get mentions of LGBT+ identity and structural racism out of classrooms across the country.
In his rambling comments, the Republican presidential candidate railed against transgender people participating in womens sports, called for access to gender-affirming healthcare to be restricted and wildly and falsely claimed that his daughter Ivanka Trump hired millions of people during his administration.
At one moment, talk turned to Musk.
While Trump called Musk a super genius, he mocked his space endeavors and impersonated the controversial tech billionaires voice and mannerisms.
With Elon, its like, well, you know, Im doing a new stainless steel hub that can get us around the engines much quicker because theres a problem with the type of engine going into space nowadays, Trump said, attempting to imitate Musks voice.
The moment prompted laughter from the right-wing audience.
Former President Donald Trump mocked Elon Musk while speaking at a Moms for Liberty event in Washington DC this week ( AP )
Trump was referencing Musks work with SpaceX, the spacecraft manufacturer that Musk launched in 2002.
His roast of Musk comes after the tech billionaire has thrown his support behind Trump in recent months.
Following the assassination attempt on Trump on July 13, Musk publicly endorsed Trump for the 2024 presidential election.
Two weeks ago, Musk also interviewed Trump live on X, where they both devolved into gripes.
Trump used the opportunity to try to blame President Joe Biden for the litany of legal challenges hes facing while Musk griped about how hes been portrayed as a far-right guy in the current media climate.
He called the notion absurd because Im, like, making electric vehicles. He added: I stood in line for six hours to shake Obamas hand when he was president.
While Musk has endorsed Trump this election cycle, in 2016 he said Trump was not the right guy for the job, adding he did not have the sort of character that reflects well on the United States.
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Donald Trumps latest rally in Pennsylvania was rocked by a security scare when a man stormed into the press area and was tasered by law enforcement just weeks after the former president survived an assassination attempt.
The incident unfolded on Friday while Trump was speaking to a crowd of supporters in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
The former president had just criticized major media outlets for what he said was unfavorable coverage of him, singling out CNN for its interview with his Democratic rival Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz on Thursday.
At that moment, the unidentified man made it over a bicycle rack ringing the media area, and began climbing the back side of a riser where television reporters and cameras were stationed, according to a video of the incident posted to social media by a reporter for CBS News.
Footage shows people near him trying to pull him off the riser.
Police officers and sheriffs deputies quickly rushed to the scene and subdued him with a taser, while the crowd cheered.
A man is tackled by law enforcement after he storms into the press area at Trump rally ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )
While the man was led away by authorities, Trump made light of the situation, telling his MAGA fans: Is there anywhere thats more fun to be than a Trump rally?
Moments later police handcuffed another man in the crowd and led him out of the arena. It is unclear if the two incidents are linked.
The breach comes just weeks after the shooting at Trumps outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, back on July 13 in an incident that has raised pointed questions about the level of security at political events.
Police officers and sheriffs deputies quickly rushed to the scene and subdued him with a taser ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )
Minutes into his rally, gunman Thomas Crooks opened fire, striking Trump in the ear, before he quickly leaped to the ground and Secret Service agents rushed on stage to protect him.
Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old former fire chief attending the rally with his family, was killed while two other rallygoers David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74 were hospitalized.
Crooks, 20, was shot dead by a Secret Service sniper.
Two improvised explosive devices were later found in the back of Crookss car.
Donald Trump rushed off stage by Secret Service agents after the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13 2024 ( AFP via Getty Images )
The shooting prompted both Democratic and Republican lawmakers to demand answers as to whether the shooter could have been stopped, as it emerged that there had been multiple sightings of the gunman in the minutes leading up to the attack.
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle ultimately resigned from her role and multiple agents have also been placed on leave amid staunch criticism of the agencys response that day.
Since the attack, Trump, his running mate JD Vance, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz have been receiving stepped-up Secret Service protection at campaign rallies and events.
Additional reporting by agencies
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A womens college in Virginia has instituted an admissions policy that bars transgender women next school year because of a new interpretation of the founders will.
Sweet Briar College, a private women's liberal arts school, said the policy stems from the legally binding will of its founder, Indiana Fletcher Williams, who died in 1900. Sweet Briar's leadership said the document requires it to be a place of girls and young women.
The phrase "must be interpreted as it was understood at the time the Will was written, Sweet Briar's president and board chair wrote in a letter earlier this month to the college community.
The new policy requires an applicant to confirm that her sex assigned at birth is female, and that she consistently lives and identifies as a woman."
Sweet Briar College believes that single-sex education is not only our tradition, but also a unique cultural and social resource, President Mary Pope Hutson said in a statement to The Associated Press.
The new guidelines are facing criticism from some students and most faculty. They warn the politically fraught policy could repel potential students not just transgender women when women's colleges have been closing, going co-ed or merging with other schools. Sweet Briar nearly shuttered in 2015.
Critics also question the board's originalist interpretation of a will that explicitly excluded non-white students.
Williams' will said the school was to be a place for the education of white girls and young women." The college had to get permission from a federal judge to accept Black students after the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
John Gregory Brown, an English professor and faculty senate chair, said the reasoning for the transgender policy is absurd.
Williams also wouldnt have entertained the notion that somebody who was disabled would be a potential student," Brown added.
On Monday night, the faculty voted 48 to 4, with one abstention, to call on the board to rescind the policy, Brown said.
Sweet Briar has about 460 students - known as Vixens and was established in 1901 on Williams estate, a former plantation in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
On Aug. 10, the Sweet Briar College Student Government Association stated the policy was alienating, unnecessary, and it reflects the rise of transphobia in our country.
Association President Isabella Paul, a senior who identifies as nonbinary, told the AP that at least 10% of students use different pronouns and wouldn't fit in the policy's description of women.
And there are allies here who may identify as women but have friends and lovers and family members who are nonbinary, genderqueer and transgender," Paul said. So this is also affecting their pride in their institution.
Its unclear how the policy will affect current students. When asked, Sweet Briars president said the school tries to ensure that all of our students feel welcome on campus.
Hutson acknowledged that a board member has resigned over the policy and that alumnae on both sides care deeply about the future of our college."
Many want Sweet Briar to remain a place where women can thrive, and they believe that a broader policy is a slippery slope toward co-education," Hutson said. They strongly support this policy.
Women's colleges in the U.S. began to admit transgender women about 10 years ago, including Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts and Spelman College, a historically Black school in Atlanta.
What it means to be a woman isnt static, Mount Holyoke's then-President Lynn Pasquerella told the AP in 2014. Early feminists argued that reducing women to their biological functions was a foundation of womens oppression.
Currently, 23 historically womens colleges have policies that admit at least some trans students, said Genny Beemyn, director of the Stonewall Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Beemyn, who tracks such policies, said three historically womens colleges bar most trans women, including Sweet Briar.
Admissions policies at private undergraduate colleges are exempt from Title IX, the 1972 law that bars sex discrimination in education. So Sweet Briar would not be affected by the Biden administration's new rules under Title IX, which restrict discrimination based on gender identity.
Most Republican state attorneys general are challenging those rules in court. And judges have halted enforcement in 26 states, including Virginia, while the cases proceed.
But schools, including Sweet Briar, would not be shielded from any private lawsuits filed by current students, said Nicholas Hite, a senior attorney with LGBTQ+ rights group Lambda Legal.
Hite said Sweet Briars policy could be problematic because it explicitly attempts to define for current students what it means to live and identify as a woman.
Thats something that every cis and trans woman should be able to decide for herself, Hite said.
Sweet Briar lacked a stated transgender admissions policy until this year, according to the letter from school leadership. The college was previously handling applications case by case.
But then the Common Application, a nonprofit that helps students apply to schools on one standardized form, added more options for a person's legal sex, X or another legal sex.
Sweet Briar's leadership said the additional options created confusion and challenges for applicants and school staff.
Emma Steele, a Common Application spokesperson, said in a statement that the changes were all made to better reflect the more than one million students who use Common App each year."
Sweet Briar almost ceased being a school in 2015. Its then-leadership announced its closure and cited financial challenges, declining enrollment and other problems.
The school was saved after multiple lawsuits, prolonged negotiations and the raising of millions of dollars by its fiercely determined alumnae.
Sweet Briar is one of 30 schools listed as members of the Womens College Coalition. The U.S. had more than 200 women's colleges in the 1960s.
The faculty senate president said the new policy will likely shrink the pool of already precious applicants.
It really excludes any student who would be offended by those positions ... who doesnt want to be in a place where discrimination is codified in this way, Brown said. I think its a financially disastrous decision for the college.
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Ukraine urged Mongolia to arrest Russian president Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes when he visited the country on 3 September.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant in March last year accusing Mr Putin of the war crime of unlawfully deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine to Russia during its invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin responded saying it was not worried.
The Ukrainian side hopes that the government of Mongolia is aware of the fact that Vladimir Putin is a war criminal, the Ukrainian foreign ministry said on Telegram.
We call on the Mongolian authorities to comply with the mandatory international arrest warrant and transfer Putin to the International Criminal Court in the Hague.
The ICC confirmed to the BBC that Mongolian officials have the obligation to cooperate in accordance with the Chapter IX of the Rome Statute to arrest Mr Putin, but it did not necessarily mean an arrest had to take place.
All 124 member states of the ICC, including Mongolia, are obliged to arrest Mr Putin and transfer him to The Hague for trial if he sets foot on their territory.
Russia dismissed the accusations and Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov at the time said Russia does not recognise the ICC and considers its decisions legally void.
Mr Peskov responded to Ukraines request, saying: No, no worries about this. We have a great dialogue with our friends from Mongolia.
Asked to clarify if the ICC warrant was discussed, he said: Obviously the visit, all of the aspects of the visit have been thoroughly discussed.
Human rights groups have estimated that more than 19,000 children were deported and placed with Russian families.
Last year, Mr Putin cancelled a visit to a two-day summit to South Africa, an ICC member, allowing the hosts to avoid a decision whether or not to arrest the Russian leader.
Court documents at the time showed South Africas president Cyril Ramaphosa had sought permission from the ICC not to follow through with the arrest, saying it would amount to a declaration of war.
South Africa has obvious problems with executing a request to arrest and surrender President Putin, he said in an affidavit. Russia has made it clear that arresting its sitting president would be a declaration of war. It would be inconsistent with our constitution to risk engaging in war with Russia.
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Brazils supreme court has ordered the immediate and complete suspension of Elon Musks social media platform X formerly Twitter throughout the country.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes had warned Musk on Wednesday night that X could be blocked in Brazil where it is estimated to have some 40 million monthly users if the tech billionaire failed to comply with his order to name a legal representative in the South American country.
After the 24-hour deadline he gave expired, Justice Moraes put out a new statement on Friday stating that access to the platform would be banned until Musk complies with all court orders and pays outstanding fines amounting to 18.5 million reais (2.5m).
A supreme court judge has ordered that Elon Musks X be blocked in Brazil ( AP )
The judge warned that individuals and companies which seek to use a virtual private networks (VPN) to circumvent the ban will face a daily fine of 50,000 reais (6,785), without prejudice to other sanctions in the civil and criminal spheres.
Justice Moraes also ordered Apple and Google to take steps to block the use of the X on its operating systems, as well as removing it from their app stores. The social media platform is expected to be unavailable in Brazil within the next 24 hours.
The dramatic statement marks an escalation in the long-running battle between Musk and Mr Moraes, which ignited after X failed to comply with legal orders to block certain accounts accused of spreading fake news and hate messages.
Those orders arose from an investigation into digital militias which supported Brazils far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro and his bid to retain power after losing the 2022 election.
X claims the judge threatened to arrest one of the companys legal representatives in Brazil and froze her bank accounts. Musk, who purports to be a free speech absolutist, has since shut down all of his companys offices in Brazil in response to what he said was the judges censorship.
Alexandre de Moraes accused X of wilfully seeking to exempt itself from responsibility for complying with court orders through its lack of legal representatives in the country ( AP Photo/Eraldo Peres )
Since purchasing Twitter for $44bn in 2022, the SpaceX founder has reinstated the accounts of many individuals and groups previously banned for hate speech and dangerous content, with content moderators among the thousands of contractors he swiftly laid off after taking over the company.
In between promoting Donald Trumps US presidential bid and sharing far-right misinformation about British politics, Musk has repeatedly used his platform to lash out at Justice Moraes in recent days.
Alexandre de Moraes is an evil dictator cosplaying as a judge, Musk wrote in one post on Thursday, saying in another: He is a disgrace to judges [sic] robes.
Responding to news of Xs suspension, Musk tweeted: Free speech is the bedrock of democracy and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes, later adding: The oppressive regime in Brazil is so afraid of the people learning the truth that they will bankrupt anyone who tries.
In a statement issued ahead of the ban, X said it anticipated being shut down simply because we would not comply with his illegal orders to censor his political opponents, adding: These enemies include a duly elected Senator and a 16-year-old girl, among others.
Elon Musk has suggested he would take up a second role in a Donald Trump administration ( AP )
When we attempted to defend ourselves in court, Judge de Moraes threatened our Brazilian legal representative with imprisonment. Even after she resigned, he froze all of her bank accounts. Our challenges against his manifestly illegal actions were either dismissed or ignored.
Judge de Moraes colleagues on the Supreme Court are either unwilling or unable to stand up to him. We are absolutely not insisting that other countries have the same free speech laws as the United States. The fundamental issue at stake here is that Judge de Moraes demands we break Brazils own laws.
We simply wont do that. In the days to come, we will publish all of Judge de Moraes illegal demands and all related court filings in the interest of transparency ... To our users in Brazil and around the world, X remains committed to protecting your freedom of speech.
X is widely used in Brazil and is an important means of communication, especially for politicians as a means to put out their views and attack their rivals. The country is about to enter the campaign phase for local municipal elections in October that will decide the mayors of 5,568 towns and cities.
Additional reporting by Reuters
A protester has been jailed for his role in far-right disturbances that erupted in London and Bristol after the Southport attack.
George Coldicott, 28, of Leominster, Herefordshire, pleaded guilty to two offences of violent disorder.
Body-worn video captured in London on 31 July showed him throwing a metal fence panel at a police officer, and three days later in Bristol he was also seen throwing an object towards police.
Coldicott was sentenced to 22 months in prison for the London offence and 34 months for his role in the Bristol disorder, with the sentences to run concurrently.
One of the laws of journalism is that there are some news stories that are either a tiny, gossip-column item or a front-page lead they cannot be anything in between. Keir Starmer moved the portrait of Margaret Thatcher is one of those.
It was an aside in a talk given by Tom Baldwin, Starmers biographer. He said that one of his interviews with the new prime minister had taken place in the Thatcher Room, the first-floor office that the former prime minister used as her study.
We sat there, and I go: Its a bit unsettling with her staring down at you like that, isnt it? Starmer agreed and when Baldwin asked whether he would get rid of it, the prime minister nodded, Baldwin said. And he has.
On one level, the story is trivial. The painting has not been taken down, as I understand it; it has been moved to somewhere else in No 10. Starmer, who likes the Thatcher Room as a place where we can go and have a quiet talk, according to Baldwin, is entitled to decorate the place as he wishes.
But on another level, the story is momentous. Which is why it was on the front page of the Daily Mail on Friday: Outrage as Starmer removes Maggies portrait. In a postmodern twist to the story, part of its significance comes from its being the front-page lead in the Mail.
The newspaper that prides itself on having its finger on the pulse of popular conservatism in Britain has identified this as a symbol of something bad about the Starmer government. The nature of that something being spelt out in the subheadline: Gesture of astonishingly petty vindictiveness against a political giant by PM of just 7 weeks.
Well, its a point of view, isnt it?, as Ken Clarke once said when one of Thatchers more vivid opinions was relayed to him in front of a TV camera. You would have to have quite an unusual world view to see the moving of a painting as an act of revenge but the Mail is on to something about the significance of the gesture.
Moving the portrait by Richard Stone, which depicts Thatcher in 1982, after the Falklands War is symbolic. Just as commissioning it and hanging it (and renaming the room the Thatcher Room) were symbols. The painting was commissioned by Gordon Brown in 2007, and he invited Baroness Thatcher herself to No 10 for the unveiling of it in 2009. He wanted to broadcast a message about his being a broad-based government that would seek to win the votes of those who admired the Iron Lady.
Brown did a lot of that kind of thing, hoping to offset the caricature of him as a pessimistic Scots presbyterian socialist. He maintained a surprising personal friendship with Paul Dacre, editor of the Mail at the time.
Not so long ago, Starmer appeared to be copying the same symbolism. In December, he wrote for The Sunday Telegraph about how Thatcher sought to drag Britain out of its stupor by setting loose our natural entrepreneurialism. He was copying Brown, who was copying Tony Blair, in praising Thatcher while cosying up to a Conservative newspaper.
It all seemed to be part of Starmers long march from presentable Corbynism to the New Labour revival. But no: there was a course correction. Four days after his Sunday Telegraph article, Starmer was asked by an angry Scottish Labour supporter if he was a fan of Thatcher. No, absolutely not, he said. She did terrible things, particularly here in Scotland which everybody in this room, myself included, profoundly disagrees with.
That is the authentic Starmer, the socialist lawyer who supported the print unions in their attempt to lay siege to Rupert Murdochs new technology at Wapping in the 1980s. The inauthentic Starmer is the one who uses a word such as entrepreneurialism and who praises Thatcher for the clarity of her convictions.
That is why the non-story of the moved picture matters: it tells us more of who Starmer really is. He doesnt want to pay his respects to her premiership in one of his working offices.
I dont believe that Starmer was oblivious to the symbolism of moving her portrait; he is better at politics than that. Although if he was unaware, that also tells you something important about him. But I assume it was deliberate, and fits with his image of his government as being on the side of the working class.
It is a part of the Starmer project that is defiantly not-Blairite: Angela Rayners four-day week; Louise Haighs no-strings pay rise for train drivers; Ed Milibands tilting at windmills.
I suspect that Starmer believes that the idolisation and mythification of Thatcher is ancient history, and has mostly lost its purchase on public opinion. For him, it is more important to give his government an edge in fighting for the working-class voters that Labour lost in 2019 and won back eight weeks ago.
That Starmer moved Thatchers portrait is nothing and everything at the same time.
The Tullamore-based operation of US medical device maker Cardinal Health has made a profit every year for more than the past decade, underscoring how lucrative the operation has been for the group.
Accounts for the facility in Co Offaly show that it has posted total pre-tax profits of just over 38m between 2012 and last year.
More than 300 people are to be laid off after the US company said it will close the site by 2026.
The Irish manufacturing operation, whose annual wage bill tops 13m, has also been heavily backed by the State.
The most recently filed set of accounts for the Irish unit show that it has received total grants of more than 6m from government agencies.
Capital and revenue grants received from governmental agencies can be repayable in certain circumstances where the conditions of the grant agreements are not met by the company, the accounts say.
Cardinal Health CEO Jason Hollar told investors earlier this month, as the group delivered full-year results, that it had enjoyed a strong year of operational execution and record financial results.
It reported revenue of $226.8bn (205bn) for the last financial year, which was up 11pc year-on-year. Its operating profit rose 65pc to $1.2bn.
The results exceeded the companys own expectations.
As we turn the page to fiscal year 25, our confidence is reinforced by our strong and resilient business, with positive industry trends supporting our growth, Mr Hollar told investors.
And we continue to take actions to optimise not only the performance of our businesses, but also the financial strength of the broader enterprise.
Underlining the contribution of the Irish operation to the US group, the Irish Times reported that an Irish unit of Cardinal Health paid a $100m (90m) dividend to its US parent earlier this year.
The Irish unit was bought by Cardinal Health from US firm Medtonic in 2017 as part of a wider deal to acquire Medtronics patient product portfolio for $6.1bn (5.5bn).
The operation in Co Offaly has previously undergone restructuring and seen previous layoffs.
In its 2021 financial year, it incurred just over 2m in restructuring costs, which followed a more than 500,000 charge it incurred the previous year.
Restructuring costs relate primarily to termination benefits provided to employees under a programme to realign resources and right size the business going forward, the 2021 accounts for the Irish business note.
Trade union Siptu said that it will begin negotiations with Cardinal Health management regarding the planned closure.
The plant was a major employer in Tullamore and the surrounding area for more than four decades, this closure will have a devastating impact on our members, their families, the wider community and the local economy, said Siptu organiser Ashling Dunne.
The workers have provided loyal and dedicated service to their employer for many decades and have been left deeply upset at the decision to close the plant.
Ms Dunne said that the union would meet with management under the statutory 30-day collective redundancy period to explore all alternative options that could reduce the impact of these job losses.
Cardinal Health staff in Tullamore were told this week that the company will shift production from the Irish site to facilities in Mexico and Costa Rica.
Commercial activities in Ireland will not be impacted by these plans, the group said in a statement.
This decision is part of our regular assessment of our global business, manufacturing and supply chain operations to ensure we are able to meet the evolving needs of our customers, the industry and our business.
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In this edition of Shelf Analysis, Sinead Moriarty tells Rick OShea about three books that explore troubled childhoods set in Dublins tenement slums, the Jenin refugee camp and Nazi-occupied Hungary
My guest this week is bestselling Irish writer Sinead Moriarty. If youve followed any of my social media accounts over the last six years, you may have seen the two of us recommending books on camera for a large book retailer every few months. Knowing her, it didnt surprise me that her choices for Shelf Analysis would be fascinating.
Fans of Welsh band Catfish and the Bottlemen were left shocked and disappointed this evening as MCD announced that the band had cancelled their RDS gig 15 minutes before doors were due to open.
A statement issued by MCD on X at 6.45pm, said: We regret to inform you that tonights Catfish and the Bottlemen show is cancelled due to artist illness. Refunds are available from point of purchase. Apologies to all the fans who have travelled to the show today and for any inconvenience caused.
Some fans posted pictures of themselves crying, having travelled to the RDS for the show before learning of the cancellation. A number said they had hoped the gig would cheer them up after a morning of missing out on getting Oasis tickets for the Manchester bands reunion tour next year. Instead they had further disappointment in learning at the last minute of tonights concert cancellation.
Daughter travelled there for 18th birthday. Surely if someone is genuinely sick you'd have known more than 10 mins in advance, one man posted in response to MCDs announcement.
A number of fans said they had travelled from England or Belfast for the concert and had accommodation paid for. They expressed anger and frustration at learning of the cancellation at the gates of the RDS.
Been dying to see Catfish and the Bottlemen in Dublin for months, was sat outside a pub about to finish my pint 10 mins before doors and some random fella says theyve cancelled. Nice one lads, said one concert goer on X.
The MCD post did not specify what the illness was or who in the Welsh band was unwell.
Irish DJ Rob Smith had earlier announced he had been booked to play a warm-up set for Catfish and the Bottlemen gig. After the concert was cancelled, he posted Oh well. Next time Thanks to MCD Productions for asking me to be part of it.
Smith also said concertgoers could go to the Workmans Club for free where he would be playing tonight.
Catfish and the Bottlemen won the Brit Award for best British breakthrough act in 2016.
The bands most famous song is Cocoon. The Welsh band had recently played in Reading festival. An NME review was positive, saying the band was on the brink of something special.
Catfish And The Bottlemen are due to tour Australia and New Zealand in September before playing in the US in October and November.
Ticket pricing for Oasis reunion tour dates in Croke Park have prompted calls for an investigation into Ticketmaster due to in demand prices which saw some standing tickets go on sale for 415 each.
Fans were scrambling to secure their place at the bands first tour since their abrupt split in 2009, which includes two now sold-out nights in Dublin.
The number of fans in the queue to access tickets to their Irish dates at one point surpassed 800,000, crowds which would require the Gallagher brothers to play at least 10 dates in Croke Park to satisfy the demand.
Fans across Ireland the UK reported a plethora of tech issues with the sale, receiving error messages, being kicked out of queues and, at one point, queuing to get into the queue for tickets.
Ticketmaster has been criticised for the pricing structure which saw in demand standing tickets cost more than double the price of a 176.75 standard standing ticket.
The company said these in demand standing tickets, which were on sale for 415 each, were market-based prices, while many criticised the pricing as gouging.
Two such tickets would set fans back 830 before fees, while other official platinum tickets were priced between 365 and 490 each.
Other tickets were also available, including standard seated and standing tickets, some of which cost over 170. There were also a number of fan packages priced between 250 and 450 before fees.
Dublin Fine Gael MEP Regina Doherty has called for an investigation into Ticketmaster by the Competition and Consumer Commission (CCPC) due to the pricing structure and advertising of the gigs.
"When ticket prices were advertised earlier this week, standing tickets in Croke Park were 86.50 plus booking fees, but when many people eventually got through the online queue this morning, they were faced with the exact same ticket at a price of 415.50, she said.
"Thats not transparent advertising and certainly not fair to consumers.
The EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) has sections included specifically to ensure large platforms that control aspects of the digital economy dont just make up their own rules that are unfair for consumers. I think Ticketmasters in-demand pricing structure certainly needs investigating in this context.
Every ticket for these gigs was always going to be in-demand so slapping an extra label and 300 on some standing tickets is just extortionate.
Ms Doherty said there is more than enough evidence in the aftermath of the Oasis sale to further investigate the pricing and advertising of larger gigs and added that she will be writing to the European Commission to ask them to examine their role at an EU level.
In response to queries from the Irish Independent about how prices for in-demand tickets are set, Ticketmaster shared a link to their website explaining that platinum or in demand tickets are market-based.
Promoters and artists set ticket prices. Prices can either be fixed or market-based, it said. "Market-based tickets are labelled as platinum or in demand.
Despite the price, fans do not receive anything else with their ticket and it is not part of a package.
There is so much demand that advantage has been taken of peoples support, said Consumers Association of Ireland chair Michael Kilcoyne, adding that such prices continue as consumers, often anxious to see acts they may have been waiting for decades to see perform, are willing to pay them.
He said regulations or controls on ticket or hotel pricing are a matter for Government and the issue should be raised with TDs and those canvassing in the upcoming election.
Consumers should weigh up in their mind whether it represents value for what it costs and act accordingly.
Croatian Josip Stroks father began legal action action after disagreement with mans mother
Josip Strok suffered severe head injuries in an attack in Clondalkin last March
A legal battle over the remains of a man who died after an assault has ended with a judge ruling he should be cremated and his ashes split.
How Liam Bop Roes visit to lap dance club led to the Kinahan cartel feud murder of two men
Dublin crime figure saw a man he wrongly blamed over failed hit at Red Cow
Liam 'Bop' Roe, whose funeral was held yesterday
Robin Schiller Sat 31 Aug 2024 at 03:30
On November 6, 2015, Daithi Douglas was enjoying a night out in Dublin. The former zookeeper drank in several pubs around the northside and decided to visit a lap dancing club in the city centre.
Anne Gallagher with her husband Brendan who died during the Covid pandemic
The widow of a man with Alzheimers disease who died in hospital during the worst of the Covid pandemic has spoken of her heartbreak at not being able to be at his bedside in his final moments.
I never got to say goodbye, Anne Gallagher, a mother of five from Longford whose 73-year-old husband died before Christmas in 2020 said.
He had been transferred from a nursing home to Mullingar hospital where he died of sepsis in less than an hour.
My two sons held his hand as he lay dying, but I was not allowed visit because of my age. I kind of understand it, but I wish I was there.
Visiting restrictions were in place to protect patients and vulnerable visitors from passing on or catching the virus.
Ms Gallagher said: Brendan had Alzheimers disease and Parkinsons disease. I cared for him at home but he had to be admitted to a nursing home about a year before his death.
One of my sons who was home had asked to visit him but we were told all the slots were full.
On December 19, 2020 my son received a call from the nursing home asking if they could admit Brendan to hospital.
I asked to go with him in the ambulance but was not allowed because of the restrictions.
He had developed pneumonia and sepsis. The staff in the hospital were very good and were waiting for him.
But he died three-quarters of an hour after admission to hospital.
Brendan used to talk about the long goodbye with Alzheimers disease. But I never got to say a last farewell, Ms Gallagher said.
The family had to seek a meeting with the nursing home three weeks later and she said they are still not clear about his final hours there.
There could only be 25 people at the funeral. Brendan is from Mayo and I am from Tipperary and we could not even invite people for a cup of tea afterwards.
My daughter, a frontline worker in the UK was not allowed travel home, Ms Gallagher said.
I go to his grave and I still cannot believe he is dead.
She described as torture the visiting restrictions at the nursing home during the pandemic.
We had to be separated by glass. I could not hold his hand and was grabbing at the glass.
It was very distressing for someone who had Alzheimers.
Ms Gallagher will be among many bereaved relatives, still affected by the loss of loved ones during the pandemic, who will give testimony today in an event called the Peoples Covid Inquiry organised by voluntary support group Care Champions.
The bereaved will gather in the offices of solicitor Caoimhe Haughey in the Liberties in Dublin to record their testimonies and tell of their trauma, sadness and grief and the major unanswered questions which remain.
This will be followed by the unveiling of a memory wall in the Arlington hotel at 2.30pm where families can add the name of a loved one lost during the pandemic.
Ms Gallagher said the promised government inquiry must not be held behind closed doors as planned, and it is vital for families to be allowed tell their stories in public. Details of the inquiry will be published next month.
The Government has said it will be an evaluation exercise rather than an inquiry that points the finger of blame at individuals.
Majella Beattie of Care Champions said the Peoples Covid Inquiry will draw on a diverse range of experiences that include human rights experts, legal professionals and academics assembled to conduct this inquiry.
Representing the rights of vulnerable people in society, their families, and especially older people and those with disabilities, it will follow best methodological and reporting practice in collecting testimonials from survivors and the families of those who died or were affected in harrowing circumstances, as well as their subsequent experiences with officialdom in their search for answers.
The government inquiry will likely examine how key areas were managed, including the protection of residents in nursing homes, vaccinations, lockdowns as well as use of masks and antigen tests.
It is also expected to investigate the role of the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) which was so central to making decisions around lockdowns, curtailment of many health services, closures of hospitality and schools and public behaviour as a means of public safety and how well-equipped it was to make these far-reaching decisions and whether the extent of the restrictions were merited.
There have been 9,559 Covid-related deaths in Ireland since the start of the pandemic.
The worst year for pandemic-linked deaths was 2021 when 3,827 people died.
In the first year of the pandemic, 2020, 2,162 deaths were reported when there was no vaccine available.
IT experts say there is a 'huge possibility' that high numbers of Oasis tickets are being purchased by computer bots
Ticket re-sellers often use automated software to buy more tickets for events than they are allowed, only to sell them on at higher prices.
Oasis fans also reported being hit with website outage issues while trying to book shows on Saturday.
Jake Moore, global cybersecurity adviser at software security firm Eset said some groups have the right software and knowledge to manipulate ticket websites, and even use bots to "swoop in and purchase high numbers of tickets at once".
He told the PA news agency: "Being the next series of concerts since the demand for Taylor Swift tickets, I would suggest there would be a huge possibility of bots being used to swoop in."
Many people used social media to say that they had been suspended from the Ticketmaster website as they were assumed to be a bot.
Mr Moore said: "Bots mimic the activity of real users and even manipulate their location using off-the-shelf software such as a VPN.
"This is usually counteracted using bot detection software but this can often produce false positives when real users are assumed to be bots themselves."
Industry expert Adam Leon Smith of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, said the inevitable popularity of the Oasis reunion was "bound" to lead to website glitches.
Mr Leon Smith said using automated tools or bots is the "most common way" of making money from tickets in 2024.
Asked how websites can combat this, he said: "There are techniques for detecting and stopping bots, but there are also techniques for evading detection.
"Like many areas of cybersecurity there is a constant arms race between attackers and defenders, an arms race where AI has upped the ante."
Adam Webb, of campaign group FanFair Alliance, said it is "really hard" to know how many tickets are being purchased by touts because there is a "lack of transparency" on reselling websites.
He went on: "There'll be an awful lot of listings.
"I suspect that people won't have actually bought the tickets and they're listing them for sale."
Mr Webb also said that on ticket reseller Viagogo, there were no listings for the Ireland shows, where the practice of reselling tickets above face value is banned.
Cris Miller, Viagogo global managing director, said in a statement: "Resale is legal in the UK and fans are always protected by our guarantee that they will receive their tickets in time for the event or their money back."
Ticketmaster said its website has not crashed.
A spokeswoman for Ticketmaster said: "The queue is moving along as fans buy tickets. As anticipated, millions of fans are accessing our site so have been placed in a queue.
"Fans are advised to hold their place in line, make sure they're only using one tab, clear cookies, and ensure they aren't using any VPN software on their device."
Senan Molony: Its beyond time the Northern Irelands politicians climbed out of their prams and threw away their toys
For a quarter of a century, Northern Irelands lawmakers have kept their spoiled child mindsets
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood following a press conference in Derry where he announced his resignation as party leader on Thursday. Photo: Mark Marlow/PA Wire
Senan Molony Sat 31 Aug 2024 at 03:30
Today marks the 30th anniversary of the first ceasefire by the Provisional IRA on foot of the peace process.
Carers unhappy over raft of proposed regulations including inspections and limits on numbers of children
Ministers are being warned of a potential exodus of childminders unless there are substantial changes to a series of rules due to be unveiled next month.
Regulations are expected to be announced at the end of September that will be phased in for childminders, who care for more than 53,000 children.
Under the current system, childminders who look after four or more preschool children, or seven or more children of any age, in their home have to register with Tusla, the child and family agency.
Under the draft rules that will come into force within three years, no one will be allowed to look after more than six children at any one time, and only two of those can be under two years of age.
Anyone paid to mind even one child in their home must register, and their own children will count towards the number allowed, until they finish primary school.
Only if the childminders are registered can parents get subsidies under the States National Childcare Scheme.
Childminders will also be subject to inspections by agencies including Tusla and will have to nominate a back-up person in case of emergencies.
In a submission to the Department of Children, Childminding Ireland said the proposals as they stood would lead to a exodus from childminding.
It said the job would no longer be an attractive proposition for new childminders when the new rules came in, with an additional administration burden.
If it is the Governments intention to increase subsided childcare places, childminders believe these regulations will have the opposite effect, it said.
There will be a mass exodus of childminders, resulting in greatly reduced childcare availability, disproportionately impacting women and their participation in the workforce.
The organisation said the feedback it had received suggested new regulations and administrative requirements will drive many childminders out of service.
It noted that childminders would be subject to inspections by Tusla, and Pobal if offering the National Childcare Scheme, and possibly the Department of Education further down the road.
Being at home with your own children will now impact the sustainability of your business, as you will be required to count your own children up to the time they start secondary school, it said.
Being able to be at home with their own children is a big incentive, one of the biggest reasons childminders decide to start childminding.
The group, representing 650 childminders, urged the Government to take account of their concerns when the final version of the regulations was published.
Bernadette Orbinski Burke, chief executive of Childminding Ireland, said childminders were also concerned about administrative burdens and arrangements in case of emergency cover.
She said the organisation was engaging with the Department of Children to ensure childminders concerns were heard and action taken so regulation was proportionate and suitable for home-based childcare settings.
Ms Orbinski Burke said the importance of maintaining a robust childminding sector cannot be overstated.
The submission also criticised the Governments National Childcare Scheme, claiming it was unsuitable for childminders and was of no direct benefit to them. It said it did not suit parents working irregular or part-time hours.
The Department of Children said more than 1,000 inputs were received during its public consultation and these had helped to shape the draft childminding regulations.
The minister has met childminders and with Childminding Ireland, and is aware of their concerns regarding the draft regulations, a spokesman said.
He said the minister was committed to ensure the regulations were proportionate and appropriate to the home and family setting and respect the unique way in which childminders work.
The spokesperson said once the Child Care (Amendment) Act 2024 was commenced, it will remove the exemption from regulation for paid, non-relative childminders.
However, there will be a three-year transition period during which childminders will be able to register with Tusla, but will not be required to do so.
It is intended to commence the relevant sections of the act at the end of September, along with the new, childminding-specific regulations and the Tusla registration process, he said.
Currently, only childminders who look after four or more preschool children or seven or more children of any age are required to register with the Tusla agency and can offer the National Childcare Scheme.
Having been in Berlin on that euphoric occasion in November 1989 when the Wall came down, I went on to extensively tour the soon-to-be-abolished East Germany during the following Easter holiday.
It was a most interesting time. Three earlier visits to the divided city that was Berlin during the previous decade told me all I could know about the politically, morally and economically bankrupt totalitarian regime that ran the statelet from 1949 until 1990.
The fences, the barbed wire and the emerging tales of state surveillance by the Stasi secret police said almost everything I needed to know. But that Easter holiday trip did teach me about a less-talked-about side of life there.
I remember talking to a young woman who helped run a creche that provided free childcare to all comers, and I learned of her anxiety about changes to the service, already suffering from lack of funds, that to her appeared quite likely.
This and other experiences spoke to genuine efforts to build a genuinely people-centred system. Im reflecting on such things now as Germany faces three critical state elections, starting this weekend, in that old statelet.
People in Thuringia and Saxony vote tomorrow, while the fellow former East German state of Brandenburg will vote on September 22. Polls in all three states show various grievances are pushing many voters to the extremes, both on the left and the right. The expected results are already causing much angst in Berlin about the future of German democracy and the countrys failure to integrate east and west almost 34 years after reunification.
You could call it a warning to advocates of a swift rush to re-uniting Ireland. Almost a quarter-of-a-century after German re-unification, what is the old East Germany still lags seriously behind, and there are distinct tensions about migration, spending to aid Ukraine and continuous EU engagement.
There are many who argue that the old DDR remains a country within a country, comparable to Sicily in Italy or Flanders in Belgium.
There is sympathy for Russia, amid claims Washington still dominates German foreign policy
These three regional votes are seen as a bellwether for the federal elections due in September next year if the Berlin government can survive ongoing crises. The three-party coalition led by chancellor Olaf Scholz appears paralysed and is unpopular amid divisions with the Social Democrats, the Greens and the Liberals.
In these former East German provinces, there is also deep sympathy for Russia, rooted in persistent anti-Americanism, amid claims Washington still dominates German foreign policy and is thus leading the country astray.
The far-right AfD argues in favour of pulling Germany out of the various manifestations of the West, including the EU and Nato. Some AfD election posters show the German and Russian flags commingled, with the slogan The East does it or The East is rising.
These elections are expected to show the persistent divisions in politics and social attitudes between western and eastern Germany. But AfD success is changing the political debate nationwide, especially around issues such as migration and support for Ukraine.
On August 23, there was a knife attack in the western city of Solingen, where prosecutors say a Syrian refugee killed three people and wounded eight. The AfD and a new breakaway far-left party, Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, want strong controls on illegal migration, deporting those who do not qualify for asylum, such as the Syrian man accused of these crimes.
That has pushed Chancellor Scholz of the Social Democrats, which has lost many voters in the east, to vow to step up deportations and call for tougher EU laws on asylum and deportation.
The issues of refugees, migration and knife crimes have added to the sense of estrangement in the east.
But the attitudes, experiences and language bred over 40 years of East German sovereignty, passed down generation to generation,remain for many a source of identity and pride.
Three decades ago, we were resigned to the relentlessly cruel cycle of violence we called the Troubles. Generations appeared to be cursed to live with a maelstrom of murder, sectarianism and hopelessness.
The carnage bred cynicism and defeat. Some tireless people tried to make themselves heard above the violent din, but as Seamus Heaney noted: The voice of sanity was getting hoarse.
Looking back, one of the most significant stepping stones on the path to the peace we now enjoy was the calling of the IRA ceasefire on this day in 1994.
We should be grateful that there are those today who grew up beyond the shadows of bombings, machine-gun posts, barbed wire and barricades.
We should be equally appreciative of the fact that there were sufficiently brave and committed people with the vision to assert that agreement and democracy were the only blocks on which a secure future could be built.
Perhaps even more important still is to remember the thousands of lives stolen and the loss and pain of victims.
The reason the statement made on that day was historic was because it marked the complete cessation of military operations. The inclusion of the word complete was unprecedented.
We must never forget the heartbreak of so many in getting to that point.
At Mr Reynolds shoulder was British prime minister John Major, and both played transformational parts
The deaths of two little boys in March 1993 stand out as something of a catalyst in bringing the gunmen to their senses. Tim Parry (12) and three-year-old Jonathan Ball died, and 54 others were injured, when two IRA bombs hidden inside litter bins exploded in Warrington, north-west England.
Tims father, Colin, recalled the atrocity some months back, saying: I dont need to be a time traveller, I can go back to that day, the moment when we heard thered been a bomb. For a while we thought he might live, but of course that wasnt to be.
The deaths of the boys could have drained the nascent peace process of its flagging energy, but, thankfully, it did not. By the time of the IRAs announcement, all involved in the talks were exhausted, but they carried on.
One of those who persevered was then taoiseach Albert Reynolds. His 10th anniversary was marked just over a week ago. It was he, along with the late Fr Alec Reid, who steadfastly refused to give up.
At Mr Reynolds shoulder was then British prime minister John Major, and both played transformational parts.
Their work was expertly taken up by Bertie Ahern and Tony Blair, who to their great credit got it over the line four years later with the Good Friday Agreement.
Much later, John Hume would say: I want to see Ireland as an example to men and women everywhere of what can be achieved by living for ideals, rather than fighting for them.
The talking is far from over, but, hopefully, the fighting finally is.
If you do not take an interest in the affairs of your government, then you are doomed to live under the rule of fools. Platos words of warning come to mind as another political leader decides to step down.
Although only 41, Colum Eastwood has devoted most of his adult life to politics and plans to continue doing so. He said he remained committed to the principles of the SDLP and almost more importantly, to the cause of delivering a new Ireland.
As to why he was stepping away from the top, as such a comparatively young leader, Mr Eastwood said: It just is an awful lot of work over nine years to have to deal with all of the day-to-day issues of running a political party.
His words were strikingly similar to those of former taoiseach Leo Varadkar last March when he took the country by surprise by announcing he was resigning as taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael.
We have our limitations, he said. We give it everything until we cant any more and then we have to move on.
The current exodus from the Dail may suggest that the demands are more exacting than ever.
It takes a certain type of individual to opt for a job where burnout is more likely than warm appreciation.
Volunteering to be part of a culture where you are constantly plugged in and expected to be always on call may be taking an increasingly heavy toll.
Constantly being answerable to demands and expectations that present everything as an emergency may be becoming more draining.
In a society working in overdrive around the clock, perhaps the notion of holding such positions for life, as once expected, is simply unsustainable.
All the more reason to recognise and appreciate those who do take on representative roles and the intense scrutiny and criticism that goes with them.
Mr Eastwoods estimable talents will not be lost, as he has indicated he hopes to be free now to deliver a new united Ireland for all of our people.
Talk of a united Ireland or a shared Ireland, whatever form it takes, will need the vision and broad engagement of the best of all of us.
Any such journey to the future demands due recognition of the difficulties we face now. If we are to create a better, fairer country, we will need able, energetic and committed public representatives.
To attract dynamic, capable individuals, a modicum of appreciation and respect is required.
Hostility and toxicity are too easily manipulated by those who wish to disrupt rather than engage with our democratic process.
There is something to be said for Jesse Jacksons dictum that the only time we should dare to look down on anybody is when were helping them up.
A constant chorus of condemnation and negativity is counter-productive. The days of tipping the forelock to power are over. But giving due recognition to people who have given the best of themselves is no more than fair play.
Luke J Gibbons asks why the Catholic church hasnt solved Irelands homeless crisis yet, given its portfolio of properties and estimated bank balance (Letters, August 30).
At a time when calls for secularisation and the separation of church and state often reach a deafening screech, a call for the church to step back into the breach to conclusively address the States latest great failing is nothing if not refreshing in its novelty even when the call derides current church efforts as amounting to hollow prayers.
Mr Gibbons claims the church has not taken tangible steps to address homelessness.
A variety of church-run and church-affiliated organisations step up to the plate to help our homeless population every day.
I think of Brother Kevin Crowley and Dublins Capuchin Day Centre, which has been feeding Dublins homeless for 40 years.
I think of the work of the St Vincent de Paul, which though not church-run enjoys substantial church support, whether through the holding of collections during mass or through the separate patronage of priest-directed massgoers.
I think of the scores of Catholic-run schools and their charitable endeavours to raise funds and awareness to fight homelessness by means of sleep-outs and street collections among other measures.
The Pope has yet to make out a cheque payable to Housing Minister Darragh OBrien and the government of a country as rich as ours, it is true. But the church more than plays its part in fighting the scourge of homelessness in other, more tangible ways that do not absolve the Irish Government of what are ultimately its failures and its responsibility.
Killian Foley-Walsh, Kilkenny
People make errors, so dont lay blame at the foot of Christian doctrine
Barbara Scullys call to remove Catholic patronage from all schools is short-sighted and another example of cancellation and blame-hunting (Ireland will never be free until religion is banished from state infrastructure, Irish Independent, August 29).
Many grievous mistakes have of course been perpetrated by church members over the years while the church itself has looked away.
These are human mistakes and not any flaw in the Christian doctrine.
Pete Young, Dudley, West Midlands
We must be wary of being part of military alliances such as expansionary Nato
Micheal Martin has said there are no plans to publish these papers at this time, relating to a letter and a paper he has written, detailing the Governments approach to strengthening our co-operation with international partners, including Nato.
We need to know what the Minister for Defence has in mind.
Nato has an expansionary ethos. Furthermore, plans to develop the EU as a military power are clear: the president of the European Commission said last March that Europe should strive to develop and manufacture the next generation of battle-winning operational capabilities.
Irish people have consistently shown their support for peace-keeping and our non-involvement in military alliances.
We have been previously warned not to be in the slow lane of Europe. Now is past the time to ask where the fast lane in Europe is going.
Elizabeth Cullen, Thomastown, Co Kildare
Women and children in Gaza need hope from Harris in the White House
With the selection of Kamala Harris to oppose Donald Trump in the US presidential election, many not least the mothers and children of Gaza desperately seeking shelter from bombs were filled with hope that a more just and compassionate regime would emerge in the US to bring some urgency to the need to control the warmongers of all hues.
Now we read the headline in your report: Kamala Harris first major TV interview: vows tougher approach on migration, supports weapons for Israel (Independent.ie, August 30).
Jim OSullivan, Rathedmond, Sligo
Put on warm clothes, grab a stick and enjoy the great climb up Croagh Patrick
On a wet and windy Thursday morning, I arrived at the car park at the foot of Croagh Patrick. I paid the 3 parking fee for the day and looked up at the top of the peak. It was covered in cloud, but the rain had cleared.
We set off at 7.30am and made good headway as the path had very little traffic that early in the morning. The previous nights rain did not affect the rocky surface.
By 8.50am we had reached the base of the final hard climb.
The recently completed steps on the final assault by five great men Matt McConway, Bernard Burke, Frank McNamara, Tulio de Jesus and David Doyle who spent four years climbing the mountain more than 450 times deserve a mention.
Without our solid sticks the final accent would have been challenging, but the combination of well-laid steps and a good stick made a big difference from my previous climbs without the newly laid steps.
As we approached the summit, some of the clouds had drifted and the white church was a welcome view. We reached the top at 9.30am. The amazing views from the summit were limited due to cloud, but we got some great photographs overlooking Clew Bay.
The steps were also very welcome on the way down. It took just over an hour.
I hope this description of our adventure will encourage more climbers to enjoy the climb and views, but remember to bring good warm clothing and a good solid stick.
Seamus Joyce, Richmond, London
Frank Hayes did the Kerry Co-op great service and was forward-looking man
I was saddened to hear of the passing of Frank Hayes (Former Kerry Group executive Frank Hayes dies after short illness, Irish Independent, August 29).
Almost 40 years ago, as Denis Brosnan was about to face down the farmer shareholders of Kerry Co-op, I wrote my first letter to a newspaper on the thorny subject of change.
The CEO of the then privately owned Kerry Co-op was attempting to convince the farmers of Kerry to allow the milk co-operative to become the first known co-op in the world to go down the public route and be part-floated on the stock exchange. Mr Hayes was particularly complimentary of that letter.
To his wife and children I offer my sincere condolences. He was a forward-looking and decent man.
Tom McElligott, Listowel, Co Kerry
Carlow girl (6) forced to travel to USA for urgent surgery is gearing up for her next operation in Poland
After being on a waiting list in Ireland for over four years, Roxanne Kelly will have to travel to Poland to get the life changing surgery she needs
Roxanne Kelly (6) after her spinal surgery in Florida
Aisling Bolton-Dowling Sat 31 Aug 2024 at 11:00
A young Carlow girl (6) who was forced to travel to America for an urgent operation after being overlooked by the Irish healthcare system is home recovering before she travels to Poland for her next operation.
Erika Sassone discovers the magic of Inis Mor, from coastal cycling routes to swimming at Tra Mor, revealing the largest Aran Island's sublime beauty and warm hospitality
Whenever a friend comes to visit me in Galway I always try to bring them to Inis Mor, the largest of the three Aran Islands.
Ive visited the island a total of four times over the past few years and at every day trip I remain fascinated by the beauty and the unique atmosphere this island off Galway Bay offers.
So when a friend asked me to bring her there for her birthday and to stay there for one night, I did not think twice about it.
On a Saturday morning, we took the ferry from Galway City Docks along with our two backpacks and our blue tent and reached Inis Mor at around 11am.
We immediately headed to the campsite, Aran Islands Camping and Glamping, which we had booked online.
Located in a quiet part of the island, just ten minutes walking from the ferry port, the campsite surprised me positively. The site is indeed tiny compared to others across the country, but the ground is flat and perfect for a tent (I had to sleep on a slope on other occasions while staying in bigger campsites in Ireland), it has clean toilets, good indoor showers, and a large kitchen area.
Also, the staff were extremely nice, but it was no surprise as spending just a few hours on the island would make you realise how welcoming residents here are.
The bikes were rented in Inis Mor
Once set up, we rented our bikes and started exploring Inis Mor by following the green route along the cost.
As we cycled by green fields, stone walls, alive to the smell of the Atlantic Ocean right next to us, we encountered old buildings, new colourful houses, cows, and horses, and I pondered the kind of quintessential questions such a landscape suggests, like, how many gallons of poitin have been distilled in these houses? and how many generations have some of these families been living on the island?
Our first stop was the seal colony, where we were lucky enough to spot a few seals not too far from us. We then enjoyed a sweet treat from a cafe, and stopped for a chat with the woman behind the counter, who would smile and say a few words to anyone stopping by.
For the first time, I didnt have to keep an eye on my watch to check we had enough time to get back to the ferry, so I could completely disconnect from the real world and fully enjoy the cycle and the island. Later in the evening, I noticed my phones battery was still over 80pc charged.
Poll na bPeist (the Wormhole), Inis Mor
Despite its size, Inis Mor requires more than just two days to reveal all that it offers, so it was clear we had to make a choice: we decided to follow the directions to the famous Poll na bPeist (the Wormhole).
It doesnt matter how many pictures or videos you might see of Poll na bPeist, nothing can prepare you for this rectangular-shaped blow hole carved by Mother Nature.
The 19th century Romantic authors would call this feeling the sublime, our capacity to become overwhelmed by the majesty of nature. Standing there, looking at the waves dancing in this massive, rectangular hole, makes you realise how small we are, and how powerful nature is.
Before returning back to base, we stopped for a swim at Tra Mor, another iconic landmark of Inis Mor, a big sandy beach that could be mistaken for a spot on some tropical island.
There is something fascinating about sea swimming and Ive always admired the bravery of those Galwegians who I see swimming in the ocean throughout the year, no matter the weather, no matter the cold.
Needless to say, I am not as brave as them, and as an Italian woman I found that Saturdays 15 degrees made the day perfect for a walk, not for a swim.
However, my friend somehow convinced me to dip into the Ocean and I have to admit that the swim made the whole Inis Mor experience even more magical.
In the evening, we had dinner at Joe Watty's Pub. Food was good, drinks were good, and the staffs hospitality was obviously excellent.
However, the trip did not end there and, with the ferry leaving on Sunday at around 3pm, we had an entire morning to explore the island.
We left our bags at the campsite, brought the bikes back to the shop, and decided to walk south, in a part of the island that is usually quieter and often overlooked.
The cliffs in the Dun Duchathair (the Black Fort) area
We reached Dun Duchathair (the Black Fort), and its dramatic cliffs made us experience that sublime feeling once again.
I started wondering if there is any place in Inis Mor where you dont experience that feeling.
After lunch we hopped on the ferry that brought us home and back to real life - knowing we would have to return and spend more days exploring the island, which might be small, but surely is sublime.
Greystones Harbour Plaza is the starting point for what will be the fifth Alzheimers Memory Walk in Wicklow later this month.
With 35 walks nationwide, organisers are hoping this will be the largest Memory Walk to date, and Claire Fitzpatrick from The Alzheimer Society of Irelands Wicklow centre urged people in the county to get involved on a day that will celebrate the memories of loved ones in a wonderful location.
The Wicklow Memory Walk will take place in Greystones this year. It will be a great day for family and friends to get together for a lovely walk along the seafront, she said.
"Some will be doing it for their loved ones who are living with dementia. I will be remembering my mam Mary, who had Alzheimers and passed away 10 years ago this year, and so along with my family members, including Marys grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and friends, we will join many others who will also be remembering their loved ones who are sadly no longer with us, she continued.
It will be a chance to share memories and create new ones together and so I would encourage everyone who can to register now."
The idea behind the Memory Walk is to honour, remember and celebrate 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.
The Alzheimer Society of Ireland is Ireland's leading dementia-specific service provider and works in the heart of local communities providing dementia-specific services and supports and advocating for the rights and needs of all people living with dementia and their carers. The Alzheimer Society of Ireland also operates the Alzheimer National Helpline offering information and support to anyone affected by dementia on 1800 341 341.
You can register for the Greystones walk at memorywalk.ie and join the hundreds of others taking part on Sunday, September 22, at 11am at Greystones Harbour Plaza. The distance is three kilometres.
All walkers will receive an Alzheimers Memory Walk t-shirt, and a 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.
Wicklow County Councils annual tree grant is now open for applications, providing funding to local groups to plant trees in public spaces in their community with the aim of increasing tree cover within these spaces.
The late autumn and winter months are the ideal time to plant trees, allowing trees to establish good roots well before they come back into leaf in spring.
The annual tree grant provides funding of 75 per cent of the cost of trees to be planted, with a maximum allocation of 500 per applicant.
Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council Paul O Brien commented: The annual tree grant supports the work of Tidy Towns, residents associations and other groups to improve our open spaces with good planting, which enhances amenity while enriching the biodiversity of our local areas. We encourage our communities to make use of and apply for this grant.
All native trees can be planted, plus several tree species listed under the All Ireland Pollinator Plan as being beneficial for supporting biodiversity. Fruit trees are also funded, and the planting of native hedging in public spaces will also be considered.
Chief executive of Wicklow County Council Emer OGorman added: Wicklow County Council is committed to taking climate action and the restoration of biodiversity. Increasing tree cover with the use of native tree species has an important role to play in achieving our goals.
Completed applications with costings and a map of proposed planting locations must be submitted by the deadline of Friday, September 27. The grant application can be obtained from the environmental awareness office through eao@wicklowcoco.ie. The application form can also be downloaded from the News and Events section on www.wicklow.ie.
The family of Daena Walsh, who was fatally injured in Midleton, Co Cork aged just 29, are still trying to come to terms with her shocking passing earlier this month, as they strive to provide a new life for her two sons.
Daenas mother Caroline now cares for Ezra (5) and Kyson (5) and they have both relocated to the family home in Roundwood, Co Wicklow, where they are becoming accustomed to their new surroundings.
Daenas 18-year-old brother Callum has thanked the tight-knit community of Roundwood for rallying around the family in support during what has been a most difficult time.
Both Ezra and Kyson are settling in well and they love it here in Roundwood, he said. We have cats and dogs, which they love, especially the dogs. At the moment one sleeps in the same room as my mum and the other with my older brother Noah.
He added: The people of Roundwood have been so good to us and at the moment we are just trying to make life as easy as we can for the two boys. We are all trying to get back to reality and back to work again, but it has been a very traumatic and difficult time for everyone.
Daena was found with apparent stab wounds at the apartment where she lived off the Main Street in Midleton on Friday, August 2, after emergency services attended the scene shortly after 4pm. Despite every effort to save her life, she was pronounced dead in her flat at John Barry House.
Callum was working in the Parkview Hotel in Newtownmountkennedy when he received the traumatic news that his sister was dead at around 7pm. He immediately returned home to mourn with the rest of the shocked family.
Daena Walsh
Daenas partner Adam Corcoran (29) has since been charged with her murder and remanded in custody.
The apartment was also on fire when Daena was found and suffered significant damage before the blaze could be extinguished.
Daena's sons were not at the building at the time, but have lost most of their possessions in fire.
Now two Roundwood neighbours of the Walsh family, Debbie Lowe and Bernie Byrne, have started an online fundraising appeal with the aim of assisting both Ezra and Kyson in the future.
On their GoFundMe page Debbie and Bernie stated: The boys lost so many of their belongings. These two beautiful little boys now have to leave their home and start a new life with Daenas mam and their new little life will have to be set up all over again.
This will come with a huge cost as the house will now have to be arranged to home two little boys. Myself and a few of their nanny's neighbours wanted to set up this GoFundMe to help set up their new life. This a very sad situation nobody should ever have to face. Please if you can donate anything at all to help these two boys.
The GoFundMe for Daenas boys aims to raise 5,000.
Callum says the Walsh family are touched by their neighbours gesture and are also calling for people to support the fundraising drive.
We all miss Daena horribly and are so grateful towards everyones support, he said. Debbie and Bernie have been so good in setting up the fundraiser and it has our total support. We are trying to do something nice for the children as they lost nearly all of their possessions in the fire.
"We just want to do everything in our power to make sure they are settling in and doing as well as they can. We want to make their life as comfortable as we can now and also going into the future.
The Connecting Our Communities scroll arrived at the lifeboat stations in Wicklow town and Arklow on Wednesday as part of the RNLIs 200th anniversary shortly after the visit of a plucky Porsche 911 called Splash that is on a quest to raise money for the charity that saves lives at sea.
Printed on bamboo paper, the scroll is travelling through RNLI communities far and wide during 2024. By passing this pledge from one incredible community to the next, the RNLI hope to inspire the next generation of lifesavers.
The scroll started its route at the Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in London, and will continue on its travels until October, when it will end its journey in Douglas, Isle of Man, the former home of Sir William Hillary, founder of the RNLI.
On the scroll is the RNLIs One Crew pledge, in which members promise to continue saving every life they can for the next 200 years and counting. Lifesavers from across the UK and Ireland, and the RNLI patron, president, and chief executive, will sign the scroll to recognise all the organisation has done over the past 200 years and into the future.
Chris Smith arrived at Wicklow Lifeboat Sation at 3.30pm on Wednesday as five local RNLI volunteers signed the pledge - Coxswain Nick Keogh, John Hayden, Carol Flahive, Karen Boyle and Jennifer Snell. Each volunteer represented the station, education, water safety, fundraising and the lifeboat shop.
The pledge reads: Whoever we are, wherever we are from, we are one crew, ready to save lives. Were powered by passion, talent and kindness, like generations of selfless lifesavers before us. This is our watch, we lead the way, valuing each other, trusting each other, depending on one another, volunteering to face the storm together. Knowing that, with courage, nothing is impossible. That is what has always driven us to save every one we can. It's what makes every one of us a lifesaver.
Meanwhile, Belinda and James Richardson both paid separate visits to the Wicklow and Arklow Lifeboat Stations on Monday, August 26, in their Porsche car named Splash. The retired couple from London have been big fans of the RNLI ever since owning a boat on the Thames over 20 years ago.
They aim to navigate around the whole of Ireland and the British Isles, visiting all 238 RNLI stations in 911 hours, involving a drive of over 8,500 and requiring 36 ferries and four flights.
They started at Morecambe on Friday, August 23, and hope to raise enough money through sponsorship and donations to fund a relief D class Inshore lifeboat for the RNLI.
To donate to their challenge, visit rnli-911challenge.co.uk
The film is based on the 1989 book The Silent Brotherhood (Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)
Jude Law said his new film that chronicles the terrorist actions of a white supremacist group still has relevance.
The Order sees two-time Oscar nominee Law portray an FBI agent who is investigating a hate group that perpetrated bank heists along with being accused of the June 1984 murder of Alan Berg, a Jewish talk-radio host in Denver.
Fellow British star Nicholas Hoult plays the Orders leader Robert Mathews, who was killed in a 1984 fire during a Washington state shoot-out with federal agents.
The Talented Mr Ripley actor Law, 51, told a press conference at the Venice International Film Festival on Saturday: Sadly, the relevance, I think, speaks for itself.
What amazed me was the it was a story I hadnt heard of before, and I thought (screenwriter) Zach (Baylin) did an amazing job of also highlighting family and and how community and a sense of family can make people feel safe and secure no matter where they are going and in what direction in their life, politically or emotionally.
It just felt also like a piece of work that needed to be made now. Its always interesting looking back, but its always interesting finding a piece from the past that has some relative relationship to the present day.
Tye Sheridan, from left, Jurnee Smollett, Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult star in The Order (Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)
When asked about the far-right riots in the UK, The Great and Skins star Hoult said it was an American story, but he did see the relevance today, which is sadly true.
He added: Its also a global thing at the moment, which is just a horrible situation and hopefully the film, perhaps, if people see it shedding more light on how these sorts of events occur and the people that are instigating them, (they) can kind of help prevent it happening anymore in the future.
In terms of the research, I had delve into a lot of horrible, dark stuff that wasnt enjoyable.
So (director) Justin (Kurzel) helped me a lot through that, Zach, and research, and I dont really know what else to say about it, to be honest with you, apart from, it wasnt very nice, and it was part of the job on this one.
The Order is based on the 1989 book The Silent Brotherhood by Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt which covers how federal agents took on militias who express racist, as well as antisemitic and neo-Nazi views.
A Russian newspaper publisher was convicted by a court in Siberia yesterday and sentenced to eight years in prison, after his paper reported on Russias attacks on civilians in Ukraine, local media and rights activists reported.
The court in the city of Gorno-Altaysk convicted Sergei Mikhailov, a prominent journalist in the Siberian region of Altai and the publisher of the local newspaper Listok, or Leaflet, of spreading false information about the Russian army, the Net Freedoms rights group said.
Two more crew members investigated as Italians widen probe into sinking of superyacht Bayesian
Captain James Cutfield is already under investigation for possible manslaughter and culpable shipwreck charges
A press conference on the search and recovery operation after the luxury yacht Bayesian sank in a storm on August 19 while moored off the coast of Porticello, Sicily. Photo: PA
Stephanie Dazio Sat 31 Aug 2024 at 03:30
Italian prosecutors have put under investigation two more crew members of the Bayesian, the superyacht that sank off Sicily last week, killing seven people, their lawyer said yesterday.
The Israeli military said it had killed five more militants in a large-scale operation in the occupied West Bank early Thursday, including a well-known local commander.
There was no immediate Palestinian confirmation of the death of Mohammed Jaber, known as Abu Shujaa, a commander in the Islamic Jihad militant group in the Nur Shams refugee camp on the outskirts of the city of Tulkarem.
Bengaluru/IBNS: Param Foundation, a not-for-profit community-driven social organisation based in Bengaluru, has unveiled plans for a multi-experience, trans-disciplinary centre aimed at promoting experiential learning, history, art, culture, and collaboration.
The announcement was made at ParamCon, a science festival hosted by the foundation at Yuvapatha in Jayanagar, which attracted 1,500 visitors in a single day.
The event featured interactive exhibits, games, challenges, talks, workshops, and shows that drew a diverse audience of students, educators, innovators, and community leaders.
The festival highlighted the importance of combining science and creativity to foster a spirit of inquiry and learning.
The Param Experience Centre, a 1.2 million-square-foot flagship facility, is set to open to the public in phases starting in the summer of 2025 on Magadi Road in the city. This centre is designed to provide immersive experiences through hands-on learning, crafting journeys in the realms of science, history, art, culture, and more. It is expected to attract over 8,000 visitors daily.
Additionally, the Experience Centre aims to build state-of-the-art labs, providing innovators and researchers with access to facilities where they can develop prototypes and create ground breaking products that offer revolutionary solutions. The centre is poised to become a global hub for learning and innovation. Param will serve as one of Asia's largest transdisciplinary hubs and meta-ecosystems, dedicated to creating transformative and sustainable impact.
This initiative is driven by passionate individuals and supported by patrons who share a vision for a better future. The foundation is collaborating with a diverse group of artists, engineers, architects, designers, and other professionals from India and around the world to bring this vision to life.
It aims to create a collaborative environment where creativity meets technology, enabling the development of unique learning experiences. As part of this effort, the centre will also support 1,000 emerging entrepreneurs each year, providing them with access to state-of-the- art labs and resources. These initiatives underscore the foundations commitment to fostering creativity, inclusivity, and accessibility for all.
One of the highlights of the event was the Cobot Exhibit, featuring a futuristic robotic arm from Denmark. This exhibit demonstrated how cutting-edge technology can merge with human safety and precision in the manufacturing industry.
The cobot, designed for safe human interaction, gave attendees a firsthand look at how industrial-grade robotics are transforming workplaces, making them safer and more efficient.
The event also featured the "Scale of Universe Gallery," which takes visitors on a fascinating journey through the size of the universe. The exhibit, themed "Yotta to Yocto," explores the vast range from the smallest particles to the largest cosmic structures.
Through interactive projections, kiosks, and simulations, guests engaged with the wonders of the universe, gaining insights into the secrets of the cosmos in a visually immersive way.
Another standout was the IIT Kanpur Exhibit, "Hive," an innovative tool that visualises brain activity using EEG technology. Visitors wore special headbands that transformed their brain waves into dynamic patterns and colours, creating a stunning science-art installation.
This exhibit allowed participants to explore the inner workings of the human mind, blending scientific exploration with artistic expression.
Param Foundation is collaborating with visual artists, engineers, architects, designers, and other creative professionals from across India and globally.
These exhibits were part of ParamCon's commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and curiosity. By bringing these state-of-the-art experiences to the public, Param Foundation continues to lead in providing learning opportunities that inspire and inform.
We are honoured to collaborate with leading institutions such as Nehru Science Centre, Mumbai; Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum; ISRO; NCBS; IIT Kanpur; IIT Gandhinagar; and many other reputed organisations.
These partnerships allow us to combine diverse expertise and knowledge, enhancing our ability to offer innovative and educational experiences, said a spokesperson for Param Foundation.
Param changed my perspective on science in just 30 minutes, said a visitor. The exhibits are so engaging and interactive that they make complex concepts easy to understand. I left feeling inspired and more curious about the world around me, he added.
In todays world, its essential to create spaces that encourage collaboration and community engagement, a spokesperson for Param Foundation said. We want to provide environments where people can learn, innovate, and work together to solve problems, he concluded.
Guided by a shared vision, Param Foundation empowers individuals from every walk of life by seamlessly blending modern technology with the rich cultural heritage of India. Param operates at the intersection of cultural, experiential, and creative economies by building a transdisciplinary, collaborative digital ecosystem and physical spaces.
Photo courtesy: x/@VPIndia
New Delhi/IBNS: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday strongly condemned a purported statement made by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) headed by senior lawyer and MP Kapil Sibal in connection with the rape and murder case of a junior doctor in Kolkata.
"I am appalled, pained that someone holding a position in the Supreme Court Bar Association, a Member of Parliament, can term such acts of violence against women as a symptomatic malaise. How can one suggest that such incidents are commonplace? What a shame," the Vice President said at an event in Delhi University's Bharti College.
"Words fail me in condemning such a stance. It is a great injustice to such a high position," Vice President Dhankhar said.
Kapil Sibal is representing the West Bengal government in the RG Kar rape-murder case. Photo credit: UNI/IBNS file photo
And here, one says it is symptomatic malaise, that such incidents are common place!
I strongly condemn it.
The relieving feature is that members of the Bar have risen in unison to come in favour of girls and women.
What can be greater injustice to humanity?
We trivialise pic.twitter.com/Grcr5cT8Cz Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) August 30, 2024
The Vice President said calling violence against women a "symptomatic malaise" is the same as trivialising their suffering.
"For partisan interest? For self-interest? You take a stance, leveraging your authority to perpetrate such kind of heinous injustice on our girls and women? What can be a greater injustice to humanity? Do we trivialise the suffering of our girls? No, not any longer," he said.
The brutal rape and murder of the junior doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital earlier this month has sparked outrage across the nation, with doctors and others in the medical profession calling for fundamental reforms to ensure dignity and security at their workplace.
Photo courtesy: Facebook/Mamata Banerjee
New Delhi/IBNS: The Union Women and Child Development Minister has responded to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's second letter, seeking a stringent law and exemplary punishment for heinous crimes such as rape and murder.
Banerjee in her second letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sought a mandatory provision for time-bound disposal of rape and murder cases. The two letters came amid the CBI investigation into the rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
I have written this letter to the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India in connection with an earlier letter of mine to him. This is a second letter in that reference. pic.twitter.com/5GXKaX6EOZ Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) August 30, 2024
The BJP had called her a "liar" over her letters, and questioned her over why she has not done anything to ensure implementation of existing "stringent" rules and regulations to protect women in her state.
"With regard to the information contained in your letter about the status of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) and exclusive POCSO courts in West Bengal, I may mention that according to information received from the Calcutta High Court, West Bengal has established 88 Fast Track Courts (FTCs), which are not the same as the Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) covered under the Central Government Scheme..." Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi said in her response to Banerjee.
"... ln spite of pendency of 48,600 rape and POCSO cases in West Bengal, the state has not operationalised additional 11 FTSCs which may be exclusive POCSO courts or combined FTSCs dealing with both rape and POCSO cases, as per the state's requirement. As may be seen, the information contained in your letter in this regard is factually incorrect and appears to be a step in the direction to cover up the delays in operationalizing the FTSCs by the state," Devi said.
Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi replies to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjees second letter to PM, demanding Fast Track Courts and timebound investigation and prosecution of accused in cases of crimes against women, especially rape. She writes
The https://t.co/iLmTA1ujQm Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) August 30, 2024
BJP co-incharge for West Bengal Amit Malviya has also questioned the Bengal Chief Minister over not doing enough to ensure rules and regulations to protect women and girls are strictly followed.
"It is incumbent on Mamata Banerjee to explain why the West Bengal government hasn't done anything for implementing the stringent rules and regulations, which exist for protecting women and girls," Malviya said in a post on X.
"Stop writing letters. Answer the questions. You are accountable," he added.
Mamata Banerjee is a LIAR.
Smt Annapurna Devi, Union Minister of Women and Child Development, responded to West Bengal Chief Minister on 25th Aug 2024.
In her letter, in point 4, she specifically mentions West Bengal Govt NOT setting up even a single Fast Track Court for https://t.co/mtNgQNLlnx pic.twitter.com/bu2Tf9Ptm2 Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) August 30, 2024
On Banerjee's demand for permanent judicial officers in FTSCs, instead of only retired judicial officers as prescribed in the FTSC scheme guidelines, the Women and Child Development Minister said, "... I may inform you that the scheme guidelines clearly provide for one judicial officer and seven staff to work exclusively for disposal of Rape and POCSO Act cases. Hence, additional charge of FTSCs cannot be given to any permanent judicial officer or court staff. This position was clarified earlier to the state of West Bengal..."
The brutal rape and murder of the junior doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital earlier this month has sparked outrage across the nation, with doctors and others in the medical profession calling for fundamental reforms to ensure dignity and security at their workplace.
Mamata Banerjee's government is facing massive protests over its handling of the crime.
Glimpse from Nabanna march | Image by Avishek Mitra/IBNS
Kolkata/IBNS: Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj leader Sayan Lahiri, who was arrested in connection with the August 27 march to the state secretariat Nabanna, was granted bail by the Calcutta High Court on Friday leaving the administration egg-faced, media reports said.
The Nabanna march was called by Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj demanding justice for the 31-year-old trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The Chief Minister's resignation was also one of the demands by the organisation, which is yet to be registered.
Granting him bail, Justice Amrita Sinha observed Sayan is not an influential person or does not hold any position or power to influence, hence he is liable to be released from jail.
"Had the RG Kar incident not occurred, there would not have been the existence of the Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj," the court said as quoted by Hindustan Times.
The court has also restrained police from taking any coercive action against Sayan, who was arrested while he was leaving a local television channel earlier this week.
Sayan's mother Anjali had filed a plea seeking her son's bail and quashing all proceedings against the Chhatra Samaj leader.
He will be released from jail by 2 pm on Saturday.
People clashed with police, water cannons and tear gas shells were fired on several roads leading to Howrah, where state secretariat Nabanna is located, on Tuesday.
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 YouTube video
Kolkata/IBNS: After the Calcutta High Court order, Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj leader Sayan Lahiri, who was arrested over the march to West Bengal state secretariat Nabanna, walked out of jail, media reports said.
The High Court on Friday granted bail to Sayan Lahiri leaving the state administration egg-faced.
"I am happy with the court order... I thank Suvendu Adhikari for supporting me through this," said Sayan after walking out of jail.
The Nabanna march was called by Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj demanding justice for the 31-year-old trainee doctor who was raped and murdered at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The Chief Minister's resignation was also one of the demands by the organisation, which is yet to be registered.
Granting him bail, Justice Amrita Sinha observed Sayan is not an influential person or does not hold any position or power to influence, hence he is liable to be released from jail.
"Had the RG Kar incident not occurred, there would not have been the existence of the Paschim Banga Chhatra Samaj," the court said as quoted by Hindustan Times.
The court has also restrained police from taking any coercive action against Sayan, who was arrested while he was leaving a local television channel earlier this week.
Sayan's mother Anjali had filed a plea seeking her son's bail and quashing all proceedings against the Chhatra Samaj leader.
People clashed with police, water cannons and tear gas shells were fired on several roads leading to Howrah, where state secretariat Nabanna is located, on Tuesday.
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.
UN Photo/Evan Schneider
New Delhi: Former Singapore diplomat Professor Kishore Mahbubani has called for urgent reforms to the United Nations Security Council, advocating for India's rightful inclusion as a permanent member of the prestigious body, media reports said.
In an interview with NDTV, Mahbubani opined that the United Kingdom should relinquish its permanent seat on the UN Security Council (UNSC) in favour of India while speaking on the necessary changes in the UN.
"There is absolutely no question that India is the third-most powerful country in the world today after the United States and China. And that Great Britain is no longer 'great'," he was quoted as saying by NDTV.
Mahbubani stated that the UK has not used its veto power, available only to the permanent members, for decades, fearing criticism over its stance.
"So, the logical thing for the UK to do is give up its seat to India," he said.
He emphasised that the founders of the UN ensured that all major powers of the world at that time had vested interests in the organization to ensure its functionality.
"The lesson that (UN's founders) learned from the collapse of the League of Nations early in the 20th century is that if a great power leaves, the organisation collapses," the former diplomat said.
"But they also believed that you must have the great powers of today, not the great powers of yesterday. Unfortunately, they didn't create a mechanism for changing the seats," he said.
"Another reason for the UK to give up its seat is that it will free them up to act independently," he said.
Fatman Scoop collapses on stage. Photo Courtesy: ShareAlike 3.0 Unported/Wikimedia Commons
American rapper Fatman Scoop died after collapsing during his performance at a concert in Connecticut on Friday, media reports said.
He was 53.
He was performing at the Town Center Park in the city of Hamden when the incident occurred.
Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett confirmed the death of the rapper who wrote on Facebook: "On behalf of the Town of Hamden, I offer my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Isaac Freeman, known as Fatman Scoop. He was a wonderful performer with a wide following as evidenced by the thousands of fans that came to see what would be his last performance at Hamden Town Center Park."
"I am grateful to the audience members and to our paramedics that attempted to offer life-saving assistance. For anyone who is having difficulty processing and mourning Isaacs loss particularly after witnessing the tragedy unfold at Town Center Park, we will be hosting grief counseling with our social worker," he said.
His booking agency MN2S spokesperson told BBC: "Scoop was a beloved figure in the music world, whose work was loved by countless fans across the globe."
In a Facebook post, the rapper's family said he was a 'radiant soul'.
"He was the laughter in our lives, a constant source of support, unwavering strength and courage," the statement said.
Isaac Freeman III, who was better known for his stage name Fatman Scoop, was an American rapper, hype man, and radio personality.
Noted for his booming, raw vocal presence on various hip hop songs, he was best known for his guest performances on the 2005 singles "Lose Control" by Missy Elliott and "It's Like That" by Mariah Carey.
Photo Courtesy: Lokesh Kanagaraj X page
Director Lokesh Kanagaraj has unveiled yet another poster of the movie Coolie which shows Shruti Haasan is a part of the multi-starrer project now.
" Kicked to have @shrutihaasan joining the cast of #Coolie as #Preethi," Kanagaraj wrote on X.
The posters of the movie showed Nagarjuna and Soubin Shahir will be seen in the movie sharing screen spaces.
Soubin Shahi, who is known for his Malayalam movies, will make his Tamil debut with Coolie.
He will play a character named Dayal.
Makers said Shruti will play the character named Preethi in the film.
In the poster, she could be holding a shovel in her hand.
Following her inclusion in the movie cast, Shruti wrote on X: " Thankyou Lokesh !! Super stoked to be a part of this."
The aftermath of a missile strike in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv Photo Courtesy: UNICEF/Ukraine
At least six people, including a teen girl, were killed after a Russian-guided bomb hit a playground and a residential building in Ukraine 's Kharkiv city on Friday.
The 12-storey residential building caught fire after the strike.
Several social media posts have now emerged where firefighters could be seen trying to bring the flames under control.
President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X: "Rescue operations continue in Kharkiv at the sites struck by Russian bombs. Tragically, there are fatalities, including a childa girl named Sofia, who would have turned 15 this fall. My deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. Many others are injured."
Rescue operations continue in Kharkiv at the sites struck by Russian bombs. Tragically, there are fatalities, including a childa girl named Sofia, who would have turned 15 this fall. My deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. Many others are injured. Aid is being pic.twitter.com/ZU9flEw0Pd Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) August 30, 2024
He said: "Aid is being provided to all those affected, and rescuers are doing everything they can to save as many lives as possible. I am grateful to everyone involved in the rescue efforts and to all those who are supporting Kharkiv and its residents."
The Russian strike on Kharkiv directly on people, on ordinary house. All services are currently engaged in the rescue operation. I thank everyone who is helping to save lives at this moment.
This strike was carried out using a Russian guided aerial bomba strike that could have pic.twitter.com/ydRfqPju6n Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) August 30, 2024
He described the cowardly strikes as 'horrific'.
"These horrific, cowardly Russian strikes targeted ordinary homes and a city park. Russia will be held accountable for all its evil deeds. But the world must remember that the most effective tactic is to prevent evil from acting in the first place," the President said.
He said: "We need decisionsdecisions that our partners can make, decisions from those countries that have the power to ensure we have the capability to destroy Russian military aircraft at their bases, where eliminating these terrorists and their aircraft will be most effective."
Kharkiv is located close to the Russian border.
The Ukrainian city, which is the second largest in the country, has been attacked frequently since Russia began its full-scale invasion in 2022.
Occupiers killed a child right on the playground, Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app on Friday as quoted by Al Jazeera.
Thirty months into Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, human suffering continues to worsen amid alarming reports of attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, including nuclear facilities, a senior UN political affairs official told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Miroslav Jenca, Assistant Secretary-General at the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, said that last month was particularly deadly for Ukrainian civilians, with at least 219 killed and more than 1,000 injured.
Since 24 February 2022 the date of Russias full-scale invasion, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, has documented 11,662 civilian killings and 24,207 injuries. The actual figure could be higher.
Tragically, these figures only grow, as missiles, shells and drones continue to hit cities, towns and villages across Ukraine daily, Jenca said.
Concerns over nuclear safety
The senior UN official further expressed alarm regarding reported incidents around nuclear facilities in Ukraine and Russia, in particular the deterioration of the nuclear safety situation at Ukraines Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
On 17 August, a drone strike hit the road around the power plants site perimeter. This incident followed a significant fire at one of the cooling towers on 11 August, which resulted in considerable damage.
Jenca added that concerns are also rising over nuclear safety and security in Russias Kursk region.
On 22 August, Russia reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that remains of a drone were found within the territory of the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant.
We continue to call for maximum restraint and vigilance to avoid a nuclear incident, the consequences of which could be catastrophic to the region and the world, he urged.
Photo Courtesy: IDF X page
The Israeli Defense Forces has claimed to have killed Hamas' commander in Jenin Wassem Hazem while conducting a counterterrorism operation in the northern Samaria area.
"Wassem Hazem, the head of Hamas in Jenin, was eliminated during a counterterrorism operation in the northern Samaria area. He was identified alongside a terrorist cell in a vehicle in the area," IDF posted on X.
Wassem Hazem, the head of Hamas in Jenin, was eliminated during a counterterrorism operation in the northern Samaria area. He was identified alongside a terrorist cell in a vehicle in the area.
Hazem was involved in carrying out and directing shooting and bombing attacks, pic.twitter.com/TioV7BkZhS Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 30, 2024
"Hazem was involved in carrying out and directing shooting and bombing attacks, and continuously advanced terrorist activities in the Judea and Samaria area," the Israeli security forces said.
"Shortly afterward, an IDF aircraft eliminated 2 additional Hamas terrorists who attempted to flee from the vehicle that they were inside with Wassem Hazem. Maysara Masharqa and Arafat Amer operated under the command of Wassem Hazem and took part in shooting attacks against Israeli communities," IDF said.
IDF said M16 rifles, a handgun, cartridges, explosives, gas grenades, and thousands of shekels were recovered in the vehicle and from the possession of the slain Hamas members.
Meanwhile, UN aid teams have reached a tentative agreement with parties involved in the war in Gaza for humanitarian pauses to allow 640,000 children to be vaccinated amid an outbreak of the virus, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
WHO Representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, said that the two-round vaccination campaign is due to begin this Sunday in central Gaza for three days, then move to the southern and northern areas. A second dose will be administered after four weeks.
During each round of the campaign, the Palestinian Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the WHO, [the UN Childrens Fund] UNICEF, UNRWA [the UN agency for Palestine refugees] and partners, will provide two drops of novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) to more than 640,000 children under 10 years of age, Dr. Peeperkorn said.
West Bank operation continues
Amid a fourth day of Israeli military operations in the West Bank, humanitarians voiced concerns about the safety of civilians and aid teams.
Raids by the Israeli Security Forces (ISF) in densely populated Jenin and Tulkarem have reportedly killed at least 15 people. Unimpeded accessibility of facilities is crucial for reaching and receiving care, but also to deliver health aid. We call on the infrastructure, ambulances, health workers around hospitals, health facilities to be protected, stressed Dr. Peeperkorn.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the escalation late Wednesday, calling for an "immediate cessation" of Israeli operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Since the start of the war, 652 Palestinians have also been killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, including 150 children, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. More than 5,400 people have been injured.
US top official asks China to take immediate action to end repression of Uyghurs. Photo Courtesy: Unsplash
A top US official on Friday said China should take immediate action to end 'ongoing repression' of Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic and religious minority groups in the country
He made the remark on the second anniversary of the release of a report by the United Nations marking the state of human rights violations in Xinjiang region of China.
Matthew Miller, US State Department spokesperson, posted on X: "Two years since the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights released an assessment on human rights violations in Xinjiang, the U.S. continues to urge the PRC to take immediate action and end the ongoing repression of Muslim Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minority groups."
In a separate statement, Miller said: " The United States is disappointed that after two years, the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) continues to reject the OHCHR assessments findings and refuses to implement the High Commissioners recommendations to release all those arbitrarily deprived of their liberty, cease all intimidation and reprisals against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities in Xinjiang and abroad, and investigate allegations of human rights abuses, including torture, sexual violence, forced labor, and forced medical treatment."
He said: " The United States remains gravely concerned by the PRCs ongoing repression of predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang, which the High Commissioners assessment found 'may constitute international crimes, particularly crimes against humanity'."
He said: "We will continue to work closely with partners across the international community to seek justice for the many victims of PRC policies in Xinjiang and to secure accountability for individuals and entities perpetrating human rights violations and abuses."
The report released by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) into what China refers to as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) had concluded that serious human rights violations against the Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim communities have been committed.
The report said that allegations of patterns of torture, or ill-treatment, including forced medical treatment and adverse conditions of detention, are credible, as are allegations of individual incidents of sexual and gender-based violence.
In a strongly-worded assessment at the end of the report, OHCHR said that the extent of arbitrary detentions against Uyghur and others, in context of restrictions and deprivation more generally of fundamental rights, enjoyed individually and collectively, may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity.
Human Rights Watch said the Chinese government persists in committing crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang while denying repression there.
Beijings brazen refusal to meaningfully address well-documented crimes in Xinjiang is no surprise, but shows the need for a robust follow-up by the UN human rights chief and UN member states, said Maya Wang, associate China director at Human Rights Watch. Contrary to the Chinese governments claims, its punitive campaign against millions of Uyghurs in Xinjiang continues to inflict great pain.
Children look at artwork in a classroom strewn with broken glass and other debris in Chernihiv, Ukraine. Photo Courtesy: UNICEF/Ashley Gilbertson VII Photo
Ukraine's city of Kharkiv has declared a day of mourning on Saturday after a Russian bomb attack left at least six civilians dead, media reports said.
The deceased reportedly included a child who was playing on a playground.
At least 97 people were injured, including 24 children, when Moscow struck the city with five guided aerial bombs, according to Ukrainian authorities as quoted by CNN.
This was one of the deadliest Russian strike on Ukraine in the ongoing summer season.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said one of the deceased was 14-year-old Sofia.
She was reportedly playing on the playground when Russian hit it.
" Tragically, there are fatalities, including a childa girl named Sofia, who would have turned 15 this fall. My deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. Many others are injured. Aid is being provided to all those affected, and rescuers are doing everything they can to save as many lives as possible. I am grateful to everyone involved in the rescue efforts and to all those who are supporting Kharkiv and its residents," Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on X.
He described the Russian strike as 'cowardly'.
Targeting Russia, he said: " This is the same evil Russia unleashed in Syria, in Georgia, and now in Ukraine. Their tactics of terror are the same everywhere, and its time to put an end to it. This can be achieved through our Ukrainian long-range capabilities, robust support for our Defense Forces, and enhanced air defense systems for Ukraine. "
Thirty months into Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, human suffering continues to worsen amid alarming reports of attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, including nuclear facilities, a senior UN political affairs official told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Miroslav Jenca, Assistant Secretary-General at the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, said that last month was particularly deadly for Ukrainian civilians, with at least 219 killed and more than 1,000 injured.
Since 24 February 2022 the date of Russias full-scale invasion, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, has documented 11,662 civilian killings and 24,207 injuries. The actual figure could be higher.
Tragically, these figures only grow, as missiles, shells and drones continue to hit cities, towns and villages across Ukraine daily, Jenca said.
Jenca also highlighted the severe impact of the humanitarian crisis, particularly on women, who comprise 56 percent of the 15 million people in need of assistance in Ukraine.
In frontline areas, particularly in the east and south of Ukraine, entire villages and towns have been either partially or completely devastated, he said, adding, humanitarian operations in some areas lack access to people in need.
This year the UN and humanitarian partners aim to reach 8.5 million people with lifesaving assistance, including through the winter.
However, the response remains constrained, with only 41 percent of the $3.1 billion needed under the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan received so far.
Photo Courtesy: Pixabay
The East Turkistan Government in Exile has said the Chinese government conducted 47 nuclear tests in East Turkistan between 1964 and 1996 which resulted in the deaths of approximately 750,000 East Turkistanis and left 1.2 million more suffering from leukemia, cancer, and fetal damage.
" Today, on the #InternationalDayAgainstNuclearTests , the East Turkistan Government in Exile solemnly reflects on the catastrophic impact of #Chinas #NuclearTesting in Occupied #EastTurkistan. Between 1964 and 1996, China conducted 47 nuclear tests in our homeland, with a total known yield of 24,409 kilotonsequivalent to 1,627 #Hiroshima bombs or 1,162 #Nagasaki bombs. These tests resulted in the deaths of approximately 750,000 East Turkistanis and left 1.2 million more suffering from leukemia, cancer, and fetal damage," East Turkistan Government in Exile said on X.
The government-in-exile claimed China might be conducting secret underground nuclear tests in East Turkistan even in 2024.
" Tragically, reports indicate that China may still be conducting secret underground #NuclearTests in East Turkistan even in 2024. These ongoing activities are part of Chinas broader campaign of genocide, colonization, and occupation aimed at erasing the identity and existence of the #Uyghur and other Turkic peoples," the post said.
The government-in-exile directed the international community to recognize the acts as part of China's genocidal agenda and take immediate action.
It said: "We call on all nations to hold China accountable and to demand an end to its nuclear aggression and occupation of East Turkistan. The world must no longer stand by in silence while such atrocities continue."
Photo Courtesy: Pixabay
A Pakistani court on Thursday sentenced a man to life imprisonment for desecrating the Quran in 2021 within the remits of the Korangi police station in Karachi.
Additional District and Sessions Judge (East) Shahid Ali Memon found the accused guilty and ruled that the prosecution had proven the charge of defiling copies of the Quran under Section 295-B of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) beyond a shadow of a doubt, reported Dawn News.
All the prime witnesses had fully supported the case in respect of the date of offence, time of offence, arrest of accused, seizure of property etc. In other words, it can safely be said that all the witnesses, including the complainant, had corroborated each other and the learned defence counsel made cross-examination upon them but he has not been able to cause any dent to their evidence, the judge observed as quoted by the newspaper.
The prosecution produced six eye witnesses during the hearing into the case.
The prosecutor said the evidence against the accused were overwhelming and needed to be convicted.
The defence argued the prosecution had fabricated the case.
The defence counsel claimed that the prosecution witnesses, all residents of the same area, had contradicted each other, Dawn News reported.
A brand new episode of Bad Memory Eraser is out on MBN now, but before you start binge-watching it, here we are with a recap of what so far has happened in the romantic K-drama. Written by Jung Eun-young and directed by Yoon Ji-hoon and Kim Na-young, this show stars actors like Kim Jae-Joong, Lee Joong-Won, Jin Se-Yeon, and Yang Hye-Ji.
Bad Memory Eraser in total has 16 episodes, out of which it has now released 9 episodes. The ninth one just got released on August 30. If you are someone who has not watched any of its previous episodes or cannot recall the story so far, here is a simplified recap of the plot.
Also Read: OMG 2 Telugu OTT release: Where to watch Akshay Kumars comedy-drama online
All about the 8th episode released on August 24:
In the Bad Memory Eraser episode 8, Sae-Yan was seen searching for love interest, which she gets also at the end.
Character Lee-Goon in the story tries to remember how his brother betrayed him and pushed him away from a bridge because of which he fell.
The interesting part of the last episode was how Lee-Goon entered a meeting room and Se-Yeon introduced herself. She comes to work for Lee Goon as an Italian interpreter. Further in the story, Guk-Bong and Lee-Shin were seen getting into a tiff over Goons first love Ju-Yeon.
Shin further in the episode claimed to be unaware about Goon's mishap, but Guk-Bong fears that if Shin and Ju-Yeon are seen together, it may evoke unpleasant memories.
Episode 8 of Bad Memory Eraser concludes with Hon frightening him with the images and accusing him of pushing his brother off the bridge.
For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
The American film Destroyer is all set to make its debut on OTT. The crime thriller will be released soon on OTT platform Lionsgate. The film had its world premiere in 2018 at the Telluride Film Festival. But after releasing in the U.S., it received mixed responses from the audiences and critics as well, but the actress in the lead role, Nicole Kidman, was praised for her performance.
Plot
Destroyer is all about the lifestory of a young cop given a special case by her team. The story progresses with shocking findings in her special task, which breaks her heart in the end. The police detective by the name of Erin then decides to fight back with her enemies.
Also Read: Vicky Kaushal and Triptii Dimri's Bad Newz is finally on OTT! Here's how you can watch it online
Cast and crew
Destroyer is directed by Karyn Kusama. The star cast of the film includes Nicole Kidman, Tatiana Maslany, Toby Kebbell, and Sebastian Stan.
The American film has been co-produced and written by Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay. Music in the film has been given by Theodore Shapiro. The cinematography of the film is handled by Julie Kirkwood. The film was released under the banner of Annapurna Pictures.
The film Destroyer made approximately $1.5 million in the US and $4 million in other regions, making it a total of $5.5 million worldwide during its theatrical run. The film made $58,572 from three theatres in its opening weekend, a six-day total of $115,661.
Lionsgate Play, which will be releasing Destroyer soon, has launched some of the interesting movies from quiet sometime. Last month, the platform released movies like The Arcadian.
For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
The Tamil version of Malayalam mystery thriller Irul is all set for its OTT debut. Starring Fahadh Faasil in one of the crucial roles, the film got released in 2021 and is now ready to entertain Tamil audiences online. Streaming platform Aha Video will soon release the film in Tamil, but if you want to watch the film in its original Malayalam version, you can stream it on Netflix.
OTT platform Aha Video announced the Tamil version release of Irul on Twitter, but the date is still to be shared.
Plot
Irul is a story about a couple taking refuge in one stranger's house after they get stuck in an isolated road while on a weekend getaway. Further in the story, the couple slowly realises that the stranger in whose house they are in is a strange person, and they doubt his intentions.
Cast and crew
Irul, directed by Naseef Yusuf Izuddin, is written by Sunil Yadav. Naseef has worked as an assistant director in past Bollywood for movies like Happy New Year, Raees, and Newton. In 2020, Naseef announced his directorial debut with the Malayalam film Irul.
Irul is said to be a film only having three crucial characters. It is said that Irul was made in a 30-day straight shoot within a single schedule, with most of the film being set indoors during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Also Read: To My Haeri OTT release date ENA, Genie TV: When to watch this K-drama
Apart from Fahadh Faasil, the film has actors like Darshana Rajendran and Soubin Shahir, Jipa John, and Mashar Hamsa.
The Malayalam movie has been made under the banner of Anto Joseph Film Company and Plan J Studios.
For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
The Hindi movie OMG 2, starring Akshay Kumar in a crucial role, can now be enjoyed in Telugu. Yes, you read that right. After winning over audiences hearts in Hindi, the film is streaming in Telugu and other south-Indian languages for those who love to watch online content in south Indian languages. Released in August last year at the theatres, the OMG 2 Telugu OTT debut was done in April this year via the Jio Cinema platform. You can stream the Telugu version anytime on the Jio Cinema app. This OTT debut has allowed non-Hindi-speaking fans to enjoy the film in the South Indian language from the comfort of their homes.
Plot
The Hindi movie streaming in Telugu on Jio Cinema is about a devotee who keeps faith in God even during his tough times. Apart from this, the film has a message of the importance of sex education and how it should be given in schools and society generally.
Also Read: Committee Kurrollu OTT release date ETV Win: When to watch this Telugu village drama
In the movie, it is shown how the Shiva devotee, Kanti Sharan Mudgal, challenges the Indian education system just to save his son.
Cast and crew
Other than Akshay Kumar in a critical role, there are actors like Pankaj Tripathi, Yami Gautam, Pavan Malhotra, Govind Namved, Geeta Aggarwal, and Aarukh Verma in other important roles. The movie was directed by Amit Rai.
This Hindi film streaming in Telugu on Jio Cinema is produced by Vipul D. Shah, Aruna Bhatia, Rajesh Bahl, and Ashwin Varde. It has been made under the banners of Viacom18 Studios, Cape of Good Films, and Wakaoo Films.
For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Shocking details continue to emerge about the rampant sexual abuse in the Malayalam film industry, which began tumbling out following the release of the Hema Commission report. The latest allegations to surface are against Mansoor Rasheed, the Assistant Director of Bro Daddy, a 2022 film starring Mohanlal and Prithviraj Sukumaran in lead roles. The movie was directed by Prithviraj, and Rasheed was his assistant director.
CREDIT: BRO DADDY
Allegations against Bro Daddy assistant director
A junior artist who had worked in the film accused Rasheed of sexually assaulting her during the shoot of Bro Daddy in Hyderabad in 2021.
In her complaint, filed on Friday, the junior artist alleged that Rasheed had spiked her drink and sexually assaulted her in a hotel where the Bro Daddy crew was lodged.
The complainant further alleged that Rasheed also used explicit photos of her to blackmail and silence her. The complainant, who is settled in Hyderabad with her family, claimed that though a police complaint was filed, no action was taken against Rasheed.
Also read: Mohanlal exits as AMMA president along with entire committee
'Continued to work with Prithviraj'
She also pointed out that Rasheed continued to work with Prithviraj even after the incident and was the assistant director of L2: Empuraan, an upcoming Malayalam movie. Empuraan, which is the sequel to Prithviraj's directorial debut movie Lucifer, has himself and Mohanlal in key roles.
CREDIT: EMPURAN
Got to know during Empuran's shoot: Prithviraj
Breaking his silence on the allegations against Rasheed, Prithviraj on Friday said he came to know about it during Empuraan's shooting. Prithviraj further said that immediately after learning about it, Rasheed was removed as the assistant director of Empuraan and that he instructed him to present himself before the police.
How Prithviraj reacted to Hema Commission report
Notably, Prithviraj was one of the vocal supporters of the Malayalam actress who was sexually abused in 2017. Even after the release of the Hema Committee report, Prithviraj had called for an investigation into the allegations.
Also read: All you need to know about Hema Committee report, the investigation that has rocked Malayalam film industry
CREDIT: BCCL
"If allegations have been made, thorough investigations need to be followed up with, and if these investigations lead to the allegation being proven right, there have to be exemplary punishments handed out," he had said.
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Indian Olympic wrestler Vinesh Phogat has refused to rule out her entry into politics but said that she doesn't want to talk about it. Phogat was responding to a question about the likelihood of her contesting the upcoming Assembly elections in Haryana.
CREDIT: PTI
'Came here for farmers'
On Saturday, Phogat, who visited the Shambu border where a group of farmers had been protesting for 200 days, said that she was not concerned about elections, but the welfare of farmers.
I don't want to talk about it. I have come to meet my family members (farmers) and if you spin it, their fight and struggle will be wasted. The focus shouldn't be on me, but on the farming community. I am a sportsperson and a citizen of India; elections are not my concern. My only focus is on the welfare of farmers, Phogat said.
#WATCH | Wrestler Vinesh Phogat arrives at the farmers' protest site at Shambhu border, as the agitation completes 200 days.
She says, "It has been 200 days since they are sitting here. It is painful to see this. All of them are citizens of this country. Farmers run the pic.twitter.com/MJo9XEqpko ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2024
Suspense over Vinesh's political entry
Ever since Phogat's controversial disqualification from the finals of the Paris Olympics, there has been speculation on what her next move could be.
While Phogat had announced her retirement from wrestling soon after she was disqualified for being overweight, she has since sent mixed messages about competing in yet another Olympics.
Also read: Mahavir Phogat wants Vinesh to compete in 2028 Olympics, says 'will try talking to her'
Wrestler Vinesh Phogat arrives at the "Farmers Protest" site at the Shambu Border as the agitation completes 200 days. pic.twitter.com/ptiPtHYSqE Akashdeep Thind (@thind_akashdeep) August 31, 2024
Many on social media speculated that her presence at the venue where farmers have been protesting since February 13, demanding a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP), is a sign of her entry into politics.
What Vinesh said about farmers' protest
"I want to tell you that your daughter is with you," Phogat said while addressing the farmers.
"Sometimes we feel helpless at not being able to do anything for them. We represent the country at international levels but we could not do anything for our own family. It is a request that the government should listen to them," she later told the media.
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A group of scientists have discovered what is being described as a "doughnut-shaped region" deep inside the molten metal core of our planet. The discovery, which could help us learn more about our planets magnetic field, was made by Australian National University (ANU) seismologists.
CREDIT: SPACE.COM
Doughnut-shaped structure in Earth's outer core
According to the study, published in the journal Science Advances, the newly discovered doughnut-shaped structure sits within the outer core and is 30 to 70 km thick. However, scientists have not been able to measure the exact thickness of the doughnut-shaped region.
"The region sits parallel to the equatorial plane, is confined to the low latitudes, and has a doughnut shape," Professor Hrvoje Tkalcic, a geophysicist at ANU, said.
CREDIT: PHYS
How the doughnut-shaped region was discovered
The researchers identified the doughnut-shaped region by observing the patterns of seismic waves produced by earthquakes. We realized that seismic waves slow down in the zone that mathematically is called a torus, he said.
He explained that the structure remained hidden until now, as previous studies collected data with less volumetric coverage of the outer core by observing waves that were typically confined within one hour after the origin times of large earthquakes.
CREDIT: PHYS
Why the discovery is important
According to the scientists, understanding the outer core is important, as it is critical to the survival of life at the surface.
Earth's outer core is predominantly made of liquid iron and nickel, and the vigorous movement of the electrically conductive liquid creates Earth's magnetic field, which shields the Earth and helps to sustain all life by protecting it from damaging solar winds and harmful radiation.
The discovery was made possible by a novel approach to seismic wave analysis.
CREDIT: NASA
"Like medical doctors who use ultrasound or X-rays, global seismologists can use the waveforms recorded on seismographs worldwide due to the passage of seismic waves after large earthquakes, explosions, impacts, and other natural phenomena," Tkalcic said.
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With the economy being one of the key focus areas in the ongoing U.S. presidential elections, the two leading candidates have laid out their policies to be implemented if they are elected in November. This is especially tough for Kamala Harris, as the Democratic candidate is part of the current administration, and announcing sweeping changes to its policies would be seen as an admission that the Joe Biden-era policies have failed.
CREDIT: AP
Who is shaping Kamala Harris's economic policies
Helping Harris walk this tightrope is an Indian-American who is serving as an advisor to the Harris-Walz campaign. Bharat Ramamurti, who recently joined the Harris campaign, is said to be the one shaping its liberal economic policies.
Who is Bharat Ramamurti
A close confidant of Biden, Ramamurti served as deputy director at the Biden White House National Economic Council. until December 2023. He was also a member of the COVID-19 Congressional Oversight Commission. Previously, he had also served as an assistant to Senator Elizabeth Warren.
CREDIT: AP
Before joining the Biden administration, Ramamurti was the managing director of the corporate power program at the progressive Roosevelt Institute, which focuses on shifting power away from large companies.
Tamil Nadu connection
Like Harris's mother, Shyamala Gopalan, Ramamurti's father, Ravi Ramamurti, also hailed from Tamil Nadu. Bharat Ramamurti comes from a family of legal experts, and his father and twin siblings have doctorates in law from Harvard, like him.
CREDIT: AP
In a recent interview with CNBC, Ramamurti defended the tax proposal introduced by President Biden and recently endorsed by Harris, which many argued was 'unconstitutional', arguing that it would provide more opportunity for Americans.
Every time a Democrat runs for President, theyre accused of pushing radical policies that would hurt the economy. But as I said on @SquawkCNBC today, just look at the scoreboard: both the job market and stock market do better under Democrats. pic.twitter.com/vCF95nR1Gi Bharat Ramamurti (@BharatRamamurti) August 28, 2024
"I think that this reaction to unrealized gains is a little funny, given that I bet the majority of people watching right now are already paying a tax on unrealized gains. Its called a property tax," Ramamurti had said.
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Having a work-life balance is a dream for everyone, but only some are blessed with the luxury. Some companies go out of their way to establish a healthy work-life balance for employees, while others take advantage of dedicated employees. An employee stated that it is hard to balance work and personal life in a company where the 'we are a family' ethos makes it difficult to establish clear boundaries.
What happened with the startup employee?
Leywino, a Reddit member, joined a new firm around 8 months ago, and because it was her first employment, she didn't know much about the company culture.
She stated that when she joined, she was informed that there were no 9-to-5 work hours in the company and that the CEO wanted her to work overtime.
The user further claimed that in exchange for conforming to this working culture, the corporation provided "freedom" to communicate like friends and laugh with coworkers.
The user did this for six months, but two months ago she stated that she would only work from nine to five, and she has since felt isolated while everyone else is "still having fun" at work. She is currently seeking advice on how to handle the matter.
How did people on the internet react?
People on the internet painted a clear picture for the employee, some said you are not alone while others gave user the confidence that they are right in their decision. Here's what people wrote.
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How to have a healthy work-life balance?
Here are some tips to maintain a healthy work-life balance if you are also going through something similar.
1. Take your time off: Take the off days you are assigned by your company without feeling guilty. Don't miss the family functions, birthdays and festivals. You deserve to be a part of the celebration and to celebrate.
2. Time management: Don't work overtime unless you are okay with it and are getting compensated for it.
3. Manage your stress: Don't take work personally, don't get stressed about something that happened at work outside of working hours.
Also read: Lenovo fired employee for peeing in hotel lobby, he's now suing for Rs 12.6 crores: Here's what happened
What do you think about this? Tell us in the comments.
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Rakesh Kumar, an ace Indian archer, began his Paralympic campaign with a comprehensive win in the compound men's open category on Friday. He overcame Senegal's Aliou Drame 136-131 to go to the pre-quarterfinals stage. Kumar withstood the rain to defeat his opponent with a comfortable advantage. Taking aim in torrential rain was never going to be easy for either archer, but an experienced Kumar won the war.
Archer Rakesh Kumar goes viral for shooting in the rain
Rakesh, the Asian Para Games silver medalist who was knocked out in the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Paralympics, got off to a terrific start, striking one flawless 10 in the opening end to lead by three points.
Aliou won the second end by one point, but Rakesh maintained his advantage and increased it by five points in the third end, scoring two 10s. The Indian went on to take a six-point lead, winning the fourth end. Aliou took the final end of three arrows, conceding only one point, but Rakesh's comfortable advantage secured his place in the last 16.
How did people on the internet react?
Meanwhile, social media was abuzz with admiration remarks for Kumar, as netizens praised the archer's determination to compete in difficult conditions. Many people also compared the shooter with the viral Turkish shooter for his nonchalant attitude in the range.
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Rakesh Kumar is able to shoot 10s in such heavy rain. Salaam hai. pic.twitter.com/2wHjhYuHad Anshul Chavhan (@anshul_chavhan) August 30, 2024
Also read: 'Her journey has been inspiring': Manu Bhaker congratulates Avani Lekhara for winning gold at Paris Paralympics 2024
What do you think about this? Tell us in the comments.
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Nearly 1 million beds were available for short-term rental in July in Greece thanks to strong tourist flows.
Guests are arriving in style in Kalamata , Greece, as the much-anticipated three-day wedding celebration of NBA and his partner, Mariah Riddlesprigger, kicks off today . The couple , who have been together for nearly ten years and share three childrenLiam, Maverick, and Evaare ready to commit their lives to each other in a unique ceremony.
Former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El Rufai has lamented over what he described as envy in Nigerias political system.
INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that El Rufais statement is coming, following some corruption allegations, leveled against him by the states House of Assembly.
Recall that the former governor was accused of misappropriation of government funds during his eight years in office.
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The Kaduna States Assembly also alleged that El Rufai siphoned 432bn, leaving the state with huge debt liabilities.
However, in a post shared via his X handle on Saturday, the forme governor described envy as an incurable disease among the political class on the country.
He said: WEEKEND REFLECTION: NONE of us has to fail for ALL of us to succeed. And in unity there is strength. @VP Kamala Harris, US Vice President (2021-2024) and Democratic Presidential Candidate at the Democratic National Convention.
READ MORE: Alleged Corruption: Kaduna Youths Storm Govt House, Demand El Rufais Prosecution (Pictures)
The quote above led me to reflect on the meaning and implications for our situation in Nigeria. Feelings of envy require that EVERYONE fails for ONE to succeed.
Envy is quite prevalent amongst the key actors in our political system. Competence, capacity, and commitment are some personal leadership qualities that attract the envy of those lacking or deficient in these indices.
Instead of striving to attain, the envious seeks to hate and destroy those that are better. Envy leads to hatred.
Hatred leads to destructive thoughts and actions, including unspeakable crimes like perjury, malicious prosecution, persecution, unlawful imprisonment, torture and even murder for the target(s) of the envy.
Can the incurable disease of envy amongst Nigerians, particularly within the members of the political class be cured? Personally, I doubt it.
The emerging problem of Nigeria is the outcome of the continuously deteriorating competence, capacity and commitment of the political leadership.
Societies succeed or fail depending on these personal and institutional qualities.
No matter what, the incurable virus of ENVY has to be confronted and degraded, if not cured, if Nigeria is to achieve its manifest destiny of greatness and leadership of the Black Race. I pray this can be realized. Amen.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted the Department of State Services (DSS) permission to freeze 20 bank accounts linked to a suspected female terrorist, Aisha Abdulkarim.
The accounts, domiciled in eight banks, are to remain frozen for 60 days to enable the DSS to carry out a forensic investigation into the alleged acts of terrorism.
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Also linked with the alleged acts of terrorism are Yehusa Idris and Abdullahi Babayo Umar, who are also in custody of the DSS.
The Presiding Judge, Peter Lifu, issued the order after Yunus Umar, DSS counsel, moved the application marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1036/2024.
READ ALSO: Lagos Police Nab Two For Robbing Three Sex Workers Of Their Four Phones
Umar said it was important to freeze the accounts to enable the DSS have unhindered access during the investigation.
Although the DSS requested a 90-day freeze order, the judge granted 60 days, with a charge to the secret police to be diligent and fast-track its investigation.
Lifu held that the law presumes the suspects innocent for now and must not be subjected to unnecessary hardships through the account embargo under the guise of whatever investigation.
The banks where the accounts are domiciled include Opay Digital Services Limited, Access Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Union Bank of Nigeria, Moniepoint Microfinance Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, and First City Monument Bank (FCMB).
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has vowed to cause political unrest in the state of any Peoples Democratic Partys governor who attempts to interfere in the affairs of the Rivers State.
INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that the former governor made this known at the PDP secretariat in Port Harcourt on Saturday, during the partys state congress.
He said: Let me assure all of you, not while we live will anybody take away the structure of the PDP from us.
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But let me tell people, I hear some governors who say they will take over the structure and give back to somebody.
I pity those governors because I will put fire in their states. When God has given you peace, you say you dont want peace, anything you see you take.
READ MORE: Wike, Ortom, Others Employed By Tinubu To Destroy PDP Lamido Alleges
Because I heard they got some money from a signature bonus, and so their heads are getting big that you will put a hand in my own state. Prepare because I have the capacity to also do the same thing in your own state.
Whether you are from Bauchi, I dont give a damn, whichever state you are from, as far as I know, that you are trying to put yourself in Rivers State, your hand will get burnt, and you will never sleep in your state.
Recall that PDP governors, who met in Taraba State on August 23, weighed in on the crisis rocking the party in the state and reiterated their support for Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The PDP Governors Forum, in a communique read by its Chairman and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, called for a review of the party congress outcome to restore Fubaras leadership role in the state.
As part of efforts to restore sanity and cleanness, the operatives of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps have arrested 12 miscreants following surveillance operations in several areas of the state.
It was gathered that the development is coming, following some reports made by some concerned citizens over the menace and nuisance caused by the thugs.
In a statement released by the state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, via his X page on Friday, disclosed that the move was to restore cleanliness to the streets of Lagos.
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READ MORE: Lagos Police Nab Two For Robbing Three Sex Workers Of Their Four Phones
Wahab wrote: Acting on reports received from concerned citizens on the menace and nuisance caused by miscreants and destitute, the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps #LAGESCOfficial (KAI) yesterday, deployed surveillance teams in some of the areas reported.
Falomo in Ikoyi, Adeola Odeku and Sanusi Fafunwa in Victoria Island, Chisco, Ikate and Marwa, along Lekki-Ajah expressway, were monitored, leading to the arrest of 12 suspects; 10 adults and 2 minors.
The suspects will be arraigned in a court of competent jurisdiction.
Operatives of the Kano State Fire Service, have rescued a woman and her two male children, trapped in a collapsed building at Makwarari axis of Kano Municipal Local Government Area.
In a statement on Friday, the states fire fighters spokesman, Saminu Abdullahi, disclosed that the building is a dwelling house of a one-storey building of 30ft. by 40 ft.
Abdullahi said: We received an emergency call on Friday, around 9:30a.m, from our control room by one of our staff members, Ibrahim Isah, that a building collapsed.
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Upon receiving the information, we quickly dispatched firemen to the scene.
READ MORE: Many Feared Dead As Fire Razes Mikano Building In Lagos
Abdullahi stated that the victims were rescued alive and taken to Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital, Kano, for treatment.
The statement listed the names of the victims as Balaraba Abba (mother), 35, Abdulnasir Jilani, 12, and Abdullahi Jilani, 9
A 35-year-old man named Emmanuel Urhobocha has allegedly committed suicide in his flat on Alafia Street in Sango-Ota, Ogun States Ado-Odo Ota Local Government Area.
The Ogun State Police Command confirmed to PUNCH Online on Saturday that the incident occurred about 9:00 a.m. on Friday.
This incident happened a few days after Oluwaseun Shorinola, 32, committed suicide on August 28, 2024, in the Kemta neighbourhood of Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State.
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Odutola Omolola, the commands spokesperson, stated that the deceaseds housemate, Obabiyi David, had gone to the Sango-Ota Police Division to report that his flatmate was acting erratically.
He (David) stated that Urhobocha was behaving oddly and even mentioned that the deceased had attacked him with a knife at one point. David sustained injuries but managed to escape the assault, Odutola stated.
A team of police officers from the Sango-Ota division was despatched to question Urhobocha about the alleged attack on his companion, but when they arrived, the room was firmly secured from the inside.
After repeated tries to force the door open, the police were finally able to enter and discovered the suspect motionless and face down inside the flat.
Odutola said, He was discovered dead in the apartment, with a container of insecticide found next to his body.
He was promptly transported to a local hospital for medical attention, but the attending doctor confirmed him dead. His body has been placed in the morgue for an autopsy, and the incident remains under investigation.
Seven individuals suspected of committing various crimes were paraded by the Kwara State Police Command on Friday.
Among them was a suspect accused of being engaged in the cruel murder of Anthony Kayode Balogun, a hotelier by suspected cultists on August 8, 2024, at his hotel in the Olulande district of Ilorin.
At a press conference in Ilorin on Friday, Commissioner of Police Victor Olaiya revealed that a suspect, Abolarin Samuel Idowu, aka Sam Caro, 37, was apprehended at his hideout near a Conoil filling station in Ita Alamu, Ilorin, three weeks after the hoteliers murder.
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A search conducted at the time of his arrest led to the recovery of a locally fabricated gun and three live cartridges.
The suspect admitted to being a member of the notorious Eiye secret cult, initiated in 2011 by an individual named Otumba, who remains at large, the commissioner stated.
He further disclosed: Investigation revealed that Abolarin Samuel Idowu, along with his accomplices, Alowonle, aka Aloo, and Samuel, aka Sam Febee-Kay, was responsible for the murder of Anthony Kayode Balogun.
The killing was reportedly a revenge mission for a 2022 cult anniversary celebration during which the deceased allegedly ordered the killing of an Eiye Confraternity member named Abbey.
He stated that following the suspects confession, additional searches at various criminal hideouts resulted in the discovery of several exhibits, including two locally-made shotguns, one cut-to-size locally-made gun, one multi-purpose battle axe, eight live cartridges, one locally-made sword, one cutlass, and two bottles of an unknown liquid suspected to be hard drugs.
Olaiya stated that during the attempt to apprehend further suspects and recover additional evidence on August 18 and 19, 2024, the police tactical teams encountered resistance, resulting in grievous bodily damage to one of the police officers.
Adebayo Joshua Happiness, Adebayo Adeniyi, Adeoye Adeola, Bulus Peter, and two females, Adeniyi Bukola and Lawal Aminat, were among six other suspects arrested in connection with the alleged murder of Awesu Mojisola, a 21-year-old graduating student at Kwara State College of Health Technology in Offa.
According to the police commissioner, the man was slain in a hotel in Ilorin, the states capital.
READ MORE: Six Killed, Three Injured In Fatal Crash On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
The incident occurred on August 9, 2024, when Awesu Mojisola received a phone call from one Kolawole Timileyin, a female student of the same institution
Timileyin relayed a message from Adebayo Joshua Happiness, an expelled final year student of Summit University, Offa, Kwara State, who invited Awesu Mojisola to attend a purported sign-out party at Whitefield Hotel, Ilorin, with a promise of N15,000. Mojisola accepted the invitation and left Offa for Ilorin later in the day.
Upon arrival in Ilorin, Mojisola communicated with her friends via phone, expressing discomfort and concern as there appeared to be no sign-out party. Instead, she reported being alone in a hotel room with Adebayo Joshua Happiness, who was reportedly smoking cannabis.
Subsequently, her phone became unreachable and her whereabouts unknown, Olaiya added.
He said: Acting swiftly on the report, an investigation by officers of the command led to the arrest of Adebayo Joshua Happiness. Preliminary findings revealed that Adebayo had deliberately lured Awesu Mojisola to Ilorin under false pretences, booking a hotel room at around 1800 hours with no intention of hosting a party.
Further investigation uncovered that at about 2345 hours, on the same day, Adebayo Joshua Happiness, booked an additional room at the same hotel for another female, possibly as cover up for his premeditated actions.
In the early hours of August 10, 2024, Adebayo Joshua Happiness, brutally murdered Awesu Mojisola and abandoned her lifeless body in the hotel room, secured the room and fled with Mojisolas iPhone and a sum of N15,000 stolen from the deceased. He then returned to Offa and concealed the stolen phone in his hostel wardrobe.
The Commissioner of Police also stated that while the suspects parents attempted to tamper with evidence in the case, following their sons detention, hotel personnel discovered the deceaseds body in the hotel room and unlawfully disposed of it in the garbage dump.
He stated that the individuals had been captured and charged with criminal conspiracy and causing the removal of evidence.
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has excavated the bodies of marine hunters who were kidnapped and murdered.
The victims were from the Ministry of Internal Security and Inland Waterways.
They were buried by criminals in Unyenghe, Mbo Local Government Area of the state.
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In a statement issued on Friday, Akwa Ibom Police Public Relations Officer ASP Timfon John stated that the skulls of the deceased were mutilated during the exhumation process.
She said the suspected killers were arrested following intelligence and a total of 15 live cartridges were recovered from them.
READ MORE: Onyeka Onwenu To Be Laid To Rest Today In Lagos
The suspects were identified by the PPRO as Anthony Archibong M 46 years old, Emmanuel Otoyo M 18 years old, Daniel Edet Okon M 26 years old, Eniete Harry Tom M 34 years old, Joseph Okon M 44 years old, and the village head of Utit Antai, Chief Okon Asuquo Eteokpo, who is alleged to be their ally and spiritual fortifier.
The Command made the Exhumation on Thursday, August 29, 2024, following information it received on the 18th of August, 2024 that the Marine Hunters who were abducted and killed were buried in shallow graves within the community.
The Command has again reassured members of the public of their intentional determination to rid the state of crime and criminal elements appealing to members of the public to always report suspicious people and movements within their domain to the nearest Police Station.
Philly Shipyard, next to the mouth of the Schuylkill as it dumps into the Delaware River, as seen from southbound I-95. The two ships, Patriot State (left) and State of Maine (closest to the Delaware), that are still under construction are federally funded National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMVs) for the U.S. Maritime Administration. The shipyard, whose owners led by the Norway-based Aker industrial group have agreed to sell the yard for $100 million to the South Korea-based Hanwha group, is building five such vessels. It expects to lose money on the contract, due partly to a scarcity of skilled U.S. shipyard labor. Read more
Twenty-eight years after the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard closed, the current and future owners of the commercial shipyard now located on its peninsula between the Delaware and Schuylkill are taking steps to resume building ships for the U.S. Navy.
The South Korea-based Hanwha group has agreed to buy the private Philly Shipyard on the former Navy site from its current owners, led by Norways Aker ASA, for $100 million, pending U.S. government approval. Philly Shipyard in its most recent yearly report to shareholders said its been in talks with the Navys shipbuilding arm to compete and win contracts to start building Navy combat-support and auxiliary vessels in Philadelphia, while also continuing to build commercial ships.
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But Philly Shipyard also warned that the money-losing yard will need new capital investment, more facilities, and more skilled labor to turn a profit.
Hanwha says it is ready to provide those resources. The group in 2022 bought Daewoos sprawling shipyard complex on Geoje Island, off Koreas south coast, which designs and builds naval frigates, destroyers, and submarines, among other ships.
The company says it also has naval ambitions for Philly Shipyard. Hanwha plans to expand into naval vessel production, using new technology that will bring badly needed capacity to the U.S. Navy and create local jobs, said Hanwha spokesperson Debra DeShong, a veteran Washington lobbyist and former U.S. Senate aide.
The proposed sale is awaiting approval by the federal Committee on Foreign Investment. The company hopes to complete the deal this year. Navy Secretary Carlos del Toro and other top officials have encouraged Hanwha and other Korean defense contractors to invest in key U.S. military industries.
Privately, people familiar with military procurement caution that it can take years for Navy projects to materialize. Many companies, including large foreign manufacturers like Hanwha and its Korean rival Hyundai, which signed a government-contracting deal with Philly Shipyard earlier this year, seek U.S. government business, putting them on course to compete with entrenched ship contractors such as General Dynamics. It can take relentless development cycles, in the face of changing priorities, and steady support from allies in Congress, to help land these expensive projects.
Navy ships of any size would be a big step for the Philadelphia yard. Since its 1998 rebirth as a private, for-profit facility with more than $300 million in federal and state subsidies and incentives, welders and other skilled workers at the complex of dry docks, cranes, and other specialized equipment have built 30 tanker and cargo ships for private owners.
After cycles of hiring and layoffs, the yard won a string of contracts since the late 2010s that will keep workers busy for at least the next few years.
Philly Shipyard now employs 1,700 mostly contractors, many from out-of-state the most since the Navy shut the yard. Philly Shipyard says it is now the busiest of the handful of private U.S. shipyards kept afloat with help from the federal Jones Act requiring cargoes to Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and other U.S. islands be carried on U.S.-built vessels.
Yet, busy as it is, the company is losing money $68 million last year, on sales of $441 million. The company mostly blames a shortage of skilled labor, made worse as aging workers retired during the pandemic, which forces it to hire expensive contractors. Other industrial employers have made similar complaints. Thats especially true in shipbuilding, said Philly Shipyard spokesperson Kelly Whitaker.
Philly Shipyard expects to lose money on its first civilian federal shipbuilding contract, a series of five multi-mission vessels it is constructing for the U.S. Maritime Administration. One of the vessels, the Patriot State, is due to be christened at the yard on Sept. 9, with federal officials on hand to celebrate the occasion.
Under the current union agreement, wages for veteran shipyard workers direct employees and contractors will rise to $40 an hour in 2027. Many are working 10 or more hours overtime each week, bring total pay by the end of the contract toward $100,000 a year, plus longevity bonuses, retirement, and other benefits.
Its hard work, but it pays well, said Lou Agre, the lawyer and Democratic ward leader who heads the Philadelphia Metal Trades Council, the union group representing shipyard workers. More than 100 apprentices are currently training, and the company wants more. Agre said Hanwha has agreed to continue the collective-bargaining union labor agreement, which runs until 2027.
Theres more work ahead if the yard can find people, space, and capital, according to the company. Now it will be up to Hanwha to find those resources.
Hanwhas purchase will include shipyard facilities and equipment. It is also in line to inherit a lease with the nonprofit Philadelphia Shipyard Development Corp., chaired by longtime Pennsylvania insurance and investments magnate Republican fundraiser Manuel M. Stamatakis. The nonprofit leases land, docks, and piers to the shipyard, and can cancel the lease if yard owners stop building ships.
The naval base that includes the shipyard employed nearly 50,000 at its peak during World War II, including the future science fiction writer Isaac Asimov and Comcast founder Ralph Roberts.
Yard employment fell to 2,000 by the time it closed amid the military budget cuts that followed the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Akers predecessor, Kvaerner, collected extensive state subsidies and tax breaks to reopen the yard, plus aid from the Delaware River Port Authority, after then-Gov. Tom Ridges administration balked at a larger joint Pennsylvania-New Jersey subsidy for a German firm that wanted to build cruise ships.
Its easy to assume Mike Africa Jr.s MOVE days are completely behind him when walking through his manicured backyard, past his five-foot aboveground pool, and into the state-of-the-art podcast studio behind his Clifton Heights home.
His studio lights are so dope they impress an Inquirer photographer. Seemingly, hes come a long way from his childhood in Philadelphias infamous, antitechnology, back-to-nature, Black power organization.
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But once you sit on one of Africas blue velvet chairs and get talking, his connection to MOVE comes sharply into focus.
A custom Seed of Wisdom license plate back in the day, MOVE parents referred to their children as seeds of wisdom is mounted behind his desk. Next to it is a poster from the 2020 documentary 40 Years a Prisoner, the HBO movie about Africas decadeslong mission to get his parents released from prison. Mike Africa Sr. and Debbie Africa were among the nine MOVE members convicted of third-degree murder for the 1978 shooting of Philadelphia Police Officer James J. Ramp.
Africa holds a copy of his new memoir, On a MOVE: Philadelphias Notorious Bombing and A Native Sons Lifelong Battle for Justice. In the 285-page memoir, Africa, 45, mourns the death of friends and family who died on that horrific day in 1985 when Mayor Wilson Goode gave the Philadelphia Police Department the OK to drop C-4 explosives on 6221 Osage Ave., killing 11 people, destroying 61 homes, and displacing 250 mostly Black Philadelphians.
MOVE is a part of Philadelphia history, said Africa, his dreadlocks tied tightly under a black and white bandanna. Africa owns the rights to the MOVE organization and serves as its legacy director. Its a part of American history. Its a part of Black history. Have you ever heard of a government dropping a bomb on a house and shooting 10,000 rounds of ammunition?
In the 39 years since the MOVE bombing, there have been countless analyses of MOVEs tyrannical, yet gentle, leader, John Africa, and scathing criticisms of the Philadelphia Police Departments complete disregard for Black lives when it let the fire burn. Much has been written about the millions of dollars awarded to its victims and the mysterious 2002 murder of MOVE supporter John Gilbride. In 2021, several children of MOVE said they had been abused. A University of Pennsylvanias anthropologists gross mishandling of the bomb victims remains made headlines.
With his coauthor, D. Watkins, Africa addresses all of these issues while speaking to the communes proclivity toward violence and how its squalor impacted the quality of life of the surrounding working-class Black neighborhood. He pays homage to MOVEs noble mission of protecting all people, animals, and the environment, centering MOVEs tangled family dynamics. Africa sees MOVE through a loving lens. At its most vulnerable, the memoir is about how orphaned children of incarcerated and murdered MOVE members were abandoned by the organizations surviving adults and ostracized by Philadelphians Black and white.
This story has a lot of facets, a lot of purposes, said Africa. I want it to serve as a historical document. Its also for up-and-coming revolutionaries so they dont have rose-colored glasses on when it comes to MOVE.
A family affair
To fully understand MOVE, Africa said, you have to know his great-uncle John Africa Vincent Lopez Leaphart, known to Mike Africa as Uncle Benny. John Africas mother died of pneumonia in the 1950s and he blamed his mothers death on racism, believing she was treated poorly because she was Black. He was a soldier in the Korean War, where he was sickened by the death and bloodshed. When John Africa returned to Philadelphia in the late 1960s, he formed a group of revolutionaries and urged them to take the last name Africa.
The organization, which eventually came to be called MOVE, despised the trappings of modern life, especially technology. Members didnt send their children to school; they hated hospitals children were born at home and ate raw food. By the early 1970s, there were several dozen members of MOVE, including John Africas sister, LaVerne Sims, and her daughter, Debbie, Mike Africas mother.
MOVEs early 1970s profanity-laden protests against animals in cages at the Philadelphia Zoo and police brutality at City Hall rankled Mayor Frank Rizzo, who, Mike Africa writes, was just as committed to his belief that Black people were inferior as Benny was to his belief that [people] like Rizzo needed to go down. MOVEs Powelton Village headquarters were surrounded by stray dogs, rats, and other vermin, much to the disgust of neighbors. The tension led to the 1978 showdown between the police and the MOVE 9 ending in the death of Officer Ramp.
Both of Mike Africas parents were jailed. Debbie Africa was eight months pregnant, and weeks later, Mike Africa Jr. was born in the Philadelphia House of Correction.
Mike Africas grandmother, LaVerne Sims, dropped the surname Africa to distance herself from MOVE, and took in Africa and his older sister, Whit. Still, Africa played with his cousins at MOVEs new headquarters on Osage Avenue. The vermin and violence returned and the new neighbors were angry. When the bomb was dropped in 1985, Africa watched the smoke and fire that killed his cousins and Uncle Benny from four miles away. He was just 6 years old.
I could have easily been there, said Africa, who is a father of four. His voice dropping before it faded into a chilly silence.
Getting back to MOVE
Growing up with his grandmother in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Africa went to school, ate cooked food, and played video games. He cut his locks into a high-top fade and listened to rap Will Smith remains one of his favorite artists. But when his schoolmates learned about his connection to MOVE, they teased him, goading him into fights.
They used to say, MOVE stood for Monkeys on Vines Everywhere, said Africa, bristling at the memory. They were dehumanizing us. But we were children. We didnt know what was going on. We werent committed to MOVE yet. We were just doing what the adults told us to do.
Africa visited his parents in prison regularly. He wanted to learn about his family and history. The teasing and fighting eventually became too much for him, and at 13, and he dropped out of school and moved back into a MOVE house. By then the organization had received millions of dollars in settlements from the city and bought homes where other MOVE children were now living. Africa grew a new set of locks and returned to MOVEs vigorous exercise regiment that included hundreds of push-ups a day and running up to 10 miles.
I could begin to see the value of what MOVE offered its members and the community, Africa said. The missteps it had made in service of its mission, and also the deliberately grave injustices committed against it.
As the Philly front man for MOVE, Africa advocated for the release of MOVE 9 members, connecting with the children of other Black revolutionaries like the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s daughter Bernice King and Malcolm Xs daughter Ilyasah Shabazz.
We have experiences that no one else has, Africa said. Our parents were involved in things that were dangerous. Our neighbors saw us as weird. They picked on us. We had very uncomfortable childhoods. But at the same time, many of us are proud of what our parents did, what they were involved in.
The next MOVE
Africas work as a paid speaker and author has put him in close proximity with celebrities like John Legend and Questlove, with whom he collaborated on 40 Years a Prisoner. Africa was featured in Kevin Hart and Charlamagne Tha Gods Summer of 85, a podcast that explores the connection between the MOVE bombing and the Live Aid concert, when international rock royalty convened in Philly to raise money for victims of the Ethiopian famine.
Hes talked about building new relationships with his parents in PBS documentaries, and for a while, Africa hosted a podcast on the Oprah Network, where he chopped it up with the likes of Common. When it was suggested Africa not use the word bomb in reference to MOVE, he bowed out. It wasnt authentic.
His efforts to recast MOVE have put him at odds with other MOVE children who say hes exploiting memories for his own gain. He understands their pain, but will not abandon his mission. The things the other MOVE kids were saying are true, Africa said. We went through the same things. We were hungry in the corner together trying to figure out how to get out of the situation together.
In fact, its why Africa is adamant about telling his story now.
I dont want to romanticize the history of MOVE, Africa said. There are many things that MOVE shouldnt have done and there are things that shouldnt have been done to MOVE. But if you ask me how I feel about it, I love MOVE.
In October 2014, young Camden students from Sharp School protest budget cuts that forced teachers to be laid off; the school has since been closed. Read more
In many circles, conversations about the takeover of the Camden City School District still occur with a frequency and passion that feels as fresh as it was when state control began 11 years ago.
Were the various forms of state intervention really about low test scores and graduation rates? Was the disenfranchisement of city voters the only way to fix the problem? Or was this a politically driven attempt to access tens of millions of state dollars and control the education of other peoples children?
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Let me provide a national context to what happened and continues in New Jersey. In his book, Takeover: Race, Education, and American Democracy, the political scientist Domingo Morel noted that from 1980 to 2000, 18 states enacted takeover legislation, and 14 of them did so a few years after their respective Supreme Courts mandated state funding for local school districts. From 2000 to 2015, an additional 17 states followed suit.
In total, 80% of takeover laws were passed under Republican governors. Morel also found that the likelihood of a takeover was directly tied to the number of city council seats and mayorships occupied by Black politicians. Based on these and other factors, Morel concluded that race, economics, and politics are equally important factors that contribute to ... a state takeover, not just educational outcomes or concerns.
Lets look at how this played out in New Jersey, where the charge was led by Saul Cooperman, the states commissioner of education in the 1980s. Cooperman believed urban districts were full of political patronage, fiscal mismanagement, and were academically bankrupt. In 1985, inspired by a Forbes magazine article about business receiverships, he endorsed a call for takeover legislation.
The first victim was the Jersey City School District (1989), followed by Paterson (1991), Newark (1995), and Camden (20022013). Each of these districts shared many of the racial, economic, and political characteristics pointed out by Morel. (Camdens 2002 intervention resulted in an appointed board. In 2013, the state took over the district completely.)
But what happened in Camden was rather distinctive. Unlike other urban districts, most of Camdens elected and appointed officials were managed by a political boss. Republican Gov. Chris Christie found a collaborator in South Jersey power broker George Norcross for his right-wing urban school agenda.
State Sen. Donald Norcross Georges brother Assemblyman Whip Wilson, and Camden City Councilman Angel Fuentes introduced the Urban Hope Act. A short time later, the commissioner announced the takeover of the district, disbanded the school board, and hired a superintendent. The political and very public mugging of the people of Camden was just beginning.
Could an elected and legally empowered school board have prevented a takeover? Perhaps. Why didnt the school board at least try? Because the members had been appointed by Mayor Dana Redd and effectively represented the interests of local political bosses, not the children or community.
When I served on the school board, it was clear to us all that our role was as advocates for students, parents, and teachers. The justification for the districts takeover was based on the myth that the school board, parents, and teachers were responsible for fiscal/operational mismanagement and low test scores.
Politicians pushed this blame the victim narrative. Almost no one had the temerity to ask the simple question: What would the New Jersey Department of Education and charter schools do differently to improve public education?
Politicians, who loved to quote, It takes a village to educate a child, had no problem cutting out the villagers.
What has resulted from this social disruption, selfishness, and political posturing? One measurement is the results of the Department of Educations 2022-23 Assessment Report. It reveals that huge percentages of students, in public and charter schools, are not academically proficient. Check it out for yourself.
Some people are beginning to call for the return of public control through a fully authorized school board. But I wonder if this will make much of a difference. The charter school consortium is well-organized and extremely well-funded. In addition, the political machine would counter any effort to increase public school parent empowerment.
So, Camdens devolution into a nonpublic school district seems to have an air of permanence. The situation will remain stagnant unless there is a dramatic shift in electoral and political power. I hope I am wrong.
Jose E. Delgado served on the Camden school board from 1985 to 2012.
Aurora officials have been walking back initial statements dismissing claims that a Venezuelan prison gang was primarily responsible for deteriorating conditions at an apartment complex that the city shut down a few weeks ago.
CBZ Management, which operates Aspen Grove and at least two other complexes the gang is believed to have infiltrated, have blamed the conditions on the gang, saying its presence precluded its staffers from maintaining the apartments.
The city's tone has since changed.
Weve never denied the possibility of gang activity, to my knowledge, Ryan Luby, an Aurora Police spokesperson, told The Denver Gazette in an Aug. 20 email. On the Nome St. abatement, we said any such activity, whether valid or not, was immaterial to the situation as the core, foundational basis for the abatement there was longstanding code issues.
Luby added: Multiple things can be true at the same time.
Thats not what Luby previously said.
Instead of expending the resources to address the documented issues, CBZ and its stakeholders have hired a team of attorneys and, as we learned today, a Florida-based public relations firm to engage in diversionary tactics, fight the city in its city charter-mandated duties to enforce city code, and alternative narratives with many of you, Luby said on Aug. 5.
Luby cited a laundry-list of issues at the apartment complex that included rodent infestations, sewage backups and trash pileups, water leaks, shattered or missing windows and lack of heat and electricity.
The building owners and managers made the decision to effectively abandon their paying tenants, and this is the unfortunate consequence, Luby said.
Earlier this month, city officials shuttered Aspen Grove, a 98-unit complex, evicting 300 people, mostly immigrants.
Tren de Aragua is the prison gang known as TDA, a Venezuela-based, transnational criminal organization known for targeting desperate immigrants and believed to be behind a spree of kidnappings, extortion and other crimes tied to immigrants from South and Central America.
The gang has a diverse portfolio of criminal activities that includes human trafficking, particularly immigrant women and girls, drug trafficking, kidnapping, extortion and money laundering.
Despite repeated questions about TDAs activities in the complex, city officials had declined to say.
Until now.
Earlier this week, Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman acknowledged what he called a nightmare situation with gangs having taken control of several apartment complexes. He also admitted that the city had "lost control" of the situation, vowing to "aggressively" take it back.
But the mayor pushed back on the national medias recent portrayal of an entire city being overrun by gangs.
The misrepresentation that all of Aurora has this problem is simply not true and it gives this city a black eye unjustifiably, Coffman said. Arrests have been made. More arrests will be made.
On Friday, the Aurora Police Department also said authorities arrested a "documented" TDA gang member twice over a shooting incident and a separate case in which a man was badly beaten. After the first arrest, that gang member, the police said, was released on a $20,000 bond.
The police noted that they are "not aware of his status within the gang," likely a reference to reports that he is TDA's ringleader or "shot caller" in the region.
The initial dismissal of gang-related activities and recent admission that apartment complexes have, in fact, been infiltrated appeared to paint a picture of a city that sought to underplay the problem, only to be confronted by videos of shootings and men swarming an apartment unit with rifles.
This is a tough problem to admit to, Aurora City Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky told The Denver Gazette on Friday. I dont think any city wants to admit to having a problem like this. It was kind of to save face.
Aurora officials are not the only ones to have downplayed the gang's activities. The mayor of neighboring Denver insisted that TDA's footprint is "small," compared to well-known and established gangs operating in the metropolis.
Shelby Wieman, a spokesperson for Gov. Jared Polis, has said Aurora officials should not be airing their dirty laundry for "right-wing media" to consume.
In an email to The Denver Gazette on Friday, Wieman said Polis has been in regular contact with city officials over the past month and has offered state support.
Colorado is a zero-tolerance state for illegal activity, taking over buildings has no place in Colorado, and the governor hopes that the city of Aurora shares this basic value and will enforce the law, Wieman said.
But Wieman also took aim at Jurinsky, who has been outspoken about the issue.
If Danielle Jurinsky has evidence of illegal activity in Aurora that can assist the investigation, it might even be illegal for her to withhold it from the Aurora Police Department and she should file a report immediately, Wieman said. The state has been ready for weeks to back up any operation by the Aurora Police Department needed to make Aurora safer.
One video posted by Vicente Arenas of Fox 31 Denver and sent to Jurinsky by local residents shows five men walking up the stairs of an apartment. Four of the men appear to have guns, including rifles, and the fifth man holds what appears to be a cellphone.
The men then open the apartment door, though the footage does not show them fully entering the residence. Jurinsky claimed that the footage showed members of Tren de Aragua.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnson who vigorously defended his administration's response to influx of some 42,000 immigrants who crossed America's borders illegally and arrived in his city since December 2022 said the gang situation has been overblown.
"The threat from TDA in Denver, it's smaller than many other organized criminal networks that might have been here for decades the ones you know, like the Bloods or the Crips or others, and so we're monitoring it closely," Johnston told The Denver Gazettes news partner 9News.
Based in Brooklyn, CBZ Management operates rental apartments in New York and Colorado with 11 properties in Denver, Aurora, Colorado Springs and Pueblo.
At least three of its complexes in Aurora Aspen Grove, The Edge at Lowry and Whispering Pines have been identified as havens for gang activity.
A CBZ spokesperson declined to comment Friday, but the company has previously defended its actions.
Because we care for the safety of our tenants, and other members of the community, what we will say is, that the issue of Tren de Aragua taking over properties and communities in Aurora means that we are not able to be present on this property, or any of our other properties in similar situations, also being impacted by gang presence, the spokesperson earlier said.
In March 2015, Alyce Ali walks past her Camden home after removing some belongings; the Line Street home had partially collapsed the night before. Read more
In 1995, New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman considered taking control of specified functions within Camden municipal government. Understandably, she was concerned about a lack of resident buy-in. However, an editorial in the Courier-Post urged Gov. Whitman to press forward, saying:
Gov Whitman, perhaps, is reluctant to take over the entire city ... because some may call her racist; however, she shouldnt care. Pulling the race card without cause is what desperate people do when they cant defend themselves with facts.
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Words like these justify the rationale for states to take over cities like Camden a city that is made up primarily of Black and Latino residents to achieve or maintain public safety and fiscal solvency while spurring economic development and revitalizing an areas social and political engagement.
Words like these are fueled by the belief that Black and brown people are incapable of self-determination due to their incompetence in managing the day-to-day affairs of city life. If words like these sound similar to the reasons our nation uses as justification for intervening in the affairs of foreign nations, thats because they are similar.
The U.S. uses phrases like failed states, responsibility to protect, or humanitarian interventions as a rationale for intervening in the affairs of Black nations in Africa and the Caribbean. Such thinking is emblematic of the kind of Western imperialism that leads to colonization, exploitation, and extraction.
It is a philosophy crystallized in public policy that facilitated the eight-year takeover of Camdens municipal government from 2002 to 2010, the dissolution of the citys police department in 2013 and its merger with county law enforcement, and Trenton control of the school district, which started in 2013 and continues to this day.
The colonization of Camden wasnt a matter of Republican or Democratic politics. It was a matter of controlling the resources and the right to self-determination of Black and brown people.
How did we get here? It didnt happen because of an influx of Black and brown people, which began in earnest with the Great Migration the exodus of Black Americans from the South to cities in the Northeast and elsewhere during the 1940s and 50s. Rather, it was deindustrialization and white flight, which created the bleak fiscal realities that landed the city in perpetual deficits. What followed were financially driven decisions that became a prison, a sewage plant, a garbage incinerator, and tax incentives for corporations to attract businesses to Camden.
The results: the prison, while no longer here, was a waste of community space; the plant and incinerator fill the air with cancer-causing pollutants; corporate tax incentives have yielded few jobs for residents.
The Camden County Police Department is under the authority of the Camden County Commissioners. According to the New Jersey Supreme Court, the decision to change policing in Camden was done illegally. As a result, a city of 96% Black and Latino residents has their voting power over who controls its police department diluted by county residents, who are 54% white.
The takeover of public schools means residents are without governing control of their schools. The school board, although an elected board, is an advisory board. The state of New Jersey has the final say, over the board and the superintendent, on educational decisions in Camden.
Colonization is tyranny and only breeds mistrust, resentment, and indifference.
As the city lost control of its government, police, and schools, some residents and city stakeholders saw the centralization of city institutions and administrative functions as an opportunity to gain needed resources for the community and a seat at the table.
But colonization is tyranny and only breeds mistrust, resentment, and indifference. Sadly, this is part of Camdens history since the turn of the century: mistrust, resentment, and indifference.
But there is something else that colonization breeds: resistance.
Resistance is residents suing to regain voting power of the school district advisory board. Its the teachers union president marching on foot from Camden to Trenton to prevent public schools from being closed. Its pressuring county police to change their policing from a broken windows approach to using de-escalation tactics.
Takeovers begin to look different when the people of the city not the politicians, corporate executives, or bureaucrats fight with clarity and understand who the opposition to their humanity is. The result isnt a reformed takeover model or a reformed colonization or a reformed occupation. Rather, it is self-empowerment, it is self-determination, it is liberation.
Rann Miller is an author, educator, and freelance opinion columnist.
Former President Donald Trump referred to his Johnstown, Pa., rally as a show Friday evening as he performed a set of his greatest hits.
During his often-meandering speech, Trump repeatedly railed about illegal immigration, complained about his treatment by the media, attacked Vice President Kamala Harris on fracking, and boasted about the size of his crowd at the 1st Summit Arena. It was a variation of a speech he has delivered before in a state he needs to win.
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Trump is currently in a dead heat in Pennsylvania with Harris, according to an August poll from Emerson College/the Hill, which shows both candidates at 48% among likely voters.
We win this state, we win the whole thing, Trump said Friday.
But, for a large portion of his remarks, the former president focused not on Johnstown but instead on a visit almost 180 miles away in Arlington National Cemetery, which sparked a national outcry and even provoked a rare public statement from the Army.
Here are takeaways from Trumps Johnstown rally:
I would like to get a lot less publicity, Trump said on Arlington incident
Trump addressed an incident that unfolded Monday when he visited Arlington National Cemetery at the request of grieving family members who wanted him there as they memorialized the 13 U.S. service members who were killed during the evacuation of Afghanistan.
Pentagon officials were concerned Trumps visit would become a campaign stop a federally prohibited act and their worries became a reality when a cemetery employee sought to block Trumps team from bringing cameras to the graves of U.S. soldiers. A campaign aide insisted cameras were allowed and pushed past the employee.
Trump argued against this and reasoned that a family had asked him for a photo at a tombstone and that he absolutely wasnt doing it for publicity.
I would like to get a lot less publicity, Trump said. Im the only guy who would hire a public relations agent to get less publicity.
The Trump campaign said the employee was having a mental health episode, which caused the Army to issue a rare statement in which it said it was unfortunate that the [cemetery] employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked.
Trump says he looks forward to debating Harris
The Harris and Trump campaigns cant seem to tear their focus away from Pennsylvania heading into Labor Day weekend and a little over a week before the two face off at an ABC presidential debate in Philadelphia.
On Monday, Harris will join President Joe Biden in Pittsburgh, seeking to mobilize their union base on Labor Day, for their first joint appearance since Harris officially accepted the Democratic nomination.
Then on Wednesday, the former president will return to Pennsylvania, where he is expected to join Fox News host Sean Hannity for a town hall in Harrisburg.
Trump had previously cast doubt on his participation in the debate with Harris, citing various gripes, but he confirmed Friday night: I look forward to the debate with her.
The former presidents involvement in the debate has become something of a saga over the last several weeks. Trump originally backed out of the debate because of his ongoing litigation against ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos and the fact that Biden would no longer be his opponent.
He eventually agreed to the debate earlier this month, but had recently suggested he could skip out on the debate before he confirmed otherwise Friday evening. Meanwhile, the Harris and Trump campaigns have sparred over whether there should be live microphones during the duration of the debate.
Trump: Drill, baby, drill
Trump knocked Harris flip-flopping record on fracking, as he and running mate JD Vance have done in their recent visits to Pennsylvania, where the oil drilling industry is important to many residents.
The message was particularly pertinent to the blue-collar Johnstown crowd, where four years ago he said he brought back steel. The former president and Vance, an Ohio senator, have been traveling the state looking to make their pitch to working-class voters.
I will tell Pennsylvania to drill, baby, drill, Trump said, echoing what has become something of a slogan for Vance and him. Were going to drill, baby, drill.
Harris had supported a ban on fracking as a presidential candidate in 2019, but upon becoming Bidens running mate in 2020 she backed away from that position. In 2024, she no longer supports a ban, solidifying that point on Thursday evening during her CNN interview, saying: We are in 2024 and Ive not changed that position, nor will I going forward. Ive kept my word and I will keep my word.
A showcase of inflammatory rhetoric
Trump continued to lambaste Harris on Friday evening and played into his signature us-vs.-them way of thinking, exemplified with the former president assuring the crowd that a rowdy audience member was on our side.
But at times, his rhetoric turned more violent. Trump said that if a Republican had performed similarly to Harris on the border, theyd be stringing them up.
Also on the topic of immigration, Trump repeated his claim that other countries are sending convicts to the U.S. He said he would call for the death penalty of drug dealers and mocked the questions he would receive from the media about the idea.
The divisive rhetoric that has become a trademark of Trumps campaigns has been a major talking point for the Democratic Party.
In her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, Harris said: Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails. How he would use the immense powers of the presidency of the United States not to improve your life, but to serve the only client he has ever had: himself.
Trump uses the words of RFK Jr.: Make America healthy again
In the first few moments of his speech, Trump borrowed language from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who suspended his campaign and endorsed Trump in a Pa. court filing last week. Kennedy, an anti-vaccine activist and former environmental lawyer, has said that Trump will make America healthy again.
Were going to get toxic chemicals out of our environment, and were going to get them out of our bodies, Trump said.
During the former presidents administration, he ended more than 100 environmental policies, including bans on toxic chemicals, and weakened policies on healthier school lunches, something that Kennedy has been a strong advocate for.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will hold events in Pennsylvania this coming week, with stops across the state on Wednesday and Thursday, the Harris campaign said.
The visit will be Walzs first solo trip to the commonwealth since joining Vice President Kamala Harris on the presidential ticket. The campaign did not say where specifically Walz would be traveling but said additional details would be forthcoming.
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Both Democrats and Republicans have dedicated time and campaign resources to bolstering support in what is considered a pivotal swing state. Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly said whichever candidate wins Pennsylvania will win the whole thing.
Trump visited Johnstown on Friday, speaking at the Cambria County War Memorial. The same day, the Harris-Walz campaign announced it was opening its 50th campaign office, in Ephrata, a Lancaster County borough. Trumps running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R., Ohio), visited Erie for an event on Wednesday.
On Monday, Harris will join President Joe Biden for a rally in Pittsburgh, marking her ninth visit to the state this year and their first joint campaign appearance since she accepted the Democratic nomination for president.
According to a recent Franklin and Marshall poll of registered Pennsylvania voters, 3% of the states voters are undecided. Trump narrowly led in Pennsylvania but Harris has gained in what now appears a neck-and-neck race.
Walz and Harris made their first joint appearance together in Philadelphia in early August, the same day she named him as her pick to be her running mate.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro had been in serious consideration for the job. After Harris chose Walz, Shapiro said he would stump for Harris in the state. He spoke at the Philadelphia rally last month.
Shapiros greatest advantage was his popularity among the Pennsylvania electorate. The governor outperformed Sen. John Fetterman in the 2022 election, and data showed Shapiro secured support from people who voted for Trump in 2020.
The campaign has said it hopes Walz, who grew up in a rural community in Western Nebraska, can appeal to working-class voters across the state.
Harris and Trump are scheduled to face off Sept. 10 in a debate organized by ABC at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
identify potential psychosocial hazards
assess the associated risks
implement control measures to eliminate or minimise these risks
regularly review control measures to ensure they remain effective
This calls for scrutiny of current processes, management structures and reporting mechanisms to understand where gaps or deficiencies may be occurring, or if behavioural issues such as bullying or harassment, or even just personality clashes and communication failures are involved, the article stated.
When Emma Doran got pregnant at 17, there was one thing she was determined to convince her mother of her innocence.
I told her I was a virgin, she writes in her forthcoming memoir, Mad Isnt It?, because I thought it would sound better.
Sitting outside The Conrad on an unfortunately rare summers day, she seems to simultaneously wince and laugh at the memory.
That was nearly as important as telling her I was pregnant, she admits. To say, This only happened one time, I was a virgin. I didnt want her to think badly of me.
Doran, who in the past year or two has seen a decade of graft translate into a flurry of demand from live gigs, to TV appearances (she was part of the all-star cast of Graham Norton fronted LOL: Laugh Out Loud Ireland) and a podcast with Irish comedy royalty Deirdre OKane, realised she was pregnant just weeks before returning to secondary school for her final year.
As it turned out, she ended up giving birth to her daughter Ella, now 21, within a fortnight of the Leaving Cert. She still sat the exams.
Emma Doran with dad and baby Ella
Today, of course, she says Ella is the best surprise that ever happened to her, but the 17-year-old girl who wrote her mother a letter because she couldnt get the words Im pregnant out was full of worry and fear so strong she was physically in pain.
She might have got the whole nation talking when she demonstrated the silent ride on The Late Late Show last year, but like many Irish women who came of age in the early 2000s, there was still a lot of shame and secrecy attached to womens sexuality at the time. When she initially started on the comedy circuit, in her early 30s, she avoided the topic of teen pregnancy altogether.
I felt like it was maybe too much to get into, she says, in between puffs on her vape. I hadnt figured out a way of condensing it into a sound-bitey, funny thing.
When book publishers Gill approached her about writing a book, Doran was concerned they were looking for a coffee-table style comedy read, but after sending a sample of her writing, she says they encouraged her to see theres more there than the comedy.
And there is. The book, at its core, feels like a love letter to Dorans mother, Bridey, who rose to the occasion from the very start, fulfilling the role of mother, grandmother, and friend, in those difficult early years as the young comic juggled school, work and motherhood while her peers were getting up to no good.
Emma Doran with baby Ella and mother Bridie
Beyond that, Doran also wades into difficult topics, often times displaying a straightforward type of honesty that reads as though its come effortlessly, though there are times like when she writes of contemplating an abortion she admits her instinct was to leave it out.
This honesty applies to her descriptions of her first forays into sexual experiences, some of which we agree would be categorised as assaults today.
The section of the book which deals with these experiences is introduced with the line, many of my sexual experiences up until this point [the occasion she fell pregnant with Ella], had happened without me knowing too much about them.
Reflecting on the incidents she experienced from the ages of 14 to 17, she writes: The perceived normality of it between myself and my peers evokes feeling of numbness if anything. Feelings that were pushed down over the years, hidden tidily away in little emotional crevices.
When I ask her today why she chose to write about it, she takes a moment to think.
I had a joke that was a bit hit and miss, she says, taking another puff of the vape. It was about young people.
I was like they did invent consent, isnt that great? We didnt have consent, thats been handy. Sometimes it got a big laugh, but sometimes, people got a bit... ooh.
It hit a nerve, I suggest?
Yeah. But its the truth," she says.
We never used the word consent. When you have your own child, especially a daughter, it does start to bring stuff up in your own head.
I am conscious that I am just five years older than Dorans daughter Ella theres a gap between what women felt was par-for-the-course when Doran was at parties or dating to what I felt I had to accept, something Doran and I agree has moved on again with Ellas Generation Z.
I would say now at least not in all cases but when people speak up, I feel to a certain degree, people are heard, Doran says.
[For us], there just wasnt a culture of saying anything. Nobody thought it was a good idea to tell anyone.
You might tell a friend stuff, but nobody would ever suggest, Should we tell somebody? Should we tell a parent? Should we tell a teacher? Should we report this to somebody? Nobody ever said that.
I think we knew instinctively there was no benefit.
Comedian Emma Doran for Weekend. Pictures: Nina Val. Location: The Terrace at the Conrad, Dublin.
For me and my friends, honest to god, we just thought it was a part of growing up. Its so dark, but
wed laugh about these things on nights out. If you didnt laugh, youd cry.
Attempting to reclaim the narrative through comedy, or choosing not to talk about the experiences at all, was an attempt to try minimise their impact, she recalls now.
But, looking back, she believes those experiences had more of an impact than her or her friends may have acknowledged at the time: Those experiences really formulate your ideas and opinions about your own sexuality, your own worth, your own value.
Becoming a single parent in her teens also had an impact on how she viewed herself: Having a kid when youre 18, it was always like, I knew people would like me but you could see they were like, Oh, she has a kid you know?
That definitely affects you. I dont think I ever relied on my looks.
Its a cliche, I acknowledge, but does that mean she relied on comedy?
Yeah. Always. When I was a young teenager, I always got a lot of Emma Doran is sound, she says while laughing. If youre a redhead with freckles... yeah I was sound.
I dont think I minded. I got enough action. It was grand, she says. And you know what it is? The sound of laughter just gets me off. It always has. I just love that sound.
When it comes to how Doran who was once an aspiring actress found herself relying on laughter to make a living, well, it was a bit of an accident that ended up being a wonderful surprise (yes, I too am sensing a theme here).
I knew that I wanted to perform. I felt like I did have a talent. And I was thinking, maybe someone will see me at a gig, and give me a part in something, she says. A recurring character in the deli or something?
Comedian Martin Angolo and I used to have this joke about, the scouts down the back of the room. There were no scouts, because it was Tuesday night at half 11 in Temple Bar.
But at her first open-mic night, which happened while she was on maternity leave with her second child Joe, she got the laughs and was hooked.
I got, totally, straight away addicted. I didnt expect that. I was just like, Im gonna go and do this once. And then I was booking in loads of gigs. Shane [her partner] was like what the hell is going on? He thought I was having an affair or something.
I dont think a week has gone by in the last 11 years that I havent done a gig.
When people say where is your next gig or I must go see you sometime, I am thinking I am literally gigging every week, she says with only a slight twinge of frustration, You need to gig all the time to sharpen up, get new material, try out new things. It very quickly became a thing. But it took a long time to make fifty quid.
Comedians Emma Doran and Deirdre O'Kane head to Singapore in High Road Low Road
She has previously credited Deirdre OKane now a friend and co-host of the Keeping It Tight podcast as helping her breakthrough to the sort of mainstream success that allowed her to quit her regular 9-5 and pursue comedy full-time. With Ella, and later Joe, 11, and Tommy, 9, in tow, it wasnt an option for her to leave her job as a copywriter, which supplied a steady income stream. Comedy gigs were done after the workday was finished, dinner had been eaten, and the kids were already in bed.
Doran, who at this point in our conversation is nursing a hot chocolate and lamenting the lack of marshmallows, frequently likes to slag OKane fond of a pair of shades it has to be said for being very showbiz.
Something Doran, evidently feels she is not.
As soon as I mention OKane, Dorans eyes light up.
Theres just something about her that cracks me up, she says, launching into a story about an experience she had with her while filing RTEs High Road, Low Road. The show brought the pair to Singapore where OKane got her first tattoo the entire process of which left Doran in stitches.
Even the next day, my abs were sore. I was literally in pain, Id engaged my core so much. I must have laughed non-stop for two hours. Just at her.
Its evident the pair get on like a house on fire, and listening to the podcast evokes a feeling not dissimilar to eavesdropping on two women in the thick of it in a coffee shop.
I enjoy eccentric people, Doran says, by way of explaining her fondness for OKane. I think it makes me feel at home, comfortable, when people are mad.
Because everyone is mad. Some people are just hiding it. If you havent seen the mad, you just havent been let see it yet.
Mad Isnt It? by Emma Doran, published by Gill Books, is out September 5.
Emma Doran at The Terrace at the Conrad, Dublin. Pic: Nina Val
Quick fire
Hangover cure?
Water, tea, Coke Zero, greasy food.
Comfort TV watch?
Teen mom.
Most underrated Irish comedian?
John Colleary.
Phone call or voice note?
Phone call.
Best dad joke?
What's brown and sticky? A stick.
Sometimes the smallest details reveal volumes. Such as the story of Catherine Crean, a woman from Moore Street in Dublin, who asked her friend to comb her hair during her final days in one of Hitlers most brutal concentration camps.
That friend, Andree Dumon, was herself too weak to do so but the memory of her attempt to give a fellow resistance member a shred of human comfort in a barbarous place stayed with her for the rest of her life.
Catherine later died but her friend survived and spoke about that final encounter in Ravensbruck camp whenever she got the chance. Indeed, Andree, or Nadine to use her wartime alias, made it her business to keep alive the memory of her Irish friend, and all of those who helped Allied airmen escape fromoccupied Belgium.
In 2009, for example, she sought out co-author John Morgan during a commemorative trip to the French-Spanish border where a group of people were retracing the footsteps of those who had escaped along a wartime network of secret trails over the Pyrenees.
She spoke to him through tears, still distraught by the image of her friend, pale and thin with her once red long hair scattered around her.
It was the first time that John Morgan had heard Catherine Creans name but he began to wonder how many other ordinary Irish people had been involved in the resistance networks that sprang up around Europe to defeat Adolf Hitler.
Were there many other people like Catherine, a woman whose selfless courage had been forgotten at home?
Catherine Crean. Courtesy of Archives de l'Etat en Belgique [State Archives, Belgium]
It was a question that prompted 15 years of research. The result is this book which brings together, for the first time, the stories of some 60 Irish people who took enormous risks to resist fascism.
I met John in 2016 while researching Mary Elmes, a Corkwoman who helped to save some 420 children from deportation to Nazi gas chambers during WWII.
Like so many others, she was an ordinary person who found herself caught up in an extraordinary situation and put her life at risk to save others.
Although, as we both said at the time, there was nothing commonplace about the so-called ordinary people who acted with incalculable bravery when faced with the hideous and pervasive cruelty of the Nazi regime.
Together, we continued to seek out the stories of those people using, as a starting point, an excellent chapter on the Irish people in the Resistance written by historian David Murphy in 2009.
We sought the help of historians all over the world, trawled through archives, looked at old books, diaries and thousands of documents but what was most revealing and poignant was talking to family members about their relatives who often paid a very high price for helping others.
Clodagh Finn and John Morgan. Picture: Gareth Chaney
For instance, all Wexford woman Bridget Bolger did was give some food to a man on the run as he laid low in her apartment block in Neuilly-sur-Seine just outside Paris. Her neighbour, it seems, was the one involved in the Resistance; Bridget simply gave airman Olaf/Fred Hansen a bite to eat as he passed through the city before making it to safety along a freedom trail known as the Shelburn escape line, which operated in Brittany.
Yet, she and her French husband were both arrested. Bridget was released after a few days but her husband, Jean Chevallier, was sent to a concentration camp and never came home.
We know a little about their story because Bridget was later compensated by the American and British governments and commended for her bravery. Her grand-nephew, Dr Thomas Bolger, spent a number of years stitching together the snatches that survive in documents scattered across various archives.
Given the secret nature of resistance work, its remarkable there are any documentary traces at all, but thankfully there are. It was a singular thrill to find those references and flesh out the lives of people who have remained hidden for so long.
For instance, a mention of Kerrywoman Janie McCarthy, a formidable woman active in at least five resistance networks in Paris, is buried deep in the post-war testimony of American Sergeant Iva Fegette. He said she kept them laughing all the time while they were in hiding.
Another aviator, Sidney Casden, described her as a woman of about 45-years-old, with greying hair. She is plump and teaches English. She might not have found that the most flattering of descriptions, but it revealed Janie McCarthys strength she was an inconspicuous middle-aged woman going about her secret business in a war fought by young men.
Samuel Beckett circa 1955. Picture: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Even in the better-known stories, new details emerged. Samuel Becketts work in two resistance networks is well-documented, although a recently declassified document reveals how an overwhelming premonition of danger saved him from arrest. He got the feeling something was very wrong when he and his partner Suzanne Deschevaux-Dumesnil were climbing the stairs to tell another resistance member that the network had been infiltrated.
On the strength of it, they turned back, not knowing then that German soldiers were lying in wait in his friends apartment.
The same sense of foreboding was experienced by Monica de Wichfeld, of Fermanagh and Denmark. Her instinct that her years of clandestine activity in the Danish Resistance were coming to an end proved to be correct. She was arrested and sentenced to death shortly afterwards.
While her sentence was commuted, she was deported and imprisoned. We were privileged to talk to her nephew, Christopher Massy-Beresford, and discover more about her hellish time in the prisons of Germany.
The name John Keany might not be well-known in his native Cork, but this captain of the Royal Irish Fusiliers deserves more recognition. When WWll broke out, he joined the Special Operations Executive (SOE), Winston Churchills secret army designed to set Europe ablaze, and was parachuted into occupied northern Italy in 1945.
His bravado shines through the account that was later written by his colleague Sergeant William Pickering, but there was another side to him which came to light in a deeply poignant letter held in the British National Archives at Kew.
After he was shot dead in a German ambush, the Italian woman who had hidden him on her farm wrote a heartrending letter of sympathy to Captain Keanys mother. The woman, Luigia Biestro, wrote: I would like this letter to bring a small measure of consolation to you in your grief. Your son lived in my house from the 5th to the 25th of February, and during this period I was fortunate enough to come close to him and to get to know his gentle goodness and his profoundly religious outlook. She went on to say that she would visit his grave as soon as there was a break in the fighting.
That deep humanity permeates the stories of all of the Irish people who gathered intelligence, sheltered Jews, helped Allied soldiers, took up arms, broke codes, carried messages and/or committed acts of sabotage in the fight for democracy.
In many cases, their heroic work has passed below the radar. The Irish in the Resistance is our attempt to bring them out of the shadows at last.
Clodagh Finn and John Morgan. Picture: Gareth Chaney
The Irish in the Resistance. The untold stories of the ordinary heroes who resisted Hitler by Clodagh Finn and John Morgan is published by Gill Books, 19.99
The Government is examining more than 90 submissions for properties to lease or purchase for asylum seeker accommodation.
At the end of April, the Department of Integration opened a submission process in a bid to source suitable properties for acquisition or lease as International Protection accommodation.
As of August 26, the EOI has received 91 submissions.
Should a building progress to a point where it may be used, the Department's Community Engagement Team will contact local public representatives and statutory agencies
It is now evaluating the submissions received against a set of essential criteria to ensure compliance with national standards and mandatory requirements.
Once this initial assessment stage has been completed, a number of proposals may not progress any further.
All proposals deemed to have met the essential criteria will then move to a second assessment stage where a more detailed analysis will be undertaken including technical due diligence, property value, likely timeline and planning compliance, in addition to numerous further due diligence and financial protocols.
Only properties that move through these gateways will be proposed as appropriate for purchase or lease.
A Department spokesman said: Should a building progress to a point where it may be used, the Departments Community Engagement Team will contact local public representatives and statutory agencies.
Meanwhile, the Department is working on establishing several reception centres as part of its response to a crisis in asylum seeker accommodation.
Asked on Friday if any of these new centres will be operational before the general election which must be held by March at the latest, Integration Minister Roderic OGorman said work will have initiated.
He told RTE Radio that he had not made any statement saying the centres would be delivered before the election.
Thousands of protesters have heard calls for Ireland to introduce immediate sanctions on Israel as a major demonstration took place in Dublin.
Crowds of activists made their way across the city and assembled outside the Dail parliament on Saturday afternoon for the rally organised by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC).
The event, billed as a National Demonstration for Palestine, took place a day after Taoiseach Simon Harris revealed that he had sought legal advice around continued trade with Israel.
Look at the view from the stage at our huge National Demonstration for Palestine today. The streets are with Palestine! #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/4Yx3Ny17KE IPSC (@ipsc48) August 31, 2024
Mr Harris acknowledged that international trade policy is an EU competency, but he said wanted fresh legal advice from Attorney General Rossa Fanning in light of a recent ruling by the International Court of Justice.
In July, the UNs top court declared Israels presence in the occupied Palestinian territories unlawful and called for settlement construction to stop immediately.
Mr Harris said every lever must be pulled to maximise pressure on the Israeli government to stop the violence in Gaza.
The leaders of Irelands three coalition parties decided on Thursday that the state would not procure any further defence or military equipment and contracts from Israel.
Under EU treaties and common commercial policy, the European Commission represents Ireland and all other member states in international trade negotiations.
Attorney General Rossa Fanning (Damien Storan/PA)
However, Mr Harris said the decision around suspending imports of defence equipment is legally possible under the context of the ICJ ruling.
He added that he was seeking advice from Mr Fanning on whether the rulings had any implications for other areas of trade with Israel.
Meanwhile, the Department of Transport continues to engage with an airline at the centre of reports that multiple flights carrying ammunition and explosives to Israel had passed through Irish air space.
It is prohibited to transport munitions of war on civil aircraft across Irish air space without an exemption from the Minister for Transport.
Saturdays rally in Dublin heard demands for more Government action against Israel.
With 7% of Gaza's children now murdered, lost or wounded, it's clear that children are deliberate targets of apartheid Israel's genocidal onslaught
IPSC chairwoman Zoe Lawlor spoke of the toll suffered by children in Gaza.
The horrific figure of 40,000 dead includes almost 17,000 children, 33% of all fatalities, meaning that 1.5% of all children in Gaza are now dead, she said.
Over 20,000 children are estimated to be lost, disappeared, detained, buried under rubble or in mass graves, 34,000 children have been wounded, 17,000 have been orphaned.
Eight hundred thousand traumatised and damaged children are in desperate need of psychological help, 620,000 children have been denied their right to education, while creches, schools, universities and hospitals have been obliterated.
Children are one of the most at-risk demographics when it comes to the dangers posed by disease, famine and thirst, all of which are rampant in Gaza.
With 7% of Gazas children now murdered, lost or wounded, its clear that children are deliberate targets of apartheid Israels genocidal onslaught.
Saturdays event was organised by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC/PA)
The Israeli embassy in Ireland has criticised Mr Harriss comments about the EU trade agreement.
In a statement, the embassy said: We keep following statements and actions taken by the Irish Government which will achieve nothing but souring further the two countries bilateral relations.
We follow with dismay the continued rise in anti-Israeli rhetoric and actions bordering vilification of Israel.
This tragic war was launched by Hamas and is being perpetuated by Hamas, which still holds in captivity over a hundred Israelis while at the same time abusing its own population.
Israel is facing an enemy committed to its annihilation, its unfortunate that the Irish Government prefers to ignore basic realities.
In its fight against terror orchestrated by Iran, Israel is committed to international law and the rules of war, while fighting a genocidal enemy.
The Idaho State Bar is conducting an ethics investigation into Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador, following a complaint alleging an adversarial relationship with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Former Idaho Department of Health and Welfare Director Dave Jeppesen, who retired in December, filed the complaint in June 2023. Jeppesens complaint alleges Labradors office has effectively denied the state health department Idahos largest government agency with adequate legal representation following legal conflicts and investigations into the agency, which the attorney general must legally represent.
The conflicts have strained the state health departments operations and created a hostile situation where trust and confidence has been destroyed, the former agency directors complaint alleges.
The Idaho Statesman first reported on the investigation.
In a statement to the Idaho Capital Sun, Labradors office said it was cooperating with the Idaho State Bar, which can discipline attorneys. But Idaho Office of the Attorney General spokesperson Dan Estes called the complaint baseless, and said Labrador is confident the complaint will be dismissed in due time.
State Bar investigates former AG staffer, now working for Alliance Defending Freedom
In a July 22 letter to Labrador, the Idaho State Bar asked the states top attorney to reply to Jeppesens allegations.
In a separate July 22 letter, the bar asked former Idaho Office of the Attorney General Civil and Constitutional Defense Division Chief Lincoln Davis Wilson to respond to allegations Jeppesen made in a separate complaint. Wilson is now an attorney for Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian law firm that has an agreement to freely represent Idaho in litigation.
The Attorney General is accustomed to meritless attacks in the media. But it is unfortunate that anyone is now attempting to also sully the character of the excellent attorneys who work or have worked for the office, Estes said in a statement.
Jeppesen shared his complaints and the Idaho State Bars recent letters with the Sun, upon the Suns request. Jeppesen also shared the records with the Statesman.
Labradors office critiqued Jeppesen for sharing the documents with the media.
The Bars grievance process is confidential in order to protect attorneys from meritless claims being aired out in public, Estes said in a statement. The leaking of this frivolous and baseless complaint to the media is an attempt to thwart a fair and objective process, and is proof that it was intended as a political hit. The fact that Mr. Jeppesen disrespect(s) the confidential process says more about his character and motives than anything in the complaint itself.
Jeppesen did not agree to an interview. Everything I had to say is contained in my complaint, he told the Sun.
Idaho State Bar Counsel Joe Pirtle told the Sun that he couldnt confirm whether there are investigations into Labrador and Wilson.
But, speaking generally about grievance investigations, he said in an interview that the Idaho State Bar takes an average of 10-11 months to make determinations. But he said some cases may take longer to resolve.
Idaho State Bar investigations are confidential by rule, he said. Investigations only become public from the office is if the bar files a formal charge complaint against an attorney in which the bar would seek public sanctions for alleged misconduct, such as public reprimands or disbarment.
Since becoming Idaho AG over a year ago, Labrador has clashed with state agencies
Labrador, by Idaho law, is required to represent the state health department and other state agencies. But since the former congressman took over as the states top attorney in January 2023, he has engaged in high profile legal clashes with some of the states largest agencies including the state health department and the State Board of Education.
Ears pricked attentively forward, healthy coat shining brightly in the sun, MLHR Jensen looked like he was bred to compete alongside the best horses in the world as he placed fourth in his class in Dublin Horse Show.
But just five years ago, that same horse was saved from the pound in Cork by My Lovely Horse Rescue, riddled with worms, cowering and emaciated.
Without treatment, he would have died, Kelly Mellerick, volunteer with My Lovely Horse Rescue in Cobh, Co Cork, said.
Seized in Cork on June 28, 2019, and taken to the pound, at just nine months old MLHR Jensen, also called Sebastian, had already lost his spark and lacked the usual vitality of a young horse.
You could see his ribs. The worms were so bad," Ms Mellerick said. He was seized by Cork County Council and put in the pound. Unclaimed after five days he would have risked being euthanised.
The pound tell us when animals are close to being euthanised. He was one of four we took out that day and we gave him this new lifeline.
With veterinary intervention, care and proper feeding, the colt rallied.
When his now owner, Kelsie Ferguson, came to see him it was love at first sight.
She took one look at him and said 'I love him.' She instantly saw his potential.
Seized in Cork on June 28, 2019, and taken to My Lovely Horse Rescue, at just nine months old MLHR Jensen had already 'lost his spark' and lacked the usual vitality of a young horse.
Because Sebastian is a trotter, he had to be taught other gaits more commonly used by riding horses.
When trotters are retrained they can do phenomenal things as riding horses. He is testament to that. But the breed is often just discarded.
Although only nine months old when he was seized and sent to the pound, it is very likely he was used for sulky racing, Ms Mellerick said.
Equines as young as three months old have come into My Lovely Horse having been used in sulky races.
They have them under sulky traps very young, with a full set of shoes on them, Ms Mellerick said.
You see the rub marks from the harnesses on their little bodies.
They tack them up when they're so young and vulnerable they can't possibly fight at all.
Luckily he was seized when he was or he could have been out racing on those roads.
He could have broken down very young where their joints get so overused as babies it damages them for life."
Sebastian now rides dressage to elementary level and won the Champion Colour title at this years Cork Summer Show.
But Sebastian's legs survived and he learned to trust again with the kindness and patient care of Kelsie.
Theyve been winning competitions all around Cork. But this was the first time a My Lovely Horse rescue ever made it to Dublin Horse Show.
He was once a discarded baby trotter now looking so worthy in that ring. He looked every bit as good as all these horses that are bred specifically for showing.
And the trust and confidence hes built up through Kelsie. Hes only seven but he went around that ring, around the RDS with all those crowds without flinching. He was placed fourth in his [coloured horse] class, alongside a horse that competes internationally.
The judge saw what a beautiful horse he is. This was the cream of the crop in Ireland.
It just goes to show that rescues can have real potential. They can compete alongside well-bred horses from big stud farms.
Although Sebastian was a rescue, Kelsie Ferguson said that he has helped her overcome difficulties in her own life too.
She was on a bit of a downer before finding Sebastian because her own horse was getting older and slowing down and she knew she would have to find another horse to replace him.
But as soon as she saw Sebastian and his love me eyes, she knew she had found another horse she really wanted.
The second I saw him I knew that he had to come home. He was really tall, black and white the same as my other horse. His legs just seemed to go on forever and he had this look in his eye that didn't necessarily say help me but it was just like love me.
Sebastian has also helped her settle into Ireland and find her own community, having moved from her home outside Oxford in the UK to be with her husband on his dairy farm outside Bandon.
Hes really made me slot in. Were out doing the showing, doing the dressage. Ive met so many people through him and I now have my own life in Ireland."
Sebastian has probably been the easiest horse Kelsies ever had as he just goes with the flow."
Theres no badness in him at all. Hes such a straightforward character.
And hes a cool cucumber. You could put your granny on him and send them up the M8 and hed be no problem.
I broke him myself and hes never thrown me off, hes never bucked, never spooked in two years of riding him."
Sebastian now rides dressage to elementary level and won the Champion Colour title at this years Cork Summer Show.
Although he was coming first or second in shows across Munster, Kelsie was not expecting him to place in the RDS this summer.
I knew he would still stand up beside those horses. I knew he was still going to shine. I just didnt go there with any expectation.
When our class was on, the Aga Khan [international showjumping competition] was on in the main arena. So every time somebody got a clear round, the whole stadium cheered. It was enough to send a shiver through me as a rider thousands of people making a roar of noise. But Sebastian was cool as a cucumber.
I was so proud of him, not just getting a rosette but how he reacts to everything and takes everything in his stride.
When Sebastian's (left) now owner, Kelsie Ferguson (right), saw him it was love at first sight.
And I think it's a testament to horses like him. Because there's so many horses out there that are ridiculously well bred. You know, people spend thousands and thousands to try to create the perfect horse.
And he has none of that. He has no breeding. And yet, he can do everything."
Once a rescue horse realises that a human is there to help them and not hurt them, they can give so much more back than other horses, Ms Ferguson said.
Some of them have horrendous stories, but once they have figured out to trust you, you get so much more back from a rescue horse than you would from another horse. I feel like they try that little bit harder for you.
My Lovely Horse Rescue
Summer has been busy for My Lovely Horse in both their Cork and Kildare rescue centres, Ms Mellerick said.
People have been discarding foals. And its always the boys colt foals," she said.
We took in Elvie in Cork two months ago who was only about four days old. He didnt know where he was or what was going on, the poor little thing.
"We had a tough time trying to get him to latch onto the bottle, he had to be fed every two hours, around the clock, to survive. When youre a volunteer and you still have to go to your day job, youre up against it.
"But hes a clever boy and he had a real will to live and hes thriving now."
The charity is always in need of donations, especially approaching winter with high fodder costs and 400 horses to feed with more arriving all the time.
It is also making its annual appeal for people to foster a rescue horse or two over the winter months to save the charity space and some cash.
The Cork facility has no jeep-type vehicle to pull horseboxes or trailers so is reliant on expensive rentals. Ms Mellerick called for anyone with a vehicle and horse box to occasionally help with transport
Go to mylovelyhorserescue.com to donate or for more information.
In the depths of his grief, he clings to the memories of days like this and finds solace knowing that some good has come from his immense tragedy.
Grieving dad, James Healy, said he is convinced his beloved son, Matthew, who died in tragic circumstances in Waterford last February, aged just six, helped arrange the glorious sunshine on Saturday for the handover of almost 40,000, raised in his memory in Cork this summer, to Make A Wish, the charity that makes dreams come true for children with life-threatening illnesses.
It is the largest amount raised for the charity by any community fundraiser in Ireland this year.
And it will have a huge and lasting positive impact on the kids and families it works with, the charity said.
It was great to see such a crowd of people turning out for Matthew earlier this year - that was a big thing for me, James said.
And Im delighted that its going to such a great cause. So some good has come out of all this. There is healing in all of these things.
Matthew was found unresponsive at around midnight on February 9 near Rathmoylan Cove, Dunmore East, in Co Waterford.
He was treated at the scene by gardai and paramedics, and was rushed by ambulance to University Hospital Waterford, but was later pronounced dead.
Matthew Healy Photo: Family supplied
James set out to do something positive in his boy's memory and brought the community of Watergrasshill together to raise money for Make A Wish, which has been granting life-changing wishes for children and families for over 40 years.
He organised a motorbike and vintage car run from Watergrasshill, which it was revealed on Saturday has raised a staggering 38,645 for the charity.
David Burns, the head of fundraising with Make A Wish Ireland, said: We grant wishes to children living with life-threatening illnesses and we have granted over 3,000 wishes since 1992 and hope to grant over 220 wishes this year alone.
"We hope to bring joy, hope and lasting memories to those children and their families.
Whatever the wish is, we work with the child to understand whats in their imagination, and we work really hard to make a wish as close to that as possible.
And the important for us is to not ensure not just that the wish happens, but its about the anticipation of the wish, the wish happening and then the ripple effect, to ensure that the impact of it lasts for a long time afterwards.
Its creating memories for children and their families and communities when they are going through such a tough time.
Its about trying to give them something positive to focus on when life is extremely tough.
Bill and 11yo son Rhys on a 1974 Honda 50 motorcycle which will be restored by James Healy. Attending at Watergrasshill for the cheque handover. Picture: Larry Cummins
Speaking at the handover of the cheque in Watergrasshill on Saturday, James thanked all those who helped during the fundraiser and he paid an emotional tribute to everyone for showing up for my small man on the day.
Mr Burns said many of the children they work with have had their childhoods interrupted by illness and trip to the hospital or doctor.
But he said the granting of a wish has the power to give them back a sense of childhood.
The vast amount of money raised in Matthews memory will have a huge impact on hundreds of children and their families in the years ahead, he said.
Its 50 years since the FBI opened an investigation into one of the strangest cases ever to capture the imagination of a global audience.
On a cold Monday night in February 1974, there was a knock on the door of an upmarket apartment at Benvenue Street in Berkeley, California. A group of men and women carrying guns burst into the small hallway. Their target was a 19-year-old college student whom they dragged out and threw into the boot of their car, after beating up her fiance who had opened the door. The gang then drove away at high speed.
Patty Hearst, whom no one outside of her family and friends had ever heard of, was about to become an enigma in a fugitive case that made headlines for over 18 months; a fanatical saga that would give authorities an insight into how a well-balanced peaceful teenager could become radicalised and converted to extremism in a very short space of time.
Hearst had been kidnapped by a group of domestic terrorists, calling themselves the Symbionese Liberation Army, or SLA, led by escaped convict Donald David DeFreeze. The cult-like Marxist group, small but heavily armed, was made up of men and women, blacks and whites insurgents and extremists from an assortment of backgrounds who had one aim: to provoke a guerilla war against the US government and overthrow what they called the capitalist state.
So as to grab world attention, they kidnapped the granddaughter of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, one of the wealthiest men in history at that time and a powerful media tycoon. One of the ransom demands from the gang, in return for the release of the student, was a payment of millions of dollars by the Hearst family in food donations for the poor and homeless.
Patty Hearst in January 1979.
On the advice of the FBI, the Hearst family refused to pay. All went silent for two months, until April 3 when the SLA released an audiotape of Hearsts voice claiming she had joined their struggle to free the oppressed, condemning the pig power culture that deprived the underdog. On the recording, she rejected her wealthy family. She also chose a new name Tania.
Twelve days later, she turned up on bank surveillance cameras brandishing an automatic assault weapon with five other members of the gang, engaging in an armed robbery. None of them wore masks. Hearst yelled orders at customers while providing armed cover to the rest of the gang.
The SLA believed their efforts to turn the newspaper heiress into a role model for their planned revolution had worked. Except it hadnt, and DeFreeze had underestimated the prowess of the FBI who launched a massive operation to track down Hearst and her captors, who funded their revolutionary vision through a series of bombings and bank robberies.
Despite one of the most intensive cross-agency searches throughout the 52 states, including a shoot-out between members of the gang and LA police which left six of the terrorists including DeFreeze dead, Hearst avoided arrest until September 1975, when she was finally caught in San Francisco.
In her trial, which was as dramatic as the kidnap and the ensuing search, Hearst claimed she had been tortured, raped and brainwashed while being held hostage. She also claimed she was forced to take part in their deadly crimes.
She was found guilty and sentenced to seven years in prison.
Two years later, President Jimmy Carter commuted her sentence. She was later pardoned. However, the image of the young heiress as an armed revolutionary would become a lifelong reminder of the notorious insurgencies that swept through the turbulent 1970s America.
In his book, Searching for Patty Hearst, journalist Roger Rapoport described Hearst as an unlikely revolutionary, a sheltered college student who had largely avoided the radical politics swirling through the university city at the time.
A radicalised victim or a willing guerilla? Thats the enduring question that has fuelled the argument for over half a century. Hearts and minds still remain divided, with many believing she experienced a political awakening during her time in captivity; while others point to a textbook case of Stockholm syndrome.
Hearst is now 70 and has rebuilt her shattered life, spending her days now raising award-winning show dogs. But the mystery surrounding her lost 19 months as Tania will forever live on.
In her own words: They called themselves an army. They were planning on recruiting more armies. They were planning on splitting up and forming smaller cells and going into different areas, recruiting more members and just growing until they had started a full scale war in this country.
The radicalistion of Patty Hearst might seem somewhat absurd 50 years on, but its not. Far from it. If anything, its a clear and present warning
Modern radicalisation is rapidly becoming the new politics, and the internet is its safe place, given the relevance of online environments in radicalising lone actor terrorists.
In March 2019, Australian Brenton Tarrant murdered 51 worshippers in consecutive mass shootings at two busy mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. He live-streamed the first shooting on Facebook. A year before his attack, he had posted publicly online that he had planned to do so. No one in authority appeared to take any notice of the extremely threatening statements he was making so publicly.
Tarrant had travelled widely in the five years before his terrorist attacks, becoming more increasingly hateful of Muslims. At the heart of his repugnant mindset was a race war that he believed would bring about a lasting age of reimposed segregation.
Long before his attack, Tarrant was calling for mass violence against people of colour. He made it clear in his online posts that white nationalist extremists should target innocent victims in locations of emotional significance, such as places of worship. Attacking unarmed people in a church is a very simple tactic, he said, describing it as necessary to provoke people of colour into retaliating.
Tarrant pleaded guilty the following March to 51 murders and 40 attempted murders and engaging in a terrorist attack. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole the first such sentence in New Zealand. His attacks were motivated by a combination of white supremacy beliefs and anti-immigrant sentiments.
Unfortunately Ireland still mostly basks in an illusory mindset that the Patty Hearsts and the Brenton Tarrants of this world dont exist here a jaded belief that it couldnt happen to us. It could, and it is, and it most likely will happen on a much more destructive scale quite soon.
Gardai said in court that they believe the 16-year-old teenager charged with stabbing army chaplain Fr Paul Murphy at Renmore Barracks in County Galway on August 15 last has a radical Islamist mindset and had been radicalised online.
Research shows that radicalisation is a four stage process: The person identifies with a group whose beliefs resonate with his. Over time he reaches a point where his entire thinking process is re-aligned. Hes then groomed by his peers who draw him further down the rabbit hole. Finally he becomes involved in committing terrorist acts.
We need to act now to prevent such acts taking place here. Less than two weeks ago, garda commissioner Drew Harris publicly stated that Ireland is facing a very real terrorist attack risk.
If radicalisation is allowed to become the new politics, then every one of us, of every colour, is facing an unthinkable future.
When Sister Liguori, born Bridget Mary Partridge in Kildare, fled a convent in New South Wales (NSW) in her nightgown in 1920, her dramatic departure marked the beginning of an affair that divided Australia for more than a year.
Even now, more than a century later, the story of this woman who claimed that her mother superior who was also Irish was trying to poison her still generates headlines. Only last year, an Australian newspaper ran an article claiming that she was pregnant by a priest and had run away because she didnt want to give up her baby for adoption.
Bridget Partridge could not have known that she was about to become a pawn in a sectarian war.
Neither version is true. The real story as is so often the case is far more startling. What began as a row over a broom in a Presentation convent in Wagga Wagga in NSW blew up into a nationwide sectarian war that pitted Catholic against Protestant, drawing in the police, religious communities, politicians, and the press along the way.
When Bridget Partridge ran away from the convent, she unwittingly ended up in no-mans land, caught between two powerful forces keen to use her to advance their ends, to quote author Jeff Kildea.
His account of the extraordinary events that gripped Australia for 16 months between 1920 to 1921 is told in eye-opening detail in his fascinating new book, Sister Liguori, The nun who divided a nation.
If it were a film, and theres talk of one, the publicity might include an unlikely collection of taglines about a nun running barefoot from a convent in the dead of night, a charge of lunacy, a court case to prove the woman sane and her subsequent Supreme Court case against a bishop.
There was a kidnapping too and talk of spies, a storyline too far but, then, this is stranger-than-fiction real life. At the heart of it all, however, is the moving story of an Irishwoman who was unhappy about her vocation and tried to do something about it
It all began in the most innocuous way. Bridget Partridge had a row about a broom with another nun, Sister Joan, who accused her of lying.
The disagreement prompted her to leave her enclosed convent without permission and go to a nearby farm where she tried to phone the bishop. He wasnt in, so she spoke to a priest. He, in turn, contacted Bridgets mother superior who sent out the convent bus to look for her. Like Bridget, the mother superior, Mother Mary Stanislaus, was from Kildare. She was one of five nuns who left Ireland for Australia in 1874 to establish a convent and school in Wagga Wagga. In 1920, there were 80 nuns at the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary convent and some 400 pupils attending the school.
By then, Bridget Partridge had been in the order over ten years. Born at Newbridge, Kildare, on October 21, 1890, Bridget left school at 14 and entered the convent three years later. She sailed to Australia in 1909 and appears to have been happy at first, teaching children at a convent school not far from Wagga Wagga.
When a diocesan inspector deemed Sr Liguoris teaching skills inadequate, she was moved to the convent at Wagga Wagga where she was assigned domestic duties. Thats when her disenchantment with religious life began, according to Jeff Kildea, a retired barrister and honorary professor in Irish Studies at the University of New South Wales.
'I really thought it was poison'
After her failed attempt to talk to the bishop and it says something about Bridget Partridge that she left the convent to try to talk to him she was brought back to the convent. She was put to bed and given castor oil mixed with coffee to mask the taste. The doctor was called. He found her to be of unsound mind.
Bridget, though, sensed a conspiracy an attempt on her life even and made a run for it.
Later, she said this of that night: I was sent to bed which had been prepared for me, and holy water sprinkled about the room and on the bed. Sister M. Brendan gave me something in a cup which she called oil. I really thought it was poison. This conviction is based on the agonising look on the doctors face during the Angelus. The Rev Mother could not look at me at all. There was certainly oil in the cup, but to a very small degree, and something else which had a very dead taste. Sister M Brendan told me to lie quite still and not to move, and that I would sleep for six months. Other things were said about death to convince me I was to die.
There is absolutely no suggestion that the Rev Mother was trying to poison Bridget Partridge, but the unfounded fear of it prompted her to flee into the night.
The whole affair might have ended quietly had the convent bus been sent out again to bring her home. However, when she returned to the farmhouse where she first made the phone call, she was taken in and later put under the protection of Robert Thompson, a member of the Protestant Alliance Friendly Society (an offshoot of the Loyal Orange Institution).
Bridget Partridge could not have known that she was about to become a pawn in a sectarian war that, as author Jeff Kildea writes, played out in the press, the parliament, and at protest meetings across the country, dividing the Australian nation still recovering from the bitter debates over conscription and riven by the violent struggle for Irish independence.
He charts every unbelievable step of it in a book that has been 25 years in the making. That deep research shows; you feel as if you are one of the thousands of Australians many newly emigrated from Ireland who followed the case with rubber-neck curiosity. When Sister Liguori could not be found, Bishop Joseph Dwyer requested she be arrested under the Lunacy Act of 1898. After her arrest, she appeared before the Lunacy Court the name itself reveals the attitudes of the time where she was declared sane.
Then, she fought back against the Catholic Church. Or rather the Orange Lodge helped her take a Supreme Court case against the bishop, claiming damages for falsely and maliciously procuring her arrest and imprisonment.
There were long queues outside the courthouse when the trial opened on July 1, 1921. To use a modern term; the story went viral.
Bishop Dwyer won the case, but the affair does not end there. Bridget Partridge was later kidnapped spoiler alert: by her own brother but she did not give in to his demand to return with him to Ireland.
To find out what happened next, pick up a copy of Jeff Kildeas meticulously researched book from Connor Court Publishing.
As he told this column: The Sister Liguori story resonates today because it is more than just an episode in Australias political and religious history. It is a universal story dating back to Helen of Troy. A story of powerful forces using the misfortunes of a hapless victim to malign their adversaries, all the while proclaiming their motivation is in the victims best interests.
Police arrested a 32-year-old woman after six people were hurt in a knife attack on a bus heading to a festival in western Germany.
Authorities said on Saturday that there was no evidence of a political or religious motive.
Three of those attacked are in a life-threatening condition, police said.
The attack took place in Siegen, east of Cologne. The bus was on its way to a festival in the town and at least another 40 people were on board when the attack took place at about 7.40pm on Friday.
Police and prosecutors said the six people wounded were aged between 16 and 30 and all were from the region.
By Saturday three of them had left the hospital after outpatient treatment.
Local authorities planned to go ahead with the festival.
The stabbing in Siegen happened a week after a knife attack in Solingen, a city in the same state of North Rhine-Westphalia, in which a suspected Islamic extremist from Syria who had avoided being deported is accused of killing three people and wounding another eight.
The Solingen attack prompted the governing coalition to draw up plans to tighten knife laws and make deportations easier.
Police said the woman arrested in Siegen was a German citizen with no immigrant roots.
A campaign to inoculate children in Gaza against polio and prevent the spread of the virus began on Saturday, as Palestinians in both the Hamas-governed coastal enclave and in the occupied West Bank reeled from Israels ongoing campaigns in both regions.
Children in Gaza began receiving vaccines on Saturday, the Strips health ministry announced in a news conference, a day before the large-scale rollout and planned pause in fighting agreed to by Israel and the United Nations World Health Organisation.
Associated Press reporters saw roughly ten infants receiving doses of vaccine in the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis on Saturday.
Hours earlier, Gazas health ministry said hospitals received 89 dead on Saturday, including 26 who died in an overnight Israeli bombardment, and 205 wounded, one of the highest daily tallies in months.
Meanwhile, parts of the West Bank remained on edge on Saturday as Israels military continued its largescale military campaign, the deadliest since the Israel-Hamas war began, and two car bombings by Palestinian militants near Israeli settlements left three soldiers injured.
Two car bombs exploded early on Saturday in Gush Etzion, a bloc of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Israels military killed both Palestinian attackers after the bombs exploded in a compound in Karmei Zur and at a petrol station, Israels military said. Three Israeli soldiers sustained minor injuries.
Palestinian health officials said Israel was holding the bodies of the attackers, naming the men as Muhammad Marqa and Zoodhi Afifeh.
Hamas did not claim the men as its fighters but called the attack a heroic operation and a new slap to the occupations security system in a statement early on Saturday.
Palestinians next to Israeli armoured vehicles during a military operation in the West Bank Jenin refugee camp on Saturday (Majdi Mohammed/AP)
The Palestinian militant group said earlier this month after a bombing attack in Tel Aviv that it would continue such attacks.
The bombings took place as Israel continued its largescale raid, which includes destruction of infrastructure, airstrikes and gunbattles, into urban refugee camps in the cities of Jenin and Tulkarem, in the north of the volatile West Bank.
About 20 Palestinians have been killed since Israels incursion started on Tuesday, causing alarm among the international community that the war might widen beyond the Gaza Strip.
Israel has described the operation as a strategy to prevent attacks on Israeli civilians, which since the start of the war have increased in the West Bank, including near settlements that the international community largely considers illegal.
In return, the Palestinian health ministry noted a surge in Palestinian deaths by Israeli forces, with 663 killed in the West Bank in the nearly 11 months since the war began.
In central Gaza, Israeli airstrikes hit a multi-storey building housing displaced people in and around Nuseirat, a built-up refugee camp in central Gaza, further south in Khan Younis and northward in Gaza City, officials at hospitals in the three areas said on Saturday.
Smoke rises after an explosion during an Israeli military operation in the West Bank Jenin refugee camp on Saturday (Majdi Mohammed/AP)
Among the dead were a physician and his family and a child whose right leg had been previously amputated, according to an initial list of casualties from the hospital and footage released on Saturday by civil defence officials who operated under Gazas Hamas-run government.
Israel is expected to pause some of its operations in Gaza on Sunday to allow health workers to roll out their campaign to administer polio vaccines to some 650,000 Palestinian children, the UN World Health Organisation said earlier this week.
Officials said the pause would last at least nine hours and is a by-product of an agreement with WHO, and unrelated to ongoing ceasefire negotiations between Israel, Hamas and regional mediators.
The vaccination campaign comes after a case was discovered earlier this month for the first time in 25 years, after doctors concluded a 10-month-old had been partially paralysed by a mutated strain of the polio virus after not being vaccinated because of the fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Healthcare workers in Gaza have been warning of the potential for a polio outbreak for months, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has deepened throughout the war, which broke out after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and abducting around 250.
Israels retaliatory offensive has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gazas health ministry, which does not say how many were militants.
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.
China and the Philippines have accused each other of causing a collision between two vessels in the latest flare-up over disputed waters and maritime features in the South China Sea.
Chinese coast guard spokesperson Liu Dejun was quoted as saying that a Philippine ship manoeuvred and deliberately collided with a Chinese coast guard ship in an unprofessional and dangerous manner.
Philippine officials in Manila said it was their coast guard ship, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, that was rammed three times by the Chinese coast guard without any provocation, causing damage to the Philippine vessel.
The incident is the second confrontation in days near Sabina Shoal, about 85 miles west of the Philippine province of Palawan, in the internationally recognised exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.
The U.S. condemns the multiple dangerous violations of international law by the PRC, including today's intentional ramming of the BRP Teresa Magbanua while it was conducting lawful operations within the EEZ. We stand with the Philippines in upholding international law. https://t.co/RRJKUdP5ge Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson (@USAmbPH) August 31, 2024
The Philippine ship, the Magbanua, has been anchored in Sabina since mid-April after Manila suspected that China may construct a structure to seize the uninhabited atoll.
China harboured the same suspicions and recently filed a diplomatic protest against the Philippines due to the ships prolonged presence at the shoal.
Beijing is rapidly expanding its military and has become increasingly assertive in pursuing its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, which is crucial to international trade.
The tensions have led to more frequent confrontations, primarily with the Philippines, and could drag in with the United States, which is bound by a treaty to defend the Philippines.
The long-time territorial disputes also involve other claimants including Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.
The US is obliged to defend the Philippines if it comes under attack (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)
China has rejected a ruling by a UN-backed arbitration panel that negated almost all of its historically based claims in the South China Sea.
Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine coast guard said in Manila that the Magbanua had dropped its anchor again and would not withdraw from Sabina Shoal despite the harassment, bullying activities and escalatory action of the Chinese coast guard.
Video released by the Philippine coast guard appeared to show the Magbanua being rammed by a Chinese coast guard ship.
The US condemned the multiple dangerous violations of international law by the PRC (Peoples Republic of China), including todays intentional ramming of the BRP Teresa Magbanua while it was conducting lawful operations within the Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone.
We stand with the Philippines in upholding international law, US ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson said on X.
The US has condemned the incident (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)
The US has repeatedly warned that it is obligated to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces come under an armed attack in the South China Sea.
On Tuesday, Adm Samuel Paparo, the head of US Indo-Pacific Command, said the US military is open to consultations about escorting Philippine ships in the disputed waters.
Chinas coast guard, navy and accompanying 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 the confrontations become increasingly hostile, resulting in injuries to Filipino sailors and damage to their ships, the Philippine government has faced questions about invoking the treaty alliance with Washington.
Sabina Shoal is near Second Thomas Shoal, another flashpoint where China has hampered the resupply of Philippine forces.
Both countries reached an agreement last month to prevent further confrontations at the shoal.
Also on Saturday, Japan lodged a formal protest via Chinas embassy against what it called an incursion by a Chinese survey ship into its territorial waters.
The latest such incident fuelled unease among Japanese defence officials, already concerned about the growing military cooperation between the Chinese and Russian air forces.
On Monday, Tokyo also protested after a Chinese military aircraft briefly entering Japans south-western airspace.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday his country had no intention to violate any countrys airspace.
Russian shelling in the town of Chasiv Yar has killed five people, as Moscows troops pushed ahead in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region.
The attack struck a high-rise building and a private home, said regional governor Vadym Filaskhin, who said the victims were men aged 24 to 38.
He urged the last remaining residents to leave the front-line town, which had a pre-war population of 12,000.
Mr Filaskhin wrote on social media: Normal life has been impossible in Chasiv Yar for more than two years. Do not become a Russian target evacuate.
An attack on the city of Belgorod (Belgorod Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkovs Telegram channel via AP)
A further two people were killed by Russian shelling in the Kharkiv region. One victim was pulled from the rubble of a house in the village of Cherkaska Lozova, said governor Oleh Syniehubov, while a second woman died of her injuries while being transported to a hospital.
Meanwhile, Russias ministry of defence said its forces had captured the town of Pivnichne, also in Ukraines Donetsk region. The Associated Press could not independently verify the claim.
Russian forces have been driving deeper into the partly occupied eastern region, the total capture of which 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.
Several more people have died in Russian raids (AP)
The move is partly an effort to force Russia to draw troops away from the Donetsk front.
Elsewhere, the number of wounded following a Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Friday continued to rise.
Six people were killed, including a 14-year-old girl, when glide bombs struck five locations across the city, said regional governor Oleh Syniehubov. Writing on social media on Saturday, he said that the number of injured had risen from 47 to 96.
Mr Syniehubov also confirmed that the 12-storey apartment block that was hit by one bomb strike, setting the building ablaze and trapping at least one person on an upper floor, would be partly demolished.
Ukrainian officials have previously pointed to the Kharkiv strikes as further evidence that Western partners should scrap restrictions on what the Ukrainian military can target with donated weapons.
In an interview with CNN on Friday, Ukrainian defence minister Rustem Umerov said that Kyiv had presented Washington with a list of potential long-range targets within Russia for its approval.
Rescue operations continue in Kharkiv at the sites struck by Russian bombs. Tragically, there are fatalities, including a childa girl named Sofia, who would have turned 15 this fall. My deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. Many others are injured. Aid is being pic.twitter.com/ZU9flEw0Pd Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) August 30, 2024
I hope we were heard, he said.
He also denied speculation that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys decision to dismiss the commander of the countrys air force on Friday was directly linked to the destruction of an F-16 warplane that Ukraine received from its Western partners four days earlier.
The order to dismiss Lt Gen Mykola Oleshchuk was published on the presidential website minutes before an address which saw Mr Zelensky stress the need to take care of all our soldiers.
This is two separate issues, said Mr Umerov. At this stage, I would not connect them.
The number of injured also continued to rise in the Russian border region of Belgorod, where five people were killed on Friday by Ukrainian shelling, said governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
He said 46 people had been injured, of whom 37 were in the hospital, including seven children. Writing on social media, Mr Gladkov also said that two others had been injured in Ukrainian shelling across the region.
COLFAX An Oregon man will be going to prison for leading Whitman County Sheriffs Office deputies on a high speed car chase in Colfax last month.
Ronald Griffin, 42, pleaded guilty to attempted eluding and two drug possession charges in Whitman County Superior Court Friday morning. Whitman County Judge Gary Libey sentenced Griffin to a year and a day in prison, along with 8 months community custody. He was also ordered to receive drug treatment while in prison.
Griffin was arrested in the early morning hours of July 19 when he failed to pull over for law enforcement on Main Street in Colfax. Court documents say deputies tried contacting him, but he drove away onto Stevens and Mill streets at speeds up to 80 mph.
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David M. Morse, of Moscow, age 44, beloved husband, dad, son, brother and friend, died Aug. 24, 2024, following a 14-month battle with brain cancer.
Growing up, Davids parents had careers with international nonprofit organizations took the family to Burkina-Faso, Chad, then Cambodia before they returned home to Moscow where David finished high school. He then attended the University of Idaho and majored in International Studies. As an undergraduate student, he met and married his first wife, Mandy Puckett, who unexpectedly passed away from a pulmonary embolism after nine months of marriage in 2002.
David then attended the University of Idaho College of Law. While he was a law student, he married Lisa Bausch and they welcomed their son Elijah before he earned his Juris Doctor degree in 2008.
After law school, David founded Idaho Rising, an organization focused on engaging young people in the democratic process. He worked closely with Bill Parks and became a specialist in corporate tax policies, particularly interested in policies that helped small businesses. He was working as Tax Policy Director for the Coalition for a Prosperous America at the time of his diagnosis.
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) Bilal Daher of the Israeli newspaper Arab 48 reports on Thursday evenings knock-down, drag-out fight between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant at the cabinet meeting, which ended in a vehement shouting match. The heated discussion was leaked to an Israeli television news channel.
Some members of the Israeli cabinet, such as Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich, have said that returning Israeli hostages from Hamas control is not a high priority for them, and it seems that PM Benjamin Netanyahu has joined their number.
The dispute centered on the negotiations led by the Biden administration on the release of Israeli hostages by Hamas in return for a ceasefire (which Netanyahu insists will be only temporary). Israel believes that some 104 hostages who were taken by Hamas on October 7, 2023 remain in the Strip, though not all may still be alive. There are an additional 4 Israeli soldiers who had been captured before last year, though two of those are thought to be dead.
Gallant gave a long report at the beginning of the cabinet meeting, in which he said that the talks on the release of hostages had reached a strategic crossroads for Israel. He warned that failure to reach an agreement at this juncture would incur risks beyond the loss of the hostages but could, in fact, lead to a regional war.
After midnight, Netanyahu sprang on his cabinet members his insistence that Israeli troops would remain in the Philadelphi Corridor just south of the southern border of Gaza at Rafah with Egypt, pounding the conference table and demanding an up-and-down vote by each cabinet member on the issue. The demand provoked an uproar, since the members had not been informed that there would be such a vote beforehand.
Pounding the Table, Digital, Dream / Dreamworld v3, PS Express, Clip2Comic, 2024.
Egypts position in the Philadelphi Corridor is authorized by the 1978 Camp David Peace Accords. Israel has nevertheless expelled Egyptian troops from the area and its troops are patrolling it themselves. Netanyahu has justified this move by announcing that the Israelis have found smuggling tunnels into Gaza from Egypt beneath the corridor. Egypt, however, said that it had long since collapsed those tunnels and that they are defunct.
Gallant is said to have objected to such a cabinet vote because it would tie the hands of the Israeli negotiators trying to achieve a hostage release.
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar insists that the Israelis must withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor before he will consider releasing the remaining Israeli hostages.Gallant pointed out that a cabinet decision to keep Israeli troops in the Philadelphi Corridor would essentially make Sinwar the decision-maker. If he refused to give in on this issue, and therefore kept the hostages, the Israeli government would have practically speaking foregone a key aim of the war effort, of returning the hostages.
Gallant allegedly said, The choice is between staying in the Philadelphi Corridor and recovering the hostages, since it is not possible to have both. We will discover in the end that either the hostages will die or we will be constrained to reverse this decision.
The Times of Israel quoted him from a leaked transcript as saying, The significance of this is that Hamas wont agree to it, so there wont be an agreement and there wont be any hostages released,
TOI also quoted Gallant as accusing Netanyahu of having imposed his own strategic map of the corridor on the Israeli military.
Netanyahu objected, I imposed? I imposed?
Gallant retorted, They had their own plan. You are running the negotiations by yourself ever since the war cabinet disbanded (in June). We learn of decisions only after the fact. The negotiators sketched the maps as you wanted, but they had a different position,
The Israeli press is reporting that Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy and head of Israeli intelligence (Mossad), David Barnea expressed reservations about a formal cabinet decision on the issue, with Halevy warning that it was unnecessary and would pile up difficulties in an already complicated hostage situation: The IDF will know how to enter and return to the Philadelphi Corridor at the end of the first six weeks of the ceasefire. There are enough constraints in the talks, you dont need to add another.
Barnea is said to have pointed out that the current negotiations were over establishing a firm list of remaining Israeli hostages and of those Palestinian prisoners that might be released as part of any deal, and that the Philadelphi Corridor was not even being negotiated about.
Netanyahus office denied that the two had reservations.
As Gallant and Netanyahu traded barbs, The Times of Israel reports, at one point Netanyahu openly said that he prioritizes staying in the Philadelphi Corridor over the release of the hostages. Gallant was allegedly shocked.
When Netanyahus friend Ron Dermer, the minister of stragegic affairs (propaganda), defended him, saying that the prime minister can do as he pleases, Gallant replied sarcastically that the prime minister can indeed make all the decisions, and he can also decide to kill all the hostages.
The other cabinet members allegedly rebuked the minister of defense for speaking this way to the PM.
Netanyahu pounded the table angrily and called the vote, and Gallant was the only one who voted no.
The only conclusion we can draw from all this is that Netanyahus participation in the hostage release negotiations has been a sham, that he isnt interested in the fate of the hostages, and that he prioritizes further illegal occupation of land that does not belong to Israel over even a temporary peace. That President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have put so much effort into these sham negotiations demonstrates that neither understands Netanyahus actual aims, or that they are being strung along.
Committee on Academic Freedom | Middle East Studies Association |
Linda G. Mills
President, New York University
linda.mills@nyu.edu
Georgina Dopico
Provost, New York University
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 updated Guidance and Expectations for Student Conduct which the administration of New York University (NYU) circulated to the university community on 22 August 2024. Some of the provisions of this new policy statement impose unacceptable limits on the right of students and faculty to freedom of speech and assembly, and the guidelines also threaten academic freedom. They thereby infringe on the values of open inquiry and freedom of expression that are foundational to higher education and to citizenship in a democracy.
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.
The new policy purports to clarify the meanings of discrimination and harassment as stipulated in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which defines discrimination as adverse treatment based on protected characteristics such as race, color or national origin. We find it disturbing that the policys explanation of what constitutes discriminatory or harassing behavior asserts, among other things, that Using code words, like Zionist, does not eliminate the possibility that your speech violates the NDAH [Non-discrimination and anti-harassment] Policy because For many Jewish people, Zionism is a part of their Jewish identity. The implication that the term Zionist is self-evidently or always a code word whose use and interpretation can and should be policed by university administrators is dangerous. It is rooted in the improper conflation of criticism of Israel and of Zionism a political ideology with antisemitism, which we have criticized on many occasions.
We call your attention to alternative perspectives on the relationship of Judaism and Zionism, for example, the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism , which has been endorsed by hundreds of eminent scholars of Jewish studies and Holocaust history. This statement rejects the conflation of Zionism with Judaism, clearly distinguishes between the two and establishes that criticism of the former (and of the actions and policies of the State of Israel) must be regarded as legitimate. We also note that equating Zionism with Judaism, as the NYU policy statement does, effaces the many Jewish students for whom Zionism is not part of their religious nor ethnic identity.
We are further concerned that the new policy gives administrators power over what goes on in NYUs classrooms. Offering the hypothetical example of a professor teaching a class on international politics, it states that while discussing a particular countrys policies does not violate university rules, if conduct that otherwise appears to be based on views about a countrys policies or practices is targeted at or infused with discriminatory commentsthen it would implicate the NDAH. We find this language vague and obfuscatory, and we are concerned that its intention or effect may be to shield Israeli government policies from open discussion in the classroom. The policy also undermines a bedrock principle of academic freedom: the right of faculty to determine what and how to teach their students, without interference from university administrators or external pressure groups.
We note as well that the new policy severely restricts how students may engage in protest activity on campus, but it also seems intended to apply well beyond the university campus. It asserts that student protestors have latitude to express themselves in public spaces, only to turn around and warn them that protesting at an off-campus location does not immunize your conduct from University policies. The new policy threatens consequences if protests have continuing adverse effects on campus or in any NYU activity, a dangerously vague formulation.
In short, in its explicit provisions but also in its elisions, contradictions and ambiguities, the new policy is likely to undermine the ability of students to exercise their First Amendment right to freedom of speech and assembly, while also threatening the academic freedom of NYU faculty by subjecting them to monitoring and sanctions by administrators. Regrettably, this is exactly the kind of revised policy designed to suppress student and faculty activism against which the American Association of University Professors warned in its 14 August 2024 statement
In an earlier version of its NDAH policy, issued in 2021, NYU declared that The University also recognizes that a critically engaged, activist student body contributes to NYUs academic mission. Free inquiry, expression, and free association enhances academic freedom and intellectual engagement. We find it distressing that NYU seems to have forgotten the principles to which it once claimed to adhere. We therefore call on NYU to rescind the new NDAH policy guidelines and to invite all members of the university community to engage in a transparent, collective and democratic process to develop a policy that will truly foster non-discrimination and combat all forms of racism, including antisemitism, while safeguarding academic freedom, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly on campus.
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
georgina.dopico@nyu.edu . . .
Korean actor Nam Yoon Su has been receiving criticism online for his role as a gay character in the upcoming K-drama 'Love in the Big City' despite being well known for his performances in 'Extracurricular' and 'The King's Affection.'
The drama is based on Park Sang-Young's novel and will debut on October 21st, with Nam Yoon Su playing Gyu Ho in the captivating narrative.
Following the release of the trailer for 'Love in the Big City,' it caught the eye of BL (Boy Love ) enthusiasts, who commended Nam Yoon Su for embracing a demanding role.
Nevertheless, the actor faces backlash for his choice to depict a character.
His Instagram profile has been flooded with remarks, including several that are homophobic.
SEE: 'The King's Affection' Star Nam Yoon Su Reportedly to Join Kim Sejeong in 'Today's Webtoon'
Critics who say they used to be fans have shared their dissatisfaction and disapproval by using comments and emojis like vomiting and the middle finger sign on social media platforms.
Some individuals have taken it further by posting angry messages criticizing Nam Yoon Su's involvement in the show.
Despite facing criticism from some quarters, Nam Yoon Su's devoted supporters have banded together to support him.
They have praised his dedication and bravery in taking the role, highlighting his performance and showcasing his range as an actor.
Numerous fans eagerly anticipate the drama premiere and have advised Nam Yoon Su not to let negative comments affect him.
Excitement surrounds the release of 'Love in the Big City' as it promises to explore profound themes like Love and societal expectations with a fresh perspective on relationships and individuality in urban settings.
The upcoming drama is likely to ignite conversations on how LGBTQ concerns are portrayed and perceived in South Korean society, attracting attention from both supporters and skeptics as 'Love in the Big City' premiere.
SEE: Nam Yoon Su Update 2023: Hallyu Star To Return With New Exhilarating Projects
What can you say about the story? Share your comments below
Kdramastars own this.
This article was written by:
Rovelyn Barba
Saturday, August 31, 2024 - Josephine Akiri, a lady presumably in her early 20s, has been found dead inside her rented apartment in Kisumu's Nyamasaria estate.
According to reports, Akiri took her own life inside her house using a rope.
Excerpts of online chats with her friends showed her lamenting about her supposed partner, who allegedly neglected her after she fell pregnant.
Josephine also complained of a lack of basics, including food, given that she could not fend for herself owing to the heavy pregnancy.
She accused her partner of spoiling ladies with expensive liquor in clubs after neglecting her.
He is seen in clubs with different ladies and buying expensive alcohol every weekend.
"He doesn't care anymore about me, given that I am carrying his child.
"He doesn't bother to make a call or text to check on how I am doing.
"When I tell him I am sick, he acts helpless. I can't go to work because I have become lazy due to pregnancy.
"I asked him to help pay rent Josephine lamented to a friend in one of the chats.
Her body has been moved to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching & Referral Hospital mortuary for an autopsy.
The Kenyan DAILY POST.
Saturday, August 31, 2024 - A young lady has gone viral after she was captured on camera forcefully ejecting police officers in civilian clothes from her home.
The officers, who reportedly entered her house uninvited, were confronted by the woman and a man believed to be her husband, both demanding that they leave immediately.
In the video, the infuriated lady is seen accusing the rogue police officers of lacking manners and invading their privacy.
Her frustration was evident as she referred to a growing concern about police officers arresting citizens without following the law.
Youve made it a habit of just showing up in our homes to arrest us, she lamented, prompting the police officers to leave.
The video, which has been shared widely on social media, has sparked debate on social media, with most people supporting the brave lady for confronting the police officers.
The video comes at a time when cases of police abductions are on the rise in the country.
Watch the video of the dramatic incident that occurred in a residential apartment.
The Kenyan DAILY POST.
Saturday, August 31, 2024 - President William Ruto has firmly denied allegations that police were involved in the killing or abduction of young Kenyans during the anti-government protests that occurred in June and July.
Speaking during a Town Hall meeting in Kisumu on Thursday, Ruto said his government is not aware of any Kenyan who lost his life during the eight-week protests.
Under my administration, I do not want a situation where a Kenyan disappears. There were days when people were found 20, 30 in River Yala, executed.
"I want to promise the people of Kenya that under my administration there will be no Kenyans in River Yala or any other river or place, Ruto said.
A resident had claimed that some demonstrators went to the streets during the Gen Z-led anti-tax protests never to return home because they were abducted by people believed to be police or state agents.
The President challenged anyone with a missing loved one whose whereabouts remain unknown to date after they participated in the protests to forward the name to the Interior Ministry for further action.
If theres any family that their child or their friend or relative went to a demonstration, whether last year or this year, and never came back, I want to know the names because I will take firm and decisive action, Ruto said.
As I talk to you today, I dont have a name of somebody who has been abducted or disappeared, he added, saying no Kenyan should be subjected to inhumane treatment because of their political stand.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
Saturday, August 31, 2024 - Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary, Hassan Joho, has pledged his support for President William Ruto's re-election in 2027 to ensure he completes his 10-year term.
Joho, who joined Ruto's cabinet last month, was one of the five Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leaders "donated" to Ruto by opposition leader Raila Odinga.
The other ODM leaders who were "donated" to Ruto's administration are Treasury and National Planning Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, Cooperatives and MSMEs Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya, and East Africa Affairs Cabinet Secretary Beatrice Moe.
Speaking on Friday, Joho affirmed his commitment to President William Ruto's administration, stating that he will remain supportive of Ruto throughout his tenure.
He also urged the Coast people to back the government until Ruto completes his two terms in 2032.
We are now in government. I have no desire to leave not today, not tomorrow, not the day after tomorrow, not next month, not next year, or even in the next term.
"I will not leave the government with my people, Joho said.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
Saturday, August 31, 2024 - Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka has fired back at Minority Leader Junet Mohamed for "stealing his job" as the new Opposition leader following former Prime Minister Raila Odingas exit from active politics.
This is after Junet declared himself as the countrys new Opposition leader following Railas exit, by virtue of his position as the Minority Leader in Parliament, and told Kalonzo to find something else to do.
Addressing members of the press in Mombasa, Kalonzo accused Junet of taking it upon himself to police public opinion and unilaterally imposing his authority on the Kenyan people despite holding other senior positions in government.
The former Vice President further dismissed Junet's claims as a joke, urging Kenyans not to take his sentiments seriously.
Kalonzo clarified that despite the altercation over who would take up the role of the Opposition leader, he was still on good terms with the Suna East MP.
What our friends are talking about here, as we await the discussions about the NADCO report, I was the co-chair who brought the report to parliament, the Wiper party leader stated.
Of course, he is the leader in Parliament, we don't have a problem with that. I often speak with Junet and advise him, so don't take him seriously, Kalonzo added.
Kalonzo also expressed intentions to continue working with Railas ODM despite some of its members joining President William Ruto's administration.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
Saturday, August 31, 2024 - National Assembly Majority Leader, Kimani Ichungwah has renewed his attacks on Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who has declared himself the political kingpin of the Mt. Kenya region.
Ichungwah attacked Gachagua during the thanksgiving ceremony of Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi in Siaya County.
The Kikuyu constituency lawmaker stoked the fire after making remarks that anyone who attempts to trap Raila Odinga would eventually trap themselves.
"Mtu akifikiria atawekea baba mitego atajitega mwenyewe (Anyone who thinks they can lay traps for Raila Odinga will only trap himself)," Ichungwah said.
Ichungwah went ahead to note that the Mt Kenya region should be grateful for the more than 7 cabinet secretaries and the deputy president.
One thing Ive learnt from this region; is they have been given only two CSs but they are very grateful.
"We have more than seven CSs and the deputy president; we should appreciate this and not sabotage and blackmail the president, Ichungwah remarked.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
Saturday, August 31, 2024 - President William Ruto has hinted at forming a new alliance with former Prime Minister Raila Odingas ODM ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Speaking during the thanksgiving ceremony of Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi in Siaya County, Ruto revealed that he agreed with the leader of the Minority in the National Assembly Junet Mohammed that the Opposition role should be handed to other people in three years.
Yesterday we agreed with the leader of the minority Junet Mohamed that after three years we will find new people to take over the Opposition leadership because we will all be on the government side, said Ruto.
This comes even as Raila and his allies have dismissed claims of agreeing to support Ruto in 2027.
At the same time, the Head of State commended Raila, saying his move to work with him was the right decision.
Raila Odinga knows what is good for Kenya. I am sure that his stand to work with me for the stability, progress, and unity of our people is the right decision at this point in time, Ruto added.
Rutos remarks come after he appointed five key members of the ODM party to join the cabinet.
The five include; Hassan Joho (Mining, Blue Economy), Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives and MSME Development), John Mbadi (National Treasury) Opiyo Wandayi (Energy and Petroleum), and Beatrice Askul (EAC).
The Kenyan DAILY POST
Saturday, August 31, 2024 - Pressure is mounting on President William Ruto as civil rights groups vow to hold him accountable for a spate of abductions and killings linked to the anti-government protests that erupted in mid-June.
The protests, driven largely by young people dissatisfied with the state of governance, have seen the government accused of resorting to heavy-handed tactics, including enforced disappearances.
Civil rights groups have stated that at least 34 people were abducted and at least 61 others killed.
In a press briefing yesterday, several civil rights organizations declared their intent to present President Ruto with a comprehensive list of individuals who have disappeared or been killed during the protests.
This move, spearheaded by activist Hussein Khalid of Voice Africa and Anami Toure, Co-chair of the Mukuru Community Justice Center, reflects growing frustration with the government's perceived inaction on human rights abuses.
These organizations plan to deliver the list to the Office of the President on Tuesday, pressing Ruto to investigate and address the reported violations.
We will take the President at his word and present this list, demanding that the government takes immediate and concrete actions to address the reported violations and arrest the killer cops, the civil groups stated.
The civil rights groups' demand comes as U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken urged governments to end the practice of enforced disappearances on International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
Blinkens statement, issued on X, underscored the growing international concern over these human rights violations.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
Saturday, August 31, 2024 President William Ruto was yesterday caught by surprise after a body was retrieved from River Yala barely hours after swearing that he would not let people be abducted and their bodies dumped in the said river under his watch.
This is after a family from Nakuru identified the body of their kin who had gone missing for a week.
The family of the man, a teacher by profession, was able to identify him after his body retrieval went viral on social media.
Joshua Oduor Otieno a human activist from Haki Kwetu has since called for investigations over the increased number of bodies dumped in River Yala.
The activist revealed that they got intelligence from a fellow activist who noticed a body floating in the river while he was going about his activities.
Immediately he saw the body, he informed his colleagues who subsequently facilitated the body's removal.
With the assistance of a local diver, the body was recovered and taken to the Siaya County Referral Hospital Mortuary where the family traveled from Nakuru and positively identified it.
Joshua has called upon human rights activists to investigate these occurrences that have become increasingly rampant.
The activist expressed concern over the recurring cases of bodies dumped in the river without detection by security personnel.
Oduor reckons that there could be more bodies in the river especially after another was spotted while they were removing that of the teacher.
A report by Missing Voices revealed that 40 bodies were retrieved from River Yala between 2022-2023.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
Saturday, August 31, 2024 - President William Ruto must be quite impressed by the ODM experts that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has donated to his administration.
This is after he hinted at a plan to hire more ODM leaders into his government.
While addressing the residents of Ugunja in Siaya during Cabinet Secretary James Wandayi's homecoming ceremony, Ruto vowed to end Railas ODMs dominance by poaching its members ahead of the 2027 General Election.
He revealed that he held a meeting with a section of the party leaders including Minority leader Junet Mohamed during which they deliberated on the way forward.
According to the Head of State, he reached an agreement with the party leaders to join him in 2027 when he will be seeking a second term in office.
I want to say that now we have the new Leader of the Minority Junet Mohamed, and yesterday we agreed that after three years they will quit the role of the opposition and leave it for others, Ruto revealed.
"Because all of us will be in government. After three years those looking for an opposition role can take it.
Ruto also dismissed allegations of duping Kenyans by including a section of ODM party leaders in his new-look administration.
The Head of State underscored the need for leaders to work together regardless of their political affiliations and commended the former Prime Minister for accepting his request to work together.
"I have heard one of the leaders claiming that our pact with Raila Odinga was a big joke to the people of Kenya. I want to tell them that Raila Odinga knows what is good for Kenya," Ruto clarified.
"I am sure that Raila's stand to work with me for the progress and stability of our nation is the right decision at this point," he added.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
Ms Geraldine Ssali, the former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade, was granted bail on Friday by Justice Jane Kajuga. She was released on a cash bail of Shs35 million.
Her sureties were required to provide a bond of Shs50 million each, not in cash, to ensure her attendance in court. Ssali was barred from traveling outside Uganda without court permission, and her passport and land title were retained by the court until the conclusion of the case. However, she can apply to the court for her passport if she needs to travel.
Justice Kajuga ruled that Ssali presented substantial sureties who could influence her return for trial. She also noted that if Ssali absconds, the court will pursue her sureties to pay the Shs50 million bond each.
The judge observed that the prosecution had not provided evidence to support the polices claim that Ssali would interfere with witnesses. She also considered that Ssali has a fixed place of residence, has no previous charges against her, and has spent over 60 days in remand.
Record homeless figures, the threat of opioids, and Budget 2025 are among the topics that feature on Saturday's front pages.
The Irish Times leads with the homelessness figures.
Ireland is not immune from the threat of opioids, the Irish Examiner reports.
Sports clubs could be in line for tax breaks in Budget 2025, the Irish Independent reports.
The Echo leads with a story on the sudden closure of a creche in Cork city.
The Sun leads with a story about the potential for two extra Oasis Croke Park gig, as thousands of Irish fans missed out on tickets on Saturday morning.
Today's front page of The Irish Sun pic.twitter.com/R3l83T3FTm The Irish Sun (@IrishSunOnline) August 31, 2024
The Irish Daily Mail leads with a story on concerns over growing driving test waiting lists.
Saturday's front page pic.twitter.com/7lJpX8YCZG The Irish Daily Mail (@irishdailymail) August 30, 2024
Criminals are using Google Maps to target cars to steal, The Herald reports.
In the North, the Belfast Telegraph leads with a story on a sexual assault case.
A winter fuel payment cut could lead to 'excess deaths,' The Irish News reports.
Today's #frontpage: Hanna poised to take over as leader of SDLP pic.twitter.com/OG2fVjV6Id The Irish News (@irish_news) August 31, 2024
A weight loss drug which could slow down signs of biological ageing features heavily amid Saturdays headlines with doctors revealing the injections may revolutionise heart care.
The Times and The Daily Telegraph both focus on studies reporting experts believe semaglutide injections could treat a range of diseases linked with inflammation including cancer, arthritis and Alzheimers.
The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph:
'Ozempic hailed as 'fountain of youth''#TomorrowsPapersToday
Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4OoUh6 pic.twitter.com/gNaHyABCVB The Telegraph (@Telegraph) August 30, 2024
TIMES: Weight loss drugs curb the effects of getting old #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/Y6q9ECI2kh Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) August 30, 2024
Meanwhile, the Daily Express asks if the wonder drug could unlock the fountain of youth, reporting it could reverse the progression of kidney disease, treat high blood pressure and reduce Covid deaths.
EXPRESS: Is weight loss drug the secret to fountain of youth? #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/Zsj4pbbd0s Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) August 30, 2024
In political news, new polling suggests Labour is not doing enough to tackle rising energy costs, the i reports.
Saturday's front page: Labour is not doing enough to help with energy bills, poll reveals #TomorrowsPapersToday
Exclusive from @singharj: https://t.co/QmNwPal8LL pic.twitter.com/Vu2vJF6vlS The i paper (@theipaper) August 30, 2024
The Guardian says Thames Water lobbied the UK government so it could increase charges beyond what had been allowed by regulators.
GUARDIAN: Thames Water lobbied officials for higher bills #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/fM280kNofX Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) August 30, 2024
The Independent front page says regulators are failing to properly investigate NHS cases involving sexual misconduct.
The FT Weekend says auctioneer Sothebys is facing an 88 per cent plunge in core earnings amid claims the fine art market has cooled.
Just published: front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, Saturday 31 August https://t.co/6N9H5ubhsR pic.twitter.com/XpDEuNXMiw Financial Times (@FT) August 30, 2024
The Daily Mirror splashes on reports the family of sacked BBC presenter Jermaine Jenas has been hit hard by the public scandal amid claims he inappropriately texted female coworkers.
The Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex allegedly didnt share a word as they attended a memorial service for their uncle, the Daily Mail says.
MAIL: William and Harry didnt share a word at memorial #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/MWSuUYjqfc Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) August 30, 2024
Lastly, the Daily Star claims Oasis can save the world, telling readers the band could bring peace to Ukraine by playing a gig on the Russian border.
Major donors are pressuring US vice president, and presidential candidate, Kamala Harris to scrap plans for additional taxes on the wealthiest Americans, The New York Times reports.
In the presence of current and former members of Newbridge Kildare Lions, Dr Adrian McGolderick, Club President presented Mrs Rose OLoughlin with a Melvin Jones Fellowship Award, in recognition of her dedicated humanitarian service.
Lions clubs International founded by Melvin Jones in 1917, was first introduced into Ireland almost 70 years ago with the founding of Dublin Lions Club in 1955, and reached Newbridge Kildare 21 years later in 1976.
Newbridge Kildare Lions Club was founded in the Keadeen Hotel and was Chartered on 1 November that year under the presidency of the late Joe OLoughlin.
Ever since that first meeting the OLoughlin family have supported Lions through membership, sponsorship and with the very generous provision of facilities for the Club monthly meetings.
When we think of humanitarian service, we tend to think of front-line workers helping feed, educate and provide health services to those less fortunate in far away, said Dr McGolderick.
But humanitarian service is also required much nearer home, and is not confined to front line efforts.
In order for the front line to succeed there has to be enablers the quiet providers, the people who facilitate and raise the funds necessary for the front line to function, he said.
Over the years Newbridge Kildare Lions Club has aided local individual and families, provided long term benefits to the local community is the form of the Lions Counselling Room and contributions to the Family Resource Centres.
It has contributed to international efforts organised by the Lions Club International Fund such as Sight First, measles and polio eradication, and assistance to those effected by natural disasters.
The Club has also undertaken major multinational projects on its own like the assistance to Fr Dan Noud and the building of a girls second level school in Tanzania.
None of this would have been achievable without the generous backing of the OLoughlin family, and the highest award that may be conferred by Lions is the Melvin Jones Fellowship named after our founder, said Dr McGolderick.
It is very appropriate that the first Melvin Jones awarded by this Club was to our first President Joe OLoughlin and that this evening we are here to honour Rose OLoughlin, our benefactor and club member".
St. Canice's Cathedral has been humming with excitement, welcoming a wave of new visitors since unveiling its year-long exhibition, The Red Book of Ossory.
The much-anticipated 14th-century manuscript was recently returned to the Cathedral, where it was written 700 years ago. Last night, Thursday, August 29th, the Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, T.D., was guest of honour at the official launch event.
Minister Noonan said The Red Book was "a massive addition to an already remarkable array of culture and heritage on offer here in Kilkenny" and spoke about its potential to boost cultural tourism in the city and draw visitors from across the world before he declared the exhibition officially open.
The exhibition is now open for all to step back through page and time to discover the lives of ordinary citizens in Medieval Kilkenny and learn about an 'extraordinary' bishop and his manuscript, The Red Book of Ossory.
The Dean and Chapter welcomed over 100 guests, representing commerce, tourism, heritage, the church and the wider local community, to mark the occasion.
Other special guests at the packed event included Cllr Andrew McGuinness, Mayor of Kilkenny, Cllr David Fitzgerald, Most Reverend John Mc Dowell, Archbishop of Armagh, Right Reverend Adrian Wilkinson, Bishop of Ossory, Bishop Niall Coll and Most Reverend John Mc Dowell, Archbishop of Armagh.
Speaking at the event, the very Rev. Stephen Farrell, Dean of Ossory, expressed gratitude to the Minister and welcomed esteemed guests. He said,
"Having the Red Book of Ossory back in Kilkenny is a huge boost for our city and for our collective tourism offering. It is wonderful to be able to show such a book in its proper context in the contemporaneous Chapter House in which some of it may have been written, only a few metres from Ledredes final resting place in the Chancel. I trust that the Book will enrich the experience of many visitors to Kilkenny and offer an insight into one of the better-known figures in our medieval past."
Guests were entertained with a reflective monologue written by Kilkenny filmmaker John Morton and performed by well-known local actor Brendan Corcoran appeared, "not merely as a figure of authority, or as a representative of the See of Ossory, or even, as a ghostly spirit."
The piece highlighted that Ledredes record was crafted to preserve the essence of Kilkenny in the 1300s for future generations. It reflects on Kilkenny's resilience during challenging times, such as the famine, the Bruce invasion, and the Black Death and its enduring spirit that continues today.
The figure of Ledrede spoke of the importance of music, like The Red Book itself, a tradition that has endured the centuries, while the St Canice's Cathedral choir sang a piece composed by the good Bishop led by Dr Harry Meehan!
Dean Farrell concluded,
"It is a proud moment for us in the cathedral to see the Red Book of Ossory return to this ancient place, and a great many people have been involved in the journey.
This exhibition would not have been possible without the support of a great many partners the Heritage Council, Kilkenny County Council, Kilkenny Tourism, The Kilkenny Whiskey Guild, The Representative Body of the Church of Ireland, The Church of Ireland Priorities Fund, and Ecclesiastical Insurance. I wish to thank each for their support and for their vision in realising what the Red Book could mean for Kilkenny."
St Canices Cathedral noted its gratitude to receive the Community Monuments Fund for St. Canices Cathedral Close & Tower project, kindly funded by CMF for 30,000 and thanked the Minister. The project is due to be completed in October 2024.
The Red Book of Ossory exhibition runs until August next year, 2025 accompanied by a series of talks, lectures, concerts, and educational programmes, available via Eventbrite.
For more information and updates on The Red Book of Ossory, visit www.stcanicescathedral.ie
The Post reports:
Posties have refused to deliver a circular claiming the Wellington City Council wants the capitals six mosques to broadcast the Islamic Call to Prayer across the city. The Postal Workers Union said its Wellington-based posties did not deliver the circular from lobby group Better Wellington on Monday because of its misleading and inflammatory statement, but NZ Post reaffirmed intentions to begin deliveries on Tuesday. A NZ Post spokesperson said it was not appropriate for them to act as a censor in determining what it would and wont deliver.
Any postie who refuses to deliver legal mail because they disagree with it, should lose their jobs.
If the circular breaches the law, you can complain to the Human Rights Commission or Police.
If the circular is a breach of advertising standards, you can complain to the ASA.
But you dont get to unilaterally decide what information households are allowed to receive.
It is disturbing that a union is claiming it has the right to decide what mail does and does not get delivered.
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Core Laboratories Inc. (NYSE:CLB Get Free Report)s stock price crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $18.21 and traded as high as $19.91. Core Laboratories shares last traded at $19.67, with a volume of 358,105 shares changing hands.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
CLB has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Piper Sandler decreased their price target on Core Laboratories from $18.00 to $17.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Monday, July 15th. StockNews.com upgraded Core Laboratories from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on Core Laboratories from $18.00 to $22.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Finally, Bank of America cut their price objective on Core Laboratories from $16.00 to $15.00 and set an underperform rating for the company in a research report on Monday, July 15th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and three have issued a hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $18.50.
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Core Laboratories Trading Down 0.4 %
The company has a market cap of $917.36 million, a PE ratio of 22.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.47 and a beta of 2.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 2.39 and a quick ratio of 1.68. The company has a 50-day moving average of $20.87 and a 200 day moving average of $18.25.
Core Laboratories (NYSE:CLB Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The oil and gas company reported $0.22 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.21 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $130.58 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $132.85 million. Core Laboratories had a return on equity of 15.20% and a net margin of 5.44%. The firms revenue was up 2.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.23 earnings per share. Analysts predict that Core Laboratories Inc. will post 0.71 earnings per share for the current year.
Core Laboratories Announces Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, August 26th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 5th were paid a dividend of $0.01 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 5th. This represents a $0.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.20%. Core Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio is 4.55%.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of CLB. Disciplined Growth Investors Inc. MN grew its stake in shares of Core Laboratories by 446.8% during the second quarter. Disciplined Growth Investors Inc. MN now owns 4,460,720 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $90,508,000 after buying an additional 3,644,963 shares during the last quarter. Ariel Investments LLC grew its stake in shares of Core Laboratories by 20.4% during the first quarter. Ariel Investments LLC now owns 10,825,657 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $184,902,000 after buying an additional 1,837,258 shares during the last quarter. Congress Asset Management Co. MA boosted its holdings in shares of Core Laboratories by 17.6% in the first quarter. Congress Asset Management Co. MA now owns 1,606,745 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $27,443,000 after purchasing an additional 240,989 shares during the period. Earnest Partners LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Core Laboratories by 6.3% in the second quarter. Earnest Partners LLC now owns 3,286,438 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $66,682,000 after purchasing an additional 195,756 shares during the period. Finally, Gendell Jeffrey L boosted its holdings in shares of Core Laboratories by 101.7% in the first quarter. Gendell Jeffrey L now owns 326,890 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $5,583,000 after purchasing an additional 164,797 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 97.81% of the companys stock.
Core Laboratories Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
Core Laboratories Inc provides reservoir description and production enhancement services and products to the oil and gas industry in the United States, and internationally. It operates through Reservoir Description and Production Enhancement segments. The Reservoir Description segment includes the characterization of petroleum reservoir rock and reservoir fluid samples to enhance production and improve recovery of crude oil and gas from its clients' reservoirs.
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Judges Scientific (LON:JDG Get Free Report)s stock had its house stock rating restated by analysts at Shore Capital in a note issued to investors on Thursday, Marketbeat Ratings reports.
Separately, Berenberg Bank increased their price objective on Judges Scientific from 120 ($158.25) to 124 ($163.52) and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, August 19th.
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Judges Scientific Stock Up 2.0 %
Insider Buying and Selling at Judges Scientific
LON:JDG opened at 104.50 ($137.81) on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 79.06, a quick ratio of 0.65 and a current ratio of 1.87. The company has a market cap of 693.88 million, a PE ratio of 7,307.69, a PEG ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 0.84. Judges Scientific has a 52-week low of GBX 7,300 ($96.27) and a 52-week high of 122.50 ($161.55). The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of 104.06 and a 200 day simple moving average of 107.04.
In other Judges Scientific news, insider Alexander Hambro sold 1,100 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of 106.11 ($139.93), for a total value of 116,721 ($153,924.57). Corporate insiders own 21.16% of the companys stock.
Judges Scientific Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
Judges Scientific plc designs, manufactures, and sells scientific instruments. The company offers engineering teaching and research equipment for universities, colleges, schools, and research centres; and research and development systems for food, beverage, dairy, edible oil, and pharmaceutical industries.
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Singapore Airlines Limited (OTCMKTS:SINGF Get Free Report) was the target of a large growth in short interest in the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 16,395,800 shares, a growth of 19.9% from the July 31st total of 13,676,300 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 13,500 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1,214.5 days.
Singapore Airlines Price Performance
Shares of OTCMKTS SINGF traded up $0.01 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $4.80. 2,200 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,220. Singapore Airlines has a twelve month low of $4.01 and a twelve month high of $5.40. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $4.92 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $4.88.
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Singapore Airlines Announces Dividend
The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, August 21st. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 2nd were paid a dividend of $0.38 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, August 1st. This represents a dividend yield of 5.23%. Singapore Airliness payout ratio is 122.81%.
Singapore Airlines Company Profile
Singapore Airlines Limited, together with subsidiaries, provides passenger and cargo air transportation services under the Singapore Airlines and Scoot brands in East Asia, the Americas, Europe, Southwest Pacific, West Asia, and Africa. It operates through The Full-Service Carrier, The Low-Cost Carrier, and Engineering Services segments.
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Drama centers on 'how to divorce successfully'
By KTimes
The popularity of the TV series "Good Partner" is surging. The show premiered with a 7.8 percent viewership rating on July 12, and it has since more than doubled, reaching 17.2 percent as of the latest episode that aired on Saturday.
There are predictions that the drama could surpass a 20 percent viewership rating before it wraps up its 16-episode run.
Initially, "Good Partner" was not anticipated to be a major hit, given that the writer was a newcomer and legal dramas focusing on divorce had not attracted much attention in the past.
Recent examples like JTBC's "Divorce Attorney Shin" and ENA's "Can I Be Someone Else?" saw single-digit ratings. However, "Good Partner" has found unexpected success by differentiating itself from past divorce dramas in two ways.
Fresh take
Unlike earlier dramas like "Marriage Clinic: Love and War" (1999-2014), which focused on extreme situations leading to the breakdown of marriages, "Good Partner" centers on the theme of "how to divorce well."
For example, it features a storyline where a wife gives up custody of her two children in exchange for alimony after her husband's infidelity, saying, "The kids had a luxurious upbringing, attending English kindergartens and wearing designer clothes. They won't have the same lifestyle if they stay with me."
Instead of condemning the mother as heartless, "Good Partner" presents a different perspective, showing the complex realities through the character of Cha Eun-kyung (played by Jang Na-ra), a seasoned divorce lawyer with 17 years of experience.
The show portrays custody loss as a temporary arrangement rather than a permanent separation.
Nam Ji-hyun, who plays junior lawyer Han Yoo-ri, said, "I felt like I was hit in the back of the head while reading the script. It's a story that only a writer with a background in divorce law could create."
Workplace dynamics
The drama also delves into workplace conflicts and growth, reminiscent of the popular drama "Misaeng" (2014). It showcases the clash between senior lawyer Cha Eun-kyung, who prioritizes results, and junior lawyer Han Yoo-ri, who values the process, highlighting generational conflicts within the workplace.
According to Nielsen Korea, "Good Partner" has a higher viewership among 20-somethings compared to 30-somethings, unlike dramas like tvN's "Love Next Door" or JTBC's "Romance in the House," which have more 30-something viewers.
This suggests that young professionals in their 20s, who relate to the generational conflicts depicted in the drama, are drawn to "Good Partner."
Jung Duk-hyun, a pop culture critic, said, "The clash of values between the characters played by Jang Na-ra and Nam Ji-hyun naturally reflects today's workplace generational conflicts."
How was a divorce courtroom drama written by a divorce lawyer conceived? The idea dates back to 2019 when lawyer Choi Yu-na began serializing a webtoon on Instagram titled "Marriage Red."
The title implied a "red light" in a married couple's life, featuring stories of couples contemplating divorce. Impressed by the webtoon, a producer from Studio&NEW, a drama production company, proposed that Choi write a script for a TV series.
Choi worked as a lawyer by day and wrote the script at night after putting her two children to bed. It took her five years to complete the script. Studio&NEW, which planned "Good Partner," is known in the industry as a "training ground for legal professionals to debut as drama writers."
The company also produced "Miss Hammurabi," the 2018 debut drama of Moon Yoo-seok, who was a sitting judge at the time.
TV Prefers Divorce Dramas
Divorce-themed dramas are gaining popularity in the K-content market, particularly on TV. Recently, there have been over five such dramas released in the past year alone, including SBS's "Queen of Divorce."
These shows have primarily been aired on television, while crime thrillers like "No Way Out: The Roulette," "The Frog," and "The Tyrant" are more common on streaming platforms.
A production company executive said, "Broadcasters are more actively scheduling divorce-themed dramas to capture middle-aged TV viewers."
The trend of producing divorce-themed content is also on the rise. The production company MongJakSo is preparing to film a drama titled Divorce Insurance, which centers around a fictional story of an insurance company creating a divorce insurance product.
An industry insider said, "Divorce-themed scripts are becoming more frequent in the market these days."
According to the "2023 Marriage and Divorce Statistics" from Statistics Korea, there were approximately 190,000 marriages and 90,000 divorces, meaning one in every two married couples ends up divorced.
This social backdrop has fueled the rise of divorce-themed dramas. Kim Hun-sik, a professor at Jungwon University's College of Social Culture, said, "Divorce, once considered a distant issue, is becoming more normalized, leading to increased interest in content that deals with its crises and resolutions."
Divorce is also becoming a more explicit topic in reality shows, but this trend has its downsides. Pop culture critic Bok-gil noted, "Recent divorce-themed dramas often gain popularity by exhaustively showcasing the communication processes between divorced parties. In contrast, reality shows on divorce frequently reduce these complex issues to brief, conflict-driven clips, which makes it harder to engage in diverse and serious discussions about marriage."
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.
Min Hee-jin, former CEO of K-pop label Ador and producer of NewJeans, on Friday said she cannot accept a contract from the company requiring her to continue producing music for the popular girl group, calling the terms "unilateral" and "unreasonable."
Min was removed from her role as CEO by Ador's board of directors on Tuesday following a monthslong conflict with the label's parent company HYBE over management control of the sublabel. Despite her removal, Ador stated that Min would remain on the board and continue to produce music for NewJeans.
She has opposed the replacement for being "unilateral" and against her will.
"The contents (of the work contract sent by Ador) are unilateral and unreasonable, making it difficult to see it as a proposal for me to take on the producing duties," she said in a statement Friday. "The board required me to sign it by today, but I have decided that I cannot do so."
Min explained that she received the contract a day after the board meeting and it requires her to continue producing music for NewJeans for just over two months till Nov. 1.
She pointed to clauses in the contract that would allow the company to terminate the agreement immediately if her work performance was deemed insufficient or if the company's business circumstances changed.
Min argued that these provisions essentially give the company unrestricted power to remove her from her role as producer at any time, calling it a "trick" designed to force her to reject the contract.
In response to Min's claims, Ador refuted that the contract was meant to cover her role until Nov. 1, when her contract for internal directorship expires. "Any contract beyond that date would need to proceed alongside the renewal of the other contract," it said.
The company also described the clauses pointed out by Min as a "minimal safeguard" designed to prevent any potential failure on her part to honestly perform her duties as a producer from causing significant damage to the company's management.
Ador's CEO replacement came about four months after the conflict between Min and HYBE surfaced in April as the latter accused her of plotting to seize control of her label and take NewJeans with her. She has denied the allegations.
Following an unsuccessful attempt to remove her from the CEO position through a shareholders' meeting in May due to a court injunction against the plan, HYBE notified Min of the termination of the shareholders' agreement signed between the two sides and filed a lawsuit to confirm its termination.
The agreement, which guarantees her five-year term in the position, was a key factor in securing the injunction.
On Thursday, Min's lawyer asserted the agreement remains valid as she has not violated it.
All eyes are now on what choices she will be making in the future, as she has refused to accept any decisions.
Many in the K-pop scene expect she will launch an intense legal dispute to improve her position after being backed into a corner. She is reportedly considering her legal options.
Members of NewJeans have not publicly responded to the recent CEO replacement at their label. (Yonhap)
Korea's industrial output fell for the third consecutive month in July due to sluggish production in the semiconductor and automobile sectors, data showed Friday.
Industrial output decreased 0.4 percent on-month in July, following a 0.1 percent drop the previous month, according to data compiled by Statistics Korea.
Compared with a year earlier, however, industrial output increased 2.7 percent in July, the data showed.
"While industrial output has decreased for three consecutive months, it has posted growth compared to a year earlier, indicating that the industrial sector is in a stable condition," said Kong Mi-sook, a senior official at Statistics Korea.
The output in the mining, manufacturing, gas and electricity industries fell 3.6 percent on-month in July, primarily due to an 8 percent decline in chip production and a 14.4 percent drop in automobile production.
The agency attributed the decrease in the chip segment to reduced production of memory chips.
The local production of recreational vehicles and midsized sedans also lost ground, leading to an overall decrease in the output of the car segment, it added.
The output in the service industries, meanwhile, added 0.7 percent on-month in July, as gains from the telecommunication and travel industries offset losses in the financial sector.
Retail sales, a gauge of private spending, fell 1.9 percent on-month in July, mainly due to declining sales of automobiles, gasoline and semidurables. Compared with a year earlier, sales dropped 2.1 percent.
Facility investment, on the other hand, increased 10.1 percent on-month in July, bolstered by the transportation sector that jumped 50.5 percent, the data added.
Investment in the machinery industry, however, decreased 1.6 percent over the period. (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.
By KTimes
Media consumption in Korea has shifted from traditional TV broadcasts like terrestrial channels to online video platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, and Tving. Notably, younger generations are increasingly favoring short-form videos like Shorts, Reels, and TikTok over longer content on online streaming services (OTT).
According to the "2024 Target Report" released by MezzoMedia, a digital marketing subsidiary of CJ ENM, this trend is based on an online survey of 1,000 men and women aged 15 to 59 living in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and five major metropolitan areas.
The survey showed that respondents spend an average of 88 minutes per day watching TV and 59 minutes on OTT services.
A significant percentage of teens (16 percent) and people in their 20s (19 percent) reported not using TV at all. While those in their 20s, who have more leisure time, spent an average of 70 minutes per day on OTT services, teens used OTT for only 53 minutes, with 30 percent stating they did not watch OTT at all.
However, the actual use of TV often involved apps available on smart TVs. Among 20-somethings, 54 percent of TV time was spent watching content on YouTube, Netflix, and TVING on a larger screen.
The focus of younger generations is primarily on video content centered around YouTube. Teens spent an average of 124 minutes per day on videos, while those in their 20s spent 127 minutes.
Among these, time spent on short-form content such as YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and TikTok was 64 minutes and 55 minutes, respectively accounting for half of their total video viewing time.
In contrast, those aged 30 and above also spent more than an hour daily on video content, but time spent on short-form videos was between 35 and 41 minutes, confirming that the bite-sized clips are primarily a trend among those in their 20s and younger.
Instagram for teen girls, Facebook for men in their 50s
The use of messengers, social media, and online communities shows clear generational and gender differences. The only service with high usage rates across all age groups and genders was the messenger app KakaoTalk.
Teenage and 20-something females preferred Instagram Direct Messages (DMs), while males of the same age groups used Discord more frequently, often for voice chats in gaming.
Although Telegram, which has recently been in the spotlight for its role in distributing deepfake content, had low overall usage rates, it was relatively popular among men in their 20s, 40s, and 50s.
Among social media platforms, Instagram was the most popular, but its usage dropped significantly with increasing age.
Teen and 20-something females preferred X, while 30-something females favored Naver Blog. In contrast, men aged 30 to 50 were more inclined to use Facebook.
For online communities, Naver Cafe and local community-based secondhand trading platform Danggeun Market were popular across all age groups.
However, men in their teens and 20s leaned toward DC Inside and Everytime, while women in their 20s and 30s favored Nate Pann and Daum Cafe.
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 KTimes
The King Sejong Institute Foundation said it signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday with Vilnius University in Lithuania and the HKU School of Professional and Continuing Education in Hong Kong to expand cooperation in Korean language proficiency testing.
The agreement is aimed to implement the Sejong Korean Language Assessment (SKA) and the internet-based Adaptive Sejong Korean Language Assessment (iSKA).
The SKA, developed by the foundation, comprehensively measures Korean language proficiency in speaking, listening, reading and writing through a paper-based test. The iSKA is the first internet-based assessment in Korean language education that automatically adjusts the difficulty level of questions according to the test-taker's ability.
The foundation is actively expanding the use of SKA and iSKA among domestic and international universities, including Vanderbilt University in the United States, that require tools for measuring Korean language proficiency.
With this agreement, the number of institutions using the SKA as a Korean language proficiency measurement tool will increase to 13, including the two new partners.
The first iSKA will be conducted on Sept. 7 at the two universities, and participants will receive a certificate of results issued under the name of the foundation's chairperson.
Lee Hai-young, chairman of the foundation, said, We are delighted to support Korean language learners at Vilnius University and HKU School of Professional and Continuing Education through the SKA and iSKA."
He said the foundation will continue to work closely with prestigious overseas universities to further expand the reach of SKA and iSKA.
The United States underscored Friday its commitment to finding the "best" way to secure "timely, accurate and unbiased" reporting on noncompliance with North Korea-related U.N. Security Council (UNSC) resolutions after a key sanctions monitoring panel was disbanded four months ago.
A State Department spokesperson made the remarks amid ongoing efforts among the U.S., South Korea, Japan and other countries to find an alternative to the U.N. expert panel whose mandate expired on April 30 due to Russia's veto of a resolution on its renewal.
"Russia's veto of the 1718 Committee Panel of Experts with China's tacit support through its abstention left a significant gap in reporting," the spokesperson said in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency.
"That is why the United States is actively working with all stakeholders to identify the best way forward to ensure timely, accurate, and unbiased reporting on noncompliance with DPRK-related U.N. Security Council resolutions is provided to the international community," the official added.
DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The spokesperson's remarks came as concerns have grown that Pyongyang and Moscow have been deepening their cooperation in military, economic and other realms in the absence of a mechanism to thoroughly monitor any activities that might violate UNSC resolutions.
The U.N. panel's mandate had been extended annually since it was launched in 2009 in line with UNSC Resolution 1874 adopted in response to the North's second nuclear test in May of the same year.
The panel had served as an important institutional platform to oversee sanctions against the North. It had published two reports each year an interim report and a final report on instances of sanctions violations based on information from U.N. member states and other open-source materials. (Yonhap)
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)
Families of victims of North Korea's abduction and detention on Thursday called for international solidarity to resolve the issue of enforced disappearances by the North, as they appealed for efforts to confirm the fate of their family members and secure their safe return.
The joint call was made at a public hearing, hosted by the unification ministry, on the occasion of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances that falls on Aug. 30.
The event also brought together diplomats from 15 countries, which have established diplomatic ties with both South and North Korea, as well as from the United States and the Philippines.
The hearing came as the United Nations Human Rights Council is set to hold a universal periodic review (UPR) of North Korea in November. UPR is a mechanism that calls for each U.N. member state to go through a peer review of its human rights record every 4.5 years.
At the public hearing, families of the victims appealed for the diplomatic corps' support for the issue of the North's abduction and detention to be highlighted at the upcoming UPR.
Choi Jin-young, son of Choi Chun-gil, a South Korean missionary abducted by the North in 2014, called on North Korea to confirm the fate of his father and other detained South Koreans and also immediately return them home.
Currently, six South Koreans are being detained in North Korea, including three missionaries -- Kim Jung-wook, Choi Chun-gil and Kim Kook-kie whose whereabouts and fates are unknown.
"I am desperately asking for support from diplomats from countries having diplomatic ties with North Korea," Choi said. "I am thinking about my father every moment and am not letting it go. So I hope you could deliver my words to my father, if possible Please, do not lose a thread of hope."
Kim Jeong-sam, an elder brother of missionary Kim Jung-wook, also asked for the foreign diplomats present to help raise awareness about the issue of the six detained South Koreans in their countries.
Vice Unification Minister Kim Soo-kyung called on North Korea to apologize for its crime against humanity and proactively resolve it.
"North Korea should not miscalculate that it could conceal this crime with the weight of passing time," Kim said in a speech read by Choi Sun-young, policy adviser to the unification minister.
Separately from the six South Koreans detained in the North, 516 South Koreans have yet to return home among an estimated 3,835 people who were kidnapped by North Korea after the 1950-53 Korean War.
At least 60,000 prisoners of war (POWs) are also estimated to have not come back home or gone missing after being detained in North Korea. A total of 80 POWs have returned home since 1994, but only nine had been alive as of March. (Yonhap)
North Korea's newly appointed ambassador to Singapore took office this week, state media reported Friday, in the latest move to resume diplomatic activities long stalled due to the isolated country's strict COVID-19 restrictions.
Ri Kil-song officially began his term Tuesday after presenting his credentials to Singapore's President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The Singaporean leader expressed hopes for the stabilization of the lives of victims of recent floods in North Korea, the KCNA said. Late last month, heavy rains flooded large areas along the Amnok River in the northern part of the country.
Ri appears to have served as a vice foreign minister handling Asian affairs until 2020.
North Korea has recently made efforts to restart in-person diplomatic activities after easing its border restrictions in August 2023, appointing new ambassadors to Vietnam, Thailand and Romania. (Yonhap)
The unification ministry said Friday it has given the green light to civic groups' requests for contact with North Koreans over flood damage relief, marking its first approval of civilian humanitarian aid bids in two years amid strained inter-Korean relations.
The ministry said it has approved the requests by nine nongovernment organizations (NGOs) to come in contact with North Koreans over humanitarian assistance related to the North's latest floods in border areas.
It marked the first time in about two years that the conservative administration of President Yoon Suk Yeol has approved NGOs' bid for civilian humanitarian assistance.
"Despite the current inter-Korean situation, the government has approved the contact requests by the civic groups solely for flood damage relief on the judgment that it is very important for flood-hit North Koreans to get back to their life as soon as possible," Kim In-ae, deputy spokesperson at the ministry, told a press briefing.
The official said the approval was given only for the purpose of flood damage supplies, adding that the government is reviewing civic groups' bid for humanitarian aid to the North in a principle-based manner.
North Korea is struggling to recover from massive flood damage in its border areas along the Amnok River. Heavy rains in late July flooded large areas of the country's North Phyongan, Jagang and Ryanggang provinces.
Despite the ministry's approval, it remains uncertain whether North Korea would accept South Korean civic groups' aid offer, given Pyongyang's hostile stance against Seoul.
Earlier this month, the unification ministry offered to provide humanitarian assistance to North Korea over its flood damage. But North Korea has remained unresponsive to Seoul's offer. (Yonhap)
South Korea has so far tracked a total of 4,071 perpetrators and victims of North Korea's human rights violations in an ongoing investigation meant to serve as potential evidence in holding human rights abusers accountable, the unification ministry said Friday.
The figure marks an increase from 3,817 people on the list of perpetrators and victims of North Korea's human rights abuses as of end-July last year, the ministry said in a policy report submitted to the National Assembly.
The ministry did not provide further details on the respective number of perpetrators and victims.
By law, details of the ministry's probe of North Korean defectors are transferred to the justice ministry's archive on North Korea's human rights record. The justice ministry identifies perpetrators and victims to use the data for holding rights abusers accountable later.
In an assessment of the overall rights situation in North Korea, the ministry said human rights violations have worsened under the North Korean regime's tightened control of its residents.
It also said food rights of North Korean people have worsened due to the regime's monopoly on grain distribution.
Under the North Korean Human Rights Act, the government submits an annual report of policy developments on improving North Korean human rights to the National Assembly. (Yonhap)
Most nurses and medical workers called off their planned strike Thursday after reaching last-minute wage deals, hospital officials said, easing concerns over public health services that have been strained by a protracted walkout by trainee doctors.
The Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union (KHMU), which represents some 30,000 nurses and medical workers, had planned to stage a strike Thursday, demanding a pay raise and improvements in working conditions.
Of the 62 hospitals under the KHMU, 59 called off their planned strike, hospital officials said.
The move followed the passage of a bill in parliament on the previous day that provides the legal basis for physician assistant nurses to assist doctors in performing medical procedures and offers better legal protection to nurses.
Nurses had advocated for the bill's passage, emphasizing the need for legal protection and better working conditions, though it faced fierce opposition from the medical community.
Of the remaining three hospitals, medical workers at Chosun University Hospital in Gwangju, some 270 kilometers south of Seoul, are set to proceed with the walkout. (Yonhap)
Scheme approved to invest $7.5 billion to attract doctors to vital-but-unpopular fields
By Jung Min-ho
Starting this year, the government will pour more than 10 trillion won ($7.5 billion) into vital health care services such as emergency care and neurosurgery over the next five years as a means of attracting doctors to unpopular-yet-necessary fields.
The presidential committee for medical reform approved the scheme, Friday, to significantly increase the governments support for some 3,000 medical services, including surgeries for organ transplantation and pediatric intensive care.
This move aims to address the worrying tendency of doctors shunning essential specializations over more lucrative ones such as cosmetic surgery. Under the national health insurance system, hospitals can only receive a fixed fee for essential medical care from patients, but fees set by the government have long been criticized for being too low to cover costs.
In the coming months, the government will increase cost-coverage rates for 800 services such as anesthesia. Based on the results of its comprehensive review of all health care services, it plans to raise compensation for some 2,200 other services in the following years.
Factors such as whether the service requires high-level technique and whether the service provider works at a hospital in a rural area will be considered to determine support levels, according to the committee and the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
The expansion of support for certain services is the second phase of the government project to make such services more accessible for more patients, particularly those living in regional and remote areas, amid nationwide shortages of physicians.
This announcement comes as the government forges ahead with its health care reform plan despite fierce opposition from doctors.
Frustrated with the governments earlier decision to hike medical school enrollment quotas, more than 10,000 trainee physicians a crucial part of large hospitals in Korea walked off their jobs in February, disrupting the operations of many medical institutions ever since.
The impact of their collective walkout has been profound mainly because of the hospitals heavy dependence on their cheap labor. The government reform scheme also includes plans to reduce that reliance through structural reforms and to improve their training programs.
Roh Yeon-hong, chairman of the committee, said he would continue to press ahead with the project despite opposition, with a clear goal of completing major reform plans by the end of 2028.
In the announcement, the committee also said it would launch a consultative body later this year to help determine medical school enrollment quotas for the academic year of 2026 among other long-term medical issues, urging doctors to join the discussion.
So far, organizations representing physicians, in an overwhelmingly united voice, have called on the ministry to rescind the quota hike decision while refusing to accept anything less than that.
Speaking at a press conference held the previous day, President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed not to back down on his medical reform agenda, saying the quota decision has been finalized.
President Yoon Suk Yeol met with a delegation from the United States House of Representatives on Friday to discuss ways to strengthen the bilateral alliance and trilateral cooperation involving Japan, his office said.
During the meeting with the six-member delegation led by U.S. Congressman John Moolenaar in Seoul, Yoon emphasized that support for the South Korea-U.S. alliance is bipartisan within the U.S. and has evolved into "global comprehensive strategic alliance."
"Close cooperation between Korea-U.S. and Korea-U.S.-Japan, based on shared values, is essential in overcoming the polycrisis," Yoon was quoted by his office saying.
In response, the U.S. representatives noted that since Yoon took office, the relationship between the two countries has strengthened to an unprecedented level, attributing the progress to his courage and leadership.
The delegation also expressed their intention to work closely with Korea and other key allies in the Indo-Pacific region to address regional and global challenges, including those posed by Pyongyang. (Yonhap)
By Jon Dunbar
Tattooing is still illegal in Korea, but that hasn't prevented it from being part of hallyu, or the wave of Korean popular culture sweeping the world.
Korea's medical law, which defines tattooing as a surgical procedure, bars anyone but licensed medical doctors from inking art on the skin. This has resulted in a substantial tattoo industry operating without regulatory oversight. Korean tattoo artists work in the shadows in their home country and are increasingly traveling abroad to promote their work, finding that they are welcomed like rock stars in countries where tattooing is legal.
Ryu Ji-hwan, who works at SHARP Ink in western Seoul, estimates he has visited at least 10 countries as a guest artist.
"Many people overseas are already aware that tattooing is still illegal in South Korea. They often see talented Korean tattoo artists on social media and say, 'Why is it still illegal?'" Ryu told The Korea Times, before boarding a plane to head off for another tattoo world tour that will take him through three undisclosed European countries over two weeks.
Ryu has been a longtime member of Korea's underground extreme music scene, best known as the frontman of D-beat noise punk band Scumraid founded in 2011. It was this environment that led him to his life of "crime."
"In Korean society, where tattoos have been taboo, young punks who wanted to rebel against the older generation often got tattoos to express their beliefs or tell a unique story," he said. "Growing up with those punks, I was exposed to many tattoos, which always served as a great inspiration for me. Historically, tattoos have also been a symbol of rebellion, sharing similarities with punk, and I found that intriguing. This connection gave me the motivation to learn tattooing."
As he honed his musical talents, fronting what has widely been called Seoul's loudest band, he also cultivated his artistic skills, designing show posters, album liner notes and band logos.
His career as a tattoo artist got its first start during a drinking session in 2016 with Ryu Jin-suk, frontman of ska-punk band Skasucks and owner of Club SHARP as well as SHARP Ink, when they discussed an apprenticeship.
Ryu emphasized that there were complex reasons behind his decision to accept the offer.
"It wasn't an easy decision," he said. "I knew that many creative fields I've been interested in or experienced require a deep commitment, and approaching them lightly often leads to leaving them just as easily. Becoming a tattoo artist comes with the heavy burden of having to study and hone the craft for a very long time, so I needed time to make up my mind."
After a few days of deliberation, he decided to go for it, and he's been working there ever since.
Over the years, Ryu has developed his own unique, distinctly Korean style of tattoo, inspired by traditional Korean arts and folklore as well as religious iconography.
"My artwork isn't strictly religious, but it is influenced by religious art, connecting those lingering images in my mind with various themes," he said. "I grew up in a religious household. On my father's side, we were part of a large family in the countryside that followed traditional shamanistic beliefs and Buddhism. As a young child growing up in that rural environment, I was deeply influenced by the shamanistic and Buddhist imagery that was intertwined with the natural world where I played freely. These vivid images left a strong impression on me, and now I try to express those powerful visuals through my art."
His interest in Korean folk art, or "minhwa," influences his coloring, as well as his use of animals, especially tigers, dragons, serpents and birds, which feature in much of his work.
His extensive travels have also influenced his work.
"I've traveled to many traditional tattoo shops around the world, forming meaningful connections and engaging in artistic exchanges," he said. "I've learned about their sincere approach to tattooing, which has influenced my own style not just in my drawings, but also in my mindset. I came to understand that the world of tattoos is more profound and deeply connected than I initially thought. I'm deeply grateful to each and every client who recognizes my work and chooses to come to me for their tattoos."
The continued lack of a legal basis for his work in Korea hasn't hindered him that much. He compares Korea's current situation to the state of New York, where tattooing was illegal from 1961 to 1997.
"Despite this, many underground tattoo artists continued to develop their craft in the shadows," he said. "After tattooing became legal in New York, the legacy they left behind served as a great inspiration for modern tattoo artists and provided the foundation for continuing both traditional and new businesses. I feel that the current situation in Korea is similar to this, and I am determined to continue creating my artwork steadily."
In the time since he began tattooing, he has seen public attitudes toward tattooing come around significantly.
"I used to have a negative view on this," he admitted. "The tattoo culture I knew was hidden and had to be unique to be considered cool. However, I eventually realized that you can't stop the flow of culture. Everything evolves and gets absorbed, so I believe that the tattoo business will naturally evolve as well."
Now, he thinks it's only a matter of time before Korea legalizes his profession.
"The fact that it's illegal means that some people are uncomfortable with it," he said, "but since this cultural trend can't be forcibly stopped, I believe that, eventually, the majority will agree with it, and it will become legal."
Follow @fuzzzzzzyy on Instagram to see Ryu's artwork.
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.
By Anna J. Park
This year's Global Korea Foum (GKF), an annual international conference hosted by the Ministry of Unification, has added more female panelists after being criticized for its lack of diversity.
According to the website of the GKF 2024, Friday, the panel speakers for next Tuesday's forum are comprised of 20 men and seven women, significantly increasing the female presence from its previous 4.7 percent 20 men and one women to over 25 percent.
The addition came after British Ambassador to Korea Colin Crooks decided not to participate in the event, citing concerns over the lack of gender diversity among the invited speakers, as reported by The Korea Times on Wednesday.
The British Embassy at the time officially confirmed the ambassador's withdrawal from the event, stating: "The ambassador is unable to take part in the Global Korea Forum (scheduled for Sept. 3). The British Embassy is committed to gender equality. We believe that events are enriched by the diversity of perspectives of those participating."
An official from the unification ministry said the ministry had accepted the criticism that the forum should be conducted in line with the values of gender equality.
The newly added female panelists include Korea Institite for Defense Analyses (KIDA) research fellow Kwon Bo-ram, Korea Institute for Defense Analyses head of security strategy Lee Ho-ryoung, Kangwon National University professor Chung Ku-youn, Renmin University of China professor Ahn Yin-hay, National Institute for Unification Education professor Jeong Eun-chan and Korea Peninsula Future Women's Institute Director Hyun In-ae.
A Navy officer became Korea's first female deep sea diver in the Navy's 78-year history on Friday, officials said, amid an ongoing push to broaden women's role in various areas of the military.
Lt. Jg. Mun Hee-woo was among the 64 officers, noncommissioned officers and conscripts that completed the Navy's basic training to join the Sea Salvage and Rescue Unit (SSU) in a ceremony held at Changwon, 298 kilometers southeast of Seoul, the Navy said.
The 27-year-old is the first female service member to apply for and complete the grueling 12-week course that trains applicants to become members of the elite unit. She also served on the frigate ROKS Daegu after being commissioned as an ensign in June 2022.
While Mun felt that she had to test her limits during each and every day of the intensive training, she said her gender was never a hurdle.
"I felt confident that I could complete the training. I don't think anyone would have known I was a woman unless someone told them so since I cut my hair short," Mun said.
What actually proved to be tougher than expected was her age.
"Rather than the gender difference, I was the oldest trainee and was eight years older than my youngest colleague, which made it difficult for me to recover quickly," she said. "It was tough to follow up with the physical training."
Mun, who majored in physical education and oceanography, said her longtime affection for swimming and scuba diving naturally inspired her to become a Navy deep sea diver to guard people's lives.
After successfully completing the training, Mun and 32 other officers and noncommissioned officers will embark on another 14-week training on diving 91 meters underwater using a surface-supplied diving system.
As the country's first Navy female deep sea diver, Mun said she would like to become a maritime rescue expert so that others can follow her path.
For now, she is glad to have passed the first step for that goal.
"I feel that I've now left an unknown world where I couldn't see and that I am starting to adjust to darkness in the deep sea, that my vision is opening up," Mun said.
Korea's military has been seeking to deploy women in more diverse areas amid concerns that it could face a shortage of troops due to the country's ultralow birthrate.
In 2022, the Navy announced a policy change to allow female service members to join the submarine crew as it acquired larger 3,000-ton submarines. Nine female submarines were deployed for duty in January. (Yonhap)
South Korea and the United States will hold vice-ministerial talks in Washington next week on deterrence efforts against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday.
The fifth meeting of the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG) will take place Wednesday (local time), with a focus on assessing the progress on the allies' efforts to deter North Korea's military threats, the ministry said in a release.
The talks will also address ways to bolster coordination between the two countries to enhance the "extended deterrence" against the North in light of the current security landscape, the ministry said.
Extended deterrence refers to the U.S. commitment to mobilizing all of its military capabilities, including nuclear, to defend its ally.
The talks will be led by First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun; Cho Chang-rae, deputy defense minister for policy; Bonnie Jenkins, U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control and international security; and Cara Abercrombie, acting deputy undersecretary of defense for policy.
In a media note, the U.S. State Department portrayed EDSCG as an "important alliance forum for comprehensive discussions on extended deterrence policy issues affecting the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific."
The EDSCG dialogue was resumed in September 2022, more than four years after it was suspended under the previous Moon Jae-in government amid the former liberal president's rapprochement efforts with Pyongyang.
President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed to reactivate the talks during their May summit in 2022 as part of joint efforts to address the North's evolving nuclear and missile threats. (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.
The CEO of a Korean lithium battery maker that was struck by a fire that killed 23 people in June has been arrested after a court approved a warrant on allegations of violating industrial safety law, a judge said on Thursday.
Park Soon-kwan, the CEO of Aricell, which is majority owned by S-Connect, apologized after the fire but said at the time the company had followed all required safety precautions and training for staff.
The Suwon District Court, which has jurisdiction for the city of Hwaseong where the factory is located, approved the warrant for Park's detention late on Wednesday due to the gravity of the allegations against him, a public affairs judge said by telephone.
The court also approved a detention warrant for Park's son, who is an executive at the company, she said.
Park's lawyer could not be immediately reached for comment.
Entering the court for a hearing on Wednesday, Park did not answer reporters' questions about the charges against him but said "I'm sorry," television footage showed.
Authorities investigating the fire released a report on Friday saying a rush to meet a supply deadline and a lack of action to address signs of dangerous quality defects in batteries that had been produced led to the fire.
Hiring temporary workers who did not receive proper safety and emergency escape training to make up for a backlog of production contributed to the large number of casualties, police and labour ministry officials said. (Reuters)
By Lee Hae-rin
A former foreign ministry official was given a suspended jail term, Friday, for sexually harassing a foreign employee of the same sex seven years ago while working at the Korean Embassy in New Zealand.
The Incheon District Court sentenced the 58-year-old man, surnamed Kim, to two years in prison, with the sentence suspended for three years.
The court also ordered him to complete 40 hours of lectures on sexual violence prevention and 160 hours of community service. Additionally, he is restricted from working in any institution related to children, adolescents or individuals with disabilities for the next five years.
"The defendant sexually abused the worker three times while he was required to uphold appropriate conduct in his role as a diplomat," the ruling said.
"The victim experienced mental suffering and pleaded for severe punishment," the ruling said. "Although the defendant is a first-time offender, we took into account the significant negative impact this case had on the national interest of the Republic of Korea."
The former diplomat was indicted without detention on charges of groping a local male employee by touching various body parts, including the hips, on three occasions at the Korean Embassy in Wellington, New Zealand, between November and December 2017.
The court, however, did not find Kim guilty of touching the victim's genitals, and did not recognize the causal relationship between the harassment and the victim's post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
"The victim began to demand a large monetary compensation when he claimed that the defendant touched his genitals, the ruling said, questioning the credibility of the victim's claim. "Also some of the medical records about PTSD seem to be based on only the victim's testimony."
Kim left New Zealand in February 2018. The victim requested an investigation by the New Zealand police in July 2019, but the inquiry did not proceed effectively.
The following year, when New Zealand media reported the issuance of an arrest warrant, the case gained attention in Korea. The issue was also raised during a phone call between then-President Moon Jae-in and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, leading to a diplomatic controversy.
After arriving in Korea at the end of 2022, the victim filed a lawsuit against Kim with Korean law enforcement authorities.
After leaving New Zealand, Kim was stationed in the Philippines as a consul general until August 2020. He retired from the ministry earlier this year.
By Lee Hae-rin
As reports of deepfake sex crimes spread in Korea, a "deepfake map," which displays the current status of allegedly affected schools has gone viral here.
The map shows the locations of middle and high schools and universities in Korea that are believed to have been affected by deepfake crimes with the list of such schools in the upper right corner.
The website hosting the map also linked visitors to the website of the Seoul Metropolitan Government Security Support Center, which provides anonymous counseling to victims of digital sex crimes.
As of Thursday, over 3 million online users visited the site and more than 500 schools were registered on the map. The site has been temporarily inaccessible since Friday.
The deepfake map creator is known to be a male student who is a high school freshman.
In an interview with local media, he said he was inspired by a map that tracked infected people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A recent incident at his school led him to create the map, which took him only two hours.
"I heard there are about five students who have been victimized at my school. When I learned I knew one of the victims, I realized this was a real problem, so I decided to make the map."
As the website went viral, the number of users increased rapidly, as well as what appeared to be distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.
Although he has been updating the map from hundreds of emails and social media reports, he said he has been unable to confirm their veracity. However, his goal is to raise awareness of deepfake crimes through the map, he said.
Six out of 10 victims of deepfake crimes here investigated by police over the past three years were minors, according to data released Friday.
Police data submitted to Rep. Yang Bu-nam of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) showed that 59.8 percent of the 527 victims of deepfake crimes reported to the police between 2021 and 2023 were teenagers.
This is a significantly larger proportion than other age groups, such as those in their 20s at 32.1 percent, 30s at 5.3 percent and 40s at 1.1 percent.
The number of minors affected by fake videos increased 3.4 times from 53 in 2021 to 81 in 2022 and 181 in 2023.
The share of teenagers among all victims fell from 64.6 percent in 2021 to 52.9 percent in 2022 and then rose back to 62.0 percent last year.
The proportion of teenagers among all suspects charged with fake video crimes increased from 65.4 percent in 2021 and 61.2 percent in 2022 to 75.8 percent in 2023. This year's January-July period is also high at 73.6 percent.
But while deepfake crimes spread among teenagers, there have been no government measures, and they have been relying only on post-punishment through investigative agencies rather than prevention through education.
The problem is that it is difficult to investigate such offenses.
According to the National Police Agency, the arrest rate for deepfake crimes over the past three years stood at 47.4 percent in 2021, 46.9 percent in 2022 and 51.7 percent in 2023. Between January and July, the figure stood at 49.5 percent.
Notably, the police are pushing to upgrade deepfake detection software and launch undercover investigations to boost arrests.
Deepfake detection software developed in March determines the authenticity of deepfake content within 10 minutes with an 80 percent detection rate.
'S. Korea-US-Japan trilateral cooperation to be maintained'
By Anna J. Park
President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed his strong commitment to reforming the national pension system to ensure the fund's sustainability, so citizens can receive their pensions without concerns about depletion.
He also reaffirmed his pledge to increase the number of doctors and overhaul the nations medical system to ensure access to medical services in non-capital regions, despite a protracted standoff with doctors over the governments plan to raise medical school admissions quotas.
In his rare public briefing and press conference, Thursday, the president said the national pension system requires fundamental structural changes. He explained that it currently fails to provide sufficient income replacement for retirees, while younger Koreans worry they may not receive any benefits, given the government's forecast that the fund could be depleted by 2055.
The government is committed to restoring trust in the national pension system through sustainable, long-term reforms, Yoon stated during the press conference at the presidential office in central Seoul. In addition to adjusting variables like premiums and income replacement rates, we need to enhance the funds investment returns and introduce automatic stabilizing mechanisms to secure the pensions long-term viability."
Earlier this year, the rival parties discussed increasing the pension premium from 9 percent to 13 percent of one's income. But they disagreed on the income replacement rate, which is the pension as a percentage of a subscriber's average lifetime income. The current rate is 40 percent, with proposals to raise it to between 44 and 45 percent.
Yoon did not elaborate on the specific levels for the premium and income replacement rate, but he indicated that the government will soon present a detailed proposal.
The president further emphasized the need for reforms tailored to younger workers, who contribute the most and receive benefits the latest. He advocated for differentiated premium increases between younger and middle-aged generations.
We need to legally guarantee the states obligation to provide pensions, to reassure younger generations that they will also receive benefits.
Strengthening regional medical system
The president also addressed health care reform, emphasizing that the primary goal of the current administration is to strengthen regional and essential medical systems. He noted that the government aims to ensure fair and equal access to health care across the country, particularly in non-capital, rural areas.
"With the increase in medical school admissions for next year confirmed, the government will now focus its policy efforts on revitalizing regional and essential health care services," Yoon said.
Despite strong opposition and months of walkouts by medical professionals concerning the multi-year plan to expand medical school admissions, Yoon emphasized that the government will not yield to such pressure.
"Training medical professionals will take at least 10 to 15 years. If we do not act now, Korea is projected to face a shortage of 15,000 doctors by 2035 ... Therefore, this step is unavoidable," Yoon explained.
"The government will focus on producing more highly-skilled doctors by advancing medical education and reforming the training system. Additionally, we will strengthen regional health care infrastructure," the president said.
He also pledged to overhaul the medical insurance system by significantly improving fees for essential and regional medical services.
To effectively implement the medical reform, Yoon announced plans to invest at least 10 trillion won ($7.5 billion) over the next five years.
Regarding Korea's ongoing problem with low birthrates, Yoon highlighted the urgent need for a fundamental shift in the country's overly competitive culture and socioeconomic framework.
"The culture of unnecessary and excessive competition is a core issue driving the population decline. Balanced regional development to address the concentration in metropolitan areas can be a fundamental solution to this problem," Yoon stated. "To attract people and businesses to the provinces, living conditions must improve. In enhancing the conditions, high-quality education and health care services (in the provinces) are the keys," he added, highlighting that all reform priorities are interconnected to addressing the countrys long-standing challenges.
He noted that the countrys low birthrate policies will be completely re-evaluated, with new programs designed to take into account beneficiaries' preferences, the impact of the policies, and their long-term sustainability.
Trilateral cooperation in diplomacy
When asked if he believes the U.S. stance on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is shifting especially since both the Democratic and Republican parties have excluded denuclearization from their upcoming presidential election pledges and whether this might influence the South Korean governments stance on nuclear armament, Yoon responded that he does not believe Washington will tolerate North Koreas nuclearization.
"I do not believe the U.S. would ever tolerate North Koreas nuclearization or accept violations of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) framework," the president said. "Such a stance would contradict the U.S.' historical position and strategy. Allowing these violations would mean lifting United Nations Security Council sanctions related to illegal nuclear development, which would undermine the global NPT system and increase nuclear threats in Northeast Asia. Therefore, I do not see this happening."
He noted that the mutual alliance between South Korea and the U.S. has become increasingly robust, as it is being upgraded and effectively integrated to counter North Korean threats. The president also mentioned that the Camp David cooperation framework, established a year ago between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, will continue to be upheld regardless of changes in the leadership of the three countries, since this framework is essential for the stability of the Indo-Pacific region and global economic security.
By Arthur I. Cyr
South Korea and the United States on Aug. 19 began regular annual military exercises, including operations geared toward North Korea, but this year, there is a difference. Japan is a more visible defense partner in the Pacific and beyond
This follows directly from a Camp David summit last year hosted by President Joe Biden, which included the leaders of Japan and South Korea. The resulting agreement greatly changes the dynamics of the balance of power in Northeast Asia and, more generally, in the vast region of Asia.
Traditionally, Japan and Korea were enemies. The powerful military culture of historically unified Korea generally maintained independence from China and Japan. This changed in 1905 when Japan invaded and occupied Korea.
That occupation continued until Japan's defeat in 1945. Soviet forces occupied Korea north of the 38th Parallel, and U.S. forces controlled the southern region. As with Germany, the occupation zones were conceived as a temporary expedient among the victorious Allies, but the onset of the Cold War made them permanent. Germany is now united, but Korea remains divided.
So far, both China and North Korea have been relatively muted in publicly complaining about these exercises. That may reflect an intimidation factor, given Japan's increasing prominence in defense.
Additionally, both communist nations, along with Russia, are beleaguered. Russian President Vladimir Putin has moved to strengthen military ties with Pyongyang, but that reflects the unanticipated great costs resulting from Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
China's economy is in growing difficulty. Beijing strives to attract private investment while simultaneously maintaining a brutal police state. In effect, the regime is trying to ride two horses going in opposite directions.
Beijing's military assertiveness, especially at sea, is one important incentive for the expanding military role of Japan. In 2016, a panel of five judges at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled unanimously against China and in favor of the Philippines regarding territorial disputes. Philippine-U.S. military cooperation is expanding, while China tensions continue.
North Korea's erratic behavior is now routine. In 2013, the regime announced a "state of war" with South Korea and threatened nuclear attack. Pyongyang abruptly abrogated the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War and cut the military hotline communications link with the South.
In March 2010, a North Korean torpedo sank the South Korean naval ship Cheonan. In the same vicinity in November of that year, North Korean artillery bombarded South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island.
North Korea has conducted rudimentary nuclear weapons tests along with missile tests. Progress has been uneven, but there has been a slow expansion of missile ranges. There is evidence of the capacity to strike the continental U.S., and the ominous effort seriously threatens Japan as well as South Korea.
In 2017, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 2271 in response to North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile tests. This motion involving severe economic sanctions passed unanimously, but since then, both China and Russia have moved to support North Korea.
In 2016, the U.S. and South Korea agreed to the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-ballistic missile system given Pyongyang's missile program. This is a defensive system, therefore stabilizing.
This introduces the most fundamental point. For all the tensions and strains along the 38th Parallel and occasional violent incidents, the 1953 armistice has held. Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower deserve credit for deciding to defend South Korea and then ending the war.
Arthur I. Cyr (acyr@carthage.edu) is author of After the Cold War American Foreign Policy, Europe and Asia."
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.
US firm should cease political maneuvering
U.S. nuclear energy firm Westinghouse Electric Company is facing criticism for challenging the Czech Republic's decision to select a Korean company as the preferred bidder for a nuclear plant project. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) dismissed Westinghouse's appeal, describing it as merely a repetition of its earlier position. In a statement, KHNP noted, "Westinghouse's latest claim pertains to ongoing international arbitration and U.S. litigation."
Westinghouse, wary of losing the competition to KHNP, actively sought support from the U.S. government. The move by the American firm is seen as improper, potentially reflecting protectionism that undermines free market principles. It suggests an attempt to use government intervention to preserve an American company's competitive edge in the global nuclear power plant market.
In its appeal to the Czech Anti-Monopoly Office regarding the selection of KHNP, Westinghouse alleged that the Korean firm had infringed upon its intellectual property rights by using technology licensed from Westinghouse in its APR1000 and APR1400 reactor. However, this position could be harmful to fostering fair competition and may obstruct international cooperation, including technology transfers.
Westinghouse should recognize that market entry should be secured through fair competition, not by legal maneuvers. The Czech Republic rejected Westinghouse's claim, stating that participants cannot lodge complaints after failing in the competition.
Experts believe that Westinghouse is pressuring KHNP in an attempt to maintain an advantage in potential disputes. The U.S. has argued that adopting KHNP's technology could lead to significant job losses in both the U.S. and the Czech Republic. Westinghouse has further claimed that such a substantial decline in jobs could adversely affect its headquarters in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania, a key swing state in U.S. elections, significantly influences the selection of the next American president. As a result, Westinghouse's actions are seen as an effort to garner support from U.S. political parties. It is considered inappropriate for the company to use aggressive tactics to advance its interests before the election. Major presidential candidates might feel compelled to respond to Westinghouse's claims as the election approaches.
In October 2022, Westinghouse filed a lawsuit against KHNP in a U.S. federal court, accusing the Korean firm of infringing on its intellectual property rights. Although the court rejected the suit, Westinghouse appealed the decision, persistently obstructing KHNP's progress. Westinghouse has faced challenges due to its limited experience in nuclear power plant construction and has been criticized for its failure to complete the Vogtle nuclear reactors in Georgia, receiving significant criticism for its inefficiencies in construction.
Brookfield Renewable Partners, a Canadian private equity fund, and uranium enterprise Cameco own 51 percent and 49 percent of Westinghouse's shares, respectively. Given that equity funds typically prioritize short-term profits, the U.S. firm has appeared increasingly eager to escalate conflicts to the maximum extent.
Westinghouse's actions warrant strong criticism for exacerbating protectionism, prioritizing legal maneuvers over fair market competition and undermining international relations. It is important that this recent move does not adversely affect the relationship between Korea and the U.S.
These actions could undermine the principles of free market competition and international cooperation. KHNP's success in securing the nuclear power plant project from the Czech Republic should be recognized as a notable achievement in overcoming the challenges posed by Westinghouse. We urge Westinghouse to stop its persistent legal actions and focus instead on innovation. Relying on legal measures rather than advancing technology will only damage its reputation in the global nuclear power market. Both KHNP and Westinghouse should engage in genuine dialogue to resolve the ongoing dispute amicably.
By Robert Neff
Over the past couple of decades, saunas (jjimjilbang), spas and hot springs have become popular attractions for foreign tourists. North Korea has a large number of hot springs, and many of them have interesting histories centered around healing. One such place is Jangdol Hot Spring, which traces its history back to an ancient legend involving a skylark (jangdolsae) with a broken leg that landed near a hot spring and was quickly healed.
By the early 20th century, these hot springs became popular spots for foreigners albeit most visitors were probably Japanese.
In 1907, Thomas Sammons, the American consul in Seoul, described six of the most notable hot springs on the Korean Peninsula. Somewhat surprisingly, most of them were in the northern part of the peninsula, and he neglected to mention the best-known hot springs near Fusan (modern Busan).
According to Sammons, three of the most notable hot springs were near Chinnampo (modern Nampo in North Korea), but he was not impressed with them as they were located in low land, unattractive in every way and without bathing accommodations.
Near the foreign gold mining concessions north of Pyongyang, there were several small hots springs but the most popular was Sung-chun. Located near the British gold mining concession (Gwendoline), it was often frequented by the miners presumably Koreans who established a resort for themselves where they could relax and soothe their sore muscles in the hot water.
Sammons described the spring as a well-shaped pool nearly six meters deep, but provided no real information. Fortunately, Edward McCarthy, the general manager of the mining concession, did write about his experience at the hot spring in the early 1900s:
These springs are well-known in Corea for their curative properties, and the small village where the baths are located depends for its support on visitors. Our men often used to go for a week-end to take a few baths, but they did not tempt me, and although they offered to clear everyone out of the public bath, I did not fancy a bathe in waters where every diseased person imaginable had bathed. The bath was quite a large one, built under cover, with the hot springs bubbling up continually inside, and with a steady overflow.
These springs were extremely hot and ranged from 55 to 88 degrees Celsius, but the hottest spring was at Yangtuk (near Wonsan), where the temperature exceeded 95 degrees. This hot spring was in some ways the most attractive and largest of the springs he described, but Sammons was disappointed with its very poor provision for bathers.
This region had numerous hot springs that were occasionally visited by Westerners. In the early 1890s, while exploring Mount Paektu, H. Goold-Adams, an English explorer, described several sulfur springs that ran down into a small stream. Goold-Adams and his Korean guide bathed in a small pool:
The temperature even here was as hot as an ordinary hot bath and the water smelt horribly, but we were very thankful to be able to wash anywhere and we certainly were in need of it.
Singye Temple a Buddhist temple located in the Diamond Mountains was a popular resting place for travelers. In the 1890s, William Scranton, an American missionary, in his short article he extolled the virtues of the temple including its solitude, friendly priests and nearby attractions including the "Nine Dragon Pool," waterfalls and hot springs.
In 1903, another American missionary, Jacob Robert Moose, provided a more detailed description of the nearby hot springs:
Near this temple we found a hot spring which if in the United States of America would at once be famous and a fortune to its owner. In these mountains, so far as I can judge, there are no signs of volcanic action; so I was surprised to find this hot spring bursting forth as if from the regions of eternal fires. It is in a small valley about five miles inland from the coast, seventy miles down from Wonsan, and has been used by the Koreans for hundreds of years. There are the remains of what seem to have been substantial buildings of considerable dimensions; but now there are only about half a dozen thatched houses standing. The spring is walled up with large slabs of stone and is about six by nine feet, and a foot and a half deep; though it may be made twice that depth if so desired. The water, which is so hot that it is with difficulty one can lie down in it, is abundant, clear as crystal and very soft, leaving the body in a most delightful condition when the bath is over. This will some day in the not distant future be one of Koreans famous resorts and those who are seeking health and recreation will find it pleasant to linger here.
His prediction proved true, but unfortunately, during the 1950-53 Korean War, the temple was destroyed.
There are other popular hot springs that survived.
According to the Korean Customs Reports from 1900, there was a very popular hot spring near Seongjin (modern Kimchaek in North Korea) famed for being very efficacious for a number of ailments including rheumatism and was much used by the neighbouring villagers for bathing purposes. This may have been Jueul hot springs.
In the spring of 1903, while itinerating, Alex Robb, a Canadian missionary, visited the hot spring and noted that an enterprising Korean gentleman had built a bathing hut. The missionary and his party decided to partake in the curative waters of the spring. In his notes, he initially described his experience as being very refreshing, but that sentiment changed quickly.
Apparently, hot springs throughout Korea were used not only for medicinal purposes but also to assist local industries. According to Sammons, The Koreans make use of the water for such purposes as immersing their hemp to remove the bark. However, our Canadian missionary was shocked to discover that sore, diseased bodies and hemp were not the only things to be dipped in the hot water.
After bathing, they discovered that the hot, bubbling spring was a favourite spot for removing feathers and hair from slaughtered hens, dogs and pigs and their initial refreshment faded quickly.
Jueul (now known as Gyeongseong) Hot Springs is still a popular health resort in North Korea. According to one source, the construction of a modern spa began at the end of 1919 and was likely completed shortly afterward. It does not challenge the imagination to assume this site was especially popular during the uneasiness caused by the Spanish flu pandemic. Another source claims it was the Yankovsky family who established this resort but I have my doubts as to its accuracy.
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In the late 1940s, Jueul Hot Spring was developed as a sanatorium and, apparently, continues to operate. The hot spring is praised for its positive effect on a litany of diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, gout, gastric diseases, inflammation, infertility and menopausal disorders.
Tomorrow we will examine hot springs in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula.
My appreciation to Diane Nars and Hyunuk Park for their assistance.
Robert Neff has authored and co-authored several books, including Letters from Joseon, Korea Through Western Eyes and Brief Encounters.
By Robert Neff
In 1907, Thomas Sammons, the American consul in Seoul, described six of the most notable hot springs on the Korean Peninsula in a report to the State Department. According to him, five were in the north and only one was in the south Onyang Hot Spring in South Chungcheong Province.
The hot springs at Onyang are said to be the oldest in Korea and were once used by Joseon monarchs. In his report, Sammons did not mention the history of the hot springs but instead wrote about its current situation:
The baths nearest Seoul and most used by foreigners and Japanese are those at On-yang. Here a hotel has been erected and there are arrangements not only for typical Japanese baths, but for special treatments at the hotel. The rates at the hotel are about $1.75 gold a day that is, very reasonable. The hotel being but nine miles from the railroad makes these baths very accessible. None of the others are. Several Americans have found that the On-yang baths give much benefit to those suffering from Rheumatism, female and skin diseases and during the Russo-Japanese war extensive use of the baths was made by sick and wounded Japanese soldiers.
Sammons painted the Japanese enterprise in a favorable light but failed to mention the earlier friction between the local Korean population and the Japanese developers.
During the 1904-05 Russo-Japanese War, a Western writer visited Pyongyang and denounced the Japanese developers for taking advantage of the Korean population. According to him, if a Korean owned a fine hot spring near the city, it was conceivable a Japanese civilian would suddenly appear and drive wooden stakes all about the Koreans property and then claim it for himself because of Japanese military necessity.
In March 1905, the magistrate from Onyang complained to the Korean government that Japanese subjects have placed sign-posts about fifty feet apart on the four sides of the noted hot spring in that vicinity, and have compelled the natives to tear down two adjacent houses.
The magistrate wanted the signs removed and the houses rebuilt as he could not bear to see the innocent suffering.
A couple of months later, The Korea Review (an English-language magazine published in Seoul) reported the Onyang Hot Springs had been greatly improved by the Japanese and a hotel had been built which attracted many visitors.
The following month, it was announced that the Korean government had been asked to turn over to the Japanese a large swath of land at the hot springs. Considering the times, the request was likely honored.
One of the best descriptions of the hot springs comes from 48-year-old Johannes Bolljahn, a German resident in Seoul, who visited the hot springs in the summer of 1910 in hopes of alleviating the pain from his rheumatism.
In an interview with Seoul Press (a pro-Japanese newspaper), Bolljahn declared Onyu Resort (located next to Onyang) as an ideal place for enjoying a few days rest. The two-story hotel had great rooms and every attention possible is paid to visitors and foreigners can even obtain European food. There are four large baths constructed with concrete and porcelain. The hot water is quite clear.
Bolljahn took advantage of the excellent facilities four baths daily and felt greatly relieved. According to the newspapers editor, there were 82 Japanese settlers and 94 Koreans living peacefully together at Onyu.
Of course, the editor couldnt resist noting there was a huge contrast between the cleanliness of the Japanese baths and dirtiness of the Korean baths. He concluded the Korean bathers seem to be contented with the dirty surroundings.
It is surprising that Sammons failed to mention Dongnae, now part of Busan. This hot spring was mentioned frequently in the writings of missionaries and in regional newspaper articles some as early as 1883. It was also extremely popular with the Japanese community.
One of the earliest accounts of an American visiting the site was in 1892, when William M. Baird, a missionary, would occasionally stop and bathe at the hot spring. Apparently, he did not deem it important enough to describe it. In fact, there are very few English accounts of the hot springs until the early 20th century as most of the foreign guests appear to have been Japanese.
According to Nate Kornegay co-author of "Scratch Tile" modern development of the hot springs began in the 1890s when a Japanese hotel was built. Over the next couple of decades the region surrounding the hot springs was greatly developed and became a popular tourist attraction for Japanese.
In 1919, an American visitor provided a fairly descriptive account of his stay at one of the hot springs resorts. He was impressed with the ease of travel to the resort. According to him, it took only 45 minutes to get there from Busan by an electric railway and an excellent automobile road.
Prior to his arrival, he was told that the special provision had been taken for foreign tourists but when he arrived all the accommodations [were] all Japanese style, food, lodging and bathing facilities.
He enjoyed the food, but was a little cautious in regard to the raw fish. When it came time to soak, a Japanese maid proffered her assistance in disrobing, but as we [he and his companions] had from early childhood been accustomed to performing this task without help from others the offer was now gently but firmly declined.
He admitted that the amount of privacy depended upon the number of guests at the hotel. The hotel was equipped with three excellent pools the smallest (described as being family size) being about two meters wide and three meters long. The water was beautifully clear and at first seemed unduly hot, but after a time it [was] found to be easily bearable, and thoroughly enjoyable.
Our narrator was accompanied by several companions who were fluent in both English and Japanese, but not everyone was as fortunate. [The] recent visit of a party knowing nothing of the Japanese language, and who, without an interpreter, had to make all their wants and wishes known by sign language.
I can easily imagine the awkwardness of the situation. As a young soldier in the 1980s, I remember during a winter field exercise that my team was allowed to go bathe at a Korean bath house in the countryside. One of our soldiers was a female, and, due to our heavy uniforms, the bath house proprietor mistook her for a male. Harsh words were exchanged by both parties and then embarrassed laughter when the truth was discovered.
Returning to our narrator, he noted that thousands of people visited the resort annually many of them disabled and convalescent Japanese soldiers. He was convinced the number of tourists seeking the enjoyment of the healing waters would increase once accommodations for foreigners, including a few English-speaking interpreters, were made.
Of course, not all visitors to the resort were welcomed. Wolves lurked in the surrounding mountains and occasionally crept into the community to snatch unattended livestock and wandering children. Wolves would continue to haunt the region until the mid-20th century.
Perhaps even more devastating than wolves was the timing it was the height of the Spanish flu pandemic.
Read More Spanish flu's impact in Korea in 1918
Robert Neff has authored and co-authored several books, including Letters from Joseon, Korea Through Western Eyes and Brief Encounters.
By Steven L. Shields
There is no such thing as a Christian nation. Of course, there are some nations with large, or even majority populations who self-identify as Christians. True Christ-followers, however, should see red flags when religion and government work together to achieve mutually agreed-on goals. World history is littered with terrible examples of such.
The Jesus described by the Gospel writers continually reminded his followers that Gods kingdom is not of this world. All too many Christians today have forgotten this and used their influence in government to their benefit. Weve seen this happen in Seoul when the organizers of a long-held festival in the city plaza had their permits revoked at the last minute so a so-called Christian group could stage a religious event. Call it a concert, if you will; the events were for evangelizing.
Unlike his modern-day doppelganger, the Jesus of the New Testament did not want to be the top dog. He was not interested in acceptance, power or wealth. He didnt aspire to have the largest congregations with the most elegant temples of worship. At every turn, he opposed the prevailing religious and secular authorities, not by revolution but by presenting another way of life and relationships. While the religious leaders Jesus ran up against used the scriptures to define love, Jesus used love to understand and apply the scriptures.
I think the Jesus described in the four Gospels would have been horrified when, in 313 CE, Emperor Constantine made the religion that borrowed Jesus name the official religion of the realm. As this status became increasingly powerful, the church overtook the government. Kings and princes had to seek anointment by the church, typically the pope in Rome. We still see this played out in the recent coronation of King Charles III. However, the few other remaining European monarchs take a more modern approach of swearing an oath to the assembly of the people. While Jesus taught his followers to give the government its due, the unification of the two was not part of Gods kingdom ideal.
When Jesus charged his followers to make disciples of all nations, he never could have imagined that this would devolve into forced conversion at the point of a sword, driving the Jews from the lands, seizing their properties and slaughtering those who refused to convert. The Spanish Inquisition and the Crusades were nothing more than a reign of terror imposed upon the Mediterranean by power-hungry religionists. Many Crusaders, over a couple of centuries, committed some of the most heinous crimes against humanity imaginable. The Inquisition was no better.
Christians have, by and large, misunderstood Jesus teaching that the kingdom of God is near or at hand. Yet, theyve been waiting 2,000 years for something to happen, and when it seems not to have come about in their minds, they try to force it on the world. When Jesus said the kingdom was at hand, he meant what he said. At hand means right here, right now. His disciples must take hold of it and begin living the kingdom lifestyle Jesus modeled.
People of Jesus time often misunderstood the role of the Messiah. Most Christians today equally misunderstand it and continue to try to exert worldly power by any means possible. Such a desire for power is driven only by greed greed for wealth, status and control. Jesus was brought down not by anarchy but by law and order allied with religion. Such alliances always use force to make others conform.
Christians of many traditions spend much time telling others they must be born again to be saved in Gods kingdom. But Jesus further taught (see Luke 18:22) that his followers must sell all they own and give the money to the poor. Thats the hard part for most of us. We must give up seeking revenge on our enemies, give up violence and cruel words shouted at a street rally, insisting others believe as we do. Jesus commanded his followers to take up their cross and walk the path of the Messiah a path of self-denial and sacrifice, even to ones life.
In all the Biblical records, there has never been a conservative prophet. Prophets have not been called to preserve those social orders that categorize people into worth levels. Privilege and wealth do not belong in the prophetic kingdom of God. Christ-followers are to defend the poor, the powerless, the marginalized, the vulnerable and the oppressed.
Jesus did not command people to worship him, but he constantly challenged them to follow him. We start by loving our neighbor who doesnt look like us, think like us, love like us, speak, pray or vote like us. Love your neighbor. No exceptions. Jesus was all about how we love. That is the true kingdom of God.
Rev. Steven L. Shields (slshields@gmail.com) has lived in Korea for many years, beginning in the 1970s. A lifelong member of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea, he has served as a director and president. He was a copy editor of The Korea Times in 1977. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not reflect The Korea Times editorial stance.
By Andrew Hammond
The recent Democratic presidential convention in Chicago drew sweeping pre-event comparisons with the same event in 1968 held in the same city during the Vietnam conflict. However, while there are some similarities, the foreign policy context between then and this 2024 campaign is significantly different.
The 1968 election, which pitted Republican Richard Nixon and Democrat Hubert Humphrey, came during a distinctive, approximately quarter of a century political era from 1948 to 1972 during the early Cold War era. During this time, foreign policy was usually the single most salient issue in US elections, as it was in 1968 with the Vietnam war.
1968 saw an unusually turbulent period framed by that Vietnam conflict with then-President Lyndon Johnsons decision not to run for re-election (paralleled this year by President Joe Bidens decision not to seek a second term), the assassination of Martin Luther King on April 4 and the killing of Robert Kennedy on June 5. This was capped off in August 1968 with the riots at the Democratic convention in Chicago, of which there was an important echo with high profile pro-Palestinian protests against Israels military operation in Gaza in recent days.
Since the 1970s, however, economic issues have tended to be the U.S. electorates highest priority. Most recently, in the 2020 presidential race for instance, during the first year of the pandemic, the U.S. economy was spun into recession after more than a decade of growth, one of the longest expansions in U.S. history.
This is not to dismiss the importance of U.S. foreign policy in the 2024 U.S. campaign, even though the United States is not formally engaged in any war today, unlike 1968. Take the example of the Associated Press- University of Chicago National Opinion Research Center (AP-NORC) survey earlier this year which saw 40 percent of voters cite foreign policy as a key issue. Thats about twice as many who mentioned international topics in the AP-NORC poll conducted around a year before in 2023.
The big troubles in the Middle East since last Octobers Hamas attacks in Israel, and the subsequent offensive in Gaza, have spiked U.S. voter concerns about geopolitics. This alongside concerns about the Ukraine war, plus the possibility of wider challenges, including Chinas posture toward Taiwan.
While foreign policy is still not as salient for voters in 2024, as it was generally during the early years of the Cold War from 1948 to 1972, there are a significant number of reasons why international affairs will remain prominent in coming months before election day. For one, there remain very high escalation risks in the Middle East with the region at its most febrile point in years.
In Ukraine, meanwhile, Kyiv has launched in August a spectacular new offensive inside Russia, gaining more than an estimated 1000 square miles of territory, at the time of writing. After months of Moscow making gains in Ukraine, this has at least temporarily changed the narrative of the war there.
Meanwhile, in Asia Pacific, significant numbers of U.S. voters are concerned about the potential for a crisis there too. This could create a third major source of international conflict for the United States and its Western allies, with resources increasingly stretched.
Yet, even if foreign policy issues were to grow significantly further in salience in 2024, there are nonetheless till a major key difference between now and the first quarter of a century of the Cold War. That is, the earlier period was characterised by a relative policy consensus and widespread bi-partisan cooperation on foreign affairs.
Today, however, this policy domain is significantly more divisive. To be sure, the early Cold War consensus can be overstated. Nonetheless, a significant degree of bipartisan agreement on foreign affairs, and wider political decorum, did exist, at least until it broke apart in the late 1960s under the strain of the Vietnam debacle, and the demise of the notion of monolithic communism in light of the Sino-Soviet split.
No clear foreign policy consensus has emerged in recent years, and if anything the gaps are widening. Even before Trump took up presidential office in 2017, many Republicans and Democrats differed significantly on how they view the power and standing of the United States internationally; on the degree to which the country should be unilateralist, in their attitudes toward the campaign on terrorism and the methods by which they are being fought and on what the priorities of foreign policy should be.
These divisions have grown, further, since Trumps presidency with 2024 seeing significantly divergent U.S. grand strategies. That is, Trumps "America First," versus the more internationalist vision of the Biden-Harris administration which is much more similar to the foreign policies of both Republican and Democratic predecessors in the post-war era.
The increasingly polarisation of foreign policy also reduces the scope for the longstanding "rally-around-the-flag" at times of geopolitical tension. This is illustrated by the blaming by some Republicans of current geopolitical tensions on the Biden-Harris administration.
Especially if the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine continue into late 2024, it is therefore increasingly plausible that the salience of international issues could remain high on election day. Moreover, partisan splits on foreign policy will reinforce high rates of U.S. political polarisation, potentially increasing global interest in the race to boot.
Andrew Hammond is an Associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics.
Korean tech giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are planning to showcase various new artificial intelligence-powered home appliances at the IFA 2024 home electronics show in Berlin next month, industry sources said Sunday.
Samsung will present a range of products, including the Bespoke AI Combo, an all-in-one washer-dryer; the Bespoke AI Family Hub, a premium refrigerator product; and the Bespoke AI Steam, a new robot vacuum cleaner product.
The company will also showcase the strength of its AI-powered televisions. The Generative Wallpaper feature in Samsung televisions will recommend background images based on users' preferences.
LG will unveil a new AI-powered drum washing machine with a reduced width of 25 inches, which is designed to meet the needs of European consumers.
The washer features the AI Direct Drive motor, which analyzes the weight, wetness and fabric of the laundry to determine the optimal washing method in order to protect garments.
The company will also showcase the newly launched LG Roboking AI All-in-One robot vacuum and the CordZero A9X All-in-One Tower Combo at the Berlin trade show.
Senior officials from the companies, including Han Jong-hee, vice chairman and head of Samsung's device experience division, and LG Electronics CEO Cho Joo-wan are known to be planning to attend the event. (Yonhap)
By Park Jae-hyuk
HD Hyundai has been accelerating efforts to expand its presence in the hydrogen fuel cell market.
HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE), an HD Hyundai subsidiary supervising its shipyards, said Monday that its unit HD Hydrogen acquired a controlling stake in Convion, a Finnish fuel cell system company, for 72 million euros ($80 million).
HD Hydrogen is HD KSOEs wholly-owned subsidiary founded this month to produce hydrogen fuel cells. HD KSOE invested 140 billion won ($106 million) in HD Hydrogen.
Established in 2012, Convion specializes in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and solid oxide electrolyzer cell (SOEC) technologies. It is one of the few companies in the world with a track record of developing and supplying commercial SOFC generation systems.
With the latest deal, HD KSOE seeks a two-track strategy to lead the hydrogen fuel cell market.
HD Hydrogen will oversee the entire fuel cell business and take charge of the power generation and marine units in Korea, while Convion will continue to develop core fuel cell technologies in Europe.
Both SOFC and SOEC technologies are considered critical for the use of hydrogen energy.
Additionally, complex technical skills and a long period of time are needed to develop the technologies because SOFC and SOEC are activated at high temperatures.
HD Hyundai, therefore, expects HD Hydrogens acquisition of Convion to allow the company to outrun its market rivals.
Last October, HD KSOE signed a 45 million euro contract with Elcogen, a leading fuel cell company, to invest in upgrading the large-scale SOFC system.
Along with hydrogen fuel cell and water electrolysis technologies, HD Hyundai is also focusing on developing future energy sources, such as small modular reactors, an HD KSOE official said.
With technologies to develop the worlds cleanest energy sources, we plan to become the frontrunner in the future green shipbuilding industry.
According to the International Energy Agency and the International Renewable Energy Agency, the size of the hydrogen fuel cell and water electrolysis market is expected to increase to 17 trillion won in 2030 from 2.5 trillion won in 2023, with an average annual growth rate of 30 percent.
The market size is expected to reach 55 trillion won in 2040, once the application of marine hydrogen fuel cells is in full swing and water electrolysis technology is commercialized.
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.
The chief executive of the global mobility platform Uber said Friday the company sees Korea as a vitally important market, stating his commitment to growing the company's taxi business here.
"Korea is a large taxi market, and one with strong market opportunity and growing e-hail penetration," Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said at a press conference in Seoul.
Khosrowshahi said Uber saw the number of trips on its Korean platform grow by double digits every month since the company rebranded the app as "Uber Taxi" in March, mainly thanks to a sharp increase in use by international travelers visiting the country.
Uber had originally used the name "UT" for its ride-hailing app here, operating the app through a joint venture with TMAP Mobility, a mobility subsidiary of Korea's leading telecommunications firm SK Telecom.
Khosrowshahi also said Uber is working to build ties with many Korean companies, including carmakers, to foster more cooperation in the electric and autonomous vehicle industry, a key pillar of Uber's business strategy for the future.
"While it won't happen overnight, we expect autonomous vehicles to be an increasingly important part of the transportation ecosystem," he said. "Our strategy is to collaborate with partners to offer a diverse range of autonomous services across different regions." (Yonhap)
Baemins rate hike plan stirs controversy in delivery ecosystem
By Ko Dong-hwan
Food delivery drivers are voicing their discontent as operators of major online food ordering platforms plan to raise delivery fees charged to restaurants.
According to management companies and industry observers, the riders are unhappy with this move because it primarily benefits the platform operators, not them.
Despite the anticipated increase in sales for the operators, the riders face the same harsh working conditions and high demand without seeing any improvement in their earnings.
In fact, one of the largest delivery platforms has even reduced delivery fees for its customers, which has decreased the amount of money available for the drivers.
Rider Union, the country's first labor union for delivery workers, gathered its members in front of the presidential office in central Seoul on Aug. 22. Restaurant owners using the country's major online food delivery platforms like Baemin, Yogiyo and Coupang Eats were also present there.
Together, they demanded that the administration and the government impose stricter regulations on platform operators to prevent riders and restaurant owners from unfairly falling victim to the planned rate hike and other harmful practices threatening the delivery industry ecosystem.
The protest came after Baemin increased the commission rate charged to restaurants earlier this month to 9.8 percent per order from 6.8 percent.
The protesters urged the government to introduce a new policy to monitor and control online platforms and objected to the current environment where the operators are free from such legal guidelines.
They added that without such measures, it's virtually impossible to express any grievances against major platform operators like Baemin, the biggest platform operator in Korea run by Woowa Brothers, which takes up almost 65 percent of food delivery market shares, in fear of losing customers.
The drivers said that they don't "benefit a penny" from the platform operators' rate hike while the degree of their labor remains intense. As their earnings depend on the number of orders they complete, they are pressured by the platform operators to make "express" deliveries.
The delivery option requires them to deliver each order individually in a single trip to reduce delivery time, but limits their ability to handle multiple deliveries at once. Baemin has also recently reduced its fees for customers who don't use express delivery from 3,000 won ($2.25) to 2,200 won, cutting down profits for the drivers and their management firms.
"Riders are in danger now," a Rider Union official said. "Their dangerous working environment is pushing them to ignore traffic lights and drive at unsafe speeds to save delivery time. Their safety, meanwhile, is not guaranteed at all."
To address the country's unleveled food delivery ecosystem, the government has launched a task force with officials from the ministries of finance, food and SMEs as well as the Fair Trade Commission to host discussions between the platform operators, platform-dependent food businesses and the government.
"Operating a major online food delivery platform free of legal guidelines only works when food businesses subscribing to the platform are on par with the platform operators in terms of market power," a business owner in the food industry said. "In reality, the gap is too much."
Following the third tripartite meeting on Tuesday, no agreement has been reached regarding the platform operators' delivery fee rate hikes.
Samsung Electronics and its labor union are likely to resume their talks over a wage increase and others in early October at the earliest, industry sources said Thursday.
Early this month, members of the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU), the largest labor union of the South Korean tech giant, returned to work as they have held several rounds of talks since January but have been unable to narrow their differences over the wage increase rate, vacation system and bonuses.
The NSEU, representing 31,000 workers, or about 24 percent of Samsung Electronics' 125,000-strong workforce, had been on a full-scale strike for about a month before returning to work.
The union has been demanding a 5.6 percent basic pay raise for all members, a guaranteed day off on the union's founding day and compensation for economic losses due to the strike.
Samsung Electronics has offered a 5.1 percent increase in wages, while emphasizing its commitment to building a win-win relationship with the labor union.
Early this month, the NSEU lost its status representing the tech behemoth's other labor union and a right for a strike.
The sources said the NSEU may regain its status for wage talks via a tie with the other labor union after required processes are completed, which will take about a month. (Yonhap)
Korean Air starts SAF initiative, other airlines to follow
By Ko Dong-hwan
Starting in 2027, the government will require all airlines in the country to use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), as part of efforts to significantly reduce carbon emissions, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Friday.
SAF, made from biomass and captured carbon rather than fossil fuels, is eco-friendly. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), it can cut carbon emissions by up to 80 percent compared to traditional fuels. Additionally, SAF has a chemical composition similar to conventional jet fuels, allowing it to be used in existing aircraft without requiring any mechanical modifications.
The joint initiative coincides with the International Civil Aviation Organizations (ICAO) plan to make its Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) mandatory for 193 member states beginning in 2027. Under CORSIA, airlines that produce carbon emissions exceeding 85 percent of the global average from 2019 will be required to purchase carbon offset permits to balance out the excess emissions. To date, 126 ICAO member countries, including Korea, have opted to voluntarily adhere to this scheme.
Under the planned measure, all national airlines will be required to include at least 1 percent SAF in their jet fuels. Given that the country's aviation industry emitted 20 million tons of carbon in 2023, this requirement is expected to reduce emissions by approximately 160,000 tons. According to the industry ministry, this reduction is equivalent to the annual emissions produced by 53,000 vehicles each driving an average of 12,000 kilometers.
To prevent the new requirement from leading to higher airfares due to increased costs, the ministries plan to support airlines with incentives. They will also introduce a new mileage policy designed to encourage greater demand for flights using SAF.
To retain its position as the global leader in SAF exports and to further enhance its capabilities, Korea must focus on securing a stable supply of sustainable aviation fuel and developing the necessary infrastructure, Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun said at Incheon International Airport, Friday, where officials from the ministries gathered with heads of the countrys nine airlines and five oil refiners to support the measure. Memorandums of understanding for SAF usage in commercial flights were exchanged between the two ministries, airlines and oil refiners, Incheon International Airport Corp. and Korea Airports Corp.
To counter climate change and realize the sustainable growth of the countrys aviation industry, the usage of SAF is no longer optional but a critical requirement, Transport Minister Park Sang-woo said. The measure will allow Korea to spearhead the carbon neutralization of the global aviation industry.
On the same day at the airport, S-Oil announced that it signed an agreement with Korean Air to supply SAF for the airline's regular flights between Incheon and Haneda, Japan. According to S-Oil, the agreement will see SAF supplied weekly to Korean Air, marking the first instance in which a domestic refiner will consistently provide locally produced SAF for passenger flights departing from a Korean airport.
S-Oil is responding actively to transform itself into a clean energy supplier that aligns itself with global decarbonization trends and contributes to building a resource-circular economy, S-Oil CEO Anwar Al-Hejazi said during the event.
Since we have taken a vital role in refueling SAF onto an international flight for the first time in Korea, well do our best to contribute to expanding the green SAF ecosystem, placing our top priority on reliably supplying SAF products.
He added, "S-Oil is actively considering building a dedicated SAF production facility to ensure a stable supply as demand grows, both domestically and internationally. Additionally, we are committed to expanding our efforts in providing other green energy solutions and sustainable resource products."
Additionally, by the end of the year, five other national airlines, including Asiana Airlines and Tway Air, will adopt this practice for their flights to Japan.
With Korean Airs recent use of SAF, Korea has become the 20th country in the world to incorporate sustainable aviation fuel into commercial flights.
Beginning with Norway, which mandated a 0.5 percent SAF blend in 2020, and France, which increased its SAF requirement to 1.5 percent in 2023 from 1 percent the previous year, 19 countries are now using SAF as a strategy to combat climate change. In line with IATAs goal to expand global SAF use to over 18 million tons by 2030, up from 240,000 tons in 2022, several countries have announced plans to boost their SAF consumption.
The European Union has announced that member states will be required to blend at least 2 percent SAF starting in 2025, with the blend increasing to 6 percent by 2030 and 70 percent by 2050. Singapore and India have also set plans to mandate 1 percent SAF, beginning in 2026 and 2027, respectively. Additionally, Japan has committed to using 10 percent SAF by 2030.
Suspicions remain that Doosan seeks to maximize owners' benefit
By Nam Hyun-woo
Doosan Group withdrew its controversial plan to merge construction equipment firm Doosan Bobcat into money-losing Doosan Robotics upon strong opposition from retail investors and warnings from authorities, but questions still remain over the groups ongoing efforts to restructure its governance of units.
Bobcat and Robotics announced on Thursday they both decided to annul their contract to exchange their shares for the merger, scrapping their merger proposal.
Doosan Group initially proposed to spin off Bobcat from its parent Doosan Enerbility, a plant facilities company, and merge it into Robotics under a ratio of exchanging 100 Bobcat shares with 63 Robotics shares.
This, however, faced strong backlash from not only retail investors but also financial companies and the National Pension Service, as they complained about assigning greater value to the shares of the struggling robotics firm.
Despite scrapping the merger plan, the Doosan companies said in letters to investors that the group will proceed with spinning off Bobcat from Enerbility and make the construction equipment maker a subsidiary of Robotics, citing the necessity of giving Enerbility capital flexibility for investments.
Enerbility explained that this spinoff is essential because Bobcat has a debt of 700 billion won ($525 million) and separating this from Enerbilitys financial books will improve the companys capabilities to attract additional investments for its nuclear energy businesses with healthier fiscal prudence.
But the market still has suspicions that the groups insistence of placing the lucrative Bobcat under Robotics is aimed at maximizing value for the owner family. Bobcats operating profit accounted for 93 percent of Doosan Group companies total operating profit last year.
Through its stake in Enerbility, Doosan Groups holding firm, Doosan Corp., indirectly controls a 14 percent stake in Bobcat. Since the holding firm has a higher stake in Robotics, its indirect control of Bobcat would improve to 27.2 percent if Bobcat becomes a child company of Robotics. If the merger takes place as the group has sought, Doosan Corp. would hold a 42 percent stake in Bobcat directly, meaning Doosan Corp. can get greater amounts of dividends from Bobcat.
The withdrawal of the merger is closer to grandstanding, and problems with the restructuring plan remain the same, said Park Ju-gun, CEO of corporate research firm Leaders Index.
Park said Doosan Group appears to have sought four benefits through the Bobcat merger separating Bobcats debt from Enerbilitys books, using Bobcats profits to finance Robotics investments, bypassing Koreas M&A regulations on a grandchild company and improving the owner familys control of Bobcat. These may benefit Doosan Group, but will likely be detrimental to retail investors.
After facing investors opposition and authorities warnings, the group styled itself as if it has given up all of the benefits, but in fact, it abandoned the third benefit of bypassing M&A regulations, Park said. If the group really cared about retail investors value, it should have scrapped the whole restructuring plan.
Bobcat shareholders cast worries that Bobcats corporate value may be discounted further under Robotics, in fear that Bobcat may have to pay extraordinary amounts of dividends to Robotics to finance its costly robotics firms.
Reflecting on these worries, Bobcats share prices shed for three consecutive sessions, closing at 39,800 won on Friday, down 5.35 percent from a day earlier.
Kiwoom Securities analyst Lee Han-gyul also noted that it will take time before Robotics and Bobcat create synergy in their businesses.
Enerbilitys minor shareholders are also expressing worries over the restructuring plan. Act Team, a shareholder activism platform, said in a statement that nothing has changed for Enerbilitys minority shareholders, because the company will lose money-making Bobcat to Robotics.
For Enerbility shareholders, the current spin-off plan also incurs losses. Based on the groups existing plan, an investor having 100 Enerbility shares will have to exchange them with 75 Enerbility shares and three Robotics shares. As of Friday, 100 Enerbility shares were worth 1.81 million won, but the combined value of 75 Enerbility shares and three Robotics shares was 1.57 million won.
For Doosan Group to complete its restructuring plan as it seeks, the approval of existing shareholders for the spin-off of Enerbility will be necessary, Kiwooms Lee said. Since Bobcat was a key subsidiary of Doosan Enerbility, there is also a possibility that Enerbility shareholders may oppose the spinoff.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired the commander of the countrys air force Friday, four days after an F-16 warplane that Ukraine received from its Western partners crashed during a Russian missile and dronw bombardment, killing the pilot.
The order to dismiss Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk was published on the presidential website.
We need to protect people. Protect personnel. Take care of all our soldiers, Zelenskyy said in an address minutes after the order was published. He said Ukraine needs to strengthen its armed forces at the command level.
Lt. Gen. Anatolii Kryvonozhko was appointed acting air force commander, the general staff said.
The dismissal came on the same day that Oleshchuk directed scathing criticism at a lawmaker who is deputy head of the Ukrainian parliaments defense committee for her claims that the F-16 was downed by a Patriot air-defense system. Ukraine has received an unspecified number of the U.S.-made systems.
Mariana Bezuhla cited unnamed sources for her claim and demanded punishment for those responsible for the error.
Oleshchuk accused Bezuhla of defaming the air force and discrediting U.S. arms manufacturers and said that he hoped she would face legal consequences for her claims.
The truth will win, Bezuhla posted on X shortly after the dismissal order was published.
The air force did not directly deny that the F-16 was hit by a Patriot missile.
U.S. experts have joined the Ukrainian investigation into the crash, the air force said.
Meanwhile, a Russian attack on the northeastern city of Kharkiv using powerful plane-launched glide bombs killed six people, including a 14-year-old girl on a playground, and wounded 47 others, regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said.
The bombs struck five locations across the city, which had a prewar population of 1.4 million people, the governor said.
One of the bombs hit a 12-story apartment block, setting the building ablaze and trapping at least one person on an upper floor. Emergency crews searching for survivors feared the structure could collapse.
In other developments, Ukrainian rockets hit the Russian city of Belgorod and its surroundings on late Friday, killing five people and injuring 37, said regional Govenor Vyacheslav Gladkov. The region borders northern Ukraine ans comes under drone or artillery attacks almost daily.
Zelenskyy pointed to the Kharkiv strikes as further evidence that Western partners should scrap restrictions on what the Ukrainian military can target with donated weapons.
The Kharkiv strike wouldnt have happened if our defense forces had the capability to destroy Russian military aviation at its bases. We need strong decisions from our partners to stop this terror, Zelenskyy said.
F-16s are one of the weapons that could be used to hit Russian bases behind the front line.
Oleshchuk said on Telegram that a detailed analysis" was already being conducted into why the F-16 jet went down Monday, when Russia launched a major missile and drone barrage at Ukraine.
We must carefully understand what happened, what the circumstances are, and whose responsibility it is, Oleshchuk wrote in the post shortly before his dismissal.
The crash was the first reported loss of an F-16 in Ukraine, where the warplanes arrived at the end of last month. At least six are believed to have been delivered by European countries.
Military analysts say the planes will not be a game-changer in the war , given Russias massive air force and sophisticated air-defense systems. But Ukrainian officials welcomed the supersonic jets, which can carry modern weapons used by NATO countries, for offering an opportunity to hit back at Russias air superiority.
On the ground, the Russian army is making slow but gradual progress in its drive into eastern Ukraine , while Ukrainian forces are holding ground in the Kursk border region of western Russia after a recent incursion .
The Institute for the Study of War said it expected that Ukraine would lose some Western-provided military equipment in the fighting.
But the Washington-based think tank added that any loss among Ukraines already limited allotment" of F-16s and trained pilots will have an outsized impact on the country's ability to operate F-16s "as part of its combined air defense umbrella or in an air-to-ground support role.
In other developments, European Union defense ministers agreed in Brussels to boost their training program for Ukrainian troops.
Today the ministers agreed to raising the target to 75,000, adding 15,000 more by the end of the year, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters after the meeting.
The training has to be shortened and adapted to the Ukrainian training needs, Borrell said. He added that the EU would set up a small coordination and liaison cell in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv to make the training effort more effective.
So far, 60,000 troops have passed through the blocs training scheme, which is conducted outside Ukraine. (AP)
The Philippines and China exchanged accusations of intentionally ramming Coast Guard vessels in disputed waters of the South China Sea on Saturday, the latest in an escalating series of clashes in the vital waterway.
The collision near the Sabina Shoal was their fifth maritime confrontation in a month in a longstanding rivalry.
Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. Portions of the waterway, where $3 trillion worth of trade passes annually, are believed to be rich in oil and natural gas deposits, as well as fish stocks.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 found China's sweeping claims had no legal basis, a ruling Beijing rejects.
Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela showed videos of Saturday's confrontation at a press conference, saying China Coast Guard vessel 5205 "directly and intentionally rammed the Philippine vessel" without provocation.
The ramming damaged the 97-meter (320-foot) Teresa Magbanua, one of the Philippines' largest coast guard cutters, but no personnel were injured, Tarriela said.
Liu Dejun, a spokesperson for China's coast guard, said in a statement a Philippine ship, "illegally stranded" at the shoal, had lifted anchor and "deliberately rammed" a Chinese vessel. He called on the Philippines to withdraw immediately or bear the consequences.
"The Chinese coast guard will take the measures required to resolutely thwart all acts of provocation, nuisance and infringement and resolutely safeguard the country's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests," Liu said.
Tarriela said Manila would not withdraw its ship "despite the harassment, the bullying activities and escalatory action of the Chinese coast guard."
The Philippines deployed a ship in April to the Sabina Shoal, 75 nautical miles from the coast of the Philippine province of Palawan. Manila accused Beijing of building an artificial island, saying it had documented piles of dead and crushed coral on the sandbars, which Beijing denies.
This week the Philippine maritime council said Chinese aircraft made unsafe maneuvers against a civilian aircraft conducting patrols over two other disputed areas, the Scarborough Shoal and Subi reef.
The Philippines accused China of blocking a routine resupply mission on Sunday, saying Chinese vessels rammed and used water cannons on a fisheries bureau ship transporting food, fuel and medical supplies for Filipino fishermen. (Reuters)
An inmate whose escape from a Kansas prison hidden in a dog crate became the subject of a book and TV movie has died behind bars.
John Manard, who was 45, died Sunday at the La Palma Correctional Facility, a private prison in Eloy, Arizona, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. His cause of death is pending the result of an autopsy, department spokesperson Jennifer King said.
Manard was serving a life sentence for a suburban Kansas City killing at a prison in Lansing, Kansas, when he met Toby Young, a married mother of two who worked helping prisoners train animals for adoption. They struck up a romantic relationship.
On Feb. 12, 2006, Young, then 47, hid Manard, then 27, in a crate and helped him escape.
Prison officials said she took advantage of the trust she gained while running the program to drive Manard out of the prison. A guard who recognized Young did not thoroughly search the van.
Young and Manard were captured 12 days after the escape in east Tennessee on Interstate 75 between Knoxville and Chattanooga, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) south of a remote cabin they had been sharing.
Young, whose husband filed for divorce after her arrest, was sentenced in state court for her role in breaking Manard out. She also pleaded guilty in federal court to giving him a gun. She was freed in 2008 and wrote about what happened in the book, Living With Conviction.
John is finally free. But I am crushed, Young, who has since remarried and goes by Toby Dorr, said in a Facebook post Wednesday. I pray you have at last found the peace you were searching for, John.
The escape story also was featured on Dateline and is the inspiration behind the Lifetime movie, Jailbreak Lovers.
In a March 2006 letter to a Kansas City television station, Manard said he and Young have a fairytale love the size of infinity. (AP)
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Three-time GRAMMY winner Brad Paisley made his third appearance at the Great Allentown Fair Friday night.
Paisley has a number of hit songs including: Remember Me, Whiskey Lullaby, Karate, and Shattered Glass, to name a few.
George Birge warmed up the crowd before Paisley hit the grandstand stage.
Freelance photographer Donna Fisher was there to capture scenes from Paisleys show, found in the photo gallery above.
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Saed Hindash may be reached at shindash@lehighvalleylive.com.
A convicted killer captured last year after two weeks on the run in southeastern Pennsylvanias rolling farmlands has pleaded guilty to escape and burglary charges.
Cavalcante was sentenced immediately afterward to serve 15 to 30 years in addition to his life sentence without parole for killing his ex-girlfriend. He chose not to speak in court.
Danilo Cavalcante, 35, a native of Brazil, escaped from a Chester County lockup while waiting to be transferred to state prison to serve a life sentence for killing his ex-girlfriend. He escaped by clambering up between two walls in a jail exercise yard, then climbing over razor wire and jumping from a roof.
Cavalcante had been convicted of killing ex-girlfriend Deborah Brandao to stop her from telling police about charges against him in connection with a 2017 slaying in Brazil.
While on the run, he stole a truck from a dairy farm after finding the keys inside, and survived by stealing food, clothing and other items from peoples homes.
With residents of Chester County increasingly on edge, one homeowner found the fugitive in his open garage stealing a rifle and fired several shots at him with a pistol. But they seemingly missed Cavalcante, who remained on the run for two more days before he was captured early one morning by searchers using a planes thermal imaging from above and K-9 search dogs on the ground.
Cavalcante, a native of Brazil speaking through a Portuguese interpreter, told the judge his education had stopped in the fourth grade.
Youre still a young man, County Judge Allison Bell Royer told Cavalcante, as she advised him to figure out a way to make something of his life even in prison.
Maybe someday be a mentor to somebody for a purpose thats good, It is never too late, she said.
Lonny Fish, his defense lawyer, said Cavalcante had swiftly agreed to plead guilty to the charges. His plea came a day before the one-year anniversary of his escape, which left many people across the Philadelphia region in fear, especially as Cavalcante entered at least two homes in search of provisions. I dont think he understood the circus that he caused, Fish said.
By MARYCLAIRE DALE
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Oasis have issued a warning to fans over certain resale tickets amid a Ticketmaster scramble for dates in Croke Park and the UK on Saturday morning.
Tickets for August 16 and 17 in Croke Park next year went on sale at 8am via Ticketmaster and while thousands of fans encountered technical issues, the gigs are now virtually sold-out.
The only tickets remaining are premium level with prices too prohibitive for ordinary fans. A similar scramble for the UK dates in London and Manchester ensued an hour later at 9am with similar issues.
Disgruntled fans also took to social media to share screenshots of resale tickets posted minutes after the sale opened with some being offered for over 1,000.
This prompted Oasis to issue an update to fans via their official social media pages. They warned: "Please note, Oasis Live 25 tickets can only be resold at face value via Ticketmaster and Twickets. Tickets appearing on other secondary ticketing sites are either counterfeit or will be cancelled by the promoters."
Thousands of people logged on to Ticketmaster this morning hoping to grab tickets but some ended up in virtual queues with hundreds of thousands of people ahead of them. It is thought international fans, as well as Irish and UK fans, have been flooding the site since early this morning.
One fan posted a photograph of two laptop screens after joining the queue for both dates, August 16 and August 17, and had a combined 800,000 people ahead of him, making it virtually impossible for him to secure tickets.
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The tickets, which start at 86.50, are like to be the hottest around in 2025 as Oasis have confirmed their run of comeback shows will be the only gigs they play. They will not be playing Glastonbury or Electric Picnic to reach more fans.
One person desperate to see the band tagged the band in a post on X on Saturday, saying, "Extra Croke Park date required."
Another woman posted a picture of her screen with almost 300,000 people ahead of her in a queue for one of the Croke Park gigs.
"I was in the queue the second they went on sale. The seating capacity is 82,300. My daughter and son-in-law will be so disappointed. 3:13AM her, so I am off to bed. Wishing you all the best. Take care."
Someone else who had over 500,000 people ahead of them in the queue wrote: "Assuming Croke Park let half a million people stand on the pitch, I think I'm in with a chance of going to Oasis."
Blasting Ticketmaster, one fan took to X and told the company: "Extremely frustrating, in a queue knocked out and now can't get back in. History repeating itself yet again. Cannot handle the pressure and no wonder people are getting annoyed!"
To people having issues, Ticketmaster responded, "Please make sure you are only using one tab, clear your cookies, refresh, and ensure you aren't using any VPN software on your device." Fans were quick to reply that the advice doesn't work.
Another frustrated fan was excited as it appeared they would get tickets only to be hit with technical issues: "I joined at 1,400 in the queue, got in 20 mins ago and its just spinning on confirming availability ever since?"
Fans are now also frustrated with tickets already cropping up on resale sites for hundreds and thousands of Euro.
The number of Ukrainian citizens in temporary accommodation in Co Kildare has almost doubled in the past year, official figures show.
The latest data from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth shows there are 971 Ukrainian refugees fleeing war who are registered as Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in Co Kildare.
The equivalent figure for Co Kildare for the same time last year was 488.
Of the current 971 Ukrainians in short-term accommodation in Co Kildare, 734 are adults and 237 are children.
The refugees are being accommodated at a number of sites such as at purpose-built facilities at Floods Cross outside Naas as well as at Punchestown Event Centre and the former Kill Equestrian Centre.
The number of Ukrainians currently being accommodated in neighbouring counties such as Laois is 370, Carlow is at 605, Offaly is 1,061 and Wicklow is 1,264.
There has been a steady stream of Ukrainian refugees into Ireland since Russia invaded Ukraine over two and a half years ago.
More than 100,000 Ukrainians arrived in Ireland from March 2022 until June of this year, according to the CSO.
BAKU. Azerbaijan. August 31. An exhibition of works by artists from the RAK Art Foundation of Bahrain opened in Baku, Trend reports.
The event was attended by Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva and Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Anar Alakbarov.
Speaking at the opening of the exhibition, the founder of the RAK Art Foundation, renowned Bahraini artist and collector Rashid Al Khalifa said that he was pleased to share the talents of Bahraini artists with art lovers in Azerbaijan. He stressed that the RAK Art Foundation promotes international cooperation and mutual understanding.
Rashid Al Khalifa added that the aim of this collaboration is to introduce the rich works of Bahraini artists to the colourful art scene of Baku.
Chairman of "Azerkhalcha" OJSC Emin Mammadov noted in his speech that cooperation with Rashid Al Khalifa and RAK Art Foundation contributes to the development of art, international friendship and cultural understanding. He said he was very pleased with the display of Bahraini contemporary art in Baku and hoped that this event would further expand the opportunities for cooperation between our countries.
It should be noted that several exhibitions of Rashid Al Khalifa were previously organized at the Heydar Aliyev Center.
Republican presidential nominee and former president Donald Trump gestures after speaking at a campaign event on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. ALEX BRANDON / AP
Republican White House nominee Donald Trump sought Friday, August 30 to contain the blast radius of a fierce backlash over his remarks publicly backing away from right-wing positions on reproductive rights. The ex-president has been under fire from conservatives over an announcement that in a second term he would ensure free in vitro fertilization an expensive fertility procedure that many in the anti-abortion movement want to see curbed.
The rift widened as he hit out at his home state Florida's six-week abortion ban, calling it too restrictive and suggesting he planned to vote for an upcoming ballot measure that would make the procedure legal until a fetus becomes viable.
Trump, 78, walked back the comment ahead of a rally in the battleground state of Pennsylvania on Friday, telling Fox News that "I will be voting no." But conservatives had already begun criticizing Trump's ever-shifting positions on abortion, with a new Republican policy platform dropping calls for a national ban and the tycoon's recent claim that his government would be "great" for reproductive rights. The pushback from anti-abortion groups on his latest remarks was swift, with activists warning that he risks alienating his base.
Evangelical theologian Albert Mohler said Trump's positions appeared "almost calculated to alienate pro-life voters" while conservative commentator Erick Erickson posted that Trump's abortion stance "will be a bridge too far for too many."
Trump's rally in Johnstown was notable for the absence of any remarks on reproductive rights, despite Thursday's big IVF announcement. The campaign of Democratic candidate Kamala Harris was happy to weigh in on the issue, smelling blood in the water.
"The majority of Americans support abortion access, they support IVF, they support contraception," Mini Timmaraju, of the Reproductive Freedom for All lobby group, told reporters in a campaign call. "(Trump) has finally figured it out, and he'll do anything to distract from his abysmal, horrifying record on this issue."
'He is pro-life'
Trump has been all over the map on abortion in the last 15 years, initially describing himself as "pro-choice" before calling for "some form of punishment" for women seeking the procedure. He boasts about appointing Supreme Court justices who ended federal protections for abortion access in 2022 but has more recently begun to worry that Republicans are out of step with the majority of voters on reproductive rights.
His IVF pledge appeared calculated to appeal to moderates but will upset conservatives who for years opposed Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act because they were against the redistributive economics of taxpayer-funded health insurance. Almost every Senate Republican voted against assuring IVF access in a vote in June in any case, and more than half of the House Republican lawmakers have sponsored legislation that threatens its legality.
Republicans are divided on fertility treatments such as IVF, with many hailing them as a boost to American families. Others, with strong beliefs that life begins at conception, oppose IVF because the procedure can produce multiple embryos, not all of which get used.
Abortion rights activists worry that the Supreme Court decision threatens IVF and were given cause by a February ruling in Alabama that frozen embryos could be considered people, causing several clinics to briefly pause treatments.
Yet if the abortion and IVF rows threatened to alienate Trump's most loyal supporters, rally-goers in Johnstown weren't showing it.
"It's not enough to make me not vote for him, no way, because he is pro-life," said Lisa Davis, a 54-year-old retired office manager from the nearby town of Somerset. "I know he wants to give some exceptions and I think there should be."
"Why should I pay with my tax dollars for a baby getting killed?" added retired nurse Rosemary Drzal, 69.
Trump was due to head to the capital Washington later Friday to speak to the powerful conservative group Moms for Liberty.
BRENDAN Gleeson is encouraging people across the Mid-West to get behind a 2.4million national fundraising drive for the 24 hospice and specialist palliative homecare providers that make up Together For Hospice, The National Hospice Movement.
The legendary actor is asking the public to get brewing ahead of next months Bewleys Big Coffee Morning for Hospice, which has raised 45.3million for frontline hospice care since 1992.
This years event takes place on September 26, but supporters can host or attend one on a date that suits them, with every cent raised locally going to their local hospice.
Both of Gleesons parents spent their final days in St Francis Hospice in Dublin, which is set to begin work on a new 24 single-room in-patient unit, at a cost of 29 million.
Im aware that Im in the final chapters but youre just trying to keep the creaky bits moving as well as possible, said the Oscar-nominated actor as he officially launched the fundraiser on Wednesday, August 21, in Bewleys Cafe, Dublin.
A great quote shared with me years ago was good health is a golden crown which only those who are ill can see, so the person who is sick is seeing how glorious it is, he continued.
I try to keep an eye on the crown and as long as Im motoring around alright, I appreciate life.
Gleeson said there is a huge need for developments like those at St Francis Hospice, which will give families added privacy in their loved ones final days.
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His father Francis spent his time there in a four-bed room, which made those moments a bit more difficult.
The conversation was a little inhibited; you are in hearing distance of others, trying not to earwig, and at the same time attempting an intimate conversation with your loved one in quite a loud voice! he explained.
Because patients are at that stage, you have to speak fairly loudly. Single rooms make it so much easier.
Mary OBrien, CEO, Milford Care Centre shared, We are thrilled that Bewleys Big Coffee Morning for Hospice, one of Together For Hospices most treasured fundraisers, has now reached its 32nd year. This event raises essential funds for Hospice in-patient and community services across Ireland.
Its a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our coffee morning hosts, who generously give their time and energy to their local communities. Their unwavering support is invaluable, helping to fund essential services and quality initiatives that improve care for patients with life-limiting illnesses, she added.
Jason Doyle, Managing Director at Bewleys Ireland, said the company was immensely proud to again support the event: Bewleys as an iconic Irish brand, was founded on the principle of caring for people and communities, which ties in perfectly with the ethos of Together For Hospice".
We encourage everyone to host a coffee morning to help support the incredible, and often unseen, work that hospices nationwide carry out every day, he continued.
The ethos at the heart of Together For Hospice is that whatever money is raised locally, stays locally, and goes directly to each local hospice service to innovate, build new facilities, develop new services and deliver quality improvements and extra benefits for patients and their family members.
You can register to host a coffee morning on Thursday, September 26, or on a date that suits you, at hospicecoffeemorning.ie or call 0818 995 996.
If you cannot host or attend a coffee morning, you can make a donation at hospicecoffeemorning.ie/donate
TotalEnergies is purchasing carbon credits that cover timberland in 10 states ranging from the Louisiana lowlands to the Lake States, the Adirondack Mountains in New York and the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia and Kentucky. The outlay is likely the largest ever in the opaque market designed to forestall tree harvesting in the U.S.
The idea behind the offsets is that rather than cut down trees for wood, leave them standing and absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow.
Companies often voluntarily purchase offsets to satisfy their own emissions targets rather than to meet regulatory mandates. Those sold by major U.S. timberland owners have been a fairly resilient pocket in a carbon-credit market otherwise plagued by allegations of fraud and overstated environmental benefits.
TotalEnergies said it is amassing offsets to make up for greenhouse-gas emissions that it cannot eliminate by 2030. Before this year, it had committed $725 million to offsets generated by preserving or restoring natural carbon sinks around the world, including wetlands and forests.
The seller in its latest purchase is Aurora Sustainable Lands, which was created two years ago to carry out Wall Streets biggest wager yet on forest offsets. Investors led by T. Rowe Price Group subsidiary Oak Hill Advisorsbest known as a corporate-debt investorpaid about $1.8 billion for nearly 1.7 million acres of hardwood forests spread over 17 Eastern states. The latest sale will involve about 740,000 acres.
Aurora has since reduced harvest volumes by more than 50% on the properties, said Aurora Chief Executive Jamie Houston.
Historically, harvests were based on creating the highest timber revenue," Houston said. Now harvests are based on creating a multidecade carbon sink on all of these properties."
In some cases, that means cutting down trees, such as planted pine, and letting the plots reseed naturally from nearby hardwoods. In others it means leaving alone trees that live long and grow large, such as the cypress in Auroras Louisiana woodlands, Houston said.
Aurora has initiated carbon projectswhich involve a lot of tree measuringand is generating offsets on all of its properties, he said.
Aurora sold more than $100 million of offsets to various buyers last year. It sold another bunch to Microsoft this year in a deal arranged, like the one with TotalEnergies, by its partner, Anew Climate.
Anew determined how much carbon is on the properties, registered the offsets with accrediting groups and found the buyer, said Josh Strauss, Anews president of environmental products. It also manages verification, he added.
They use the highest available voluntary-market standards," he said.
TotalEnergies declined to say how many offsets the $100 million will buy and the exact time frame for the deal. Each offset represents 1 metric ton of sequestered carbon dioxide.
Prices for most voluntary forest offsets are negotiated privately and not widely known. Weyerhaeuser, the largest U.S. private landowner, late last year sold voluntary offsets associated with reduced logging in its North Maine Woods timberlands for $29 apiece.
That is much higher than in the broader global market for various emissions offsets, which has been beset by allegations of fraud and greenwashing. Studies and news articles have shown some projects had vastly overstated their impact on emissions.
A glut of voluntary emissions offsets and concerns about quality have depressed prices for many types of carbon credits around the world. Offset futures prices have plunged from about $12 in November 2021 to less than $1 recently, according to Bank of America analysts.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which oversees U.S. derivatives markets, said last year that it would make policing carbon offsets a priority. The Biden administration in May issued guidelines aimed at bolstering trust in voluntary carbon markets.
TotalEnergies said it would use credits to offset Scope 1 emissions, which come directly from its operations, and Scope 2 emissions from its energy purchases. Those are the types of emissions that the Securities and Exchange Commission said it will require companies to disclose starting in fiscal year 2026.
Adrien Henry, vice president for nature-based solutions at TotalEnergies Exploration & Production, said that although the company is buying offsets at a clip of about $100 million a year, it is giving priority to reducing emissions over the remainder of this decade.
We will start offsetting some of our residual emissions in 2030 and ramp up so that in 2050 TotalEnergies is net zero," he said. The rest of the journey is avoiding and reducing emissions by a lot of other actions."
The Man Company acquisition: Kolkata-based FMCG giant Emami has announced the acquisition of the remaining 49.6% stake in Helios Lifestyle, the company behind the premium male grooming brand 'The Man Company.' With this move, Emami now wholly owns Helios Lifestyle, which was already a subsidiary, holding 50.4% of its shares, on August 31.
Harsha V Agarwal, Vice Chairman & MD at Emami, said, We had adopted the route of strategic investments in new-age startups very early to leverage online opportunities brought about by rapid digitalization to incubate new engines of growth. These strategic investments help us to have footprints in emerging segments that align with evolving consumer preferences."
Emami stock price closed flat, up 0.01 per cent, at 813.25 apiece on August 30 on BSE. The company enjoys a market capitalisation of 35,708.19 crore. According to NSE, Emami's share price hit its 52-week high on 27 August 2024 at 855.60.
Agarwal added, We will continue to explore more such opportunities for strategic investment that have synergies with our existing line of businesses.
"The completion of the acquisition of Helios by Emami will strengthen its presence in the fast-growing digital-first premium male grooming segment," stated Emami.
Emami initially acquired a 33.09% stake in Helios in two phases, starting in December 2017 and followed by another in February 2019. The stake was later increased to 50.4% in 2022, making Helios a subsidiary before this final acquisition.
The Man Company, known for its digital-first approach, offers a range of premium grooming products for men, including fragrances, skincare, hair care, body care, and beard management.
"The segment offers huge potential for innovation & growth. Emami is already an active player in the male grooming segment through its brand Fair and Handsome," the company added.
Hitesh Dhingra, Co-founder of Helios Lifestyle, said, We now expect it to continue its growth trajectory with Emami, who has the ability to further accelerate the same and make The Man Company one of the leading brands in the segment.
Also Read | Emami stock glows amid signs of rural recovery and a scorching summer
We believe the brand has great potential and would love to see The Man Company as a global brand under Emami added Bhisham Bhateja, Co-founder, Helios Lifestyle .
Emami emphasized that the male grooming market in India is expanding rapidly, showing significant growth potential.
"We are happy to have not only invested in The Man Company as we could foresee its huge potential but equally impressed and happy with the promoters vision and commitment towards making it a formidable brand. With the completion of the 100 per cent acquisition of the company, we are excited to take the brand to its next level of growth, the statement continued.
Emami's future outlook Earlier in August, Emami Chairman R S Goenka mentioned during the company's AGM that Emami would continue to explore opportunities for inorganic and strategic growth, focusing on new product categories.
Emami, which has previously acquired brands like AloFrut, Creme21, and Zandu, plans to keep pursuing such opportunities to expand its market reach.
Reliance Retail-backed Dunzo has laid off 150 employees in a fresh round of layoffs, leaving the e-commerce delivery firm with just 50 employees in its core supply and marketplace teams, two people aware of the development told Mint.
The Bengaluru-based firm is looking to claw back profits to pay off liabilities including salaries of current and former employees as well as vendor payments as it scouts for capital to survive, they added, requesting anonymity.
In May, Mint reported that Dunzo was in the final stages of closing a funding round of $22-25 million in a mix of equity and debt from a clutch of new and existing investors, attempting to find safety for the company into perpetuity.
However, the transaction is taking much longer to close as many potential investors remain wary of the companys growth path, one of the two people said.
Dunzos co-founder and chief executive Kabeer Biswas declined to comment on queries sent by Mint.
In an email to employees on Friday, Dunzo said it would pay pending salaries, severance, leave encashment and other dues to affected staffers as soon as it receives funds. Mint has seen a copy of the email.
The company had also considered the option of entering other lines of businesses that complement its core merchants business, and have the ability to make money soon and are operationally light, the two persons added, adding that Dunzo was hopeful the business would turn around in September on the back of its business-to-business segment.
Mounting liabilities Dunzo is yet to pay salaries including full and final settlements to several former employees. In September, Dunzo partnered with payroll servicing firm OneTap to disburse salaries for certain months.
We are trying our best to end this transaction at the earliest. Its a complicated one and has multiple hops. I am sorry for constantly saying sorry even. But given our current situation, few levers stay in our hands, and I apologise, Biswas had said in an internal message to employees in May.
I really do wish to reach a point, where we can stop with the daily/monthly anxieties around salary payments - and hoping the next fortnight allows us to wrap up everything, so that May is the last month of us having to manage this crisis, the CEO added.
Cash flow issues persist Dunzo, which started as a concierge service and after multiple pivots now labels itself as a convenience platform, had in April told employees in an email that it was working towards achieving its first full profitable year in 2024-25. The company had also said it hoped to expand the team as it doubled down on certain categories starting July.
However, cash flow issues persist, according to the first person mentioned above.
Overall, Dunzo has raised nearly $470 million till date. Reliance Retail holds 25.8% of the firm, making it the single largest shareholder, followed by Google and venture investor Lightbox.
The startup introduced quick commerce under Dunzo Daily in 2021, making the most of a $240-million fundraise led by Reliances retail venture. However, it soon ran out of money given the cash-guzzling nature of the business.
Dunzo then increased focus on its merchant services business, called Dunzo for Business, as well as its customer-to-customer parcel delivery business to turn around its fortunes.
The company, which was on its path to becoming a unicorn, or a company with a valuation of at least $1 billion in 2022, reported a substantial net loss of 1,802 crore in FY23. As of January 2022, Dunzo was valued at about $775 million.
The early resumes of tech titans Steve Jobs and Bill Gates have recently re-emerged on social media, offering a unique window into the beginnings of two individuals who went on to to revolutionize the technology industry. These documents, crafted when the future innovators were just 18 years old, shed light on their early interests and skills before they became household names.
Steve Jobs' 1973 resume reveals his budding fascination with electronics and technology, long before he co-founded Apple. At the time, Jobs was a student at Reed College in Oregon and highlighted his proficiency in areas such as computers, calculators, and design. Notably, when asked about phone access, Jobs wrote "None," and while he confirmed having a drivers license, he described his transportation prospects as "possible, but not probable."
On the other hand, Bill Gates' 1971 resume reflects his early expertise in programming languages, including FORTRAN, COBOL, and BASIC, along with his familiarity with computers like the PDP-10, PDP-8, and CDC-6400. Gates, who listed his salary at the time as $3,500, also mentioned his collaboration with Paul G. Allen, his childhood friend who would later co-found Microsoft with him. The resume notes their joint project designing a "system for traffic engineers to study traffic flow."
These vintage resumes were shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Jon Erlichman, a TV host at BNN Bloomberg and Bloomberg Markets, with the caption, "Steve Jobs and Bill Gates resumes at age 18."
The post quickly gained traction, sparking discussions among users who shared their thoughts and reactions. One commenter noted, "This is history. Its fantastic!" while another found the documents "fascinating." Observing the differences between the two resumes, a user remarked, "Thats funny Jobs resume is hand-written and sloppy, and Gates resume is all organized and type-written." Another user summed up the significance of the documents by calling them "probably the 2 most impactful resumes of this generation."
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Till Maruti appeared on the horizon in 1983, Indian car buyers had the choice of the devil or the deep sea. Hindustan Motors Ambassador and the Premier Padmini from Premier Automobiles ruled Indian roads, notwithstanding their poor quality that turned every ride into an unwanted adventure.
One company that challenged this near-duopoly was Standard Motor Products of India Ltd (Stampro for short) based in Perungalathur in Chennai. It was set up by K. Gopalkrishna, a rarity in the India of the 1950s. An automobile entrepreneur in a country where bullock carts still ruled the roost and bicycles were considered a luxury, he was born in 1899 in Cuddapah in Andhra Pradesh.
After his education, he went to Madras to work with the British trading house Gillanders Arbuthnot. But his great passion was motor vehicles, which drove him to set up a company, Union Group, for distributing cars in India from firms like Wolseley Motors and Nash Motors.
Among the companies that Union Group represented was the UKs Standard Motors Co., then a part of the British Leyland Group. By Independence, Union Group had formed a joint venture, Standard Motors Company of India, with equity participation from the British firm. Some years later when Leyland found itself in a financial mess the Gopalkrishna family bought out its stake to take charge of the Indian unit.
Initially the company produced cars and tractors but soon its focus was only on the carsthe Standard and Pennant models. But it was the subsequent launch, of the two-door Standard Herald with its bucket seats and a bonnet that opened away from the driver, that caught the eye of car connoisseurs.
While low on market share, the Standard Herald was certainly high on visibility. Many Indian movies of the era, like the 1964 Biswajeet and Saira Banu starter April Fool and the 1965 classic Waqt, featured the elegant-looking Standard Herald.
Sadly, its launch coincided with labour troubles at the plant and a decline in demand. By this time the founder had handed over the running of the company to his granddaughters husband, C.V. Karthik Narayanan, a grandson of the legendary C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar, the famous Indian lawyer, administrator and statesman.
An engineer by profession, Karthik Narayanan was born in Kolkata in 1938 but moved to Tuticorin for his early education. On being handed charge of the business, he tried to carve out a niche for the struggling car company. But he was pitted against the might of two dominant business houses.
Hindustan Motors was a part of the Birla group, then the largest conglomerate in the country, while Premier Automobiles was a division of the Walchand Group. A warped licence-permit system ensured that there was little scope for a small entrepreneur to compete against such titans.
Narayanan believed that the companys future lay in diesel-driven light commercial vehicles, a tough challenge since the company would first have to develop a new diesel engine. Under his leadership, Standard Motors did that, launching the Standard 20 and by the early 1980s the companys diesel-based light commercial vehicle had notched up a sizeable presence in the Southern markets.
View Full Image The Standard 2000 was a rebadged version of the Rover SD1. (Vauxford)
Further growth, however, was stymied by changes in regulations related to pollution, and Standard Motors found itself losing ground rapidly. Its final hurrah came in 1985 when it launched the ambitiously named Standard 2000, presumably as the car for the coming millennium. Powered by a 2,061 cc four-cylinder engine, and a four-speed manual transmission, it was pitched as a high-end luxury car.
But its top speed of 145 kmph belied its hype and its steep 2 lakh price tag (compared to the 85,000 that a Contessa from HM cost) meant that there were very few takers. Against a production capacity of 4,000 per year the company made only 1,557 cars in 1986 and by 1988 sales had dropped to single digits.
The last of the Standard cars left the factory in 1988, just a few years before a more liberal regime paved the way for a revolution in the countrys automobile market. Narayanan, by then, had sold off the company to A.C. Muttiah and moved on to handle other businesses, including manufacturing car ancillaries under the banner of UCAL.
A man of varied interests, Narayanan translated the Tamil epic historical fiction novel Ponniyin Selvan by author Kalki Krishnamurthy into English. He was also an accomplished player of themridangam, besides being an avid trekker.
His professional stature was such that he was elected president of the Association of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, president of the Automobile Research Association of India, and chairman of the Southern Region of the Association of Indian Engineering Industry. At the time of his death in 2017, he was chairman, UCAL Products Pvt. Ltd, UCAL Auto Pvt. Ltd, and an independent director at Sundram Fasteners Ltd (SFL).
Standard Motors cars might have been a failure but K. Gopalkrishnas pioneering spirit set up Chennai as an early automobile hub, paving the way for the citys reputation as the Detroit of Asia, accounting for nearly 25% of Indias automobile and automobile component industry.
New Delhi: Indias consumer affairs ministry is swooping into the civil aviation space to take on a vexing problem affecting thousands of flyers every year: delayed refunds.
Air passengers with legitimate claims to refunds on their airfares are often tossed around between airlines and ticketing agencies to get back their money. The ministry wants to break this by holding airlines accountable and enforcing penalties under the Consumer Protection Act 2019, two officials told Mint.
Earlier, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), a regulatory body established under the Act, had helped facilitate refunds totalling 1,453 crore on air tickets booked via travel aggregators such as Yatra, MakeMyTrip, ClearTrip, EaseMyTrip, Ixigo and Thomas Cook, as Mint reported on 10 March.
To be sure, the consumer affairs ministry plans holding consultations with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the ministry of civil aviation to hasten processing of such refunds, one of the officials said.
This initiative is crucial for consumers as many struggle a lot to get their money back after flights get cancelled or delayed, often facing an annoying cycle of excuses from airlines," this official said.
Its one of the top priorities of the ministry of civil aviation and the ministry is working towards a structured solution," civil aviation secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam told Mint in an emailed reply.
The consumer affairs ministry and the director general of civil aviation did not reply to queries emailed on 23 August. Emails sent to IndiGo and Vistara on 25 August remained unanswered.
Rules in place, but
As per the DGCAs guidelines, airlines are required to issue refunds within seven working days for tickets booked through credit or debit cards, and within 30 working days for cash transactions.
If flight tickets are booked through travel agents or online travel platforms, airlines must process the refund to the agent or platform within seven working days, after which the agent or platform is responsible for refunding the passenger.
But the consumer affairs ministry was impelled to address the issue of delayed refunds on airfares after reviewing complaints mounting at the National Consumer Helpline, a government-sponsored platform that provides assistance and guidance to consumers in resolving complaints related to goods and services.
Also read | Indian airlines, airports adopting AI tools to improve services
Air passengers can also register their complaints or grievances online with AirSewa, a ministry of civil aviation platform.
While officials did not share the exact number of complaints against airlines over refunds, they indicated that it was a significant number.
The (consumer affairs) ministry will issue notices through its regulatory bodythe Central Consumer Protection Authorityand penalties would be imposed as per the provisions of the CPA 2019 if airlines fail to adhere to the ticket refund norms," said the second official.
There is no need to bring any guidelines. The CPA has enough provisions to penalise the errant violators."
The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 empowers the CCPA to impose penalties of up to 50 lakh for violations of consumer rights.
Over the past two years, the authority has imposed penalties amounting to more than 1 crore across various cases involving misleading advertisements, unfair practices, dark patterns, false claims, etc.
Also read | Has consumer protection just got weaker?
Taking on a nexus
The CCPA has the authority to enforce consumer rights on a broader scale. Despite clear directives from the Supreme Court, airlines and booking agents and platforms continue to act slow," said Bishwajit Dubey, a senior advocate and an expert on international trade laws.
The CCPAs move to issue notices and impose penalties on airlines for delays in refunding booking amounts will significantly strengthen consumer trust in the authority."
Consumer rights advocacy experts said the consumer affairs ministry decision to take up the cause of air passengers was a move in the right direction.
Also read | Mint Explainer: Can airfares be regulated?
Its not just the airlines that are solely responsible for the apathy. There is a big nexus among travel aggregators, booking platforms, airlines," said Ashim Sanyal, chief operating officer, Consumer VOICE, a consumer advocacy group.
Indias domestic airline market has grown to become the worlds third-largest, up from its fifth position a decade ago, as per an analysis based on Official Airline Guide data. Indias domestic airline passenger capacity has doubled over the past decade, increasing from 7.9 million in April 2014 to 15.5 million in April 2024, the data show.
The US, with an airline capacity of 86.1 million, and China, with 67.8 million, continue to dominate the top two positions. At fourth position is Brazil, with a capacity of 9.7 million, followed by Indonesia with 9.2 million.
And read | Consumer courts pick up the pace after having their holidays cancelled
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das expressed optimism about the future growth and global expansion of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) during a recent press briefing. Das, who is currently on a five-day visit to a state, highlighted the ongoing discussions with several countries to extend UPI's reach through QR codes and fast payment system linkages.
"We expect this to grow further at the global level and internationalise in future," Das stated on Friday.
Also Read | RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das unveils ULI platform promises faster credit system
Earlier in the week, speaking at an event in Mumbai, Das noted that significant progress has already been made in promoting UPI and RuPay cards internationally. He pointed out that countries such as Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, the UAE, Mauritius, Namibia, Peru, and France have already begun accepting payments through the UPI network and RuPay cards.
Das emphasized that these developments reflect the collaborative efforts aimed at global adoption of India's digital payment initiatives.
Also Read | RuPay to UPI credit, NPCI is planning a big recast of its businesses
On August 26, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das revealed plans to launch the Unified Lending Interface (ULI) technology platform across India. Initially introduced as a pilot project last year, the platform is set to provide frictionless credit on a national scale.
Speaking at the Global Conference on Digital Public Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies in Bengaluru, Das highlighted the transformative potential of ULI, comparing its impact to that of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in the payments sector. Just like UPI transformed the payments ecosystem, we expect that ULI will play a similar role in transforming the lending space in India. The new trinity of JAM-UPI-ULI will be a revolutionary step forward in India's digital infrastructure journey, he said, as reported by ANI.
Baazar Style Retail IPO: The initial public offering (IPO) of Baazar Style Retail Limited hit the Indian primary market on 30th August 2024. The Rekha Jhunjhunwala-backed public issue will remain open for bidders until 3rd September 2024, i.e. Tuesday next week. The company has fixed a Baazar Style Retail IPO price band at 370 to 389 per equity share, and it aims to raise 834.68 crore from its initial offer. The public issue is a mix of fresh issue and Offer for Sale (OFS) as it seeks 148 crore through the issuance of fresh shares, and 686.68 crore has been reserved for the OFS route. After one day of bidding, Baazar Style Retail IPO subscription status reveals that the mainboard issue has been booked 72 per cent.
Baazar Style Retail IPO GMP today Meanwhile, the grey market continues to signal positive vibes regarding Baazar Style Retail IPO. According to stock market observers, Baazar Style Retail Limited shares are available at a premium of 127 in the grey market today. Baazar Style Retail IPO GMP (grey market premium) today is 127. So, after day one of bidding, the grey market signals around 33 per cent listing gain for potential allottees even when two days of the Baazar Style Retail IPO subscription are still left.
Baazar Style Retail IPO subscription status After day one of bidding, the Rekha Jhunjhunwala-backed public issue was subscribed 0.72 times, the retail portion of the book build issue was booked 0.82 times, the NII segment was filled 0.47 times, whereas the QIB portion was subscribed 0.70 times.
Baazar Style Retail IPO review Giving a ''subscribe'' tag to the book build issue, Master Capital Services said, The overall lifestyle and home value retail industry in India was estimated to be 6,592.11 billion accounts for approximately 54% of the total market in these categories of Lifestyle and Home. Baazar Style Retail Limited intends to take advantage of this opportunity and has already secured a share of 2.15% in the organized value retail market in Eastern India and North-Eastern India for Fiscal 2024. They further intend to expand profit margins and increase revenue contribution from its private labels while focusing on creating differentiation and achieving greater control over the product quality of private labels.
Nirmal Bang has also assigned a ''subscribe'' tag to the book build issue, saying, The company'scompany's revenues grew at a CAGR of 33% during FY22-24, while the overall lifestyle and home value retail market grew at CAGR of ~19.3% during the same period. While on a P/E basis of 135x FY24 earnings, the issue looks expensive, however; on an EV/EBIDTA basis of 21.5x FY24 earnings, it looks reasonable vs the industry average of 28x, and thus, we are recommending ''Subscribe'' to the issue for long-term gains.
In addition to these, some other brokerages, such as Arihant Capital, DRChoksey, StoxBox, and Master Capital, have also assigned a ''subscribe'' tag to the Rekha Jhunjhunwala-backed Baazar Style Retail IPO.
Infographic: Courtesy mintgenie
Rekha Jhunjhunwala connection As per the Red Herring Prospectus of Baazar Style Retail IPO, Rekha Jhunjhunwala has offered her 2,723,120 equity shares in this mainboard IPO. These offered shares aggregating to 1,05,92,93,680 or around 106 crore. According to the RHP of Baazar Style Retail IPO available on SEBI's website, Rekha Jhunjhunwala's name is on the list of Investor Selling Shareholders. She has offered her shares under the OFS route.
Xi stresses China, Africa always a community with a shared future
Xinhua) 08:59, August 31, 2024
BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- China and Africa have always been a community with a shared future, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed on Tuesday in a reply to scholars from 50 African countries.
In the letter, Xi noted that in the face of a volatile and intertwined world situation, China and Africa need to strengthen solidarity and cooperation more than ever before.
Xi encouraged the scholars to continue to provide intellectual support for building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future and safeguarding the common interests of the Global South.
Xi noted that not long ago, the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was successfully held, sounding a clarion call of the times to open up broad prospects for the Chinese modernization through further deepening reform.
The continuous development and growth of China that pursues peaceful development and is committed to reform and opening up will surely further strengthen the forces for world peace and international justice, and inject inexhaustible impetus into the process of global modernization, especially the development and revitalization of the Global South, Xi said.
The upcoming Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will bring together Chinese and African leaders once again to discuss China-Africa cooperation, which will open up even more splendid prospects for China-Africa relations, Xi said.
He raised his hope that based on the Dar es Salaam Consensus between China and Africa, both sides will step up research and exploration on the development path of Global South countries, China-Africa and South-South cooperation, and continue to provide important intellectual support for building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future and safeguarding the common interests of the Global South.
Gert Grobler, a former veteran diplomat of South Africa and honorary professor of the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, and 63 scholars from 50 African countries sent a joint letter to Xi, warmly congratulating on the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, highly commending the historic achievements of the FOCAC, and expecting that the upcoming Summit of the FOCAC would write a new chapter in building a China-Africa community with a shared future and the joint modernization of the Global South.
(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Hongyu)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 1. Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are developing a project on the production of aluminum radiators, an informed source told Trend.
According to the information, the project is planned to be implemented in the Free Economic Zone of Alat (Azerbaijan) with the participation of Uzbek company AKFA Group with an investment volume of $10 million.
To note, Uzbekistan is a major producer of electrical products, including transformers, cables, wires, electronics, and household appliances. Exports of these products exceed $1 billion, with major markets in the CIS, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia.
Azerbaijan also has a developed electrical industry, which includes the production of transformers (10,000 units), cables (100,000 km/year), and electronics. The main production facilities are concentrated in major cities such as Baku and Ganja. Azerbaijan imported about $500 million worth of electrical products in 2023, mainly from China, Russia, and Europe.
Furthermore, exports of Uzbek electrical products to Azerbaijan totaled $33 million in 2023. Out of this amount, $14.1 million was for household appliances, $17.1 million for cable and copper products, and $1.1 million for other components.
Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Navratna companies: On Thursday last week, the Government of India (GoI) granted Navratna status to four state-owned companies. The four public sector undertaking (PSU) companies upgraded to the Navratna status are Railtel Corporation of India Limited, Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited, National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited, and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN). On Friday, the Department of Public Enterprises, Ministry of Finance declared the Navratna status grant to these four PSUs from its official X channel account (initially known as Twitter).
Of these four new entrants into the list of Navratna companies in India, three are listed in the Indian stock market: Railtel, SJVN, and NHPC. So, these three stocks will be focused on Monday, when the Indian stock market resumes trade activity after the weekend holiday.
After adding these four state-owned companies to the list of Navratna companies, the total number of such companies has surged from 21 to 25. This Navratna status will help these new entrants undertake more significant PPP (Public Private Partnership) projects and exemption from the GoI nod in some instances.
Navratna status to Railtel Corporation of India Railtel Corporation informed about the Navratna status grant by the Government of India, saying, "We are pleased to inform you that Department of Public Enterprises, Ministry of Finance, Government of India vide its letter no PD-1-26/0002/2024-DPE dated August 30, 2024, has granted Navratna Status to RailTel Corporation of India Ltd."
NHPC is now a Navratna company NHPC also reported the development in an exchange filing, saying, "It is to inform that the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India vide O.M. dated 30.08.2024 has conveyed that the Competent Authority has approved the proposal for grant of Navratna Status to NHPC Limited."
Navratna status to SJVN After becoming the 25th Navratna company in India, SJVN informed the Indian exchanges, "We e inform you that the Department of Public Enterprises, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, vide its letter no PD-I26/0004/2024-DPE dated August 30, 2024, has granted Navratna Status to SJVN Limited.
Total PSU companies in India As mentioned above, after the addition of Railtel, SJVN, NHPC and SEC to the list of Navratna companies, the total number of such state-owned companies has surged to 25. Here we list out other 21 Naavratna companies:
1] Bharat Electronics Limited;
2] Container Corporation of India Limited;
3] Engineers India Limited;
4] Hindustan Aeronautics Limited;
5] Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited;
6 National Aluminium Company Limited;
7] National Buildings Construction Corporation Limited;
8 Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited;
9] NMDC Limited;
10] Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited;
11] Shipping Corporation of India Limited;
12] Rail Vikas Nigam Limited or RVNL;
13] ONGC Videsh Ltd;
14] Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers Limited;
15] IRCON International;
16] RITES;
17] National Fertilizers Limited or NFL;
18] Central Warehousing Corporation;
19] Housing & Urban Development Corporation Limited;
20] Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) Limited; and
21] Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited.
Mumbai: A proposal by the market regulator to strengthen norms for merchant bankers, including stricter qualification requirements and higher net worth threshold, has received mixed reactions from the industry.
There are 224 merchant bankers (MB) registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), including prominent ones like 360 ONE WAM Ltd, AK Capital Services Ltd, JM Financial Ltd and Kotak Mahindra Capital Company Ltd.
Sebis proposal, set out in a consultation paper, is based on recommendations of the regulators Primary Market Advisory Committee (PMAC) and is open for public comments till 18 September.
Sebi noted that even though merchant bankers were not permitted to do business other than in securities, some were participating in activities outside of securities markets.
Also read | Sebi proposes mandate for regulated entities to maintain stakeholder communication records
It has been observed that merchant bankers are engaged in private placement activities pertaining to unlisted companies, advisory services for projects and syndication of rupee term loans, which are outside the domain of SEBI," the paper said.
Arguing that such activities pose significant regulatory and systemic risks, the regulator proposed an overhaul of its regulations governing merchant bankers.
Sebis paper clarified that merchant bankersexcluding banks and public financial institutionswill undertake only those activities that are related to the securities market and fall under Sebis jurisdiction.
Merchant bankers engaged in activities other than the permissible ones will segregate those within two years from a date which the board will specify, the paper said.
Sebi clarified that activities that require separate regulatory registration and licence that do not concern the securities market will not be permitted as per the regulations.
While most industry experts appreciated Sebis move, stating that such an overhaul was long due to get the right kind of players in the market, some merchant bankers feared it would discourage smaller players.
Anjali Aggarwal, partner and head of capital markets at wealth management firm Corporate Professionals, said the move was crucial to tackle the mushrooming of merchant bankers in the market.
In the last three years, as per the Sebi website, 27 new merchant bankers have been registered. This influx raised concerns over their quality of due diligence. The proposed changes will be a check on the entire issue management ecosystem", she said.
Also read | How India turned into a trading nation
At present, merchant bankers are required to keep a minimum net worth of 5 crore and Sebi had proposed increasing it to 50 crore, as suggested by the Association of Investment Bankers of India (AIBI).
Aggarwal said streamlining permissible activities will bring more clarity on the scope of activities.
Introduction of categories and minimum net worth requirements were the need of the hour. In the current financial environment, the extant provision of 5 crore net worth is not a difficult parameter. Maintaining minimum liquid net worth, will enable merchant bankers to take up better underwriting obligations," she said.
Sebi suggested categorizing merchant bankers by net worth and giving them two years to increase their net worth. For category 1, a merchant banker had to show a net worth of at least 50 crore, and for category 2 a minimum of 10 crore.
If the merchant bankers failed to earn a revenue of at least 50% of their net worth on a combined basis through permitted activities for three successive years, then Sebi would cancel their registration, it proposed.
Sebi also proposed a minimum liquid net worth requirement from merchant bankers for underwriting and other obligations under Sebi regulations, arguing this would help act as an entry barrier.
Tarun Singh, founder and managing director of investment house Highbrow Securities, said the proposed net worth requirements may unintentionally erect barriers for smaller or newer firms.
This change risks creating an ecosystem where only the well-established giants thrive, potentially stifling the spirit of innovation and competition that is crucial for a healthy market."
However, the introduction of categories and minimum liquid net worth was a step in the right direction, he said, ensuring merchant bankers are well-equipped to handle market volatility.
Also read | Sebi removes over 15,000 finfluencer content in crackdown on unregulated entities
Singh said Sebi ought to ensure that future iterations of these rules do not stifle the contributions of smaller entities. Sebis regulations should aim to balance stringent requirements with an ecosystem that allows smaller players to flourish and contribute meaningfully," he said.
Sebi observed that merchant bankers were using multiple registrations within a group to circumvent regulatory action or enforcement.
To enable institution building and streamline regulatory oversight, Sebi proposed that merchant bankers, other than banks and public financial institutions with their group companies, would have only a single registration within the same group.
Multibagger small-cap stock: Hazoor Multi Projects Limited (HMPL) is in focus today as the company had secured an order book worth 30 crore from B.G. Shirke Construction Technology Pvt, on August 30, as per an exchange filing.
In its official statement, the multibagger small-cap stock noted, We are pleased to inform you that a work order has been awarded to M/s Hazoor Multi Projects Limited, received from B.G. Shirke Const. Tech. Pvt. Ltd. for Excavation of various sites located at Pahadi Goregaon-1473, Shirdhon-III, Khoni-1374, Nawde-1449, CPWD-1447, Taloja-1415/16, Thane-1453, and Kanamwarnagar-1180.
Also Read | Multibagger SME IPO gives 130% return to allottees after five months of listing
HMPL stock price closed in green, up 4.99 per cent at 467.00 apiece, hitting its 52-week high on August 30 on BSE. The company enjoys a market capitalisation of 871.41 crore.
The project involves excavation work across multiple sites, including Pahadi Goregaon, Shirdhon, Khoni, Nawde, CPWD, Taloja, Thane, and Kanamwarnagar. The company informed BSE Limited in a regulatory filing under Regulation 30 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligation and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015.
HMPL share price history This announcement is expected to spotlight the company's stock, a notable performer in recent years. Hazoor Multi Projects' shares have recorded a staggering rise, turning it into a multi-bagger stock in the Indian market. Over the last year, the stock price surged from around 125.75 to 467.00, reflecting a gain of over 271 per cent. Over five years, the growth has been even more extraordinary, with the stock climbing from around 1.650 to 467.00, marking a 28203 per cent increase.
The multibagger stock, available exclusively on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), has been trading actively with a volume of around 1.28 lakh shares. It currently sits near its 52-week high of 454 per share, significantly above its 52-week low of 115 per share.
Additionally, the company recently announced a stock split to enhance liquidity further. Pending shareholder approval, the face value of the shares will be split from 10 each to 1 each. This move is also expected to generate increased interest in the stock in the coming weeks.
Linking real and digital Delhi-based artist duo Thukral & Tagra is presenting a new collection of paintings in their latest show, ArboretumEbb and Flow. The works explore the relationship between the real and the digital. This is the second edition of the Arboretum series and it engages with the cultural history of trees. From Kashmir to Japan, ArboretumEbb and Flow maps the recent journeys of the artist-duo through hyper-realistic and intensely detailed painterly effects and unconventional shapes of the canvas, states the exhibition note. The trees offer the artists a canvas to talk about stories of conflict, the self and the idea of home. On view at Nature Morte, Mumbai, till 12 October, 11am-7 pm, Monday to Saturday.
A photograph on display at the DAG exhibition, Histories in the Making: Photographing Indian Monuments, 1855-1920.
Photographs as witness From the ancient inner temple at Nowshera by Samuel Bourne to the Sanchi Stupa by Lala Deen Dayalsome early photographs of Indian monuments can be seen in Histories in the Making: Photographing Indian Monuments, 1855-1920. Curated by Sudeshna Guha, former curatorial manager and research associate of the photographic collection, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge, the show looks at photographys role in Indias history, exploring how the changing technologies... subtly modified the nature of the colonial gaze. At DAG, Delhi, till 12 October, 10.30am-7pm, Monday-Saturday.
Musicians from the band Fakira and Langas & Manganiyars
Bengali folk music meets desert melodies The musical event, Sanskriti Sarita: Fakira x Langas & Manganiyars, brings together two bandsFakira, known for their work that explores Bengals ancient folk traditions, and the Langas & Manganiyars, popular for bringing alive melodies that delve into Rajasthans history. Among the performing artistes are Timir Biswas (vocals), Kunal Biswas (bass guitar), Chayan Chakraborty (acoustic/electric guitar), Apurba Das (acoustic/electric guitar), Avirup Das (drums/percussion), Anurag Bhattacharya (percussion), Talab Khan Barna (vocals), Ameen Khan Satto (vocals), Dare Khan (harmonium), Zakir Khan (khartal), Dayam Khan (dholak) and Firoj Khan (morchang). At Windmills Craftworks, Whitefield, on 31 August-1 September, 9.30pm onwards. Tickets on Bookmyshow.
Browse and shop for all the art you want at the Artix 3.0 exhibition at The Claridges Hotel, Delhi
Art under one roof The third edition of travelling art show, Artix 3.0, will bring together paintings, textiles, jewellery and photographsall inside a hotelfrom close to 10 galleries and independent artists and brands. The participants include Artrise Art, 108 Art Projects, Aanchal Garg, Lotus arts de Vivre and Aadyam Handwoven. At The Claridges Hotel, Motilal Nehru Marg, New Delhi, from 30 August- 1 September, 11am-8pm.
A still from Jaya: A Rock Musical Of The Mahabharata
An epic gets the rock treatment Written by Sandeep Kanjilal and directed by Lillete Dubey, Jaya: A Rock Musical of The Mahabharata, in English, presents major events of the epic in a montage style through the eyes of Yudhishthira, the eldest Pandava brother. At Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Nariman Point, NCPA Marg, on 31 August-1 September. 4pm/7.30pm. Tickets on Bookmyshow.
A poster of the 55-minute long film that traces the history of Tamil Nadu's capital city.
The protagonist of Elif Shafaks new novel, There are Rivers in the Sky, is a drop of water, ostensibly a humble speck of liquid but, in the universe of the story, a wielder of immense power and significance. It originates circa 640 BCE, during the reign of the Assyrian ruler Ashurbanipal, travels down centuries to reach Victorian England and modern-day Iraq, before ending up in contemporary London. From the banks of the life-giving Tigris in ancient Mesopotamia to the murky depths of the Thames, its journey is at once a metaphor for life and rebirth, as well as a testimony to the reality of the natural cycle on Earth.
Structured around the peregrinations of this fleeting drop are four stories, anchored and interlinked by four unlikely characters. There is, first of all, the tyrant Ashurbanipal, a patron of learning, under whom The Epic of Gilgamesh was written. He is, by far, the most tenuous presence among the four. Shadowy and spectral with no flesh and bones, it is as though he is simply copied out of the pages of history. Then there is Arthur Smyth, modelled on George Smyth, a British Assyriologist who lived in 19th century England, the most arresting figure among the quartet. A bright Yazidi girl called Narin, growing up in Hasankeyf with a debilitating disease, is the third character. And last but not least, there is a British hydrologist called Zaleekah, given to thinking in sweeping, aphoristic hypotheses. The climate crisis affecting the Anthropocene Age, she believes, is essentially a water crisis.
Also read: A novel with a profound sense of serenity and grace
Readers familiar with Shafaks ornate style wont be surprised by the audacious leaps of her imagination and vivid storytelling. In contrast with the protagonist of her last novel The Island of Missing Trees, who was a talking tree, the raindrop in There are Rivers is rather tame. It only bears silent witness to the churnings of history. All the talking is done by humans, though often in a register thats unlikely to be spoken outside of the pages of a novel. In the sections on Narin, for instance, Shafaks florid prose keeps soaring to cringeworthy heights of cliche. When someone gives you the food theyve prepared, they give you their heart, Narin is told by her grandmother, who is a custodian of Yazidi culture and a water dowser with psychic gifts. With her extensive research, Shafak paints a gritty portrait of the hardships faced by the Yazidis in the hands of the ISIS army. But her sentences are overburdened with the weight of the tragedy she must describe. In spite of its noble intentions, the writing in this section has the unfortunate tendency to read like poor imitation of Rumi.
Zaleekahs story suffers from a similar propensity to slip into operatic modes of despair. At the heart of her trauma is a natural disaster which turned her world upside down as a child, leaving her orphaned and in the care of an uncle. But Zaleekahs interiority is never fully fleshed out for the reader to offer her the advantage of their empathy. Although a reputed scientist by training, she is prone to being waylaid by woo-woo epiphanies, susceptible to gleaning clues to the Big Questions from the wisdom shared by her tattooist landlady Nen and, in general, given to appearing somewhat ungrateful, plagued by solipsistic problems due to her obstinately negative attitude to her circumstances.
The book traverses centuries to end in contemporary London.
The most attractive segment of Shafaks novel focuses on the incredulous life and work of Arthur Smyth, born to the poorest of the poor toshers and scavengers by the T h a m e s a n d christened King Arthur of the Sewers and Slums. Gifted with a photographic and capacious memory, Arthur overcomes every obstacle of class and poverty to get himself a basic education, , followed by a series of jobs that enable him to read and learn facts about the ancient world, and, finally, a position at the British Museum that sees him rise to becoming the most pioneering Assyriologist of his time, lauded for being the discoverer and translator of The Epic of Gilgamesh. The alchemy between the pace and the plot of Arthurs rags-to-riches story is complemented by Shafaks keen ear for colloquial speech in Victorian England. Her ability to conjure up the horror of epidemics like cholera feels chillingly real, while cameo appearances by celebrities like Charles Dickens add a rich texture and emotional appeal to Arthurs story.
There are Rivers in the Sky deserves full marks for grappling with complex themes like climate crisis, colonial archaeology, literary history and scientific research, none of which is easy to synthesise into appealing fiction. With her gift for storytelling, Shafak doesnt lack the imagination to delve into these hydraheaded subjects, nor the moral conscience to articulate her views on the past, present and future of the world. She falters not in the act of spinning a compelling yarn, but in being able to keep it free of messy tangles, floppiness and clumsy glitches.
Somak Ghoshal is a writer based in Delhi.
Clean air is a luxury. If youre someone whos reading this from a big city in India, you know this is not a dystopian view of the future, but a sad reality of today, more so as we close in on the annual choking season that sees a spike in sales of air purifiers to combat air pollution indoors.
No longer a luxury, air purifiers are available at various price points. The high-end segment, dominated by the likes of Dyson, has a new entrant from Mumbai-based deep-tech company Praan. Its called the Hive ( 54,999), and while its all about achieving near-pristine air quality levels, its also the most refreshing take on air purifier design Ive seen in a long while.
Call it a homage or inspired design, the Hive takes several cues from the Aluminum era industrial design of Apple products, most notably the cheese grater Mac Pro the use of aircraft grade aluminum in a familiar space gray color, for instance.
Its a gorgeous piece of kit, looking quite at home in my living room, although it may be too industrial for classic/vintage home decor. The multitudinous holes on the front serve as the air intake, with clear air vented out from the sides, so its advisable to place Hive in a spot where it isnt sticking to other pieces of furniture for clean air to circulate properly.
A thin OLED display on the right alerts you to metrics. Very demure, very mindful.
The story of Gwaliors culinary legacy is one of adaptation. The foodboth on the street and in the homes of erstwhile aristocratic familiesallows you to trace how flavours and dishes migrated with people, taking on hues and shades of the lands they moved through, before arriving in the city. Today, you will find dishes as diverse as puran poli and pohe to mutton barbat, pasande and Nepali ande as part of the citys culinary landscape, offering a taste of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Awadh, and Nepal in the heart of Madhya Pradesh.
Like many old cities, Gwalior too has witnessed the rise of many dynasties, including the Guptas, Tomars and the Scindias, movement of people due to marriage, wars and work, and more. Each has added a unique culinary dimension to the food of Gwalior. And today, select homestays such as Krishnayan Heritage and restaurants like Silver Saloon at luxury hotels are offering a taste of this history.
But why should we be talking about the cuisine of Gwalior? The fact that it was a major princely state at one point of time, enjoyed proximity to cities such as Delhi and was cosmopolitan in nature, makes it an interesting study. With its overarching dominance in the last days of the Mughal empire, it imbibed a lot of influences from there, including in the food. With certain members of the Scindia family marrying into families from Nepal for three generations, a strong Nepalese influence has seeped into Gwaliors food habits. The Silver Saloon at the Taj Usha Kiran offers a glimpse of this Maharashtrian-Nepalese culinary jugalbandi.
Also read: When art meets food on a plate
Curated by Priyadarshini Raje Scindia who champions the craft and culinary heritage of the city through the Gwalior Design Project and the food and hospitality organisation, the Seeti Movementthe menu at usha Kiran palace showcases the conversations between the two cuisines. So, you will find, both in the a la carte menu and the royal thali, a mix of dishes such as the tamatar saar, chara ko raas, or chicken clear soup flavoured with cumin and cinnamon, the sekwa, which is fish marinated in yogurt and cooked on a griddle, bhuteko bhaat, bharli vangi made with brinjals, and dal amti.
Day after blocking Starlink bank accounts in Brazil, a top Supreme Court judge has ordered the suspension of Elon Musk's social media giant X in the country for refusing to name a legal representative. The move will further escalate the feud between the two who have sparred over free speech, far-right accounts on X and misinformation spreading through X.
In its order, the judge said that X will remain blocked until all orders were complied with this includes payment of more than $3 million in fines and naming a legal representative.
The judge also said anyone using VPN to access X, formerly Twitter, would be subject to daily fines of 50,000 reais ($8,900 or 7,46,621).
On Wednesday, August 28, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes had warned Elon Musk that X could be blocked if he fails to name a legal representative. The platform will stay blocked until Elon Musk complies with all orders.
The judge, Alexandre de Moraes, wrote that X has been contributing to an environment of total impunity and lawlessness in Brazilian social networks, including during the 2024 local elections".Elon Musk showed his total disrespect for Brazilian sovereignty and, in particular, for the judiciary, setting himself up as a true supranational entity and immune to the laws of each country.
Before X was suspended in Brazil, the social media giant said it expects X to be suspended. When we attempted to defend ourselves in court, Judge de Moraes threatened our Brazilian legal representative with imprisonment. Even after she resigned, he froze all of her bank accounts. Our challenges against his manifestly illegal actions were either dismissed or ignored. Judge de Moraes' colleagues on the Supreme Court are either unwilling or unable to stand up to him, the company wrote.
X has clashed with de Moraes over its reluctance to comply with orders to block users.
Elon Musk lashed out at the Brazilian judge minutes after the ruling suspending X in the country was published. Free speech is the bedrock of democracy and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes, Elon Musk said in a post on X, adding, The oppressive regime in Brazil is so afraid of the people learning the truth that they will bankrupt anyone who tries.
On Friday, August 30, the feud has also led to the freezing of satellite internet provider Starlink's bank accounts in Brazil. Starlink is a unit of Musk-led rocket company SpaceX.
Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit will take over as the new head of Indian Air Force's Prayagraj-based Central Air Command from September 1.
He will succeed Air Marshal RGK Kapoor who superannuated on Saturday.
Dixit was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 6, 1986. He is an Experimental Test Plot and a Qualified Flying Instructor with more than 3,300 hours of flying experience on a variety of aircraft in the IAF inventory.
He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College (Bangladesh) and National Defence College.
He was actively involved in IAFs several operations and exercises such as Op Safed Sagar in the Kargil War and Op-Bakshak.
In past, the IAF officer held the appointment of Air Defence Commander of Southern Air Command and also tenanted the appointments of Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Projects) and Assistant Chief of the Air Stall (Plans) at Air Headquarters.
As the Deputy Chief of Air Staff in Air Headquarters, Dixit played a critical role in pushing forward the Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) initiative of the defence forces.
Also Read | Defence modernization, indigenization programme to propel HAL
He has headed several projects with the adaption of future technologies and worked towards ensuring that the IAF achieves modernization while maintaining a steady focus on 'Aatmanirbharta Self Reliance'.
Earlier in August, the Indian Air Force gave clearance to public sector firm Bharat Dynamics Limited for the production of 200 Astra Mark 1 air-to-air missiles.
The Astra Mark1 missiles have been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation with BDL as its production agency.
The production clearance to the BDL was given during a visit by the Deputy Chief Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit to Hyderabad recently.
The Astra missiles will be integrated on both the Russian-origin Su-30 as well as the indigenous LCA Tejas fighter aircraft after production.
Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi wrote to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday, in response to Banerjee's letter demanding fast-track courts, stringent laws for rape-murder cases and time-bound investigations for crimes against women.
In her letter dated August 30, Devi said the information contained in Banerjee's letter is factually incorrect. She said, The information contained in your letter in this regard is factually incorrect and appears to be a step in the direction to cover up the delays in operationalising the FTSCs by the State.
The Union minister also urged the West Bengal government to implement the same in letter and spirit.
Despite having 48,600 pending cases Devi criticised the West Bengal government, saying it has not operationalized additional fast-track special courts to deal with rape and POCSO cases, despite having 48,600 pending cases.
"With regard to the information contained in your letter about the status of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) and exclusive POCSO Courts in West Bengal, I may mention that according to information received from the Calcutta High Court, West Bengal has established 88 Fast Track Courts (FTCs), which are not the same as the Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) covered under the Central Government Scheme as referred in my earlier D.O. letter dated 25.08.2024," the letter read.
"Despite the pendency of 48,600 rape and POCSO cases in West Bengal, the state has not operationalized additional 11 FTSCs which may be exclusive POCSO Courts or combined FTSCs dealing with both rape and POCSO cases, as per the state's requirement. As may be seen, the information contained in your letter in this regard is factually incorrect and appears to be a step in the direction of covering up the delays in operationalizing the FTSCs by the state," the letter read.
Already have stringent punishments for The Union minister also highlighted that stringent punishments for rape already exist under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including minimum 10 years of rigorous imprisonment extendable up to life imprisonment or death.
As regards, stringent legislation and exemplary punishment on heinous crimes like rape/ rape and murder, I reiterate my earlier communication conveying that stringent punishments for rape/ rape with murder already exist in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the letter read.
It stated, It [BNS] prescribes for a minimum of 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for rape and extendable upto life imprisonment for the remainder of the natural life of the convict or with death, depending on the severity of the crime.
"As regards, the mandatory provision for the disposal of cases in a specific time frame by the trial authorities, I would like to mention that the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) has the provision for the completion of an investigation that also includes forensic examination in cases of rape, within two months from the filing of the charge sheet," she added in the letter.
Stringent laws Devi reiterated the importance of following central legislation to strengthen the criminal justice system and ensure justice for victims. She concluded by requesting Banerjee to ensure proper handling of cases and sensitization of duty holders to bring finality within prescribed timelines.
I reiterate that the enactments by the Central Government are comprehensive and stringent enough to tackle the violence and crimes against women, Devi said.
She added that if the West Bengal fovernment follows the central legislations in letter and spirit, it will certainly have a lasting impact on strengthening the criminal justice system
"I once again request you to ensure due sensitization and a positive approach of all duty holders at appropriate levels to ensure proper handling of cases with due care and attention to bring finality as per the timelines prescribed under the statutes," Devi added.
Mamata Banerjee writes to PM Modi Devi's letter came days after Banerjee wrote to PM Modi on Friday. In her letter, the West Bengal CM had reiterated her request for stringent central legislation and exemplary punishment on heinous crimes like rape and murder. She also sought quick justice in rape cases.
Banerjee demanded that such a serious and sensitive issue needs to be addressed comprehensively through stringent central legislation prescribing exemplary punishment against the persons involved in such dastardly crimes.
She said the proposed legislation should also consider setting up Fast-Track Special Courts for speedy trial in such cases. To ensure quick justice, trials in such cases should preferably be completed within 15 days, she told PM Modi.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 31. The relations between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan derive their strength from the will of our peoples, said President Ilham Aliyev in a congratulatory letter to President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov, Trend reports.
The ever-expanding Azerbaijani-Kyrgyz ties, now elevated to the level of strategic partnership, draw strength from the mutual respect and will of our peoples, who have historically lived in friendship and are bound by unbreakable ties, President Ilham Aliyev said in his congratulatory letter to President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Zhaparov on the occasion of Independence Day.
The head of state underlined that the large-scale programs and projects implemented under the leadership of Sadyr Zhaparov contribute to the comprehensive development of Kyrgyzstan, its socio-economic progress, and the well-being of the Kyrgyz people.
It is gratifying to note that our intergovernmental relations, developed through joint efforts, have entered a new phase. Undoubtedly, our mutual visits and regular meetings have created favorable conditions for this progress.
Today, cooperation between our countries is successfully developing in various fields, particularly in trade, economic, investment, and transportation sectors. I am confident that through our joint efforts, we will realize the full potential of our partnership, further expand our traditionally friendly relations, and enhance our effective collaboration for the benefit of our brotherly peoples, the letter reads.
The Azerbaijani leader appreciated his Kyrgyz counterparts visit to Shusha in early July to participate in the informal Summit of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States.
The IMA has written to the National Task Force (NTF), which has been mandated to formulate protocol for ensuring safety and security of healthcare professionals, again demanding a central law on violence against doctors and hospitals and declaring hospitals as safe zones.
Stating that the Supreme Court has constituted the NTF to evolve a national consensus and to formulate protocols with due consultation of all stakeholders, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in its letter formulated its submission in three sections.
The NTF was constituted the apex court in the wake of protests by doctors and healthcare professionals following the recent rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
Firstly, putting forth its demand and justification for a central act on violence on doctors and hospitals, the IMA submitted its study 'Safety During Night Duty: Survey of 3885 Doctors Across India", its draft proposal for Central Act, draft legislation - "The Healthcare Service Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of violence and damage to property) Bill, 2019", the Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Act September 2020 among others as annexures.
Justifying the demand for a central act, the IMA in its letter said that healthcare facilities vary in nature both infrastructure wise and human resources wise.
Also Read | IMA suspends membership of former RG Kar Hospital principal Sandip Ghosh
"The only preventive strategy that could be applied across the board and across all the states is deterrent central law in statute. Absence of such law has resulted in half-hearted actions by the police and less that optimum investigations and prosecution of the incidence," it said.
Reasoning that deterrence is the best form of prevention, the IMA said that unlike other measures, a strong central law will prevent violence across all sectors especially the small and medium ones. It will serve as an enabling Act to the state legislations.
Also Read | PM Modi urges swift justice for crime against women amid Kolkata case
Secondly, for its demand for declaring hospitals as safe zones, the IMA said the concept of safe zones could be embedded in the proposed law as well.
"Declaration as safe zone entitles the hospitals with security entitlements. These security entitlements however should be tempered with patient friendly nature and cultural sensitivity," it said.
Third, it demanded improving the working and living conditions of the resident doctors.
Also Read | Sanjoy Roy demands egg chowmein in jail, upset over standard prison meal
Ever since the resident system was created, there have been administrative and judiciary pronouncements. "Yet few things have changed on the ground," it said.
"We the medical profession of India expect the National Task Force to live up to our expectations and instill confidence into the minds of the demoralised doctor community," the doctors' body said in the letter.
The IMA also stated that it is the national organisation of modern medicine doctors established in 1928 which played a part in the freedom struggle of the country and has its headquarters in New Delhi.
It has presence in almost all the districts of the country with 1,800 local branches, 28 state branches and 3,85,000 members. In addition, IMA has it presence in all the medical colleges of the country through its Junior Doctors Network and Medical Students Network, the letter mentioned.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday the Indian Railways has made big strides in addressing long-standing issues and will not stop till it becomes a guarantee of comfortable travel for all sections of society.
Modi said that the nation was inching towards the goal of Viksit Bharat with modernisation and expansion of Vande Bharat trains.
Through its hard work over the years, the railways has made big strides in addressing long-standing issues and offered new hopes and solutions. We will not stop until the Indian Railways becomes a guarantee of comfortable travel for everyone, the prime minister said.
His remarks came against the backdrop of railway accidents that prompted the opposition to question the government's track record on rail safety.
Further, Modi said that modern rail infrastructure was a strong pillar of the vision of Viksit Bharat.
More than 2.5 lakh crore was allocated to the railways in this year's budget and the government was connecting Indian Railways with high-tech services to transform its old image, he added.
On Saturday, PM Modi flagged off three new Vande Bharat Express trains via videoconferencing.
The three new Vande Bharat trains will run between Meerut and Lucknow, Madurai and Bengaluru, and Chennai and Nagercoil.
Also Read | Gujarat govt to cover Vande Bharat Train costs for state employees under LTC
The Meerut -Lucknow Vande Bharat Express will help passengers save around an hour compared to the current fastest train between the two cities.
The Chennai Egmore-Nagercoil Vande Bharat Express and the Madurai-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express will cut down travel time by more than two hours and around one-and-a-half hours, respectively.
Underlining that rapid development of southern states was imperative to accomplish the goal of Viksit Bharat, he said that the development of Tamil Nadu, along with the entire southern India, was the government's priority.
Modi said that more than 6,000 crore was allocated for Tamil Nadu's rail budget this year, seven times more than in 2014.
Oxford (United Kingdom), August 31 (ANI): An Indian student enrolled at UK's Oxford University has accused the prestigious varsity of racial bias, harassment and injustice. Lakshmi Balakrishnan who hails from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, said that she has "initiated legal action" because she has "not received justice from the appeals and complaints mechanism" instituted by the university.
As per her claims she had joined Oxford university in October 2018 to pursue a PhD on Shakespeare in the English faculty.
"In November 2021 during an internal assessment process known as confirmation of status in the fourth year of my studies my assessors at Oxford failed me by reasoning in the assessment report that Shakespeare does not have the scope for doctoral level studies," Balakrishnan said.
She alleges that this constitutes a "breach of contract" by the university.
Also Read | How Online Schools Are Enhancing Education Accessibility in India
"It is actually a breach of contract because when I applied to Oxford I clearly mentioned in my application that my PhD thesis is going to be on Shakespeare. The scope of my PHD thesis has continued to remain the same since the time of mu application to Oxford and therefore I believe that this constitutes a fundamental breach of contract when the university failed my PHD exam," she said.
The student said that she has "assiduously followed all the appeals and complaints process and shown respect to these procedures" but felt let down by these procedures.
"I want justice for my PhD confirmation issue," she said.
"Since December 2021, I have filed several appeals and complaints in various stages both within the university as well as in the Office of the Independent Adjudicator of my PhD problem," Balakrishnan added.
She stated that the university and the OIA refused to uphold the appeal because they said that the assessors are credited scholars and their decision "academic judgement" must be accepted.
"I am not challenging the academic judgement of the assessors on their academics, I am challenging the judgement on the basis of racial bias and procedural irregularity," Balakrishnan alleged.
She said she had spent over 100,000 pounds by "making immense sacrifices."
"After spending such an enormous sum of money which is 100,000 pounds the least they could do is to allow me to submit my PhD thesis and undertake my final viva, that is all that I am expecting," she said.
The graduate student said that after the appeals and complaints procedure of the university failed to grant her justice, she has initiated legal action.
"The university's actions have disadvantaged me financially and affected my job prospects," claimed Balakrishnan
She said she has also started a Go fund page appealing to the public for "financial support to seek justice."
She further said that she has appealed to the Vice Chancellor and the Pro Vice Chancellor of the university.
"I have requested meetings from them. Unfortunately, I have not had a positive response from them," she said.
"My own college at Oxford has testified about severe irregularities as had happened in my case. I would appreciate it if they could positively resolve my case," she said.
The Indian student has also alleged that she believes her assessors were "motivated by racial bias" in failing her PhD thesis.
"There were two white students in my October 2018 cohort who pursued their PhD thesis on Shakespeare and their thesis were accepted while mine was not," Balakrishnan alleged.
Also Read | 633 Indians died while studying abroad in past 5 years
She has alleged that after the assessors failed her PhD they forcibly transferred her to the Masters course without following due process.
"Without my consent. They have violated the principles of natural justice by transferring me to MA before I could even appeal the decision and have the outcome of that appeal. So this is discriminatory," she alleged.
"Throughout my case I have been denied procedural fairness. and decisions have been made in an arbitrary and discriminatory manner. I have faced systemic bullying and harassment issues from the Oxford English faculty," Balakrishnan alleged.
Felt ostracised She claimed that in 2019 one of her confirmation assessors who had failed her bullied her at a seminar event and she had to stop attending all the seminar events.
"Because I felt ostracised after being subjected to harassment in a targeted manner by a senior academic," she said
"I think race was certainly a motivating factor behind the professor targeting me in that manner," she said adding that there is a "deep bias and discrimination against Indian students."
Balakrishnan said Indian students are disadvantaged seriously as a result of the deep bias.
She also claimed that "there is a reluctance from Oxford's English faculty to allow students of colour to thrive in the field by making original contributions."
Academic misconduct and plagiarism Balakrishnan has claimed that there is evidence of one of the assessors engaging in "academic misconduct and plagiarism" of her work and this she said raises serious questions about the "academic integrity of the November 2021 confirmation decision."
The student said that she has felt let down by the appeals and complaints process.
In September 2023, Rashmi Samant who had scripted history to become the first Indian to be elected as the President of the Oxford Student Union (SU) came out with a tell-all book, 'A Hindu in Oxford'
Samant detailed her harrowing experience of being allegedly targeted and singled by her professors at the university claiming that they questioned her holding the office of president citing her religious and ethnic backgrounds. (ANI)
Kolkata:Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dilip Ghosh on Saturday claimed that the West Bengal government was still trying to obstruct the Kolkata woman doctor rape and murder case enquiry and save the accused.
"The state government tried to create confusion among the public and destroy the evidence...The state government is still trying to obstruct the enquiry and save the accused. The state police is not coordinating with CBI... Every work that is being done by the state government, be it the principal, be it the DC, be it the CP or from the Chief Minister to all other leaders, these people want to dilute it deliberately," Ghosh told ANI.
"Even before this 48,000 such cases of crime have happened during Mamata Banerjee's rule, none of them has been solved," Ghosh added.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the inaugural event of the 2-day National Conference of District Judiciary at Bharat Mandapam, reiterated that many strict laws have been made in the country for the safety of women.
"Today, atrocities against women, safety of children... are serious concerns of society. Many strict laws have been made in the country for the safety of women, but we need to make it more active. The faster the decisions are taken in cases related to atrocities against women, the greater assurance of safety half the population will get," PM Modi said.
The brutal rape and murder of the trainee doctor has sparked a wave of protests in West Bengal and other parts of the country.
Doctors have been holding protests in different states demanding justice for the victim. Doctors have been demonstrating in various states, demanding justice for the victim and enhanced security laws for healthcare professionals.
The case has been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation from the local police following an order from the Calcutta High Court.
Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer, at the hospital, has been arrested in connection with the incident.
Also Read | IMA again demands central law on violence against doctors, hospitals
The incident has triggered a war of words between the BJP, with the latter demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu joined a few other Telugu actors and filmmakers in urging the Telangana government to publish a report, similar to the Hema Committee Report, on sexual harassment in the Telugu Film Industry (TFI).
Samantha took to Instagram stories to share a statement, titled 'Voice of Women in TFI' that several other women in the Telugu Film Industry had posted.
Also Read | Kerala police registers FIR against actors Mukesh and Jayasurya
The statement read, "We, the women of the Telugu film industry, welcome the Hema Committee report and applaud the persistent efforts of the WCC [Women in Cinema Collective] in Kerala, which has laid the path to this moment."
"Taking cue from the WCC, The Voice of Women, a support group for women in the TFI, was created in 2019," Samantha's Instagram post read.
Demanding the Telangana government to publish a similar report on sexual harassment, the statement said, We hereby urge the Telangana government, to publish the submitted sub-committee report on sexual harassment, which can help frame government and industry policies, to establish a safe working environment for women in the TFI.
Source: Samantha Ruth Prabhu/ Instagram
Other than Samantha, Telugu actors Manchu Lakshmi Prasanna, Suma Kanakala, Pragathi Mahavadi, and film director and screenwriter Nandini Reddy also shared the same statement on their Instagram earlier.
The Hema Committee Report The 235-page report by Justice Hema Committee detailed explosive allegations of sexual abuse by male actors in the Malayalam cinema industry. It notes that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by 10-15 male producers, directors, and actors.
Ever since the report was released, several women actors came forward with complaints against their male counterparts, leading to the registration of FIRs against actor-politician Mukesh, Sidhique, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, Idavela Babu, and director Ranjith.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu has expressed strong support for the Hema Committee report, which has prompted several actors in Kerala to share their experiences of sexual, physical, and verbal abuse within the industry. On Instagram, Samantha praised the report and the efforts of the Womens Collective Kerala (WCC) for its groundbreaking work.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu also called on the Revanth Reddy-led Telangana government to release a similar report on sexual harassment within the Telugu film industry to help create safer workplaces for women.
We, the women of the Telugu film industry, welcome the Hema Committee report and applaud the persistent efforts of the WCC in Kerala, which has laid the path to this moment, Samantha wrote in her Instagram story.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu shared the solidarity message on her Instagram story on Saturday
She further urged, We hereby urge the Telangana government to publish the submitted sub-committee report on sexual harassment, which can help frame government and industry policies to establish a safe working environment for women in the TFI (Telugu Film Industry).
The comprehensive 235-page report by the Justice Hema Committee, which was redacted to protect the identities of witnesses and accused, highlights that the Malayalam film industry is dominated by 10-15 male producers, directors, and actors including director Ranjith, actor Siddique.
The #MeToo wave that Kerala film industry had embroiled in saw AMMA authorities undertake en masse resignations, including Mohanlal. The #MeToo wave has also hit the ruling party in Kerala, as two-time CPI(M) MLA Mukesh had been named in the Hema Committe report. It has been alleged that Mukesh abused junior artists. The revelation has caused a massive political stir in Kerala, with Congress and BJP protesting against the Pinarayi Vijayan government seeking action against Mukesh.
Formed in 2017, the committee submitted its findings in 2019, but the reports release has been delayed due to ongoing legal challenges.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who was earlier married to Naga Chaitanya, also indicated that Tollywood would greatly benefit from a similar committee being established in Telangana.
Also Read | Me Too roils Malayalam film industry: Jayasurya faces second sexual assault case
Recently, Samantha Ruth Prabhu appeared in the film 'Kushi' alongside Vijay Deverakonda and has upcoming projects including 'Bangaram,' which she announced on her birthday. She will also star in Raj and DK's 'Citadel: Honey Bunny' with Varun Dhawan, Kay Kay Menon, and Sikandar Kher, set to premiere in November.
Teachers' Day, celebrated across India, is observed every year on September 5, the birth anniversary of Indias first Vice-President and the second President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
He was an eminent scholar, teacher and renowned philosopher.
When Dr Radhakrishnan served as the President from 1962 to 1967, his students and friends had requested him to allow them to celebrate his birthday on September 5.
To which he did not agree but he suggested that the day can be celebrated as the Teachers' Day.
Since 1962, Teachers Day is celebrated on 5 September every year.
Dr Radhakrishnan was born on September 5, 1888 at Tiruttani in Tamil Nadu. His father and mother were Sarvepalli Veeraswami and Sitamma.
He was married to Sivakamu, and had six children 5 daughters and 1 son.
Here are some interesting facts about Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan 1 Throughout his academic life, Dr Radhakrishnan got scholarships for studies.
He studied at Voorhees College in Vellore and Madras Christian College, Madras.
In 1906, he completed his Master's in Philosophy and became a professor.
2Before Indias independence, he was addressed as Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan because he was Knighted in 1931.
After the independence, he came to be known as Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
Dr Radhakrishnan was also named as Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at the University of Oxford in 1936.
3 In 1946, Dr Radhakrishnan was elected to the Constituent Assembly. He also served as ambassador to UNESCO and later to Moscow.
4 Dr Radhakrishnan became the first Vice President of India in 1952 and the second President of India in 1962.
5 In 1954, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was honoured with the Bharat Ratna, the highest honour of the country. In 1963, he was awarded with the Order of Merit and the Templeton Prize in 1975.
6 From 1931 to 1936, Dr Radhakrishnan was the Vice-Chancellor at Andhra University, and from 1939 to 1948 at Banaras Hindu University.
He was the Chancellor at Delhi University from 1953 to 1962.
The Election Commission modified the Assembly election schedule on Saturday as a flood-like situation prevailed in Gujarat and India won several medals at the Paris Paralympics. Outrage over #MeToo allegations from the Kerala film industry continued while Bangladesh broached the possibility of an extradition request for ousted former PM Sheikh Hasina.
EC changes election dates
The Election Commission has deferred the Haryana assembly poll date from October 1 to October 5 in light of a centuries-old festival within the Bishnoi community. The counting of votes for Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana assembly polls will now be held on October 8 instead of October 4.
The poll body said the decision has been taken to honour both the voting rights and traditions of the Bishnoi community, which has upheld a 300-400-year-old practice in remembrance of their Guru Jambheshwar.
Also Read | Haryana polls postponed to October 5, counting of votes on October 8
Gujarat floods and Cyclone Asna
A flood-like situation prevailed across large swathes of Gujarat on Saturday as Cyclone Asna moved across the Arabian Sea. The Army, NDRF and SDRF remain involved in rescue and relief operations with thousands shifted to relief camps after being trapped by the rising water levels.
Kachchh has received very heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours...Gujarat has received 882 mm of rainfall since June 1, which is 50 percent more than normal...Saurashtra and Kachchh regions have also recorded more than normal rainfall...Light to moderate rains are expected for Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar today, IMD scientist Ramashray Yadav had forecast earlier today.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the deep depression is likely to move away from the Indian Coast during the next 24 hours heading West-Northwest over the Northeast Arabian sea.
India at Paris Paralympics 2024
India continued its medal-winning streak at the Paris Paralympics on Saturday with para-shooter Rubina Francis securing a bronze medal in the P2 - Women's 10M Air Pistol SH-1 final. Preeti Pal clinched a bronze medal in the women's T35 100m run event the first Indian woman to win a medal in track at the Paralympics. Meanwhile Indian archer Sarita Kumari put up a commanding show to storm into the quarterfinals of the compound women's open category.
India has secured five medals at the Paris Paralympic Games thus far including a gold for shooting. Reigning Paralympic champion Avani Lekhara struck gold for a second consecutive year in the women's 10m air rifle final.
Kerala film industrys #MeToo wave
The Malayalam film industry was left reeling under an onslaught of #MeToo allegations this week following an explosive report. The 235-page report by the Justice Hema committee flagged allegations of sexual abuse by male actors and claimed the Malayalam film industry was essentially being controlled by 10-15 male producers, directors, and actors. Several women actors have also come forward in the wake of the report leading to FIRs against actor-politician Mukesh, Sidhique, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, Idavela Babu, and director Ranjith. The Hema Committee report also spurred calls for a similar investigation into the Telugu film industry.
Vinesh Phogat, on Saturday, reached the farmers protest site on Sambhu border. The farmers have been protesting at the Shambhu border near Ambala and have been camping there since February 13. However, Vinesh Phogat on Saturday refrained from commenting on her political debut, if at all, amid speculations as Haryana is scheduled to vote on 1 October to elect all 90 members of the Haryana Legislative Assembly.
At Shambhu border, Vinesh Phogat brushed aside questions of a political debut. She said, I don't want to talk about it. I have come to meet my family members (farmers) and if you spin it, their fight and struggle will be wasted. The focus shouldn't be on me, but on the farming community. I am a sportsperson and a citizen of India; elections are not my concern. My only focus is on the welfare of farmers".
The farmers protest has reached its 200th day on August 31.
Earlier, former Haryana chief minister and leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda had downplayed speculations about Vinesh Phogat joining the Congress, terming it a hypothetical question.
On the protesting farmers Vinesh Phogat said, When people raise issues, they should not be viewed through the lens of politics, religion or community. The government must listen to our family (farmers). They should have the right to speak and express their views. The demands of farmers are legitimate, as I come from a farming background and understand how my mother raised me.
On Saturday, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher claimed that the farmer's agitation has been going on since February 13 in Delhi and they are going to have a mahapanchayat in Jind on September 15 and in Pipli on September 22.
In this week's wrap (August 26-September 1), Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) conducted its 47th annual general meeting (AGM), taking Sensex and Nifty 50 to fresh record highs; West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee triggered a row with her "If you burn Bengal" remark; BRS leader K Kavitha was granted bail in the Delhi Excise Policy case; Ex-Jharkhand CM Champai Soren joined the BJP in the dramatic turn of events; President Droupadi Murmu issued a statement on the Kolkata doctor rape-murder case and more.
Here's a recap of all the major events that took place this week:
1 RIL buyback 1:1 Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries announced that its Board will convene on Thursday, September 5, 2024 to consider and recommend to the shareholders the approval of a bonus issue of shares in the ratio of 1:1.
2. Sensex, Nifty 50 hit lifetime highs on RIL GM 2024 The 47th annual general meeting (AGM) of the Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) took place on Thursday, August 29, driving the domestic equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty 50 to fresh record highs during afternoon trade.
The Nifty 50 hit a fresh record high at 25,174.55, and Sensex touched 82,220.68. The indices opened almost flat with a mixed response from both indices in the opening hour. Nifty opened 17 points down at 25,035.30 points. The BSE Sensex opened with a minor gain of 35 points at 81,822.56.
3. Mamata Banerjee's 'if Bengal will burn...' remark While speaking at a public in Kolkata on August 28, Mamata Banerjee claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is using his party, the BJP, to cause a fire in Bengal over the Kolkata woman doctor rape and murder incident.
She said, "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 cause fire here. If you burn Bengal, Assam, North-East, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Delhi too shall burn! We will topple your chair."
A day later, Banerjee issued a clarification over the BJP's allegations that she was threatening the protesters who have held demonstrations and rallies against the Kolkata doctor's rape case. In a long post on X, Mamata Banerjee said she did not utter a single word" against the medical students or their movements or threaten them.
4. PM Modi, President on Kolkata rape case Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke at the opening of the two-day National Conference of District Judiciary held at Bharat Mandapam. In his address, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of expediting justice in cases involving crimes against women, stating that doing so would enhance their sense of security.
On August 28, President Droupadi Murmu 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. Murmu made the comments in an article written for PTI.
5. Cyclone Asna Cyclone Asna, formed over the coast of Kutch in Gujarat on August 30, moved into the Arabian sea towards Oman without leaving any major impact on the region, officials said on Friday evening.
"Since the cyclone has already entered the sea and is heading towards Oman, there was an impact on the coast. Except for some rain and winds blowing at considerable speed, there was no impact here. There was no immediate news about injury or death or collapse of any major structure," PTI quoted Kutch district collector Amit Arora as saying.
6. Champai Soren joins BJP Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren joined the BJP on August 30. The joining of the 67-year-old tribal leader to the BJP was seen as a shot in the arm for the party's efforts to boost its connection with the Scheduled Tribes, a community which has been the main voter base of the JMM.
Also Read | Champai Soren: What role will he play in Jharkhand Assembly Elections 2024
7. K Kavitha gets bail On August 27, the Supreme Court granted bail to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K Kavitha in the Delhi excise policy case. The Supreme Court reprimanded the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over the nature of the probe they have conducted in the case.
K Kavitha, 46, the daughter of former Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, has been in custody since March 15 on alleged corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.
9. Hema committee report Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu joined a few other Telugu actors and filmmakers in urging the Telangana government to publish a report, similar to the Hema Committee Report, on sexual harassment in the Telugu Film Industry (TFI).
Meanwhile, an FIR was lodged against actor and CPI(M) MLA from Kollam, Mukesh, based on a complaint by actress Minu Muneer, according to Kerala Police, as reported by ANI. The police also confirmed that another FIR has been filed against actor Jayasurya, based on the same actress's complaint, under Section 354, which addresses the intent to outrage a woman's modesty.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 31. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim on the occasion of the country's Independence Day, Trend reports.
"On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I am pleased to congratulate you and, through you, all your people on the occasion of Malaysia's national holiday Independence Day.
We attach special importance to the development and strengthening of friendly and cooperative relations between Azerbaijan and Malaysia. I believe that we will continue to make joint efforts to successfully maintain and further develop our interstate relations and cooperation in accordance with the interests of our peoples. I hope that within the framework of COP29, which will be held in Baku in November, we will closely cooperate with Malaysia to combat climate change.
On this special day, I wish you robust health, happiness, success in your endeavors, and lasting prosperity to the friendly people of Malaysia," the letter reads.
The West Bengal unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has raised questions on the Kolkata Police clarification on a crowded seminar hall at RG Kar where the body of the trainee doctor was found on August 9. The IMA has specifically pointed fingers at the presence of one Dr Avik De who has been identified by the Kolkata Police as a fingerprint expert.
Days after a postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered at RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata, a video and pictures showing dozens of people at the crime scene has raised questions about how so many were allowed into the seminar hall. It is also alleged that the crime scene was tampered with.
As the video went viral, the Kolkata Police clarified that the crime scene was not compromised and everyone seen in the pictures was authorised to be there.
Indira Mukherjee, DCP Central, Kolkata Police said, It has been alleged that there are probably some people who were not supposed to be there and there has been some tampering of evidence. We have taken a still from that video... We have been able to identify each and everyone who was there in this picture... Right behind the cordon is the dead body... We have a videographer from the detective department, Commissioner of Police, Additional CP-1, Lady Police and forensic officials here. All are known to us and identified."
There is also another picture and a new set of people. We have the witness doctor, FSL, fingerprint expert, the ACP of the detective department, the videographer, additional CP -1 and the forensic officials. This picture or the video is of the time when the inquest process was over... At no point in time could anybody enter this area who was not authorized. Nobody entered who was not associated with the investigation process, she said.
Also Read | Sanjoy Roy demands egg chowmein in jail, upset over standard prison meal
The IMA has demanded to know about Dr Avik De, seen in pictures wearing red shirt, pointing out that he is a first year post graduate trainee of Surgery Department of SSKM Hospital. In a post, the IMA also said that his admission in PG has been controversial.
Please let us know when the great Dr Avik De became Finger Print Expert? (As stated by Kolkata Police). As we all know, he is a 1st year Post Graduate Trainee of Surgery Department of SSKM Hospital. We also know that there are lot of controversies regarding his getting admission in PG course. It is said that though Dr Avik De worked as RMO in Burdwan Medical College, but the then Principal of that College Dr Kaustav Nayek gave him a false Certificate mentioning that he worked in Anamoy Hospital, just to get him Service Quota for PG admission, manipulating all the official papers. And in return without declaring the result of the 1st interview or cancelling the same, Dr Kaustav Nayek was made DME through a 2nd interview, superseding many other senior & eligible Principals, the Bengal branch of IMA said.
Kolkata doctor rape case: All Delhi-based Doctors' Associations (DAs) have announced a silent protest on Friday at Rajiv Chowk in the national capital, demanding justice and improved safety measures for healthcare professionals following the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata.
Members of AIIMS, RML, Safdarjung, Maulana Azad Medical College, Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, Northern Railway Central Hospital and other affiliated institutions will also participate in the protest.
All Delhi RDAs have decided to suspend the strike and will instead continue with a silent protest on a common day each week until justice is served to the victim, the official notice read.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be leading a dharna on Saturday, August 31, demanding capital punishment for the accused in the Kolkata doctor's rape and murder case. Let's know how the Kolkata doctor rape case has developed in past few days:
Wrestler Vinesh Phogat has joined the massive protest call of the farmer groups at the Shambhu border, connecting Haryana and Delhi, demanding the Central government to fulfil their promises to the protesters. It's been 200 days since hundreds of farmers started camping at the Shambhu border, on February 13, demanding a legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.
Speaking from the Shambhu border, Vinesh Phogat said the country would not progress if people sit on streets like this.
Vinesh Phogat said, It has been 200 days since they are sitting here. It is painful to see this. All of them are citizens of this country. Farmers run the country. Nothing is possible without them, not even athletes - if they don't feed us, we won't be able to compete. Many a time we are helpless and can't do anything, we represent the country at such big levels but we can't do anything for our family even when we see them sad.
I urge the government that they should listen. They had admitted their mistake last time, they should fulfill the promises that they made. The country won't progress, if people sit on streets like this, Vinesh said.
Also Read | SC directs Haryana, Punjab to maintain status quo at Shambhu border
Vinesh Phogat was also felicitated by farmer leaders as she arrived at their protest site at Shambhu border as the agitation completed 200 days.
The Supreme Court on August 22 asked the States of Punjab and Haryana to continue their meetings with the protesting farmers, to persuade them to clear the highway along the Shambhu border.
Earlier, the top court had asked the Senior Superintendent of Police of Patiala and Ambala and the Deputy Commissioners of both districts to hold a meeting and explore possibilities of partial opening of the Shambhu border highway initially for ambulances, essential services, and daily commuters of the nearby area.
Days after a West Bengal labourer was beaten to death in Haryana's Charkhi Dadri district, state Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on 31 August downplayed the lynching incident, stating the term 'mob lynching' does not accurately reflect the incident, reported Hindustan Times.
It is not right to say things like mob lynching, because a strict law has been made in the Assembly for cow protection and there is no compromise on it, HT quoted chief minister Nayab Singh Saini as saying.
Also Read | Govt weighs changes in CrPc, IPC to curb incidents of mob lynching
Villagers have so much respect for cows that if they are informed about such things, then who can stop them? I want to say that such incidents should not happen and these incidents are unfortunate, he added.
Earlier on 27 August, a West Bengal labourer, Sabir Malik, was beaten to death by Charkhi Dadri's villager, who suspected Malik of consuming beef. According to the details, consuming beef is a serious offence under local cow protection laws.
Also Read | Alwar lynching case: 4 accused of killing Rakbar Khan get 7 years in prison
Following the incident, police have arrested five men Abhishek, Mohit, Ravinder, Kamaljit, and Sahil along with two juveniles.
All the accused have been arrested under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered, confirmed Deputy Superintendent of Police Dheeraj Kumar, adding they are in police remand.
The police said that Malik was a rag picker near Bandhra village and he was lured to a shop under the pretence of selling empty plastic bottles before being assaulted.
Also Read | Maharashtra: 47 accused in Palghar lynching case get bail
When bystanders intervened, Malik was taken to different location by the accused and then beaten to death.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke at the opening of the two-day National Conference of District Judiciary held at Bharat Mandapam. In his address, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of expediting justice in cases involving crimes against women, stating that doing so would enhance their sense of security.
Also Read | PM Modi lays foundation for 76,200-crore Vadhvan Port in Maharashtra
His remarks follow the recent rape and murder case at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9, which has sparked widespread outrage across the country.
Coming back to PM Modi, during his addresss, he added, "75 years of the Supreme Court, this is not just the journey of an institution. This is the journey of the Constitution of India and its constitutional values. This is the journey of India becoming more mature as a democracy"
Top quotes from PM Modi's address 1. PM Modi commended the Supreme Court for consistently upholding the trust placed in it by the people of India throughout its journey. "I can say with confidence that SC has upheld the trust and faith we have in our institution...Even in the dark period of emergency, the Supreme Court guaranteed our fundamental rights and every time it was a question of national interest, the Supreme Court always guarded national integrity, the Prime Minister said.
2. PM Modi highlighted that societal concerns such as atrocities against women and child safety are pressing issues. Today, atrocities against women, safety of children... are serious concerns of the society. Many strict laws have been made in the country for the safety of women, but we need to make it more active. The faster the decisions are taken in cases related to atrocities against women, the greater assurance of safety half the population will get."
3. He added, In the Amritkaal of Independence, 140 crore countrymen have only one dream Developed India, New India. New India, that is a modern India in thinking and determination. Our judiciary is a strong pillar of this vision.
Also Read | PM Modi at Global Fintech Fest urges regulators to combat cyber frauds
4. He also said, To eliminate delay in justice, work has been done at many levels in the last decade. In the last 10 years, the country has spent about 8 thousand crore rupees for the development of judicial infrastructure. 75 per cent of the amount spent on judicial infrastructure in the last 25 years has been spent in the last 10 years only.
(Adds information about oil industry resuming operations)
CARACAS, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Electricity returned to Caracas and other parts of Venezuela on Saturday after a blackout plunged much of the country into darkness on Friday, although Reuters witnesses reported continued intermittent outages in the oil-producing state of Zulia.
Venezuela's government blamed the massive blackout that crippled the South American country on an "attack" on the country's largest dam, Guri, without providing additional details.
"The first thing I thought was that the food was going to spoil, and it was so expensive to buy, said Jose Rincon, a teacher who lives in the central city of Valencia. "When you think everything is bad, it seems like it just gets worse."
Reyner Acosta, a 62-year-old retiree in Maracaibo, the capital of Zulia, said the electricity came back early Saturday morning, only to cut off once again.
"We were struggling because the electricity came and went," he said while shopping at a market to replenish food that had gone bad while the power was out.
On Saturday, the Jose oil terminal, the largest in the country, resumed operations that had been interrupted by the blackout, according to an industry source.
About 70% of Venezuela's oil exports are handled through the terminal, which does not have its own energy system.
A key oil upgrader that produces exportable crude, Petropiar, also resumed operations on Saturday, according to two company sources.
Experts say the blackouts that have plagued Venezuela for years are due to lack of maintenance and disinvestment from the electrical system.
Teacher's Day 2024: Teachers play an irreplaceable role in our lives by sharing essential knowledge, and guiding us towards the right path. To recognize and celebrate their contributions, Teachers' Day is observed throughout India on September 5 each year.
September 5 also commemorates the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the second president of India.
Teachers' Day: Why do we celebrate Teachers' Day coincides with the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a distinguished scholar and revered educationist who commanded great respect from his students.
History has it that when a group of students wished to celebrate his birthday, Dr Radhakrishnan proposed that they mark the occasion as Teachers' Day instead.
During Radhakrishnan's presidency from 1962 to 1967, he preferred a modest acknowledgment and expressed that he would be more pleased if the day were dedicated to honouring teachers.
Since 1962, educational institutions across India have celebrated Teachers' Day on September 5, his birth anniversary, to pay tribute to Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and to all teachers who dedicate themselves to educating and guiding students.
Teachers' Day: Significance Teachers' Day is a time to honor and express gratitude to educators who play a crucial role in shaping students' futures, and guide them through their wisdom.
Beyond imparting knowledge and values, teachers provide guidance through challenges and build a strong foundation for their students. They inspire and influence many, shaping the future of countless individuals.
Teachers' Day: Celebrations On Teachers' Day, schools and higher education institutions across India celebrate the day with much enthusiasm to show respect to their educators.
Also Read | CK Prahalad, the oracle whose wisdom still echoes in Indian boardrooms
The day marks various events at schools and educational institutions, highlighting the importance of teachers and honour their contributions across various disciplines of education.
Students often express their appreciation through heartfelt notes, handmade cards, or cakes to their teachers.
A conservative beer company has raked in more than a million dollars with limited edition cans paying homage to the Donald Trump assassination bid. The collectible by 'Conservative Dad's Ultra Right Beer' features a sketch of the former President fist-pumping with blood streaked across his cheek and his message for followers to fight.
Our previous limited-edition Trump mugshot beer cans have fetched up to $1,000 per case on eBay, and Im confident this latest release will become even more of a collectors item, a press release on Friday quoted CEO Seth Weathers as saying.
The company started in mid-2023 revealed that its limited edition can has surpassed $1 million in sales over the past month-and-a-half. The limited-edition FIGHT six-pack will be available for purchase till September 15.
The company touts itself as selling 100% woke-free American beer and has several other Trump or Republican-themed products on sale including Make Beer Great Again Trump limited edition t-shirts, swimsuits, Real Women of America calendars and more.
Investigators who have conducted nearly 1,000 interviews do not yet have a motive for why 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks shot at Trump during a July campaign rally but they believe that he conducted extensive attack planning. 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.
Trump has heaped blame President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the assassination attempt. The Republican presidential nominee claimed (without evidence) earlier this week that the duo had made it difficult for the secret service to protect him.
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, reports quoted him as saying on the television talkshow Dr Phil.
Also Read | Donald Trump blames US President, Kamala Harris over Pennsylvania rally shooting
Bangalore: Ace investor, and co-founder of Hungama Digital, Ashish Kacholia missed his Bengaluru to Mumbai flight on Thursday after Google Maps failed to correctly estimate the time it might take to reach the airport.
Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru is quite far from the city, a fact that has drawn considerable criticism from commuters. Kacholia, co-founder of Hungama Digital, had to travel over 50 km from HSR Layout to KIA. Google Maps estimated this journey would take 1 hour and 45 minutes. However, Kacholia faced a setback when the trip took twice as long due to Bangalore's unpredictable traffic and weather conditions.
Despite the estimate, the actual travel time extended to 3 hours, compounded by rain that began during Kacholia's trip.
Yesterday missed my flight from Bengaluru to Mumbai because journey took 3 hours instead of 1.45 as shown by Google Maps, the Hungama co-founder wrote on the social media platform X.
Mumbai praise serves as a dig for Bangalore The investor further took a dig at Bangalore infrastructure by thanking BMC, the municipal corporation of Mumbai. Deeply grateful to Mumbai administration @mybmc for investing in infrastructure to keep traffic moving in maximum city, the Mumbai-based investor wrote on X.
Meanwhile, one X user added to Kacholia's jibe, and posted a hilarious comment. Cabbies in B'luru should compulsorily offer washroom breaks in between rides (just like overnight buses do), said the user. Another user questioned the Hungama co-founder on whether he was mocking Google Maps or Bangalore.
Ashish Kacholia, the Big Whale Ashish Kacholia began his financial journey in the 1990s. He gained valuable experience at firms like Prime Securities and Edelweiss before founding Lucky Securities in 1995. His investment decisions had earned him the nick-name Big Whale in financial circles.
Also Read | Railway PSU stocks give zero return in one month. Opportunity for bottom fishing
There is one person key to a likely reunion of the Royal siblings Prince William and Harry amid their ongoing rift Kate Middleton. According to a Royal expert, Kate would have the brothers kiss and make up, but she is loyal to her husband.
Ever since Prince Harry decided to leave the Royal family and his Royal duties behind, his comments and revelations in the 2023 memoir Spare has had him ostracized by family members.
Harry was recently in the UK for the funeral of his uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes. The Duke of Sussex reportedly had returned to Britain after nearly 40 months.
According to the reports, Prince Harry sat at a distance from the heir to the throne at Lord Robert Fellowess service in Norfolk. The brothers also were said to have kept their distance and sat apart at the back of St Marys Church after arriving very discreetly, according to The Independent.
Speaking to Fox News, royal author Christopher Andersen said Kate is urging her husband to make up with Harry, believing a reunion would be "one less cloud hanging over" the Royal Family.
Andersen shared that Kate was close to Harry and the two shared a special bond. "They shared the same goofy sense of humor and laughed at the same jokes. Harry often said Kate was the sister he never had."
The royal author, on the likeliness of the reunion of the brothers said, Of course, Kate would like nothing better than to have the brothers kiss and make up. It would be one less cloud hanging over the Royal Family's head. But above all else, Kate is loyal to her husband.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 31. Nikol Pashinyan stated that he wants to meet with President Ilham Aliyev at the border of the two countries, Trend reports.
During his press conference, Pashinyan also stated that Yerevan currently prefers direct negotiations with Baku.
"I must note, and you may have noticed, that for a long time now, work with Azerbaijan has been conducted in a bilateral format, and this has yielded positive results. Starting with joint statements in December of last year and continuing with the statement from April 19 of this year. Yesterday, an agreement was signed on the work of the delimitation commission. And as long as the bilateral format continues to produce results, we will continue with it," he said.
On the 27th death anniversary of Princess Diana, a royal insider has shared that King Charles was shattered on learning that his ex-wife had died in a car accident.
The loved Princess of Wales passed away on 31 August 1997 at the age of 36-year-old while being chased by paparazzi in Paris. Her companion, Dodi Fayed, and their chauffeur, Henri Paul, also died in that crash.
The author of The Day Diana Died, Christopher Andersen told Fox News Digital that when Charles was first told over the phone that Diana had died, he, according to an eyewitness, howled like a wounded animal.
Later, Andersen said, Charles rushed from Balmoral Castle in Scotland to Paris to bring her back to England. "Charles nearly passed out when he first viewed her body," he shared.
A nurse who was standing in the room told me he reeled back and looked as if he had been struck by an unseen force. Considering how epic their marital battles had been, people were surprised at Charles reaction, Andersen told Fox News.
Charles was devastated by Dianas death, Andersen said, perhaps to a degree that surprised even him. Charles was shattered.
Also Read | New letters by Princess Diana reveal Prince Williams feelings towards brother
Andersen's remarks followed the auction of a letter penned by a former friend of Prince Charles, which fetched $2,000. In the letter, Charles expressed the "unbearable emptiness" he experienced four months after Diana's passing, as reported by the UK's DailyMail.
Andersen noted that in Dianas final months, the divorced Royal couple has finally put aside their differences for the sake of their sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.
In the months before Dianas death, she and Charles decided to put their bitterness behind them and become, in her words, very best friends, Andersen explained.
A close confidant of Dianas told the author that her love for Charles never really died.
Diana even grudgingly admitted that the love and devotion Charles and [his mistress] Camilla had was something to be admired, he said quoting the late Princess' close confidant.
Behind the doors of the palace, Charles was "swept up in a whirlwind of emotion" after learning what happened to Diana, the most idolized woman in the world.
"Charles had to battle his mother, the queen, and the entire establishment of the monarchy to ensure that Diana was given the kind of funeral she deserved," the Royal author shared.
Murmurs about a royal reconciliation continued to grow this week as Prince Harry made an abrupt trip to the UK for a funeral. The development came even as reports indicated that Prince Charles wanted his son back regardless of personal feelings harboured by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The Duke of Sussex is also slated to visit New York next month without Meghan Markle a trip that royal experts claim is a further attempt to prove he is relevant.
The trip to New York will see Harry represent the Archewell Foundation at the UN General Assembly High-level Week and Climate Week.
Former BBC Royal Correspondent Michael Cole however told GB News that the trip was a bid to prove that Prince Harry was "still relevant" after stepping down from the royal family. Royal experts contend that the upcoming trip won't be about supporting Meghan Markle.
Also Read | Update about Harrys new edition of Spare likely to relieve Royal Family
I think it's really telling that he's going to New York without Meghan. Last time they went there, there was this whole fiasco with this catastrophic car chase, because it was a red carpet event that his wife was going to, The Royal Beat quoted The Sun editor Matt Wilkinson as saying.
The developments come mere days after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wrapped up a tour of Colombia. The visit had been defined by cultural and social causes, in line with the couple's support of the Archewell Foundation, a nonprofit organisation.
Buzz about a reconciliation has also been driven by the possibility of Prince William the estranged brother of the Duke being in New York around the same time for the Earthshot Prize.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had stepped away from official royal duties in January 2020 and now live in California. Tensions between the two brothers strained further with the release of a Netflix documentary produced by Harry and Meghan at the end of 2022. The Duke had also criticised Prince William in his memoir "Spare" which was published last year.
Emergency, the upcoming movie of actor-turned Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kangana Ranaut, that was scheduled for release on September 6 has been facing backlash from a number of Sikh groups who have alleged that the film was is a big insult to the Sikh community.
A delegation from the Telangana Sikh Society has alleged that the film depicts Sikhs as terrorists and anti-nationals, a portrayal that is "offensive" and damaging to the community's image.
Earlier, the Delhi unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) demanded ban on Kangana Ranaut's movie and sent a legal notice to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The notice, sent by Paramjit Singh Sarna, President of the Delhi Unit of SAD, claims that the recently released trailer of Emergency depicts historical facts inaccurately.
The party has accused Kangana Ranaut of targeting the Sikh community rather than making a historical and political statement against Congress through her movie.
It criticises Kangana Ranaut, along with the media and political backing she receives, for deliberately distorting history to spread animosity. The notice asserts that such distortion is unacceptable and should be prevented from reaching the public through the film.
On Friday, August 30, senior Congress leader and advisor to the Telangana Chief Minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir met a Sikh delegation that demanded ban on Kangana Ranaut's movie.
All the Sikh community of Telangana, the people responsible for the gurudwaras and the president of the society here [in Hyderabad], they came to us and gave a presentation that 12 per cent of our people in the army. In the freedom struggle 83-84% of our people laid down their lives, said the senior Congress leader.
Mohammed Ali Shabbir said, The delegation told me the state government should ban the film, otherwise the young people of our community will protest against the film. I told them please don't protest right now, give some time to the government, we will discuss on this.
The monthlong feud between Elon Musk and a Brazilian Supreme Court justice over free speech, far-right accounts and misinformation led to the suspension of social media giant X in the country. Raising concern over the issue, the tech billionaire said that the same situation would happen in America if Democratic US presidential candidate Kamala Harris came into power.
Also Read | How bosses should play politics: the cautionary tale of Elon Musk
The suspension of Elon Musk's X, formerly known as Twitter, in Brazil was preceded by the top court's order blocking bank accounts of Starlink services. Elon Musk's SpaceX operates a widespread satellite internet network. Musk, who is a vocal supporter of Republican candidate Donald Trump, recently shared a post on X saying, The attacks this year on free speech are unprecedented in the 21st century. It will happen in America too if Kamala/Walz gain power.
He also urged his followers to carefully listen to the statements made by Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. In one of his previous tweets, Elon Musk shared another video of Kamala Harris in which she advocated the suspension of Donald Trump's account from X.
While supporting the suspension of Donald Trump's account, Kamala Harris said that he should have a sense of responsibility for his words. Freedom of speech is under massive attack around the world, read another post by Elon Musk.
Brazil blocks Elon Musk's X Before taking action against Elon Musk's X, Brazil Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes warned him on Wednesday night that X could be blocked in Brazil if he failed to comply with his order to name a representative and established a 24-hour deadline. The company hasn't had a representative in the country since earlier this month.
Also Read | European censorship, Elon Musk and the Telegram arrest
India should get its rightful place as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), while United Kingdom should give up its permanent seat, NDTV reported former Singapore diplomat professor Kishore Mahbubani as saying on 31 August.
Mahbubani talked about the much-needed reforms in the United Nations, as quoted by NDTV, There is absolutely no question that India is the third-most powerful country in the world today after the United States and China. And that Great Britain is no longer 'great'.
The former Singapore diplomat explained why the UK should relinquish its seat, stating that the UK has not used its veto power for decades, fearing backlash. "So, the logical thing for the UK to do is give up its seat to India," he added.
Mahbubani also mentioned the founders of the UN ensured that all great powers of the time vested interests in the organisation in order to make it work.
"The lesson that (UN's founders) learned from the collapse of the League of Nations early in the 20th century is that if a great power leaves, the organisation collapses," the former diplomat said.
"But they also believed that you must have the great powers of today, not the great powers of yesterday. Unfortunately, they didn't create a mechanism for changing the seats," he said, adding, "Another reason for the UK to give up its seat is that it will free them up to act independently."
India calls for urgent reform in UNSC negotiations: Earlier on 27 August, 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.
India Ambassador Yojna Patel even called for emphasizing the need for text-based negotiations to address long-standing issues and expressed gratitude for the efforts by the co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) process.
By Doina Chiacu
WASHINGTON, - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris criticized Republican presidential rival Donald Trump on Saturday over a visit he made to soldiers' graves at Arlington National Cemetery that was later used in campaign video footage.
"It is a solemn place; a place where we come together to honor American heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of this nation. It is not a place for politics," Harris wrote in an X post.
The vice president weighed in five days after Trump took part in a wreath-laying ceremony on Monday honoring the 13 servicemembers killed during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
He also visited Section 60 of the Virginia cemetery, which the military considers hallowed ground. Federal law and Pentagon policies do not allow political activities in that section, but Trump's campaign took videos and used them in advertisements as he battles Democrat Harris in a close race for the White House.
Trump's visit drew criticism from some veterans and soldiers' relatives. The U.S. Army on Friday defended a cemetery employee who was pushed aside at Section 60, saying she acted professionally and was being unfairly attacked.
"Let me be clear: the former president disrespected sacred ground, all for the sake of a political stunt," Harris wrote.
Trump vice presidential pick JD Vance and press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to Harris' post with their own that referenced the Afghanistan pullout and accused Harris of being insensitive to the servicemembers who died there.
"Why dont you get off social media and go launch an investigation into their unnecessary deaths?" Vance wrote.
Trump used the third anniversary on Monday of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan to try to pin the chaotic pullout under President Joe Biden on his vice president.
Harris, 59, became the Democratic nominee in the Nov. 5 presidential election after Biden, 81, pulled out of the race in July.
The vice president's response to the Trump cemetery visit may give a clue to how she would handle the topic in their upcoming Sept. 10 debate.
Harris referred to Trump's history of insulting military veterans.
"This is nothing new from Donald Trump. This is a man who has called our fallen service members 'suckers' and 'losers' and disparaged Medal of Honor recipients," she wrote.
Trump once said the late Senator John McCain, a former Republican presidential candidate, was not a war hero even though he spent years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam after being shot down while a Navy pilot.
Trump referred to fallen World War One veterans as "suckers" and "losers," according to his former White House chief of staff, John Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general.
It was unclear whether such incidents would sway the veterans vote. In an April report, the Pew Research Center found that military veterans favor the Republican Party.
India would support any feasible solution that could restore peace between Russia and Ukraine, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), reiterating India's stance on the Russia-Ukraine war. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal made it clear on Friday that it depends on both nations to decide when and how to commence peace talks. Still, as friends, India would support a mutually acceptable solution to restore peace.
The decision as to when and how to commence peace talks is the prerogative of the two parties to the conflict. As friends and partners, we would support any feasible and mutually acceptable solution or format that could restore peace, ANI quoted Randhir Jaiswal.
India willing to play a constructive role for peace amid Russia-Ukraine war He also mentioned India's outreach to both Russia and Ukraine at the highest level. He underlined that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already indicated India's willingness to play a constructive role in he interest of peace.
At the same time, he highlighted that it is too early to comment on specific details about peace talks and pathways as the two nations are ultimately responsible for deciding when and how to commence talks.
The MEA's statement has come after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Russia and Ukraine and his meeting with leaders Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Elon Musks X started to go dark on Saturday in Brazil at the order of the nations top court after the billionaire refused to name a legal representative for the social network in Latin Americas largest nation.
As the site went down, politicians hurried to share reactions to judicial efforts to police content before they lost access. Celebrities fired off posts directing fans to other networks, while experts in internet law opined including in posts on the fading X on the long-term ramifications.
Many of Xs 20 million users in Brazil, the worlds fifth-most-online nation, were left to scour rival platforms after the Supreme Court ordered the immediate suspension late Friday.
The question on Saturday was whether Musk would back down. The immediate signal from the worlds richest man was an attack on Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who handed down the decision and has become the face of one of the biggest conflicts playing out globally over how much control governments have over social media.
He has supreme executive, judicial and legislative power, aka dictator, Musk posted on Saturday.
The extent of the X blackout wasnt immediately clear on Saturday. Earlier in the day, thousands of users reported problems to Downdetector, a website that tracks service disruptions. The site registered a spike of complaints just after midnight that continued throughout the day. Sorry something went wrong, Xs site told users.
While the US tends toward strong free-speech protections, many countries are taking aggressive steps to make companies more accountable for their online content. France just charged Telegram CEO Pavel Durov for allowing criminal activity on the messaging app. In Brazil, Moraes is spearheading a wide-reaching investigation into hate speech and vitriol that he says is endangering democratic institutions.
This is yet another chapter to hold technology companies accountable in the country, said Clara Iglesias Keller, a researcher at the WZB Berlin Social Sciences Center who studies information technology regulation. But this case has whole different level of visibility.
Praise or condemnation of the ban largely fell along party lines. Conservatives have long slammed Moraes for attacking their cause. Supporters of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva often praise the judge for cleaning up the internet.
Gleisi Hoffmann, the president of Lulas Workers Party, called Musk a spoiled, overbearing and arrogant playboy in a post on Instagram on Friday. He dreams of new foreign interference in the sovereignty of South American countries.
The bulk of the accounts that Moraes ordered X to take down belong to supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who used the platform to question the right-wing leaders election loss in 2022 and praise rioters who later stormed the capital on the false contention that Lula stole the vote.
Moraes latest move pours gasoline on longstanding accusations of censorship of right-wing politicians, who rely on social media to interact with their supporters. Many have called for impeaching the judge, but those efforts have so far failed to gain traction in Congress.Al
Alexandre de Moraes equates us to countries like Iran, North Korea and China by banning X, representative Julia Zanatta, a conservative lawmaker who has been critical of Moraes, said in a statement. We are already officially a dictatorship.
Moraes order will likely have to move through the courts plenary, though political observers say its unlikely to be overturned. Many internet users in Brazil raised alarm about an initial order threatening anyone using a virtual private network, or VPN, to access X with a daily fine of 50,000 reais .
Hours after his initial decision, Moraes amended the order leaving out his directives to app stores to remove VPNs. But some digital experts remain concerned about the orders lasting effects for internet users.
Its the most extreme judicial decision weve had so far in 30 years of the internet in Brazil, said Carlos Affonso Souza, head of the Institute for Technology & Society at Rio de Janeiro State University.
By Tom Balmforth
KYIV, - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy increased pressure on the United States to let Kyiv strike deeper into Russian territory after his representatives met senior U.S. officials in Washington on Saturday.
Washington has provided Ukraine with more than $50 billion worth of military aid since 2022, but has limited the use of its weapons to Ukrainian soil and defensive crossborder operations.
"Clearing the Ukrainian sky of Russian guided aerial bombs is a strong step to force Russia to seek an end to the war and a just peace," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address.
Appealing to the United States, Britain, France and Germany, he said, "We need the capabilities to truly and fully protect Ukraine and Ukrainians.
"We need both the permissions for long-range capabilities and your long-range shells and missiles."
Without providing specifics, he said his representatives had "provided all the necessary details" to Ukraine's partners.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, in Washington with a delegation on Friday and Saturday to meet U.S. officials and experts, said in an interview broadcast by CNN that Kyiv was showing Russian airfields used to hit Ukrainian cities were within range of deep strikes.
"We have explained what kind of capabilities we need to protect the citizens against the Russian terror that Russians are causing us, so I hope we were heard," Umerov said in the interview late on Friday.
Zelenskiy is expected to deliver a similar plea in person next month, when he will present a plan for victory to President Joe Biden near the end of his time in the Oval Office, and attend United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York.
Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, who headed Kyiv's delegation, said in a post on X that she had discussed the steps needed to restore Ukraine's energy system, including a "significant contribution" being made by an $800 million energy sector financing package that was announced in June.
Russian air strikes have affected more than half of Ukraine's power infrastructure, she said.
The president's chief of staff Andriy Yermak joined Umerov in briefing U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about the situation on the battlefield in the first meeting of their visit on Friday, the presidential office said in a statement.
Speaking at the end of a week when Russia hit Ukraine with more than 400 missiles and drones, Yermak said it was important for Ukraine to receive weapons from existing defence packages as soon as possible, the office said.
The US police have arrested a 52-year-old Indian-origin man, Bobby Singh, for allegedly shooting dead a 21-year-old student from Nepal during a robbery at her apartment, reported NDTV, quoting the New York Post.
According to the report, police had said that the student from Nepal, Muna Pandey, was found with multiple gunshot wounds inside her Houston apartment around 5.30 pm on Monday.
The apartment complex staff claimed they received an anonymous call about a body inside the apartment, the police said, adding she was declared dead when they reached.
But after two days, police released a photo of Shah, caught on CCTV leaving her apartment on Saturday. He was arrested later that day at a traffic stop and charged with murder.
NYP quoted a GoFundMe page as saying that Pandey had moved from Nepal to study at Houston Community College in 2021. The member of Nepalese Association of Houston even added that her mother had been trying to reach her for days.
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"What her Mom said is her phone was always online. After Saturday night, phone was offline. She had three gunshots and she was laying down on the bed, with head down. Hopefully, the investigation will come up with some idea of how this happened," NYP quoted the person as saying.
Meanwhile, the Nepal Consulate and the Nepalese Association of Houston are working together to help make travel arrangements for Pandey's mother to fly to Houston.
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BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 31. Pashinyan has not yet decided whether he will attend the COP29 summit in Baku.
During a press conference, the Armenian PM told journalists that he would make a decision in due time, based on the circumstances and situation at that moment.
In Afghanistan, music is being silencednot by the gentle passing of time, but by deliberate destruction. Photos recently appeared in the media showing piles of musical instruments reduced to ashes: guitars, sitars, tanburs and rubabsthe rubab, a national symbol of Afghan identityamong them. First, we wept; then we got angry. We call upon the global community to reverse this fundamental attack on Afghan society.
Music is a source of self-expression, connection, celebration, solace, transcendence, empathy and joy. Yet the Taliban see it as a profound threat to its extremist ideology, an un-Islamic practice. Last week, Maulvi Abdul Ghafar Farooq, a spokesman for the Talibans Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, boasted that the regime had destroyed over 21,000 musical instruments in the past year. This is part of the Talibans broader, brutal effort to erase music, visual art, and film from Afghan life.
The consequences of this cultural genocide are dire. The soul of a nation cannot survive without its creative expression. In attacking music, the Taliban is striking at the very heart of the spirit and identity of the Afghan people.
Nowhere is this loss more deeply felt than at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music. ANIM was a beacon of hope, offering music and academic education to girls and boys from all ethnic backgrounds, with a special focus on children from economically disadvantaged families.
It was a space where Afghanistans traditional sounds harmonized with Western classical music, producing a unique fusion that gave birth to the Afghan Youth Orchestra and the all-girls orchestra Zohradefiant symbols of progress in a country long resistant to change.
Three years ago, when the Taliban regained control in Afghanistan, the school community faced a gut-wrenching choice: to give up their music and educational opportunities or flee the country, leaving their families behind.
The community is indebted to Qatar for the evacuation of 273 students, faculty and staff, and to Portugal, which opened its doors to the entire school, allowing it to remain together. A miracle of international cooperation enabled the largest single airlift of imperiled musicians in human history.
Today the displaced ANIM community lives in peace, studying music and academics in Portugal while the original Kabul campus serves as an armed Haqqani Taliban base camp. Practice rooms formerly filled with joyful music-making are now patrolled by sentries armed with AR-15s. Afghanistan is a silent nation. But no number of charred instruments will destroy Afghan music. It thrives inside every Afghan musician and all of those left behind.
Meanwhile, since the Talibans takeover, the international communityincluding the U.S.has continued to pour billions of dollars in unconditional aid into Afghanistan. While this aid is essential for alleviating poverty and preventing the countrys further collapse, it comes at a cost.
Without any conditions or restrictions, these funds are helping to legitimize a regime that denies women and girls their educational and cultural rights and has forced the entire nation into silence. Aid must be conditioned on tangible improvements in the areas of cultural rights and womens rights. If the Taliban refuses, a portion of the aid should be redirected to organizations providing cultural and educational services to Afghans, in-country and abroad.
Afghanistans culture is burning, but it need not turn to ash. The global community must recognize that supporting Afghans means more than filling stomachsit means feeding the soul and keeping alive the dream of a free, vibrant Afghanistan where music, art and self-expression flourish once again.
Mr. Sarmast is the founder and director of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music. Ms. Rosenthal is the president and Ms. Lustig the treasurer of Friends of ANIM.
The US Presidential race has undergone a drastic overhaul this month following the candidature of Kamala Harris. National polls show a growing surge in support for the Democrat with many national polls now giving her an edge in the crucial swing states. The state-by-state results of the Electoral College will determine the election winner in early November with a handful of battleground states playing a decisive role.
An US Presidential candidate would require at least 270 electoral votes in order to take the White House. Every state is allocated votes corresponding to its congressional delegation (the number of members of the House of Representatives plus two senators). Georgia for example, has 16 electors to match its 14 Representatives and two senators.
Swing states play an important role in the ever-shifting electoral landscape and can essentially make or break an election. The purple states in the 2024 contest between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump for example, contribute nearly a 100 electoral votes.
What do the polls say at the end of August 2024? Data collected from battleground states after the Democratic National Convention indicate the Vice President has now jumped ahead in the election race. According to The Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll earlier this week, Harris hold an advantage over Donald Trump in each of the seven states most likely to decide the race.
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A survey released on Tuesday by the FAU PolCom Lab and Mainstreet Research USA puts the Democrat 4 points ahead of former President Donald Trump among US voters. She held a similar lead in the Morning Consult poll released this week as well as saw an uptick in support as per Fox News surveys released on Wednesday. Harris also leads Trump 45% to 41% according to the Reuters/Ipsos poll published on Thursday.
What exactly are swing states? The United States of America comprises of 50 states and the federal district of Washington DC. Some of these states tend to vote in a predictable or safe manner to elect members of the same party (Democrat or Republican) every four years. Others pose a somewhat more unpredictable situation with results oscilating from red to blue. Politicians typically focus a disproportionate amount of time and campaign resources to woo people in these states. Swing states display small vote margins and tend to change over time.
Seven states were won by a margin less than 3% during the 2020 elections. Joe Biden had won Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, NE-02, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Meanwhile Trump emerged as the apparent choice for ME-02, Florida, Iowa, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas.
Electoral vote allocation in the current swing states:
Arizona - 11
Georgia - 16
Pennsylvania - 19
Michigan - 15
North Carolina - 16
Nevada - 6
Wisconsin - 10
State-wise breakdown Harris now leads by 2 percentage points among registered voters across the seven states. She is ahead by 1 point a statistical tie among likely voters, a group that campaigns and pollsters begin to shift their attention to as election day nears. The statistical margin of error is 1 percentage point across the seven states.
The change of fortunes is most visible in North Carolina where Harris now has a 2-point lead. Trump had led by 10 points as recently as April and no Democratic presidential candidate has won the state since Barack Obama in 2008. The recent developments have forced Republicans to spend more than $16 million on television ads supporting Trump in the last five weeks.
Bihar former deputy chief minister Tejaswi Yadav termed Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as Chinese version of Yogi after the latter announced the obliteration of Jummah Break, the 2-hour break given people who follow Islam , for their Friday prayers, also known as Namaz'.
Tejaswi Yadav slammed the Assam CM and alleged that Himanta Biswa Sarma deliberately keeps doing acts that harass Muslims.
The people of BJP have made Muslim brothers a soft target to spread hatred, attract the attention of Modi-Shah and polarize the society., Tejaswi Yadav posted on X (formerly Twitter).
People of all religions, except RSS, have a hand in the independence of the country. Our Muslim brothers have made sacrifices in getting the country freedom and as long as we are here, no one can harm them, Yadav added.
BJP hits back at Tejaswi Yadav Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday hit out at leader Tejashwi Yadav, who dubbed Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as the Chinese version of Yogi, saying that such remarks reflect the racist mentality of INDIA bloc leaders.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla while drawing parallels between Yadavs comments with that of remarks made by India Overseas Congress Chairman Sam Pitroda, accused the INDIA bloc of harboring a racist mentality, suggesting that Pitrodas influence has permeated Yadavs mindset.
Tejashwi Yadav labels Assam CM @himantabiswa as a Chinese because he is an Assamese and from the North-East! This reflects racist mentality of the INDI Alliance & it seems Sam Pitroda has taken over mindspace of Tejaswi when he makes such racist comments. Does Rahul Gandhi, Gaurav Gogoi endorse this as Muhabbat ki Dukaan. Will they end ties with RJD for such unconstitutional, anti Bharat Jodo, racist and hateful comments? he said in a post on X.
Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday slammed senior RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav for his remarks on namaz break rule and advised him to practice before preaching.
"Tejashwi Yadav is criticising me but I want to ask him...is there any such practice in Bihar? You (Yadav) should have implemented four-hour break when you were deputy chief minister of Bihar. Practice it first before preaching," Sarma said.
NASA, on Friday, reassigned a new set of astronauts for its SpaceX Crew-9 mission, ahead of its launch in September 2024. Astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov have been appointed as the commander and mission specialist for SpaceX Dragon spacecraft respectively, which is scheduled to take off on September 24.
Previously announced NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson have been reassigned to future missions, said the space administration in its latest update. The other astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who left for space on the Starliner spacecraft in June, will return to Earth with Hague and Gorbunov in February 2025.
NASA's decision comes after it decided to launch Crew-9 with two vacant seats, following an uncrewed Boeing Crew Flight Test.
Chief Astronaut Joe Acaba's decision NASAs chief astronaut Joe Acaba made the decision to include Hague, considering his prior spaceflight experience and the need for an integrated crew that includes a Roscosmos cosmonaut for effective station operations.
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Acaba acknowledged that reducing the crew size was a difficult choice, particularly given the original training with a crew of four, but expressed full confidence in the crew's capabilities.
Cardman expressed her pride and confidence in Hague and Gorbunov, noting that both will excel in their roles. I am confident Nick and Alex will step into their roles with excellence. All four of us remain dedicated to the success of this mission, and Stephanie and I look forward to flying when the time is right, said Cardman.
Hague and Gorbunov to join Sunita Williams The Space X Crew 9 mission will mark Hagues third spaceflight. His first launch in October 2018 was aborted due to a rocket failure, but he later successfully flew to the ISS in March 2019. With over 200 days in space, Hague has participated in several critical spacewalks and served as the Space Forces director of test and evaluation before returning to NASA.
SUMMER ISLAND, Mich.Steve Libert steered his finicky pontoon boat and aging crew of scuba divers to a spot offshore this uninhabited island in northern Lake Michigan, lined up with a dead cedar tree and dropped anchor.
Eight feet beneath the clear, green water sat the skeletal wreck of the first full-size European ship to sailand sinkin the Upper Great Lakes, in 1679: French explorer Robert La Salles Le Griffon.
Or maybe not.
Every adventurous spirit has their own white whale. Libert, 70 years old and retired from a career in naval intelligence, has been diving these waters in search of the Griffon for 43 years. Yet he is nearly alone in his belief that he has finally located the fabled wreck, thanks in part to the failure of a highly publicized 2013 excavation of a different spot he thought would finally reveal the ship, and a prickly, litigious relationship with Michigan officials.
The Griffon has not been found," said Wayne R. Lusardi, maritime archaeologist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Asked to elaborate on his conclusion, he responded: Im sorry, I am very busy documenting real sites and dont have time for fantasy."
They dont look at the evidence," Libert countered. They think Im this shady character."
Still, Libert has a trusted crew who believe in his quest, including Tom Kucharsky, a 68-year-old machinist from Dayton, Ohio.
If Steve asks me to do something, Im gonna try like hell to do it," he said. Hes my treasure."
A great mystery
Libert is rowing against the tide. Over the years, many amateur explorers have been taken with the idea that they could find a historic shipwreck not among the worlds vast oceans but smack in the heart of the American Midwest.
From the 30s to the present day, there have been multiple discoveries of the Griffon," said Valerie van Heest, an explorer, historian and director of the Michigan Shipwreck Research Association. There are thousands of hulks of old ships in the Great Lakes and they are not all the Griffon."
Libert was 14 in suburban Dayton, Ohio, when he first heard of La Salles Great Lakes adventure. As Libert tells it, his 8th-grade teacher touched his shoulder and said: Maybe someday someone in this class will find it."
La Salle, who would eventually lay claim to a huge swath of North America for France, began building the Griffon above Niagara Falls in 1679, according to historical accounts.
That August, he and his crew embarked on an epic journey through Lake Erie, up the Detroit River and across lakes Huron and Michigan to an island at the mouth of Green Bay.
After loading the ship with furs, La Salle dispatched a crew of six to sell them back east, while the rest continued exploring by canoe. The Griffon vanished on its return voyage.
Its the first real shipwreck on the Great Lakes, and its a great mystery," said Bruce Lynn, executive director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum near Whitefish Point, Mich.
It was work
Libert, who began researching the Griffon in earnest in 1979 while in college, pursued the theory that the ship fell to a storm soon after departing. Historical references to the ship possibly sinking in shallows near the Huron Islands" led some to look for the wreck in Lake Huron, but Libert found that a group of islands at the north end of the mouth of Green Bay were once called the Huron Islands. They include Summer and Poverty islands.
In the early 1980s, Libert began assembling a team of divers to search for the Griffon along with another mystery beckoning under the waterthe Poverty Island Treasure, a legendary hoard of $400 million in gold supposedly lost during the Civil War.
Libert and his crew, including Kucharsky and his older brother, Jim, 75, have dived together ever since. Today, all three suffer from health ailments. In their youth, they spent vacations inhabiting an abandoned lighthouse on Poverty Island in search of both wrecks.
It was work," said Tom Kucharsky, the Dayton machinist, describing hauling scuba tanks across rough terrain on the uninhabited island.
The explorers found some successand legal hardship. In 1985, the team located a Depression-era salvage ship, which Libert identified as the Captain Lawrence and that he believed might have some of the lost gold aboard. Libert, by then working as an intelligence analyst at what is now the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, tracked down a relative of the original owner who granted Liberts team salvage rights to the ship.
When Libert applied for a permit to excavate it, Michigan officials refused and claimed ownership, sparking a legal battle stretching from 1994 to 2001. Libert lost and couldnt excavate the ship.
As that drama wrapped up, Libert said he was diving in murky waters looking for the Griffon when he collided with something that knocked his mask off. Several dives later, he believed he had found a part of a shipand imaging showed a large mass on the lake bed.
Could the Griffon lie below?
Again, Libert applied for a permit to excavate and Michigan declined. This time, Libert found a powerful ally, inviting France to claim the Griffon as its sovereign vessel. After another legal battle from 2004 to 2012, Libert prevailed and the French rights to the Griffon, if found, were confirmed.
The resulting 2013 expedition, led by French and American archaeologists, drew international attention. But Liberts hopes were sunk. Instead of the Griffon, the excavation uncovered a 4-foot mass of invasive zebra mussels.
Still, Liberts team was able to bring up the pole. French archaeologists believed it exhibited many characteristics of a bowsprit, the long pole at the front of a ship that supports the rigging, according to their reports on the find. It had a beveled end and a flat joint with wooden spikes that would have attached it to the part of the ship that carries the flag, Libert said.
Carbon dating placed its age range anywhere between 1670 and 1950, indicating it could come from the Griffon, or something much more recent.
The Michigan History Center concluded it wasnt a bowsprit, but a stake used in commercial fishing, probably dating between the mid-1800s and mid-1900s. Cornell Universitys Tree Ring Laboratory wasnt able to conclude the age of the pole by a technique called dendrochronology, but agreed with the History Centers analysis, according to a paper published in 2014.
Libert counters that such a stake would have a pointed end for driving into the lake bed, not a beveled one.
A state official visits
Over the years, Libert and his wife, Kathie Libert, who owned a marketing firm, pursued careers in Washington, D.C., but would spend summers in Michigan, where Steve would continue his hunt and Kathie would paint. She supported his passion project and they co-wrote a book on the Griffon.
Now retired, the couple lives full time in their condo in Charlevoix, Mich., with a huge collection of maritime booksand water views. I can look out my window at Lake Michigan and know the wreck is out there, 67 miles away," he said.
In 2014, Libert was spending hours going over satellite images after knee surgery when he spotted a large trident shape in the water near Summer Island. He thought it might be the mast and yardarm of a ship. After diving it in 2018, he came to believe it was the Griffon.
Exploring the wreck has been difficult, as Covid-19 and other health issues took a toll. After a cancer diagnosis, Libert spent six months in chemotherapy. Tom Kucharsky had a near-fatal bout of Covid that damaged his lungs. His brother, Jim, suffers from diabetes and neuropathy.
One recent day, Libert swam along a heavy beam with protruding ribs covered in mossy green growth. He pointed to features he said would have been used by French shipbuilders in the 1670s, including wooden pegs known as treenails and forged wrought iron fasteners.
Libert said he would love to apply for excavation permits to dig through a pile of rocks he thinks could be ballast stones hiding the Griffons ancient canons. But he says hes ready for someone else to take over the hunt.
Im 70 years old and not in the greatest health," he said. I dont want to have to wait another 10 years to get another permiteven if I could get one."
Little did Libert know that Lusardi, the state marine archaeologist who dismissed Liberts claims in emails to the Journal in late July, would dive the wreck on Aug. 20, a day after Libert left the area, according to Sandra Clark, director of the Michigan History Center and the state historian.
Lusardi, who had also visited the wreck in 2013, described a small wooden watercraft" that would have been about 70-feet long and 13-feet wide off the northwest coast of Summer Island, Clark said, summarizing Lusardis findings.
The vessel features an oversized keelson, paired 4-inch sided and 8-inch molded frame sets, possible iron boiler fragments, and other features related to late 19th-century Great Lakes shipbuilding traditions," according to Clark. There is nothing about this shipwreck that suggests it dates to the late 17th century."
Libert rejects most of Lusardis findings.
It fuels the fire," Libert said of Lusardis dismissal, adding that he plans to keep searching the area for artifacts to prove he has found the Griffonas long as his health allows. The more they say, the less they know about the ship."
SUMY, UkraineUkraines top military commander gathered senior officers for a secret meeting in late July where he disclosed an audacious plan to revive the countrys flagging war effort.
Ukraines army, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskiy told them, would turn the tables on Moscow by launching the first large-scale invasion of Russia since World War II.
One attendee, the chief of staff of the 61st Mechanized Brigade, said his initial reaction was shock.
Where are we going?" Lt. Col. Artem Kholodkevych recalled thinking.
The brazen operation also stunned Russia when it launched on Aug. 6, overrunning weak border defenses and quickly seizing around 100 towns and villages in Russias Kursk region. The invasion embarrassed Russian President Vladimir Putin, raised Ukrainians morale after a year of grinding defensive war, and showed the U.S. and other backers that Ukraine still has plenty of fight in it.
We exploded the myth that Russia is an invincible country," Kholodkevych said in an interview. We did something that no one has done for 80 years."
The operation has brought a brighter spotlight on its architect, Syrskiy. The 59-year-old career military officer faced a challenging proposition when he took over in February. He was replacing a popular predecessor, Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhniy, and since then has sought largely to manage a war of attrition against a much larger foe.
The incursion has, for now, upended the narrative of the war, putting Ukraine back on the offensive. But the success of the operation will ultimately be determined by whether it leads to lasting gains, or greater losses, on the battlefieldor yields political dividends that bring more military support from the U.S. and its allies or strengthen Ukraines position in any future peace negotiations.
Now in its fourth week, the incursion is continuing to make gains even as Russia has sent reinforcements. At least 2,000 Russian troops are hemmed in against a river, where repeated attempts to relieve them using pontoon bridges have failed, according to Ukrainian soldiers.
Some military strategists and soldiers have questioned the Kursk operation, saying Syrskiy is committing precious reserves of manpower and equipment to a new front while Russia is taking advantage of Ukraines threadbare defensive lines on the eastern front to press forward.
Russia has withdrawn several thousand troops from Ukraine in response to the incursion, but has intensified assaults on its main target, Pokrovsk, a critical logistics hub for Ukrainian operations in the east.
Others have praised the move, saying that Ukraine needed to play a joker to change the momentum of a war.
Ukraine couldnt afford simply to keep trying to buy time by throwing more men into defensive lines, said retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, a former commander of the U.S. Army in Europe. Nobody has enough resources to do everything," he said. You are constantly having to make decisions about priorities, where to accept risk."
The operation is also a bold gambit for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was trapped between a slow but relentless advance by Russia, which wants to take control of Ukraine, and the Wests unwillingness to provide sufficient weaponry to reverse Russian gains.
He saw that only one actor can change the status quo," said Mick Ryan, a military strategist and retired major general in the Australian Army. Its risky but audacious."
Zelensky said Tuesday he is planning to travel to the U.S. in September to present a peace plan that has been spurred, in part, by the positive dynamic of the invasion.
A general who can act unusually, suddenly
Syrskiy, a fitness buff with a passion for military history, had an ambiguous reputation among Ukrainian soldiers. His stern, clipped style contrasts with his predecessor, who would pose for selfies and flash V signs for victory.
Syrskiy led the defense of Kyiv that repelled Russias assault in early 2022, and a successful counteroffensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region that autumn. But some blamed him for heavy losses in the defense of the eastern city of Bakhmut, which Russia captured in May 2023 after months of brutal fighting.
The Kursk operation has won the general plaudits for its planning, secrecy and speed. Analysts and Ukrainian officers said Syrskiy had evidently drawn conclusions from Ukraines failed counteroffensive during the summer of 2023, when Ukraine consulted with the U.S. and other Western partners, deployed newly formed brigades and telegraphed its plans with videos and public comments.
Only a small number of senior officers took part in the meetings, led by Syrskiy, to thrash out detailed plans for the incursion. Syrskiy tapped battle-hardened units, such as the 80th and 82nd Air Assault Brigades, to lead the incursion and didnt inform the U.S. of plans.
While last years counteroffensive assaulted Russias strongest fortifications in the south, this time Syrskiy picked a target that Moscow had assumed was untouchable and left weakly defended primarily by conscripts.
The strong point of Syrskiy is that he is a general who can act unusually, suddenly, unexpectedly for the enemy," said Serhiy Cherevatiy, Syrskiys former communications adviser. He knows we dont have parity and cant go head-to-head, so he uses cunning and any advantage we have."
Breaking through Russian lines, cutting off troops
Before Syrskiys July meeting with senior officers from units selected for the operation, troops from the 61st Brigade had spent months training in the east for what officers assumed would be another defensive engagement. Even after the generals disclosure that they would be going into Russia, Kholodkevych, the brigades chief of staff, thought it might simply be a bluff, meant to deceive the Russians.
The transfer of the 61st Brigade from the east was accompanied by a disinformation campaign indicating they were headed for Vovchansk, a northern city under assault since May, when Russia launched its own cross-border incursion.
Instead, the brigade was in the second wave of Ukrainian troops into Kursk on Aug. 7. As assault troops on fast-moving armored vehicles drove deeper into Russia avoiding head-on assaults in towns and villages, the 61st mopped up pockets of soldiers cut off by the quick advance.
The rapid operation bears similarities to Syrskiys Kharkiv offensive, which took advantage of Russian weak points to break through their lines, cut off troops and take back swaths of territory.
Now, Ukraine is taking advantage of Russian unpreparedness to strike deeper into the rear, creating what Zelensky has called a buffer zone to impede Russian military operations against Ukraine. Kyivs forces are still taking more prisoners to add to a pool that Ukraine hopes to trade for its own people detained in Russia.
Ukraine is using new tactics and equipment to gain an upper hand where Russian defenses are weaker, including using small explosive drones to strike down helicopters and Russian surveillance drones.
The commander of a drone unit, call sign Aristarkh, said that was allowing Ukrainian artillery to move more freely and hit more targets as the threat of discovery is lower. Aristarkhs teams operate strike drones with a range of 30 miles that can drop aerial bombs on high-value targets such as artillery guns.
Russia has a total of 30,000 troops in the area to counter the offensive, Syrskiy said Tuesday, some of them transferred from Ukraine.
Still, Syrskiy said Russia wasnt redeploying troops from the Pokrovsk front to Kursk, as Ukraine had hoped it would, and is instead not strengthening its forces there.
That has provoked complaints from soldiers in the east that their defensive efforts have been starved in favor of the Kursk offensive.
Hodges, the retired U.S. Army Europe commander, said that is a risk that Syrskiy and his advisers will have foreseen and decided it was worth taking.
This is not about a popularity contest," he said. Its about achieving strategic effect, which means you have to accept risk in other areas."
Oksana Grytsenko and Ievgeniia Sivorka contributed to this article.
Quick facts When they lived: 700,000 years ago to 4,000 years ago What they looked liked: They had shaggy hair, fatty humps and curved tusks Size and weight: up to 11 feet and 12,000 pounds Babies' weight: Around 200 pounds Where they lived: Eurasia and North America
Woolly mammoths were extinct, shaggy beasts that were relatives of today's Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). They lived across North America and Eurasia for about 700,000 years and went extinct around 4,000 years ago.
Scientists know so much about these elephant-relatives because many of their bodies have been found, frozen and preserved in the ground in Siberia, Alaska and Canada. Some of these mammoths look like they died only recently, with fresh-looking skin, hair and tusks. From these amazing finds, we know what adults and babies ate , how far they walked , how they died, and how they're different from modern-day elephants.
Even though they're long gone, some scientists are trying to clone the ice age beasts. They hope to bring the mammoths back to places like Siberia and Alaska, where they once lived.
3 fun facts about woolly mammoths
Everything you need to know about woolly mammoths
The frozen carcass of a 39,000-year-old woolly mammoth from the Siberian permafrost. (Image credit: KAZUHIRO NOGI via Getty Images)
Could we ever clone a woolly mammoth? Scientists are trying to clone woolly mammoths and bring them back to places like Siberia and Alaska. Researchers are hopeful they can resurrect the species because the Arctic permafrost preserves mammoth corpses so well. Many of these long-lost beasts have been found with well-preserved teeth and skin that contain usable DNA. In 2024, scientists actually extracted the 3D structure of chromosomes from 52,000-year-old, freeze-dried skin , which they took from a mammoth discovered in 2018 in Siberia. Scientists haven't yet reconstructed the complete genome all the genetic information of a woolly mammoth, but that may not be necessary to create creatures that look an awful lot like the shaggy-coated beasts, researchers told Live Science. Instead, researchers are planning to splice, or insert, genes for iconic woolly mammoth features, such as fur, fat and curved tusks, into the genome of a living elephant species. The scientists will then put these modified genomes into the empty egg cells of a living elephant,and grow the mammoth/elephant hybrid in an elephant surrogate, researchers told Live Science.
Where did woolly mammoths live? Woolly mammoths lived mainly in the Arctic , from Eurasia to North America. At the peak of the last ice age, when glaciers covered a lot of the Northern Hemisphere, they lived as far south as Spain and Illinois . Woolly mammoths evolved in eastern Siberia, but the ancestors of both mammoths and elephants originally came from Africa. Mammoths only spread into the Northern Hemisphere around 3 million years ago, according to the Natural History Museum in the U.K. While woolly mammoths preferred the coldest parts of the world, other related species, such as Columbian mammoths (Mammuthus columbi), lived all across North America and Mexico. Columbian mammoths were actually a little bigger than woolly mammoths.
An illustration of a woolly mammoth's skeleton. (Image credit: LEONELLO CALVETTI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Getty Images)
Woolly mammoth taxonomy
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Proboscidea
Family: Elephantidae
Genus: Mammuthus
Species: Mammuthus primigenius
How tall were woolly mammoths? Woolly mammoths were about as big as today's Asian elephants, according to AZ animals . Males stood about up to about 11 feet tall (3.5 meters) at the shoulder, while females were a bit shorter, at up to around 9.5 feet (3 m). Woolly mammoths were heavy: Males could weigh in at 12,000 pounds (5,400 kilograms), while females were up to 8,000 pounds (3,600 kg), according to AZ animals.
What did woolly mammoths eat? Woolly mammoths were foragers and ate grass, as well as small, nutritious flowering plants that flourished in the environment where they lived . They may also have used their curved tusks to dig through trampled snow and eat dead or decaying plants that other foragers couldn't get to. Surprisingly, they may have also eaten their own dung, a 2015 study in the journal Scientific Reports found.
Woolly mammoth pictures
Image 1 of 6 (Image credit: Photo by Love Dalen, Stockholm University) A scientist holds a piece of fur still attached to the leg of a 39,000-year-old woolly mammoth carcass. (Image credit: Elena Kizilova (Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS)) A microscope image shows a blue-tinted hair follicle from a woolly mammoth skin sample. (Image credit: AC Archaeology) This enormous mammoth molar was found during construction of a new town near Plymouth, England. (Image credit: Government of Yukon) Members of the team pose with some of the mammoth bones that were found in Little Flake Mine near Dawson City in the Yukon. (Image credit: Rebecca Farnham/University at Buffalo) While other mammoths went extinct at the end of the last ice age about 11,000 years ago, a dwarf population of the species persisted on Wrangel Island in Siberia until about 3,700 years ago. (Image credit: Daniel Eskridge/Shutterstock) An illustration of woolly mammoths in the Arctic.
Discover more about woolly mammoths
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BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 31, A meeting with international observers of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States regarding the early elections to the Milli Majlis was held in the Constitutional Court, Trend reports.
Chairman Farhad Abdullaev, who informed the guests in detail about the activities of the Constitutional Court in the electoral process, noted that as society and the rule of law develop, the electoral process also develops and improves.
The Chairman also informed the meeting participants in detail about the powers and functions of the Constitutional Court established by the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan regarding early parliamentary elections.
During the meeting, the legal positions reflected in the adopted resolution of the Plenum on the verification of the constitutionality of the relevant Resolution of June 21, 2024 on the dissolution of the Milli Majlis and the appointment of early elections based on the request of the President of Azerbaijan were discussed in detail.
It was noted that after ensuring the territorial integrity and state sovereignty of our republic, parliamentary elections will be held for the first time throughout the entire territory of the country. During the prestigious international events that will take place in November this year, the holding of extraordinary parliamentary elections on September 1 is of particular importance from the point of view of the representation of the Milli Majlis in a new composition after the restoration of the territorial integrity of the country, the full formation of the parliament of the new convocation and the implementation of the electoral rights of citizens.
The importance of the opinions and proposals of international observers of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly for the electoral process was emphasized.
The guests stated that this meeting at the Constitutional Court was of particular importance to them in order to gain a deeper understanding of the overall process ahead of the early parliamentary elections.
During the meeting, an exchange of views took place on legal issues related to parliamentary elections, and the powers of the Constitutional Court in legislation in this area were touched upon.
Farhad Abdullaev expressed confidence that the elections will be held democratically, in accordance with electoral legislation, and will be fair and transparent.
First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Andrei Yatskin, coordinator of the group of international observers of the CIS PA and other official representatives exchanged views on a number of issues of interest to them.
The meeting was also attended by judges of the Constitutional Court and responsible employees of the Office.
Seven Motorists Arrested at Central Islip Sobriety Checkpoint in Labor Day Weekend Crackdown, Suffolk Police Lead Multi-Agency Operation
Crime
By Long Island Published: August 31 2024
Seven arrested for impaired driving at Central Islip sobriety checkpoint during Labor Day weekend crackdown
The Suffolk County Police Department, assisted by the New York State Police, MTA Police and the Suffolk County Sheriffs Office, arrested seven motorists during an overnight sobriety checkpoint in Central Islip.
Police officers from the Suffolk County Police Departments Highway SAFE-T Team (Selective Alcohol Fatality Enforcement Team) conducted a joint sobriety checkpoint operation with New York State Troopers, MTA Police, and Suffolk County Deputy Sheriffs in the LIRR parking lot located at 870 Suffolk Ave., from 11 p.m. last night until 2:35 a.m. today.
The checkpoint was part of an ongoing Labor Day weekend enforcement crackdown targeting alcohol and drug impaired driving. A total of 656 vehicles went through the checkpoint. The following people were charged with Driving While Intoxicated:
Roger Bentez-Maldlado, 45, of Central Islip
Dore Gonzalez, 44, of Brentwood
The following people were charged with Driving While Intoxicated and Ability Impaired by Drugs:
Jimmy Moran Ponce, 21, of Central Islip
Daniel Ramirez Guardado, 22, of Central Islip
The following people were charged with Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs:
Jasmine Tamayo-Ochoa, 24, of Shirley
Brayan Sorto Luna, 23, of Brentwood
The following person was charged with Ability Impaired by Alcohol:
Astrid Contrieras, 29, of Brentwood
The arrestees will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on August 31.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Boston police have made an arrest in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 45-year-old man in Mattapan earlier this month.
Jordan Albert-Scott, 33, has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with the death of Daniel Coke, Boston police said on Facebook Saturday.
Coke died on Aug. 4 after a stabbing in the area of 10 Amory Terrace, Boston police said in a statement on Aug. 8.
He was born in Boston on Jan. 2, 1979, to Stanley and Sarah Coke, according to his obituary.
Daniel Coke leaves behind to cherish his memory his loving wife Diamond Coke, children Amari and Jahdai Coke, his parents Stanley and Sarah Coke, a host of siblings, nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends who will miss him dearly, his family wrote.
After the incident on Aug. 4, Coke was taken to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries, where he died, police said.
Albert-Scott is expected to be arraigned in Roxbury District Court.
The weekend of Sept. 1 in Boston marks the arrival of Allston Christmas. And residents looking to spruce up their apartments are among many who participate in the annual streetside shopping holiday.
Nicole Bray, who was moving into her apartment in Allston Saturday morning, told MassLive that she looks for anything to make my room more spiffy.
I already have the bare essentials like a dresser and a nightstand, but if theres anything like an ottoman or a rug or a trash can, Im game, she said.
Allston Christmas happens every year on Sept. 1st, the day when 70% of leases begin in Boston.
This year, according to Nicholas Gove, the citys deputy chief of transportation, more than 3,400 moving truck parking permits were requested in August.
He believes thats only a small fraction of residents moving into new homes or moving out this weekend because not everyone uses a moving truck, and even for those who do the permits are not required.
As people move in and out of apartments in Allston and other parts of Boston, tons of household items, furniture, clothing and food are tossed out.
This results in overflowing trash bins, dumpsters filled to the brim, and streets covered in furniture that is often in salvageable condition.
MassLive roamed around Allston Saturday morning and found several mattresses, dining tables and chairs, office chairs, desks, luggage, kitchen items and clothes.
But most items were in pretty rough shape.
So when it comes to scavenging, Bray said it is important to find items that are in good condition and not scratched up or anything.
Francesca Ches Ely-Spence, who was helping her partner move out of her Allston apartment on Gardner Street Thursday afternoon, has also taken part in Allston Christmas in the past.
Items that Ely-Spence found in good condition include coffee tables, a mini-fridge, paintings, decor, and even a pricey food item.
I did find, once, a box of groceries and it had $47 Manuka honey in it and so I just took that, she said.
You dont know what youre going to get. It could be garbage or it could be something that works for you and not for the person that had it originally, Ely-Spence added. It could also be something really great that just gets picked up by the garbage people and taken to a landfill.
Ely-Spence added that the best items are often found in the dumpster. That said, shopping for Allston Christmas can be hit-or-miss.
Because of all the students, theres some really great things like mini-fridges and couches and stuff thats in good condition, but they dont want to move with it or theyre going somewhere else, so they just sort of leave it out on the street, Ely-Spence said.
While most people will move on Sunday, Ely-Spence said it is better to get your Allston Christmas shopping done sooner rather than later.
You kind of have to go before everyone moves, before [Sept.] 1 because thats when everything good is out, she said. If you go on [Sept.] 1 or after, its all kind of junk.
Iconic Britpop band Oasis rocked the music world earlier this month with the news that its warring founding brothers, Liam and Noel Gallagher, had put down their swords, and had agreed to reunite for a string of gigs in 2025.
But fans immediately found themselves asking a question: Which Oasis were they getting?
Would it be the classic line-ups that played on the bands indelible debut Definitely Maybe and its essential follow-up (Whats the Story) Morning Glory?
Read More: Legendary rock band reuniting for first time in 15 years
Or would it be the ensemble that came together for the bands 2002 LP Heathen Chemistry, and stayed intact until the bands messy collapse in 2009?
The short answer? At least so far?
A bit of both, as it turns out.
Founding guitarist Paul Bonehead Arthurs, who left the band in 1999, ahead of the release of Oasis fourth LP Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, is apparently confirmed for the reunion, according to the Manchester Evening News.
Arthurs most recently played with Liam Gallagher for shows marking the 30th anniversary of the release of Definitely Maybe.
Guitarist Gem Archer, who joined the band in 1999, also appears to be aboard for the reunion, according to multiple published reports.
Archer played in Liam Gallaghers short-lived band, Beady Eye, after Oasis broke up.
Since 2017, hes been a member of Noel Gallaghers solo project, Noel Gallagher and the High Flying Birds, according to The Mirror, an English newspaper.
Oasis currently are scheduled to play 14 dates across the United Kingdom and Ireland next year. That includes shows at Londons Wembley Stadium, as well as shows in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Dublin.
Tickets were set to go on sale on Saturday (Aug. 31) and were expected to sell out within minutes, according to the Manchester Evening News.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 31. Regrettably, the Prime Minister of Armenia once again made a series of statements at the press conference on 31 August contradicting the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process and the efforts to ensure peace and security in the region, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Trend reports.
Allegations about the territorial claims against Armenia in the Constitutional Act of Azerbaijan are completely false. An attempt to draw parallels and balance the Constitution of Azerbaijan and the Constitution of Armenia is unacceptable. None of the international partners accept this claim of Armenia, and everyone knows it is frivolous. Unlike the Constitution of Armenia, the Constitutional Act on State Independence of 1991 and the Declaration of Independence of 1918 referred to in the Constitution of Azerbaijan do not contain any territorial claims against Armenia. Which territories were part of Azerbaijan during the First Republic of Azerbaijan and when they integrated into Armenia are historical facts and these facts cannot be denied. Currently, this does not mean that there are any territorial claims against Armenia in Azerbaijans legislation.
The reference by the Armenian side to the provision in the draft peace agreement that neither party may invoke its domestic legislation for not implementing its obligations under the peace agreement to support the statement that the territorial claim in its Constitution is harmless is null and void. It is a well-known fact that no international agreement can have a superiority over the Constitution.
Therefore, no matter in what form the Armenian side intends to sign the peace agreement, the major condition for signing the real and sustainable peace agreement is ending the continuing territorial claim of Armenia against Azerbaijan that is enshrined within its multiple legal and political documents, most importantly in the Constitution of Armenia that openly refers to the Declaration of Independence of Armenia calling for reunion of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
Furthermore, the allegations made by the Prime Minister when justifying Armenias mass militarization efforts do not reflect the reality in any case. First of all, let us note that Armenia is the country that has kept the territories of Azerbaijan under the occupations for nearly 30 years contrary to the norms and principles of international law, the UN Charter, and the Alma-Ata Declaration that she refers to, and it is not difficult to understand how the militarization of Armenia is a threat to regional peace and security taking into account the existence of territorial claims against its neighbors.
Armenias allegations that the military budget of Azerbaijan is 14-15% of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) and exceeds multiple times Armenias relevant budget is completely contrary to the information disseminated by international organizations about the military budget, and this figure is repeatedly exaggerated. In addition, the increase of Armenias military expenditures by 46% compared to last year is another indicator that proves Armenias militarization. At the same time, the claim made by the Prime Minister that Azerbaijan allegedly bought weapons from Italy does not reflect the reality.
Concerning the position of the Prime Minister on the Minsk Group, it is possible to see that the attempts of the Armenian side to restore the Minsk Group, which is a remnant of the past conflict, demonstrate that this country has a hidden agenda against Azerbaijan.
The logic of the Prime Minister of Armenia that these problems can be ignored shows that this country is not interested in sustainable peace and is only trying to keep this situation as a backup option to start aggression against Azerbaijan once again in the future.
In order to prove that it is serious about the peace process, Armenia should refrain from contradictory statements and provocative steps, and show that it respects the norms and principles of international law with its actions and real steps, the statement reads.
With two Massachusetts hospitals owned by bankrupt Steward Health Care set to close their doors on Saturday, advocates vowed to keep up the fight for one of the facilities.
Carney Hospital in Dorchester, and Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer, were set to close on Saturday, putting some 1,200 people out of work.
The closings come even as Steward moves ahead with agreements of sale for its other facilities across the Bay State.
On Friday, the company announced that it had finished deals for Boston Medical Center to buy Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton and St. Elizabeths Medical Center in Brighton, State House News Service reported.
In a Saturday statement, state Rep. Margaret Scarsdale, D-1st Middlesex, said there are multiple qualified parties in conversation with the state about restarting medical services at the [Nashoba Valley].
Saturday was not the end of our fight to save Nashoba Valley Medical Center, Scarsdale continued. While our community hospital is slated to close, we have I encourage any operator that is interested to submit a bid or reach out to my office.
Policymakers recognize the need for essential health care in this region, and we are working as expeditiously as possible to support a new operator and reopen Nashoba Valley Medical Center, Scarsdale continued, adding that this work will remain ongoing beyond Saturday.
Scarsdale added that she [remains] hopeful for the Nashoba Valley and our communities. Make no mistake, the advocacy of thousands across our region made clear that this hospital is vital to our region.
Your voices were heard. Every email, every phone call, and every community event turned our rally cry into a firm and clear understanding: Permanent closure is not an option, Scarsdale said.
Carney Hospital, a Steward Health Care facility in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood.Will Katcher/MassLive
Supporters of both hospitals rallied at the State House on Thursday, hoping for a last-minute reprieve for the facilities.
Sonia Lipson, a nurse practitioner at Daniel Driscoll - Neponset Health Center, half-a-mile from Carney in Dorchester, said she only got instructions Tuesday about where to redirect her patients who go to the hospital for specialized care like radiology, cardiology and orthopedics.
Weve been calling for weeks and weeks asking. No one seems to have any idea whats going on. The neighborhood is really in turmoil at this point, Lipson said.
The rally came the day that Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healeys office announced that a pair of New England healthcare giants are in line to take over four Steward-owned hospitals, MassLive previously reported.
Rhode Island-based Lifespan Corporation will take over Saint Annes Hospital in Fall River and Morton Hospital in Taunton, while Lawrence General Hospital is moving to take over and operate both campuses of Holy Family Hospital in Haverhill and Methuen, Healeys office said.
A plastic dumbbell toy sold with the Fisher-Price Baby Biceps Gift Set is being recalled due to concerns that it may be a choking hazard, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The bar of the dumbbell toy is described as being gray with orange and red plastic weights on each side.
The model number for the recalled toy is GJD49 and can be found on the back of the kettlebell toy in the gift set, the commission said in a statement.
The recall was made after the firm received seven reports in the United States of the ends of the dumbbell coming off of the product. The commission added that no injuries have been reported.
The Baby Biceps Gift Set has been sold in Walmart, Kohls, Frey Meyer, Hobby Lobby, Marshalls, TJMaxx, Buy Buy Baby, and Target stores nationwide. The toy has also been sold online at Amazon, Walmart, Zulily, Target and other websites from April 2020 through August 2024 for the cost of $18.
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dumbbell toy, take it away from young children, and contact Fisher-Price to receive a refund, the agency said.
Instructions on how to report the toy can be found here.
Once the consumer confirms that the dumbbell toy will be disposed of, the person will be paid $10 for the dumbbell toy only. A receipt is not required to receive a refund for the dumbbell.
Consumers can keep the remaining toys in the Baby Biceps Gift Set.
A Massachusetts man with serve life in prison after he was found guilty of fatally stabbing his girlfriend, Jessica Goodrich of Worcester.
Jason Palmer, 47, formerly of Littleton, was found guilty of murder, malice murder, aggravated assault and concealing the death of another, according to Camden County, Georgia, court documents.
Palmers prison sentence stems from the discovery of Goodrichs body on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. Camden County Sheriffs deputies went to 2040 10th St. in Woodbine, Georgia after a body was found at the edge of a wooded area, court documents read.
The Patriots are creeping close to completely filling out their practice squad.
On Friday, they added cornerback Isaiah Bolden, who had been with the team through training camp but was slashed on cutdown day Tuesday.
Hes back, while the Patriots also added linebacker Ochuan Mathis, a former sixth-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams (2023) out of Nebraska.
He played eight games as a rookie, registering two tackles. He was rleased by the Rams ahead of cutdown day.
With the two additions, the Patriots now total 15 practice squad members. They could add as many as two more, given Jotham Russell is with the International Player Pathway Program. Or, they could also just settle for one.
In other news, the team also released offensive tackle Calvin Anderson from the Injured Reserve List - with an injury settlement - making him free to sign with another team.
Here is whos on the practice squad after Fridays signings:
DE Brevin Allen
CB Isaiah Bolden
G Jerome Carvin
DT Trysten Hill
OL Bryan Hudson
G Michael Jordan
WR Jalen Reagor
RB Kevin Harris
WR Matt Landers
OL Liam Fornadel
TE Mitchell Wilcox
RB Terrell Jennings
S AJ Thomas
DL Jotham Russell
LB Ochuan Matthis
A New Hampshire man was sentenced Tuesday for his role in a conspiracy to stalk two journalists from New Hampshire Public Radio, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Tucker Cockerline, 33 of Salem N.H. was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Cockerline pleaded guilty in federal court in December 2023 to one count of conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel of interstate commerce, according to the press release.
Initially, Cockerline was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in June 2023 but was later indicted along with co-defendants Eric Labarge, Michael Waselchuck and Keenan Saniatan.
An NHPR reporter published an article in March 2022 about allegations of sexual and other misconduct by a former New Hampshire businessperson, who was named in the charging document, Levys office said. A second reporter also contributed to the article.
Labarge, who knew the businessperson, worked with Cockerline, Waselchuck and Saniatan to harass and intimidate the two journalists and their families, according to a statement from acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levys office.
Labarge told Cockerline to vandalize one of the NHPR journalists former residences in Hanover, N.H. by using a brick and red spray paint.
On April 24, 2022, Cockerline spray-painted the word C*** in large red letters on the front door of the home and threw a brick through an exterior window, the DOJ said in the release.
Saniatan is accused of agreeing with Labarge to vandalize one of the journalists homes in Concord N.H., and a home that belongs to another reporters parents in Hampstead, N.H., using large rocks and red spray paint.
Saniatant is accused of another incident back on May 20, 2022, where he reportedly spraypainted the word C*** in large red letters on the front of a journalists parents home and left a brick on the ground near the front door, the DOJ said.
Waselchuck threw a brick through an exterior window of the journalists home and painted the phrase, Just the beginning in large red letters on the front of the house.
Both Labarge and Waselchuck have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. The DOJ said that Saniatan is expected to plead guilty in federal court on Sept. 5.
Steward Health Care has signed purchase agreements for Boston Medical Center to buy Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton and St. Elizabeths Medical Center in Brighton, the company said Friday.
The filing of the agreement for the two hospitals comes a day after the bankrupt company filed agreements to sell four other facilities in Massachusetts.
The entire suite of deals -- the two hospitals going to BMC; St. Annes Hospital in Fall River and Morton Hospital in Taunton being sold to Lifespan; and the Holy Family Hospital facilities in Methuen and Haverhill being sold to Lawrence General Hospital -- are expected to be presented for U.S. Bankruptcy Court approval Wednesday.
Ray Schrock, Stewards lawyer from the firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges, said in an unrelated court hearing Friday that Steward did sign asset purchase agreements for the six Massachusetts hospitals.
The company filed a final and executed asset purchase agreement for the remaining two hospitals later Friday.
The terms of the deal between Steward and BMC related to Good Samaritan and St. Elizabeths were not immediately clear Friday evening.
Court filings list a purchase price of $140 million but also reference the final price being minus any amount payable to landowner Medical Properties Trust which amount shall be equal to $130,582,446.44, which would leave roughly $9.5 million as the price paid to Steward for the hospital operations.
The agreement, however, does not appear to resolve the issue of the St. Elizabeths real estate.
When Gov. Maura Healey announced deals in principle two weeks ago, she said BMC would buy the two hospitals but that the state would have to take the St. Elizabeths property by eminent domain.
The governors office said Friday that Steward will transfer the operations of St. Elizabeths to BMC while the state presses forward with its plan to take the hospital by eminent domain.
Integrating Good Samaritan Medical Center into the BMC Health System aligns with our mission of ensuring high quality and equitable access to care while also providing vital health services for these communities, BMC Health System CEO Dr. Alastair Bell said.
We are pleased to have reached an agreement to transition the operations and now shift focus to finalizing the transaction, integration planning and efforts to support the workforce and community, Bell continued.
With this agreement today, we are grateful for the Healey administrations leadership in averting a public health crisis, and for securing high quality healthcare that will serve communities long into the future, Bell said.
The document filed Friday by Steward indicates that BMC expects to receive funding support from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Update: Enmanuel Valdez is expected to be added to the roster Sunday but manager Alex Cora would not confirm before Saturdays game.
DETROIT The Red Sox plan to add one position player and one pitcher Sunday, the first day of September. Who will the position player be?
Active MLB rosters are able to expand from 26 players to 28 players during September.
Manager Alex Cora recently mentioned the possibility of wanting to add a versatile right-handed hitter to balance out the roster. The Red Sox are very left-handed hitter heavy.
Right-handed hitting prospect Kristian Campbell who has made starts at shortstop, center field, second base and third base this season fits that description. But he is not being considered a Sept. 1 call-up candidate, according to a team source.
The 22-year-old recently earned a promotion to Triple-A Worcester where he is 10-for-33 (.303 batting average) with a .410 on-base percentage, .606 slugging percentage, 1.016 OPS, three homers, one double, 12 RBIs, 10 runs, six walks and five strikeouts in eight games.
He has a .336/.442/.575/1.017 line with 19 homers, 31 doubles, three triples, 72 RBIs, 87 runs, 67 walks, 90 strikeouts and 22 steals between High-A Greenville (40 games), Double-A Portland (56 games) and Worcester (eight games) this season.
He could eventually emerge as a call-up candidate as September progresses. Cora said adjustments at those two extra September spots might be made throughout the month based on matchups. That seems certain at the pitcher spot. Liam Hendriks (who pitched a scoreless inning rehabbing for Worcester on Friday) is targeting a Sept. 6 return.
Trevor Story, who will begin a rehab Sunday, eventually will need a spot if things go well and hes able to return. But it doesnt seem likely hell be available for at least a couple weeks.
The Red Sox have four position players Enmanuel Valdez, Bobby Dalbec, Vaughn Grissom and Tyler Heineman on their 40-man roster who are not currently on their active roster.
Valdez has appeared in 60 games (recorded 189 plate appearances) for Boston this year. He seems like the most likely position player candidate on the 40-man roster despite him being a left-handed hitter. The Red Sox just lost David Hamilton, a left-handed hitter, to a finger fracture. They promoted switch-hitter Nick Sogard to take Hamiltons spot and Valdez is a candidate for a Sunday call-up.
Dalbec, Grissom and Heineman all hit from the right side. Heineman, a switch-hitting catcher, doesnt seem likely because Boston already has three catchers (Connor Wong, Danny Jansen and Mickey Gasper) on the active roster.
The Red Sox optioned Grissom to Worcester after reinstating him from the IL (hamstring) Aug. 8. The 23-year-old has had two IL stints this year. The Red Sox planned for him to be their Opening Day second baseman before he injured his other hamstring during spring training. He has struggled down at Triple A (.246/.352/.333/.685) but he has 10 hits in his past 20 at-bats.
Would the Red Sox consider promoting Grissom on Sunday or do they want him to continue to keep working on things and making progress at Worcester?
Theres a lot of guys in the conversation, Cora said, not directly answering whether Grissom is a candidate.
What has Grissom done better of late?
We put a program (together) for him a month and a half ago, Cora said. Hes been not swinging and missing in the strike zone. Hitting the ball a little bit harder than earlier. Hes been pretty disciplined. So when you start doing that stuff, you start getting results.
Cora said several factors come into play when deciding September call-ups.
But I think at the end of the day, were going to get the guys that we do believe can help us as soon as possible, Cora said. And if we have to pivot from that, then we will. But Im excited about it. Im excited where were at. Its 3 games back with a lot of games to play.
Prospect Chase Meidroth, a right-handed hitter not on the 40-man roster, has been an on-base machine for Worcester this year but his slugging percentage is below his OBP. He has a .303 batting average, .450 on-base percentage and .423 slugging percentage in 107 games (493 plate appearances). The Red Sox wanted to see more impact in his offensive game and he has provided it in August (.542 slugging percentage, two homers, three triples, one double, 19 games).
The 23-year-old has played second, shortstop and third base this year. He is not on the 40-man roster.
Jamie Westbrook, who also is not on the 40-man roster, is a right-handed hitting option as well. He has appeared in 21 games for Boston this year but he has batted only .150.
Its unlikely Hamilton (33 stolen bases) returns mainly as a pinch running specialist when hes eligible.
If we use him running-wise, it can put him in a bad spot and then he might need to have surgery, Cora said.
WARE Police on Thursday arrested Angel L. Ramos, 51, charging him with five counts of rape of a child under 14 years of age.
Ramos, a resident of Ware, had his bail set at $1 million, the Ware Police Department said in a statement.
Ramos was also charged with eight counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14; trafficking of person under 18 for sexual servitude; Child in nude, lascivious pose/exhibit, and two counts of intimidating a witness, the statement says.
The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be held in Beijing from Sept. 4 to 6. The theme of the summit is Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future.
The FOCAC meeting this year will be the fourth time the forum is held in the form of a summit. Leaders of FOCACs African members will attend the summit at the invitation of the forum. Representatives of relevant African regional organizations and international organizations will attend relevant forum events.
At the summit, Chinese and African leaders will discuss friendly cooperation and jointly outline a bright blueprint for the development of both China and Africa. This summit is expected to open up new horizons for the development of China-Africa relations and write a new chapter in building a China-Africa community with a shared future.
China is the largest developing country in the world, and Africa is the continent with the largest number of developing countries. Shared past experiences and similar aims and goals have brought China and Africa close together.
The spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation characterized by sincere friendship and equality, win-win for mutual benefit and common development, fairness and justice, and progress with the times and openness and inclusiveness, truly captures the relations of China and Africa working together in good and hard times over the past decades, and provides a source of strength for the continuous growth of China-Africa friendly relations.
China always regards developing solidarity and cooperation with African countries as the cornerstone of its foreign policy. It always follows the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith when developing relations with Africa. China is a reliable friend and sincere partner for African countries in their efforts to safeguard independence, and promote development and revitalization.
Taking the 2024 Summit of the FOCAC as an opportunity, both China and Africa will continue to uphold the spirit of friendship and cooperation, and forge ahead together on the path of win-win cooperation and common development. This will further strengthen the bond of the China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
Since its establishment in 2000, the FOCAC has been dedicated to achieving common prosperity and sustainable development for the people of China and Africa. Adhering to the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, it has evolved into a crucial platform for collective dialogue and an effective mechanism for practical cooperation between China and Africa.
Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015 attended and addressed the opening ceremony of the Johannesburg Summit of the FOCAC, and three years later, he presided over the Beijing Summit of the FOCAC and delivered a keynote speech. In 2021, Xi attended the opening ceremony of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the FOCAC and delivered a keynote speech.
From the ten cooperation plans to the eight major initiatives and to the nine programs of China-Africa cooperation, China and Africa have been assisting each other on the path to economic development and national rejuvenation, continuously expanding cooperation into new areas. This has played a positive role in guiding international cooperation with Africa in the right direction.
China and Africa have always focused on cooperation and worked together to implement the outcomes of the FOCAC. This has effectively promoted the common development of China and Africa, bringing tangible benefits to the people of both sides, and laying a solid foundation for building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.
The mechanism and outcomes of the FOCAC have been widely welcomed by Africans and highly praised by the international community.
Some said that based on friendship, mutual respect, trust, and mutual benefit, both sides actively promote the development of China-Africa relations, and the fruitful cooperation achievements have proven that the FOCAC is a united, stable, and efficient cooperation mechanism.
Some said the FOCAC has facilitated the vigorous development of China-Africa relations. China and Africa, hand in hand, actively pursue the goals of the FOCAC: Equal consultation, enhancing understanding, expanding consensus, strengthening friendship and promoting cooperation. It is believed that more achievements will be reached and benefit the people of both China and Africa.
African countries and people are advancing modernization along the path they have independently chosen. On this path to modernization, China has all along been a firm supporter, and walking side by side with Africa.
At the China-Africa Leaders Dialogue held last August, China announced to launch the Initiative on Supporting Africas Industrialization, the Plan for China Supporting Africas Agricultural Modernization and the Plan for China-Africa Cooperation on Talent Development. These three major initiatives cover the areas urgently needed for Africa to achieve modernization, demonstrating Chinas sincere support for Africas development through concrete actions.
China and Africa, through their creative explorations for modernization, are giving their answers to the questions of the times, and making joint efforts to advance the great endeavors of win-win cooperation, harmonious coexistence and shared prosperity of civilizations. They will deliver a better future for the Chinese and African people, and set a fine example in the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
The world today is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. The vibrant development of the Global South represented by China and Africa has profoundly influenced the course of world history.
It is hoped that both China and Africa will take the opportunity of the 2024 Summit of the FOCAC to further deepen solidarity and cooperation, safeguard the common interests of developing countries, and advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. This will help build more consensus in jointly advancing modernization and building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future, and make new contributions to promoting modernization and building a community with a shared future for mankind.
A report from Peoples Daily: Just a bit further ahead, and well be able to see our solar tower, said Li Quanxiang, project manager of the 100-megawatt Redstone Concentrated Solar Thermal Power, a solar power tower with molten salt energy storage in South Africas Northern Cape province, when a massive gray-white tower gradually came into view as his car drove through the vast desert.
The project, built by SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of PowerChina, is the first molten salt solar thermal project in sub-Saharan Africa.
The solar tower is nearly 250 meters tall, about the height of a 100-story building. At the very top is a heat collection device, which absorbs sunlight reflected from mirrors on the ground. Solar energy is converted into thermal energy, which is then transformed into electrical power, Li said.
It is learned that the project has a designed capacity of 100 megawatts. It is expected to supply 480 gigawatt-hours of electricity to South Africas power grid annually, providing electricity to 200,000 South African households.
This project is the largest investment in the Northern Cape province and is part of South Africas renewable energy procurement program. It has strategic significance for achieving South Africas energy transition goals, said Northern Cape Premier Zamani Saul
He said that the project has created over 600 direct jobs for the local community, with employment reaching its highest point at about 1,800 workers during construction, making a significant contribution to local economic and social development.
The 100-megawatt Redstone Concentrated Solar Thermal Power project is an epitome of the deepening energy cooperation between China and South Africa. During his visit to the project, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa noted that the Chinese enterprise has achieved world-leading standards in engineering quality and technological advancements, and the smooth progress of the project will bring significant benefits to the South African people.
South Africa isnt just rich in solar resources; it also has enormous potential for wind power generation. According to estimates, over 80 percent of South Africas territory enjoys the natural conditions for wind power development. The eastern and southern coastal areas, in particular, are prime locations for wind power projects and have become pioneering sites for wind energy cooperation between China and South Africa.
Goldwind, a Chinese wind turbine manufacturer, entered the South African market in 2015. Since then, the company has built and been operating two wind power projects in the Eastern Cape Province. With a total installed capacity of 152.5 megawatts, these projects supply green, clean electricity to 155,000 South African households annually.
In 2017, the De Aar wind power project, developed by the South African subsidiary of Chinas Longyuan Power, began operations in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. It is the first wind power project in Africa invested, built and operated by a Chinese power company.
According to engineer Liu Lei of the project, these wind turbines have a main tower height of 80 meters and a rotor blade diameter of 86 meters. The project comprises a total of 163 turbines. With an average annual power generation of 760 million kilowatt-hours, the project supplies electricity to thousands of South African households.
As a landmark achievement of China-South Africa cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, the De Aar wind power project not only supports local economic and social development with green electricity but also maintains the local ecological balance through environmentally friendly practices.
During a visit to the wind farm, the reporter noticed springboks appearing intermittently in the distance and eagles occasionally circling in the sky. A local said, At the top of each power pole, weve installed perches for birds to reduce the harm that transmission equipment might cause to them. The company conducts long-term monitoring of animals and plants within the wind farm and hires ecological experts for assessments to ensure the projects sustainable development.
The De Aar wind power project is a flagship project showcasing win-win cooperation between South Africa and China in the new energy sector, said the house chairperson for committees at the National Assembly of South Africa ,Cedric Thomas Frolick .
He added, South Africa is expanding its renewable energy development and enhancing its green energy supply capacity. We hope Chinese companies will leverage their technological and innovative advantages to actively participate in the construction of new energy projects in South Africa.
Looking ahead, cooperation in new energy sector is likely to become a new area of growth and highlight in the economic and trade relations between our two countries, said Chen Xiaodong, former Chinese Ambassador to South Africa.
He emphasized that China and South Africa share common development needs and have strong complementary advantages in the new energy sector, which enables them to be reliable friends and strong partners in each others economic and social transformation.
The various collaborations in the energy sector exemplify the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between South Africa and China, and also serve as evidence of the continuously deepening relationship between the two countries, said Paul Zilungisele Tembe, a South African expert on Chinese affairs.
South Africa is one of the African countries with the largest stock of Chinese investment. China has invested a total of over $25 billion in South Africa, creating more than 400,000 jobs. I believe that as cooperation continues to deepen, the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries will achieve even greater development, the expert noted.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, August 31. Kazakhstan plans to produce 97.2 million tons of oil in 2025, Kazakhstan's Minister of National Economy Nurlan Baibazarov said during the government meeting, Trend reports.
The official noted that according to analysts' forecasts, the volume of oil production will reach 104.8 million tons in 2029, which is 7.6 million tons, or 7.8 percent more than in 2025.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Board of KMG, Askhat Khassenov, said that Kazakhstan's KazMunayGas (KMG, the national oil and gas company) expects oil production to increase due to the use of new technologies.
"50 percent of oil reserves are difficult to recover. The use of new technologies will make it possible to obtain about 70 million tons of additional oil production in 2025-2050," he said.
Meanwhile, the volume of crude oil production amounted to 44.9 million tons from January through July 2024, which is 0.9 percent less than in the first seven months of 2023 (45.3 million tons).
Furthermore, Kazakhstan produced 90 million tons of oil in 2023, which is 6.9 percent higher than in 2022. Oil exports also increased and amounted to 70.5 million tons, which is 9.6 percent more than the previous year. Moreover, Kazakhstan plans to increase oil production in 2024 to 90.3 million tons.
It was blustery and damp outside. Swollen clouds scudded across a slate-grey sky, the threat of rain in the air. But for those gathered inside Clogher Community Hall on August 21, the day was far from bleak. It was full of hope and positivity.
Members of the local community had gathered to launch an inspiring project on a nearby bog, designed to help reverse the decline in the local sand martin population. Thanks to a heartwarming collaboration involving landowners, locals, members of Clogher Environmental Group, Coillte, Burren Beo, Failte Ireland, TDs and Mayo County Council, a sand martin wall the first of its kind in Connacht, and only the third in Ireland now stands proud on the beautiful Clogher Bog Loop Walk, beside a freshly dug wildlife pond.
It is hoped that these manmade living quarters will be the key to reestablishing a thriving sand martin population on the bog, so that generations to come can enjoy the antics of these gorgeous, brave little birds as they woo mates and raise their chicks before returning to sub-Saharan Africa to overwinter.
As Clogher Environmental Groups project coordinator Tom McLoughlin pointed out, Clogher has become a real draw for walkers and nature enthusiasts throughout the county and beyond. We have so many walks here its high up on the agenda for so many visitors. This project is located on one of our routes thats frequented daily by walkers who love to come to this area. Its just 12km from Castlebar, and you can come explore the flora and fauna and experience the biodiversity. And it really is a lovely area thats peaceful and quiet, and an escape from the urban setting.
But why are our sand martins in trouble? Perhaps understanding a little about them and their plight will help shed some light.
Slide to amber
Many will recognise Michael Kindgons name from his regular Country Sights and Sounds nature columns in these pages. Michael also works with Clogher Environmental Group, and it was he who spearheaded the sand martin wall alongside well-known local conservationists Lynda and Chris Huxley.
During a fascinating presentation on sand martins, Michael explained that these delicate soft-brown and cream birds are a type of swallow, the smallest of the three we get here in Ireland the others being the barn swallow and the house martin. Its Latin name, Riparia riparia, derives from the Latin riparius, which means of the riverbank. (In fact, in many other countries they are known as bank swallows.)
They got that Latin name because commonly, in history, theyd have been nesting in riverbanks, Michael said. The males would dig the tunnels in the bank and when theyve done their work, they perch at the entrance and show it off to the girls, and the girls decide ultimately where theyre going to live.
Sadly, in some parts of the world, these once widespread birds are now in big trouble. In Canada, for instance, 98 percent of sand martins have been lost and authorities have had to introduce a federal programme to restore the population.
Here in Ireland, their numbers have already shrunk to such an extent that they have been moved from the Green list of birds of least conservation concern to the Amber list of birds of moderate conservation concern. Action is needed now to ensure they dont slide onto the Red list.
We have about 50,000 birds returning to Ireland every year, and they nest in river banks, peat banks and cliff faces, and in artificial nesting sites, such as the one weve built, Michael explained. But the problems that theyre facing are far reaching.
Trouble all around
These threats include habitat loss, insect decline and climate change, as well as some rather sinister human cruelty. Their habitat loss can be attributed to ever decreasing wilderness, with agriculture, pollution and urban sprawl all contributing.
A single sand martin eats around 1,000 insects a day, but their food is disappearing. Weve lost a great deal of our insect population, Michael explained, not just in this country but in many parts of the world.
The journal Nature and Climate Change tells us that 65 percent of insect populations could go extinct within the next 100 years In recent years, the amount of spraying of insecticide and herbicide has increased dramatically, and thats bound to be having an effect on the bird population. Maybe we can think about our own personal use of chemicals and whether we actually need to and lets take a step back and use less.
The poor sand martins also have to deal with phenological mismatch, where insect populations are hatching earlier in the year than they normally do because of global warming and increased temperatures: When the birds need the insects to feed their chicks, well the insects are no longer around theyve moved onto a different stage of their life cycle, or even completed their life cycle.
Severe weather events tied to climate change are also having an impact on sand martins, especially when theyre migrating. Imagine a tiny bird of just 13g (the weight of three dry tea bags) trying to battle through a hurricane?
On their annual journey from Africa to Ireland, the sand martins must cross the sahara desert. The desert is actually growing due to climate change, Michael explained, and if a sand martin goes without water for two days, its in dire trouble. It can easily take them two days to cross the Sahara Desert, or even longer. Theres nowhere for them to land apart from on the hot sand, which doesnt suit them very well at all. If they could, theyd fly across the desert in one burst. But its getting more and more difficult for them to do so.
Some are now trying to migrate around the Sahara [along a thin strip of vegetation running up the west coast] but they face a lot of problems there too.
They roost at night in parts of Africa where locals have planted dense banks of elephant grass. The locals smear these grasses with bird lime, and when the migrating swallows, sand martins and house martins roost in the elephant grass, in the morning theyre all stuck to their perches. The locals go out and pick them off and sell them to fancy restaurants. So theyre beset by trouble all around.
Pictured at the sand martin wall on Clogher Bog are, from left: Linda Huxley, Michael Kingdon, Cllr Al McDonnell, MCC Heritage Officer Deirdre Cunningham, MCC Biodiversity Officer Sheila Murphy, Chris Huxley and Cllr Michael Kilcoyne. Pic: Alison Laredo
Warm welcome
But in Clogher, a warm welcome awaits those who survive this lengthy, perilous journey. On the Clogher Bog, a small population of sand martins has been there for a long time, as long as anybody knows. Anecdotal evidence suggests they were once there in much greater numbers.
In 2023, just three pairs attempted to nest in one colony. Sand martins normally nest in colonies of ten pairs or more. Three pairs is very precarious, Michael said. One nest was dug out, probably by a fox, and the contents didnt survive. Two pairs brought chicks into the world. This year again there are three pairs nesting in a peat bank on the bog. If we dont do something about it, soon well have none.
And so the wall. Six feet high and ten feet across, it contains no less than 70 predator-proof nest holes. Expertly built by Jimmy Connor, using plans designed by Lynda Huxley, the wall stands proud on one of the most intact bits of bogland in this part of south Mayo. The site very generously donated by local landowners David and Mary McDonagh is full of birdlife, wildflowers and insects. It couldnt be more perfect.
Constructed from cavity blocks, each nest hole leads to a tunnel that slopes slightly upward (to prevent rain blowing in) and a nesting chamber at the back mimicking the entrance and nest chamber a sand martin would make itself. Sand was also placed in the nesting chambers, for them to manipulate to a level they desire.
Excitingly, the sand martins are already showing lots of interest. They excavated some of the sand, so they were modifying the nest chamber, Michael explained. We know that because some of the sand was thrown out of the holes, and some is actually still in the tunnels that lead into the nesting chamber. So we know they were active there. Whether or not they nested there, we wont know until the autumn when we have a good look, by taking the inspection panels off the back of the wall and seeing in.
The hope is that this wall will become a popular sand martin breeding destination. If all of the nests were used, thats around 140-odd adults, and then if they brings their young ones out, thats 200-odd fledglings. Imagine that cloud of birds flying around the Clogher Bog? People would come from all around to go and look at it. It would be spectacular, said Michael.
Thanks to Burren Beo, we were able to build a little pond beside the wall. Local farmer Martin Heneghan did it for us a fine job. I was there one day, and around 15 sand martins were swooping low on the pond, flying around the wall, landing at the entrance of the holes, having a look in and seeing what was going on and it really felt quite emotional, like we were achieving something there.
Each year, the sand martins arrive to our shores before the swallows and house martins, around March 20. Standing at the wall at the end of the launch, a proud and hopeful Michael Kingdon issued an invitation that many will find hard to resist: Come back in the spring, and watch over it yourselves. When the birds do settle in, its going to be just beautiful.
Construction plans for a similar sand martin nesting wall, designed by Lynda Huxley, are available free of charge. For more information, contact Clogher Environmental Group at clogherenvigroup@gmail.com or 094 936 0891.
This week, Im highlighting two soon-to-be-released books that tell of the intertwining of our Irish and British stories, particularly Irish-London stories. Many of the events that shape our present are from that past and our shared inheritance, and these novels mine that rich ground to great effect.
Our London Lives, by Christine Hickey Dwyer, will be published by Atlantic Books on September 5. Dublin-born Dwyers last novel The Narrow Land was very popular at the shop and won the Walter Scott Award and the Dalkey Literary Award.
Her latest is a story about London lives, and particularly about the lives of the Irish who found refuge there. The story begins in 1979 with Milly, a young girl who flees to London from Ireland and finds a job in a pub. Dwyer captures the London of that time; endless villages joined as one city, full of people living and working. Pubs were a vital part of that life.
From Millys vantage point behind the bar, we see the lives of those that passed through. We see the passage of time and the gentrification of London and how that has changed its once-vibrant cityscape. She meets Pip in that pub, a boxer from the club next door with an Irish story. The story skips ahead to 2017 and back and forth to 1979, until the past meets the present. It is a story about love, not the Prince Charming kind of love but the kind seated in real life and the reasons why love cannot always save us but despite that can endure. There is sadness running through the pages of this book; the lives that Milly and Pip were born to and the paths that presented to them as the years passed. The dialogue is wonderful, and the story is beautiful.-
Twists and turns
It all began the day he found out that his sister was his mother. The opening line from The Inheritance, by Cauvery Madhavan, is certainly arresting.
Madhavan is from India originally and has lived in Ireland since 1987. Her last book of historical fiction, The Tainted, is also a favourite in the bookshop. It starts in 1986, in Glengariff on the Beara Peninsula, when Marlo, a young journalist returns to Kerry from London to live in the family home, which had been left empty when the family moved to London.
Marlo is somewhat of a novelty and a mystery to the local people as they try to understand why he would come and live there when everyone else was leaving. He ends up driving the local bus and discovering all the stories and lives of the village he hails from.
The story then switches to 1602, to Cloichins story. A non-verbal boy, he recounts the tragedy of the 2,000 people who fled to the forests of Glengariff after the defeat of OSullivans forces in Dunboy and the massacre of 300 of their kin on the island of Dursey. To prevent a resurgence of the people and OSullivan, Sir George Carew, Lord President of Munster, declared that the whole of the Beara Peninsula be laid to waste.
Back in 1986, Marlo meets a woman and her gifted child who is unable to speak. He falls in love with the people and the land that is his inheritance. There are many twists and turns in this beautiful story, which looks at what we derive from our ancestors and how we navigate the past thats buried in the landscape and the people who have lived on it.
The Inheritance will be published by HopeRoad Publishing on September 19.
Brid Conroy and her husband, Neil Paul, run Tertulia bookshop at The Quay, Westport.
Westport native Vera Cassells (nee McGuire), originally of Quay Road, will be celebrating her 90th birthday with her extended family in the Wyatt Hotel in Westport this evening.
Vera left Westport for Dublin in 1952, joining Aer Lingus as a Ground Hostess shortly after arriving in the capital. In fact her photo can still be seen in a mural in Terminal 2 of Dublin Airport (see below).
Westport native Vera Cassells features on a mural that is on display in Terminal 2 of Dublin Airport. Her grand-daughter Catherine is pictured with the mural.
Vera's parents were Mike McGuire of Peter Street, and Kate Slevin of St Helen's Gatelodge, Rosbeg. Her late brother, Tommie, remained in Westport, working in both Heneghan's Pub and McEvilly's Pub in Killawalla. Her late sister Maura (Breen), joined her in Dublin, but worked for Frank Gill Snr Dentist before she left Westport. Her younger brother Peter will travel from Cork with his family to join in the celebrations.
The gathering of the Cassells, McGuire, Flynn, and Breen families in Westport will celebrate Vera's 90th birthday. Although she's lived in Dublin for over 70 years, she remains at heart, a Westport girl, and loves reading her Mayo News every Wednesday.
Newly elected Clare County Councillor Rachel Hartigan credits her success to working twice as hard as the average candidate, as she graduated from University of Limerick this Thursday with a Bachelor of Arts in European Studies.
Aged 22, Cllr Hartigan might be the youngest female councillor in the country, but she is no stranger to politics, having studied it in UL, been an active member of Ogra Fianna Fail, and interned for Clare TD Cathal Crowe.
It was during her summer internship with Deputy Crowe that Rachel first considered running in the local elections.
I never would have seen myself running for elected politics, she explained, but working in Cathal's office, a lot of the queries coming in were what I would imagine a local councillor should really be dealing with.
And that's when I realised I didn't know who my local councillor was, which seemed bizarre because I'm a politics student, interning in my TD's office, so I'm politically engaged.
And there's a lot that a local councillor deals with that has a huge impact on people's day-to-day lives, and I felt like we were really missing that strong voice.
Cllr Hartigan also credits a lack of representation amongst local councillors as a key factor that spurred her to action: I think the median age of a councillor in Ireland is somewhere in the 70s bracket and I felt like that was extremely unfair.
When we look at why younger people don't come out in droves to vote a lot of the time, what stood out to me was we can't identify with our politicians.
We don't feel like they speak for us and they don't take the time to get to know what our issues are and what's important to us.
We're kind of written off and cast aside a lot of the time, and that really spurred me to action as well.
Rachel was one of more than 3,600 students to graduate at UL this week, and as a first-time local representative, she said her degree in European Studies has without a doubt helped to prepare her for her new role.
I could probably go through reams of actual content and papers and academic research that I did, I could give you exact examples that will come into play now in my role, but the main thing is critical thinking. It is the ability to be open minded and have the skills to do your own research, that is the biggest thing.
Because there is no guidebook, there is no induction to becoming a councillor, so I'm dealing with queries on housing, medical cards, roads, and footpaths, it's a broad range of issues and I've just started, so having the skills to be able to research properly and effectively and efficiently is huge and I genuinely wouldn't be able to do what I'm doing now had I not learned those really important research skills in UL.
Obviously studying politics comes into it but in terms of the other subjects I studied, my time studying marketing was hugely helpful, particularly in planning the campaign.
It was massively beneficial to have an understanding of consumer culture and behavior and being able to approach social media strategically, not just throwing something up for the sake of it. And they're all skills and habits that I picked up in my time as a student in UL.
Commenting on the landscape for a young woman running an election campaign, Cllr Hartigan said: I did get a lot of Oh you'll get elected because you're a woman, so you'll get the woman vote or you'll get elected because you're a young person.
I got elected because I worked my ass off, that's why I got elected.
There wasn't an army of young people or an army of women heading to the polling station for me, that's just not what happened, as much as that would have been really cool to see.
I got elected because I was canvassing for six or seven hours a day, I was on top of my social media, I was planning and hosting public meetings.
I was doing all of the things that you need to do to win, but I was working twice as hard as the average candidate because I had a lot to prove because I am a young woman, so it doesn't make it easier to run as a woman or a young person like some people suggest.
You actually have to prove yourself twice as much, and that's not fair, but I think the only way that that will change is if we get more women in and more young people in.
Cllr Hartigan credits the support of her family and lecturers in helping her throughout her election campaign.
My lecturer Dr Scott Fitzsimmons was very supportive, as was course director Dr Xose Boan, who advised me to watch myself and my own mental health and well-being as well.
Sometimes you get these grand ideas and you're just all go, all the time and you forget to take the time to mind yourself, so I was really glad to have been told that.
Rachel does not hail from a political family, with her mother Rosaleen working as a medical secretary and her father Paul the Chief Information Officer for Electric Ireland Superhomes. However, that did not stop Paul from taking on the role of campaign manager.
We both learned together and he came out with me every single night, as did my mom. I could not have done it without them, explained Rachel.
Obviously, the focus and the attention is on the candidate, but behind the scenes nobody does it alone, your family has to be on board.
It's a huge, massive team effort and for all the work that I was doing with my final year in UL and campaigning, they were out canvassing with me just as much, spending just as many hours at the doors.
A native of Parteen, Co. Clare, Rachel attended Parteen National School and now represents the Shannon Electoral Area.
Reflecting on achieving the two major milestones of graduating university and winning her first election, she said it hasnt fully sunk in yet.
I really felt like I was a campaign/Final Year Project robot, and its only the last few weeks I've had time to sit and process and reflect.
You never really look at your own accomplishments and achievements and say oh my God, that was really good. I think Irish people in particular, and women too, are really bad at giving themselves a pat on the back, even when it's well deserved.
I'm trying to take in the huge accomplishment, but it's hard to come out and say that and to even feel it, so that's something I'm working on at the moment, giving myself a little pat on the back.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, August 31. Uzbekistan's electric current trade turnover totaled $150.2 million from January through July 2024, Trend reports.
The data from Uzbekistans Statistics Agency shows that this figure has increased by 18.4 percent compared to the same period last year ($126.8 million in JanuaryJuly 2023).
Uzbekistans exports of electric current amounted to $68.6 million from January through July 2024, which is 45.3 percent more year-on-year ($47.2 million in JanuaryJuly 2023).
The electric current imports reached $81.6 million from January through July 2024, which indicates a 2.5 percent growth compared to the same period last year ($79.6 million in JanuaryJuly 2023).
Meanwhile, Uzbekistans trade turnover volume of mineral fuels, lubricating oils, and similar materials amounted to $3.1 billion from January through July 2024. This figure has increased by 72.2 percent compared to the same period last year ($1.8 billion in JanuaryJuly 2023).
The volume of exports of mineral fuels, lubricating oils, and similar materials from Uzbekistan amounted to $793 million, while imports reached $2.4 billion during this period.
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Initial experience with a 5G cellular network and robotic arm-based remote echocardiographic system in an all-comers setting
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The global robotic arm market is expected to grow from $12 billion in 2020 to over $20 billion by 2025. #echocardiogram #remotetechnology
The global robotic arm market is expected to grow from $12 billion in 2020 to over $20 billion by 2025. #echocardiogram #remotetechnology
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How 5G and Robotics Are Transforming Echocardiography
Initial experience with a 5G cellular network and robotic arm-based remote echocardiographic system in an all-comers setting - (https://esc365.escardio.org/presentation/286679)
Remote echocardiograms using robot arm technology are as precise as in-person exams by cardiologists, according to new research to be presented at this yearsin London, UK (30 Aug 2 Sept) ().Comprehensive echocardiographic exam with a 5G cellular network and robotic arm-based remote system is feasible with relatively good diagnostic accuracy, said study author Dr Yu Liu, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai, China.Echocardiography is the test of choice for the initial evaluation of many cardiac diseases and requires the expertise of a cardiologist for interpretation.However, this expertise is often limited or unavailable in rural or indeed smaller urban areas. Robotic arm-assisted remote echocardiograms have been attempted for teleconsultation in previous studies1, 2, but analysis was limited to heart failure patients, primarily due to theIn this study, the authors assessed the feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of a 5G cellular network and robotic arm-based remote echocardiographic system in an outpatient clinic based 20 kilometers away from Zhongshan Hospital.A total of 51 patients were enrolled in the outpatient cardiology clinic. All underwent standard comprehensive echocardiography on a 5G cellular network robotic arm-based remote echocardiographic system, as well as a conventional echocardiographic platform (at Zhongshan Hospital) successively.The order in which patients were examined on the remote and conventional instruments was randomly determined.There was no interval between the two examinations, and examinations of the same patient were performed by experienced but different cardiologists, who were blinded to each other's diagnosis.The doctor who used the remote system was also randomly allocated and had not been previously specifically trained. The examinations were real time and diagnoses were made immediately after the examinations.From the 51 patients, the image quality was sufficient for diagnosis in 50 patients (24 (48%) female). A single patient was excluded because some key views could not be obtained using the remote system,Around one-third (17 patients) had a heart problem identified using conventional in-person echocardiography, including 10 with a primary diagnosis of valvulopathy (1 Barlow's syndrome, 1 bicuspid aortic valve, and 8 less-than-moderate regurgitation), 2 cardiac surgery follow-ups (1 case of aortic valve replacement and septal myectomy, and 1 case of mitral valve replacement and tricuspid annuloplasty), and 2 hypertrophy cardiomyopathy (including 1 case of obstruction at papillary muscle level), 2 with abnormal left ventricular wall motion (including 1 case of apical mural thrombus), and 1 with congenital heart disease (secumdum atrial septal defect).Echocardiograms using the robotic arm resulted in the same diagnosis as conventional in-person echocardiography in 98% of cases (papillary muscle level obstruction was missed in one case).than conventional (24 mins 36 secs vs. 16 mins 15 secs).A previous version of the robotic arm has been cleared for clinical use in scanning the abdomen (China, Europe, Australia, and Singapore), which requires less complex scanning maneuvers.However, the authors say a multi-center study at a larger scale with both other local hospitals and referral centers involved should be carried out before this new technology should be used.Although 5G technology is not available everywhere, lead author Xianhong Shu, also of Zhongshan Hospital, said: This system would increase the accessibility of better medical resources as patients may travel less to get a diagnosis and medical advice from cardiologists based in referral centers.She adds there are further potential advantages: A remote robotic echo system may help protect more health professionals from the risk of exposure during pandemics like COVID-19 as the cardiologist may not need to be in close contact with the patient if only echocardiogram consultation is required.Source-Eurekalert
BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 31, The French party "Inflexible France" has begun the process of removing President Emmanuel Macron from power, Trend reports.
Matilda Pano reported that the draft resolution on the initiation of impeachment proceedings against the President of the Republic in accordance with Article 68 of the Constitution has already been sent to parliamentarians for joint signature. This article provides for the removal of the president from office in the event of his violation of his powers.
Since the Inflexible France party has 72 seats in parliament, it can propose impeachment on its own (more than 57 deputies are needed for this). However, the Bureau of the National Assembly (the lower house of parliament) decides whether to accept the initiative or not. The legislative committee must then approve the text of the resolution, and two-thirds of the Assembly must support it within two weeks. In the next stages, this process must be approved by the upper house of parliament, the Senate, where the left does not have a majority. If the text is approved by the Senate, the two chambers will come together and the resolution must be supported by 617 of the 925 members of both chambers.
Earlier, Jean-Luc Melenchon's party, Unbowed France, announced that it would express no confidence in any government not led by Lucie Cast, whom President Macron rejected as prime minister.
The Cubs released catcher Tomas Nido, tweets Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune. Nido had been on the 10-day injured list but was occupying a 40-man roster spot. Chicago needed to create a 40-man vacancy to finalize their claim of reliever Shawn Armstrong from St. Louis.
Nido has been on the IL since July 25 with a meniscus injury that required right knee surgery. The Cubs sent him on a rehab stint with Triple-A Iowa last night. That suggests hes nearing a return, but the Cubs no longer felt they needed him in the catching corps. Chicago called up Christian Bethancourt once Nido landed on the shelf. He has mashed over 11 games in the backup role. Starter Miguel Amaya, meanwhile, has a huge .337/.375/.554 slash since the All-Star Break. Its a huge turnaround after the 25-year-old hit .201/.266/.288 in the first half.
Since Nidos injury, Cubs catchers own an MLB-leading .327/.358/.634 batting line. Chicagos catchers almost instantaneously flipped from one of the leagues worst groups to being among the best for the last month. Theres not much of a reason to make a change. The Cubs could have carried three catchers for September but probably would not have had many at-bats available for Nido.
Chicago has put the 30-year-old on waivers. Hed be a free agent if he goes unclaimed, though there may not be enough time for him to catch on elsewhere while still remaining eligible for postseason play with his new club. If another team claimed him or signed him to a big league contract, theyd only be responsible for the prorated portion of the league minimum. The Mets are otherwise paying his $2.1MM salary in the second season of a two-year contract.
Nido is a career .210/.245/.309 hitter over parts of eight seasons. Hes obviously not going to bring much to the table offensively but has a strong defensive reputation. Statcast grades him highly for his pitch framing acumen and arm strength.
ONTONAGON, MI -- This fall, expand your palate with Michigans natural delicacy: mushrooms.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is hosting wild mushroom classes across the state from the Porcupine Mountains in the U.P. down to Bay City State Park.
Outdoor enthusiasts will instruct students how to identify seasonal wild mushrooms like Chicken of the Woods and Oyster mushrooms. Theyll also share tips on where to start your search.
Instructors will also go over proper handling techniques for transport, cleaning, consumption and home preservation.
Class prices range from $30 to $55 depending on location.
Heres where guided foraging will be this fall:
Tahquamenon Falls State Park on Saturday, Sept. 14
Saginaw Bay Visitor Center on Sunday, Sept. 15
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park on Saturday, Sept. 21
Mitchell State Park in Cadillac on Saturday, Sept. 28
Classes fill up quickly, and you can find more information and registration at www.michigan.gov/dnr/education/public/Outdoor-Skills-Academy-Events
OTSEGO COUNTY, MI An Indiana man was arrested during a traffic stop in Northern Michigan on Friday night after troopers found drugs and loaded pistols in the mans vehicle.
The traffic stop happened around 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, on northbound I-75 near Charles Brink Road in Gaylord, said Michigan State Police Spl/Lt. Derrick Carroll.
A state trooper was in the median of I-75 when he observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed, according to MSP. The troopers radar showed the driver was traveling 92 miles per hour in a 75 mph zone, police said.
The driver, a 56-year-old man, presented an Indiana drivers license and said his registration was expired out of Ohio because he was in the process of moving to Michigan, according to MSP. The trooper saw three long gun cases in the back seat of the mans car.
The trooper searched the car and found a pair of brass knuckles, two loaded pistols, psilocybin mushrooms, various pills and a glass pipe with residue that tested for methamphetamine, MSP said.
The driver, who is from Batesville, Indiana, was arrested and lodged in the Otsego County Jail pending arraignment, according to MSP.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI A man and a woman were injured in a shooting at a Grand Rapids bar on South Division Avenue early Saturday morning, police say.
Grand Rapids police officers were patrolling the area around 1:58 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 31, when they heard gunshots near the Metro Bar at 1901 Division Ave. S, Grand Rapids Police Lt. Brad Bush told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press.
OTTAWA COUNTY, MI Alligator hunter Dan Rooks said Crockery Lake residents should enjoy Labor Day weekend on, and in, the water.
My dads going swimming around the lake right now I told him it was safe, Rooks told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press, on Friday, Aug. 30.
Rooks, 38, who catches nuisance alligators in Florida, returned to the lake where parents Dean and Tina Rooks still live to investigate and potentially capture an alligator after multiple reported sightings on the northeast Ottawa County lake.
Related: The Termigator: Florida man coming home to hunt West Michigan lakes elusive alligator
Now, after three nights on the water, shining a light for the distinctive, reddish allegator eyes peering over the water, he doubts there is a gator in the 100-acre lake.
If it was there, its gone. Maybe it went in a creek in search of food, but most likely, it wasnt there in the first place. The speculation early on was that a small alligator was kept as a pet and released once it outgrew its home.
Florida gator hunter Dan Rooks looks for any signs of a reported alligator in Crockery Lake on Friday, Aug. 30. (Provided by Dan Rooks)Dan Rooks
About a dozen people have reported seeing an alligator, 4- to 6-feet long. Rooks, who grew up on the lake, knows many of them so he was inclined to believe what they believed they saw.
They swear by it, he said.
The alligator reports have gotten a lot of attention. The Crockery Lake Facebook page chronicles sightings and offers Croc-kery Lake gator hunter t-shirts. A photo of an alligator shows up on a Google maps lake search.
Related: Reports of alligator in Ottawa County lake: Use whatever caution you feel is appropriate
(Rooks) plans to hunt until he finds it or has to go back to Florida. Hopefully he finds it soon, the Facebook page said.
About 40 people showed up at Grose Park on Thursday, Aug. 29, to meet with Rooks a potential hometown hero and talk about the alligator sightings. Residents stayed off the water at night and turned off outside lights to help Rooks in his search.
But, as Rooks jokes, it may have just been the Croc Ness Monster, a play on the mythical beast in Scotland.
Dan Rooks, an alligator hunter in Florida, captured an 8-foot, 9-inch gator this week. He's coming back to West Michigan after reports of an alligator in Ottawa County's Crockery Lake. (Photo provided by Mike Reynolds)Mike Reynolds
Rooks has an idea what people might have seen. He spotted a huge spiny softshell turtle, its head the size of a softball, with another soft-shell trailing, that could have been mistaken for an alligator.
I dont believe with the amount of time that I put into it that isnt a softshell, he said.
He said a photo from one resident appeared to show a couple of large Northern pike.
I cant say its not there but if I looked this hard for a nuisance gator in Florida, Id say, No, the thing has moved on.
He understands worries that people have for their children and pets. People in Michigan dont see alligators. Gators would die in the winter cold.
A lot of people are genuinely concerned, he said.
Hes been using a lake residents pontoon boat, with a large, open deck, as his gator-hunting vessel.
Before he went out Friday, he noted the previous nights have been cooler. An alligator could hunker down as temperatures drop.
Rooks played distress calls of juvenile alligators which typically attract gators, particularly females, but got no response.
Im pretty confident at this point that theres no sign of it. Im not disrespecting anybodys account whatsoever, he said.
And, he said, he cant say it wasnt there.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI The General Woodshop has gained popularity as an all-inclusive venue for cheeky craft cocktails and delicious eats, where customers feel respected and safe while enjoying a fun time.
The cocktail lounge, located at 507 Bridge St. NW, celebrated its one-year anniversary at the end of July. There were specials and events, including a celebratory ribbon-cutting with members of the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce.
The establishment prides itself on being a social gathering space that caters to the LGBTQIA+(lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual) community but is welcoming to all. Everyone is encouraged on the website to come and enjoy Great drinks. Great food. Friendly people.
Owners Alberto Garza and Jeff Steinport opened the General Wood Shop on the bustling Bridge Street corridor on July 28, 2023. The menu has evolved to more classy, elevated bar food that includes a mix of Spanish, Mexican and Asian cuisine.
We want to make something memorable like whoa where else am I going to get something like that, General Manager Calvin Paige said. We want to make sure the food and the drinks that we are offering are worth the price you are paying.
A quesadilla and salad at the General Wood Shop, located at 507 Bridge St. NW, in Grand Rapids, Mich. (Photo provided by Lauren Srmek)Lauren Srmek | The General Wood Shop
In September, the General Wood Shop hopes to expand the menu to include more diverse food options. Paige said new items on the menu will include new quesadilla and salad sections that will feature three different salads such as a vegan option with roasted chickpeas.
We are always moving forward and finding new ways to make things better, he said. We wanted to get our food offerings to a point where everyone has representation on the menu - whether youre a vegan, vegetarian, or want to do something meaty.
Paige said a favorite item on the current menu is the Ramen Noodle Burger. The burger sells for $15 and has a ramen noodle bun, a beef smash patty, kewpie mayo, nori seasoning, jalapeno, grilled onion, pepper jack cheese, and yuzu teriyaki sauce.
My favorite dishes on the menu are the fried chicken bao and the pork belly bao, I get them all of the time, Paige said.
A bao combo comes with three bao buns and a side of truffle fries and sells for $16.
The General Wood Shop has an ongoing partnership with the Grand Rapids Pride Center and the Grand Rapids Trans Foundation. A percentage of the proceeds from selected items goes to both organizations, General Manager Calvin Paige said.
Paige said it is important to look for businesses that arent just pandering to the LGBTQ+ community, but actually creates a safe space.
We will treat everyone with the utmost respect, protection and everything we can while they are in our establishment, Paige said. Its important be vocal. If anyone comes in looking for resources, we point them in the right direction - the Pride Center, the Trans Center, whatever they need.
Like the menu, the atmosphere the restaurant wants to create has also undergone a few changes.
We aim to have a cocktail lounge vibe, Paige said.
When we first opened, the restaurant had more of an open feel and now its a bit homier. We are excited to show everyone what we are going to be doing, we have a really cute Halloween cocktail menu coming out, its going to be good.
Pictured are people enjoying food and drinks at the General Wood Shop, located 507 Bridge St. NW. in Grand Rapids. (Photo provided by Lauren Srmek)Lauren Srmek | The General Wood Shop
Recently, the restaurant and bar added new decorations like live plants.
Paige said the business held its first major Pride event this year called Babylon Bridge that took five months to plan and involved a marketing team. He said thats what got a lot of the plants into the building because he wanted it to have an overgrown vine feeling.
It was cool to see people who were committed to something fun and just seeing how it brought together all of the different communities, he said. It made me tear up at points. It was very beautiful.
In the future, Paige said hed like to see more continuous events that bring the community together. With their space and location, he said the venue can host a range of events.
I just want people to feel safe and to feel heard, thats why we take community input. We want to make sure this place feels like a part of the community, he said. We want to keep that door charge and prices low to keep our establishment accessible for all.
The General Wood Shop has a 4-5-6 happy hour 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. The happy hour includes $4 well drinks, $5 food bites, and $6 crafted cocktails, which includes three of the crafted cocktails from the menu. The food bites include the wonton bites, fries, sesame salad, and churros.
The General Wood Shop is open 4 p.m. to midnight Tuesdays through Thursdays. On Fridays and Saturdays, the venue is open from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Sundays from noon to midnight. The kitchen currently closes at 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursdays, and at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
Contact the General Wood Shop at 616-699-0507 or visit its website here for more information and the full menu.
More on MLive:
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Development group buys new headquarters in downtown Grand Rapids
West Michigan manufacturer plans up to 200 new jobs, $21M investment
Famous American rapper A$AP Rocky, previously repeatedly caught in scandals, unexpectedly for fans released a video for the song Tailor Swif, filmed in 2021. The artist then chose Kyiv as the location, as indicated in the credits, but not everyone was happy about such popularization of the Ukrainian capital.
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The thing is that the footage is quite controversial: gloomy, absurd, and sometimes even triggering for Ukrainians. OBOZ.UA collected reactions to the clip and will tell you what's wrong with it.
The first thing that may catch the eye of Ukrainians are explosions in houses, missiles in the sky, collapsing high-rise buildings and people being helped. The idea was created by Israeli clipmaker Vania Heymann with the help of Ukrainian production company shelter film in 2021.
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At that time it was impossible to imagine how real such scenes would become and how often Kyiv citizens would see them in everyday life.
In general, the clip is full of absurdity. Naked people, cows in the air, cigarettes in the hair, toilets falling from the sky, horses at every step. And all this is replaced by other strange events and paradoxical shots so quickly that it glues you to the screen.
However, Ukrainians have another complaint, which was characterized as "Soviet aesthetics". A$AP Rocky abused symbols inherent to the Soviet Union, not independent Ukraine.
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Carpets on the walls and even on cars, a bear that is considered a symbol of the "Russian world," fur hats - all of these suggest a Soviet atmosphere, while dirty public toilets, gloomy streets and identical houses create a false impression of Kyiv.
However, it is worth noting that the rapper has always had a peculiar style, and his fans are used to such absurdity on the screen. Even some listeners from Ukraine praised the work and A$AP Rocky's team for mentioning their house.
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Only verified information from us on Telegram-channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
MUSKEGON, MI - There is a new spot open long the lakeshore for authentic Mexican cuisine, and its already earning its fair share of fans.
Tacos El Cunado hosted its soft opening Aug. 15 at 3035 Henry St., adding to the 18 locations in West Michigan, including one opening later this year in the Grand Rapids suburb of Kentwood.
Every restaurant is owned and operated by a family member or close friend of founder, Hector Lopez, who launched the chain in 2009. Lopezs daughter, Jessica, was tapped to run the new Muskegon location.
Were glad to be there in Muskegon and exited to get to know a little bit more about the community there, she told MLive/Muskegon Chronicle last week. Its a new city for us. Were really glad customers are liking it, too, that way they dont have to drive back and forth.
Related: New Tacos El Cunado opens in Muskegon
Equipped with a drive-thru, the new spot boasts authentic Mexican breakfast dishes like huevos rancheros and nopalitos con huevo (cactus with eggs), but its only available until 11:30 a.m. daily.
As for the featured items available all day, customers rave about the taco trios and dinner plates, including the enchilada supreme for $13.49 or three chicken and pork tamales for $11.99.
If thats not enough, finish off the meal with a decadent dessert like a slice of Tres Leches cake for $4.99 or a slice of Chocoflan for $4.49.
Hours of operation for Tacos El Cunado are from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Learn more and order takeout at tacoselcunadomuskegon.com.
Want more Muskegon-area news? Bookmark the local Muskegon news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Muskegon daily newsletter.
Two-time Olympic champion Olga Kharlan is trying to learn from the experience of former world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. The saber fencer noted that she has known the boxer for a long time and maintains friendly relations with him, being interested in his philosophy.
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Kharlan said this in an interview with sport-express.ua. The 33-year-old native of Kherson, who became the most decorated Ukrainian athlete at the 2024 Olympics, noted that Usyk shares with her his methods of preparing for fights and training features.
"Sasha is very simple. We have known each other for a long time. We first met at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Since then, we have been in touch. I really admire him as an athlete and as a person. It is important for me to hear about his experience in some important issues. It's interesting in general: when I communicate with representatives of other sports, I am very interested in understanding the mentality and some details, I take something for myself. Sasha is very positive and cool," Kharlan said.
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Earlier , the fencer told OBOZ.UA about her meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and her mother's reaction to receiving the honorary award.
Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The organizers of Eurovision 2025 have recently officially announced that next year's contest will be hosted by the Swiss city of Basel. The powerful cultural center of Switzerland, located on the border of France and Germany, is striking with the number of unique attractions and is preparing to welcome numerous Eurofans on May 13, 15 and 17, 2025.
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Thanks to its location, Basel will be an excellent symbol of musical unity. This thesis is confirmed by the amazing festival, better known as Fasnacht, held annually on the banks of the Rhine River. The festival is no less famous than the carnivals in Venice and Rio de Janeiro.
Basel Fasnacht
For three days a year, the streets of Basel are filled with music and costumed processions. The seemingly reserved Swiss allow themselves to indulge in a bit of fun, partying day and night. It should be noted that Carnival is a carefully organized event: the celebrations are subject to strict rules and true Swiss discipline.
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Altstadt (Old Town)
One of the best things to do in Basel is to simply wander around the city, letting it unfold before you. After all, parts of Basel's old town date back to the 15th century, and the Altstadt is often referred to as one of the most beautiful and preserved old towns in all of Europe. Locals advise exploring it on foot, as old and new combine perfectly here.
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Town Hall and Marktplatz
Much of the old town is centered around the City Hall, and the building itself occupies a place of honor in Basel's central square (Marktplatz). The Town Hall is about five hundred years old, and it is now home to the cantonal parliament - Switzerland is divided into cantons, and Basel is part of the canton of Basel-Stadt.
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Basel Cathedral (Baseler Munster)
Basel's impressive cathedral, located in the heart of the city, is a must-see on any trip. The Gothic building dates back to the 11th century. The cathedral is the final resting place of several prominent figures, including the philosopher Erasmus of Rotterdam. It should also be noted that entry inside the red sandstone building is free, making Basel Cathedral one of the best attractions in the city.
Vitra Design Museum
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As quirky in appearance as the designs stored inside, the Vitra Design Museum is located about forty-five minutes by public transportation from the city center. Dedicated to the exploration of design, the building itself was designed by Frank Gary and hosts two temporary exhibitions each year.
Kunstmuseum
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One of the best things to do in Basel is to visit the giant art museum. It is home to the largest and most important art collection in Switzerland, with the museum's first roots going back to the Cabinet of Amerbach. At that time, the city acquired numerous works by Hans Holbein for the benefit of the public. The Kunstmuseum is thus not only one of the most important collections in Switzerland, but also one of the oldest art museums in Europe.
Spalentor's Medieval Gate
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If you're interested in medieval history, you simply must go to the medieval Spalentor Gate, which was once part of the fortified walls that surrounded the city. Today, the tower is located near the old town of Basel.
St. Paul's Church
St. Paul's Church, known in German as Pauluskirche, was built at the turn of the 20th century. With some beautiful stained glass windows and Art Nouveau architecture, this church building is also the only round church in Basel. Nearby are some of the best places to admire the city.
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Only verified information we have in Telegram-channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
UMB Bank n.a. increased its holdings in Trane Technologies plc (NYSE:TT Free Report) by 6,819.0% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 21,103 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 20,798 shares during the quarter. UMB Bank n.a.s holdings in Trane Technologies were worth $6,941,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.
Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Blue Chip Partners LLC raised its stake in Trane Technologies by 70.7% during the second quarter. Blue Chip Partners LLC now owns 727 shares of the companys stock valued at $239,000 after buying an additional 301 shares in the last quarter. Kraft Davis & Associates LLC acquired a new stake in Trane Technologies during the second quarter valued at approximately $404,000. Ridgewood Investments LLC acquired a new stake in Trane Technologies during the second quarter valued at approximately $106,000. Arkadios Wealth Advisors acquired a new stake in Trane Technologies during the second quarter valued at approximately $271,000. Finally, Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. raised its stake in Trane Technologies by 4.0% during the second quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. now owns 1,920 shares of the companys stock valued at $632,000 after buying an additional 73 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.97% of the companys stock.
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Trane Technologies Stock Performance
Shares of NYSE:TT traded up $6.64 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $361.66. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,793,020 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,118,986. The stock has a market capitalization of $81.86 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.94, a PEG ratio of 2.50 and a beta of 1.01. The stocks 50 day simple moving average is $336.45 and its 200 day simple moving average is $316.45. Trane Technologies plc has a fifty-two week low of $184.02 and a fifty-two week high of $362.43. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a quick ratio of 0.74 and a current ratio of 1.17.
Trane Technologies Dividend Announcement
Trane Technologies ( NYSE:TT Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The company reported $3.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.08 by $0.22. The company had revenue of $5.31 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.13 billion. Trane Technologies had a return on equity of 33.97% and a net margin of 12.33%. The firms revenue was up 12.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.68 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Trane Technologies plc will post 10.83 earnings per share for the current year.
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, September 6th will be paid a $0.84 dividend. This represents a $3.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.93%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 6th. Trane Technologiess payout ratio is presently 35.90%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
TT has been the topic of several research reports. Robert W. Baird upped their price objective on Trane Technologies from $360.00 to $365.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. Barclays upped their target price on Trane Technologies from $385.00 to $394.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Trane Technologies from $247.00 to $300.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, May 2nd. Stephens reaffirmed an equal weight rating and set a $350.00 target price on shares of Trane Technologies in a report on Monday, August 5th. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on Trane Technologies from $330.00 to $375.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, June 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Trane Technologies currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $323.29.
View Our Latest Research Report on TT
Insider Activity at Trane Technologies
In related news, EVP Raymond D. Pittard sold 1,805 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $328.65, for a total value of $593,213.25. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 83,517 shares in the company, valued at $27,447,862.05. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other Trane Technologies news, EVP Raymond D. Pittard sold 1,805 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $328.65, for a total transaction of $593,213.25. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 83,517 shares in the company, valued at $27,447,862.05. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CFO Christopher J. Kuehn sold 4,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $318.67, for a total transaction of $1,274,680.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 61,293 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $19,532,240.31. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 44,243 shares of company stock worth $14,216,550. Company insiders own 0.38% of the companys stock.
Trane Technologies Company Profile
(Free Report)
Trane Technologies plc, together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, sells, and services of solutions for heating, ventilation, air conditioning, custom, and custom and transport refrigeration in Ireland and internationally. It offers air conditioners, exchangers, and handlers; airside and terminal devices; air sourced heat pumps, auxiliary power units; chillers; coils and condensers; gensets; dehumidifiers; ductless; furnaces; home automation products; humidifiers; indoor air quality assessments and related products; large and light commercial unitary products; refrigerant reclamation products; thermostats/controls; transport heater products; variable refrigerant flow products; and water source heat pumps.
Further Reading
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Industrial Alliance Investment Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 280 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $30,000.
Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. raised its position in shares of Novartis by 10.6% during the 4th quarter. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. now owns 20,560 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,076,000 after acquiring an additional 1,974 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James & Associates increased its stake in Novartis by 1.3% during the second quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 536,607 shares of the companys stock valued at $57,127,000 after purchasing an additional 6,767 shares during the last quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Novartis during the second quarter worth $15,044,000. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Novartis by 6.5% in the 1st quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 180,764 shares of the companys stock worth $17,485,000 after buying an additional 11,080 shares during the last quarter. Finally, TD Asset Management Inc lifted its position in shares of Novartis by 314.8% in the 4th quarter. TD Asset Management Inc now owns 55,096 shares of the companys stock worth $5,563,000 after buying an additional 41,815 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 13.12% of the companys stock.
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Novartis Stock Performance
Shares of NVS traded up $0.41 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $120.83. 902,631 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,412,403. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a current ratio of 0.93. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $111.51 and its 200-day moving average price is $103.86. The stock has a market capitalization of $246.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 0.57. Novartis AG has a 12 month low of $92.19 and a 12 month high of $120.92.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Novartis ( NYSE:NVS Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, July 18th. The company reported $1.97 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.87 by $0.10. Novartis had a return on equity of 34.56% and a net margin of 33.76%. The firm had revenue of $12.87 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $12.24 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.83 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Novartis AG will post 7.44 earnings per share for the current year.
Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on shares of Novartis from $121.00 to $122.50 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a hold rating on shares of Novartis in a research report on Friday, July 19th. Barclays raised Novartis to a strong sell rating in a report on Monday, June 24th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on Novartis in a research note on Thursday, May 30th. They set a buy rating and a $120.00 price objective for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating, two have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $118.13.
View Our Latest Stock Analysis on NVS
About Novartis
(Free Report)
Novartis AG engages in the research, development, manufacture, and marketing of healthcare products in Switzerland and internationally. The company offers prescription medicines for patients and physicians. It focuses on therapeutic areas, such as cardiovascular, renal and metabolic, immunology, neuroscience, and oncology, as well as ophthalmology and hematology.
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Intact Investment Management Inc. purchased a new position in Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (NYSE:GTE Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm purchased 71,900 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $696,000. Intact Investment Management Inc. owned approximately 0.23% of Gran Tierra Energy at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Jump Financial LLC grew its stake in Gran Tierra Energy by 18.7% during the 4th quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 50,200 shares of the companys stock valued at $283,000 after acquiring an additional 7,900 shares in the last quarter. RPO LLC purchased a new position in Gran Tierra Energy during the 4th quarter valued at about $77,000. Quadrature Capital Ltd purchased a new position in Gran Tierra Energy during the 4th quarter valued at about $151,000. Sanders Morris Harris LLC purchased a new position in Gran Tierra Energy during the 1st quarter valued at about $85,000. Finally, Hillsdale Investment Management Inc. purchased a new position in Gran Tierra Energy during the 1st quarter valued at about $203,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 31.70% of the companys stock.
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Gran Tierra Energy Stock Performance
Shares of Gran Tierra Energy stock traded down $0.27 during trading on Friday, hitting $7.37. 328,858 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 345,830. The company has a market capitalization of $230.92 million, a PE ratio of 73.70 and a beta of 1.60. The company has a current ratio of 0.75, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.38. Gran Tierra Energy Inc. has a twelve month low of $4.72 and a twelve month high of $10.40. The businesss fifty day moving average is $8.97.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Gran Tierra Energy ( NYSE:GTE Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The company reported $1.16 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Gran Tierra Energy had a return on equity of 12.60% and a net margin of 7.68%. The business had revenue of $165.61 million during the quarter.
Separately, StockNews.com lowered Gran Tierra Energy from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Monday, August 5th.
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Gran Tierra Energy Company Profile
(Free Report)
Gran Tierra Energy Inc is an international oil and gas exploration and production company, headquartered in Calgary, Canada, incorporated and traded in the United States and operating in South America. Gran Tierra Energy holds interests in producing and prospective properties in Argentina, Colombia and Peru.
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Americana Partners LLC increased its position in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF (NYSEARCA:EWJ Free Report) by 7.8% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 202,345 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after acquiring an additional 14,645 shares during the period. iShares MSCI Japan ETF comprises approximately 1.1% of Americana Partners LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 23rd biggest holding. Americana Partners LLC owned about 0.08% of iShares MSCI Japan ETF worth $13,808,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Cherry Tree Wealth Management LLC grew its position in iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 164.6% in the first quarter. Cherry Tree Wealth Management LLC now owns 381 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 237 shares in the last quarter. Crewe Advisors LLC bought a new position in iShares MSCI Japan ETF during the second quarter valued at about $29,000. Whittier Trust Co. raised its holdings in iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 410.5% during the first quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 439 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 353 shares in the last quarter. ORG Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF in the second quarter worth about $40,000. Finally, Hexagon Capital Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 38.1% during the 4th quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 1,302 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $83,000 after acquiring an additional 359 shares in the last quarter.
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iShares MSCI Japan ETF Price Performance
Shares of NYSEARCA EWJ traded up $0.43 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $71.97. 6,495,650 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,494,515. iShares MSCI Japan ETF has a one year low of $57.20 and a one year high of $72.32. The companys 50 day moving average is $69.00 and its 200 day moving average is $68.89. The firm has a market capitalization of $17.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.63 and a beta of 0.73.
About iShares MSCI Japan ETF
iShares MSCI Japan ETF (the fund), formerly Ishares Msci Japan Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of publicly traded securities in the Japanese market, as measured by the MSCI Japan Index (the Index).
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Argent Advisors Inc. trimmed its stake in Edison International (NYSE:EIX Free Report) by 6.4% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 14,376 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 988 shares during the quarter. Argent Advisors Inc.s holdings in Edison International were worth $1,032,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
A number of other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. UMB Bank n.a. raised its holdings in shares of Edison International by 18.3% in the second quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 2,194 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $158,000 after acquiring an additional 340 shares during the last quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Edison International by 3.7% in the second quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 698,526 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $50,161,000 after acquiring an additional 24,939 shares during the last quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank raised its holdings in shares of Edison International by 108.5% in the second quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 446,993 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $32,099,000 after acquiring an additional 232,621 shares during the last quarter. Banco Santander S.A. increased its stake in Edison International by 2.5% in the second quarter. Banco Santander S.A. now owns 232,970 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $16,730,000 after purchasing an additional 5,777 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Whittier Trust Co. increased its stake in Edison International by 48.4% in the second quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 4,095 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $294,000 after purchasing an additional 1,335 shares during the last quarter. 88.95% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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Analysts Set New Price Targets
EIX has been the subject of several analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Edison International from $86.00 to $87.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Mizuho upped their target price on Edison International from $75.00 to $85.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, May 17th. Barclays upped their target price on Edison International from $75.00 to $80.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 30th. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on Edison International from $62.00 to $68.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Friday, August 23rd. Finally, Argus upped their target price on Edison International from $78.00 to $82.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $80.73.
Insider Transactions at Edison International
In other news, SVP Caroline Choi sold 10,004 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.77, for a total value of $758,003.08. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 26,918 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,039,576.86. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In related news, CEO J Andrew Murphy sold 1,362 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $85.00, for a total value of $115,770.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 19,850 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,687,250. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, SVP Caroline Choi sold 10,004 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.77, for a total value of $758,003.08. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 26,918 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,039,576.86. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 99,103 shares of company stock valued at $7,981,345 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 1.03% of the companys stock.
Edison International Trading Up 0.6 %
NYSE:EIX traded up $0.53 on Friday, hitting $87.03. 3,531,662 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,996,064. The stock has a market cap of $33.49 billion, a PE ratio of 38.17 and a beta of 0.91. The company has a current ratio of 1.03, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.04. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $77.91 and a 200-day moving average of $73.33. Edison International has a fifty-two week low of $58.82 and a fifty-two week high of $87.49.
Edison International (NYSE:EIX Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The utilities provider reported $1.23 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.05 by $0.18. Edison International had a return on equity of 13.01% and a net margin of 6.60%. The company had revenue of $4.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.12 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.01 earnings per share. The firms revenue was up 9.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts expect that Edison International will post 4.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Edison International Announces Dividend
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 8th were given a $0.78 dividend. This represents a $3.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.58%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, July 8th. Edison Internationals payout ratio is 136.84%.
Edison International Profile
(Free Report)
Edison International, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation and distribution of electric power. The company supplies and delivers electricity to approximately 50,000 square mile area of southern California to residential, commercial, industrial, public authorities, agricultural, and other sectors.
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Banque Cantonale Vaudoise grew its stake in Boston Scientific Co. (NYSE:BSX Free Report) by 2.5% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 27,233 shares of the medical equipment providers stock after purchasing an additional 668 shares during the period. Banque Cantonale Vaudoises holdings in Boston Scientific were worth $2,097,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Boston Scientific by 542.1% in the 1st quarter. Eagle Bay Advisors LLC now owns 366 shares of the medical equipment providers stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 309 shares in the last quarter. First Foundation Advisors purchased a new position in Boston Scientific in the first quarter worth $25,000. Triad Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Boston Scientific in the second quarter valued at $26,000. RiverPark Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Boston Scientific during the 1st quarter worth $30,000. Finally, Lynx Investment Advisory acquired a new position in shares of Boston Scientific during the 2nd quarter worth $30,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.07% of the companys stock.
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Insider Buying and Selling at Boston Scientific
In other Boston Scientific news, EVP Wendy Carruthers sold 6,983 shares of Boston Scientific stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $77.30, for a total transaction of $539,785.90. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 42,908 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,316,788.40. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 20,949 shares of company stock valued at $1,583,395. Company insiders own 0.50% of the companys stock.
Boston Scientific Trading Up 1.4 %
NYSE BSX traded up $1.12 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $81.79. 7,639,891 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 6,104,259. The businesss 50 day moving average is $76.94 and its 200-day moving average is $72.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.66. Boston Scientific Co. has a 12-month low of $48.35 and a 12-month high of $82.10. The firm has a market capitalization of $119.99 billion, a P/E ratio of 68.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 0.78.
Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The medical equipment provider reported $0.62 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.58 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $4.12 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.02 billion. Boston Scientific had a net margin of 12.00% and a return on equity of 16.80%. Boston Scientifics revenue for the quarter was up 14.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.53 earnings per share. As a group, analysts anticipate that Boston Scientific Co. will post 2.4 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several analysts recently commented on BSX shares. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Boston Scientific from $90.00 to $92.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, August 22nd. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Boston Scientific from $79.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Monday, July 15th. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on Boston Scientific from $77.00 to $86.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, July 16th. Canaccord Genuity Group upped their target price on Boston Scientific from $83.00 to $88.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, BTIG Research lifted their price target on Boston Scientific from $80.00 to $84.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Monday, July 15th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $85.24.
Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Boston Scientific
Boston Scientific Company Profile
(Free Report)
Boston Scientific Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets medical devices for use in various interventional medical specialties worldwide. It operates through two segments, MedSurg and Cardiovascular. The company offers devices to diagnose and treat gastrointestinal and pulmonary conditions, such as resolution clips, biliary stent systems, stents and electrocautery enhanced delivery systems, direct visualization systems, digital catheters, and single-use duodenoscopes; devices to treat urological conditions, including ureteral stents, catheters, baskets, guidewires, sheaths, balloons, single-use digital flexible ureteroscopes, holmium laser systems, artificial urinary sphincter, laser system, fiber, and hydrogel systems; and devices to treat neurological movement disorders and manage chronic pain, such as spinal cord stimulator system, proprietary programming software, radiofrequency generator, indirect decompression systems, practice optimization tools, and deep brain stimulation system.
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Battalion Oil (NYSE:BATL Get Free Report) and Royale Energy (OTCMKTS:ROYL Get Free Report) are both small-cap oils/energy companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, analyst recommendations, risk, profitability, earnings, institutional ownership and dividends.
Earnings and Valuation
This table compares Battalion Oil and Royale Energys revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
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Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Battalion Oil $200.32 million 0.29 -$3.05 million ($4.46) -0.78 Royale Energy $2.16 million 1.31 -$1.83 million N/A N/A
Royale Energy has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Battalion Oil.
Profitability
Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Battalion Oil -27.77% -70.13% -9.01% Royale Energy N/A N/A N/A
Volatility and Risk
This table compares Battalion Oil and Royale Energys net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
Battalion Oil has a beta of 0.95, suggesting that its share price is 5% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Royale Energy has a beta of 0.09, suggesting that its share price is 91% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Insider & Institutional Ownership
86.0% of Battalion Oil shares are owned by institutional investors. 56.9% of Battalion Oil shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 61.8% of Royale Energy shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a summary of current ratings and price targets for Battalion Oil and Royale Energy, as provided by MarketBeat.
Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Battalion Oil 0 1 0 0 2.00 Royale Energy 0 0 0 0 N/A
Battalion Oil currently has a consensus price target of $18.60, indicating a potential upside of 431.43%. Given Battalion Oils higher probable upside, research analysts clearly believe Battalion Oil is more favorable than Royale Energy.
Summary
Royale Energy beats Battalion Oil on 6 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Battalion Oil
(Get Free Report)
Battalion Oil Corporation, an independent energy company, engages in the acquisition, production, exploration, and development of onshore oil and natural gas assets in the United States. It holds interests in the Delaware Basin located in the counties of Pecos, Ward, Reeves, and Winkler, Texas. It serves independent marketers, and oil and natural gas and gas pipeline companies. The company was formerly known as Halcon Resources Corporation and changed its name to Battalion Oil Corporation in January 2020. Battalion Oil Corporation was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
About Royale Energy
(Get Free Report)
Royale Energy, Inc. acquires, explores for, develops, produces, and sells oil and natural gas properties in the United States. Its principal operations are located in the Sacramento Basin and San Joaquin Basin in California, as well as in Utah, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Colorado. Royale Energy, Inc. was incorporated in 1986 and is based in El Cajon, California.
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Benedict Financial Advisors Inc. lessened its holdings in Pimco Total Return ETF (NYSEARCA:BOND Free Report) by 7.7% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 8,994 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 746 shares during the quarter. Benedict Financial Advisors Inc.s holdings in Pimco Total Return ETF were worth $819,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Mark Sheptoff Financial Planning LLC bought a new stake in Pimco Total Return ETF during the 1st quarter worth about $30,000. Palisade Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Pimco Total Return ETF during the first quarter valued at approximately $49,000. Avion Wealth grew its stake in Pimco Total Return ETF by 28.1% in the second quarter. Avion Wealth now owns 753 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $68,000 after purchasing an additional 165 shares in the last quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont acquired a new position in shares of Pimco Total Return ETF during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $71,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Pimco Total Return ETF by 75.1% during the 1st quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 842 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $75,000 after purchasing an additional 361 shares in the last quarter.
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Pimco Total Return ETF Stock Down 0.3 %
Shares of NYSEARCA:BOND traded down $0.24 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $93.73. The stock had a trading volume of 221,878 shares, compared to its average volume of 249,812. The company has a market cap of $4.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 0.18. Pimco Total Return ETF has a 12 month low of $85.10 and a 12 month high of $94.38. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $92.54 and its 200-day simple moving average is $91.34.
About Pimco Total Return ETF
The PIMCO Active Bond Exchange-Traded Fund (BOND) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the Barclays U.S. Aggregate index. The fund is an actively managed portfolio that aims to maintain a consistent level of dividend income by investing in a broad array of fixed income sectors and utilizing income efficient implementation strategies.
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Biechele Royce Advisors lifted its holdings in shares of The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW Free Report) by 10.7% in the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 191,470 shares of the financial services providers stock after purchasing an additional 18,467 shares during the quarter. Charles Schwab makes up 4.8% of Biechele Royce Advisors portfolio, making the stock its 8th largest holding. Biechele Royce Advisors holdings in Charles Schwab were worth $14,109,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 0.9% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 120,963,133 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $8,750,473,000 after buying an additional 1,042,823 shares during the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD grew its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 4.2% during the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 72,306,560 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $5,230,657,000 after buying an additional 2,946,327 shares during the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA grew its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 4.1% during the 4th quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 30,994,967 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,132,454,000 after buying an additional 1,219,015 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC grew its position in shares of Charles Schwab by 1.6% during the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 18,623,505 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,281,297,000 after buying an additional 292,155 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Charles Schwab during the 4th quarter valued at about $950,192,000. Institutional investors own 84.38% of the companys stock.
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Charles Schwab Stock Up 0.3 %
Shares of SCHW traded up $0.17 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $65.10. The companys stock had a trading volume of 6,549,183 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,059,975. The firm has a market cap of $115.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.24, a P/E/G 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. The company has a quick ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65. The company has a 50 day moving average of $67.41 and a two-hundred day moving average of $70.05.
Charles Schwab Dividend Announcement
Charles Schwab ( NYSE:SCHW Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, July 16th. The financial services provider reported $0.73 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates 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%. The firms quarterly revenue was up .7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.75 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 3.06 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 23rd. Investors of record on Friday, August 9th were paid a $0.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 9th. This represents a $1.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.54%. Charles Schwabs payout ratio is 41.84%.
Insider Activity at Charles Schwab
In related news, insider Bernard J. Clark sold 8,164 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 sale, the insider now owns 121,666 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,124,950. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. In other Charles Schwab news, insider Bernard J. Clark sold 8,164 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.00, for a total transaction of $612,300.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 121,666 shares in the company, valued at $9,124,950. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Carolyn Schwab-Pomerantz sold 9,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, June 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $72.49, for a total value of $652,410.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 570,657 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $41,366,925.93. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 107,800 shares of company stock valued at $7,145,364. 6.60% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several research analysts have commented on SCHW shares. TD Cowen restated a hold rating and issued a $71.00 target price (down previously from $88.00) on shares of Charles Schwab in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price target on shares of Charles Schwab from $82.00 to $78.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 17th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Charles Schwab from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Friday, May 24th. Bank of America decreased their price target on shares of Charles Schwab from $72.00 to $66.00 and set an underperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on Charles Schwab from $71.00 to $70.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note 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 company. According to MarketBeat.com, Charles Schwab has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $74.00.
Check Out Our Latest Analysis on SCHW
About Charles Schwab
(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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Boston Financial Mangement LLC trimmed its stake in Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW Free Report) by 1.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 9,937 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 157 shares during the period. Boston Financial Mangement LLCs holdings in Illinois Tool Works were worth $2,355,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works in the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Security National Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Christopher J. Hasenberg Inc purchased a new stake in shares of Illinois Tool Works in the 1st quarter worth approximately $32,000. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC bought a new position in shares of Illinois Tool Works during the 1st quarter worth approximately $34,000. Finally, Financial Connections Group Inc. bought a new position in shares of Illinois Tool Works during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.77% of the companys stock.
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Illinois Tool Works Stock Up 1.1 %
ITW stock opened at $253.18 on Friday. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $242.12 and its 200-day simple moving average is $249.13. The company has a market capitalization of $75.55 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.17, a current ratio of 1.30 and a quick ratio of 0.94. Illinois Tool Works Inc. has a 12 month low of $217.50 and a 12 month high of $271.15.
Illinois Tool Works Increases Dividend
Illinois Tool Works ( NYSE:ITW Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 30th. The industrial products company reported $2.54 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.45 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $4.03 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.08 billion. Illinois Tool Works had a net margin of 19.15% and a return on equity of 99.74%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.41 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Illinois Tool Works Inc. will post 10.25 earnings per share for the current year.
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 11th. Investors of record on Monday, September 30th will be issued a dividend of $1.50 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 30th. This is an increase from Illinois Tool Workss previous quarterly dividend of $1.40. This represents a $6.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.37%. Illinois Tool Workss dividend payout ratio is 59.17%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several research analysts recently commented on the stock. StockNews.com lowered shares of Illinois Tool Works from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, August 1st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $267.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price objective on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $275.00 to $240.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 11th. Truist Financial reduced their price objective on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $283.00 to $281.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of Illinois Tool Works from $230.00 to $236.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating, two have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $250.22.
Read Our Latest Analysis on ITW
Insider Buying and Selling
In other news, Director David Byron Smith, Jr. purchased 775 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 13th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $238.82 per share, with a total value of $185,085.50. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 121,506 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $29,018,062.92. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.88% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
About Illinois Tool Works
(Free Report)
Illinois Tool Works Inc manufactures and sells industrial products and equipment in the United States and internationally. It operates through seven segments: Automotive OEM; Food Equipment; Test & Measurement and Electronics; Welding; Polymers & Fluids; Construction Products; and Specialty Products.
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Ukraine is trying to strengthen the defense of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region, which continues to be attacked by the Russian occupiers. This city is an important logistical and logistical hub for the Defense Forces.
ADVERTISIMENT
One of the offensive brigades, the 15th Operational Brigade of the National Guard "Kara-Dag", has been deployed to strengthen the defense. Forbes writes about this.
"In a desperate effort to bolster Ukraine's defenses around Pokrovsk, a city with a pre-war population of 60,000 and an important logistical center 25 miles west of the ruins of Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine has deployed one of its offensive brigades: "Kara-Dag."
The author of the article, journalist David Axe, notes that this brigade, with a total strength of about 2,000 soldiers, had previously been conducting combat missions in southern Ukraine. The fact that the Ukrainian command was forced to deploy it to an "unfamiliar battlefield in the east", according to Axe, "emphasizes the severity of the problems Ukraine is facing on the frontline between Avdiivka and Pokrovsk.
ADVERTISIMENT
The publication reminds that Russia has been slowly advancing toward Pokrovsk since capturing Avdiivka in February this year. The chronic lack of ammunition in the Ukrainian Defense Forces in this area also played into the enemy's hands. At the same time, Pokrovsk, which is being targeted by the Russians, is extremely important for Ukraine.
"Ukraine's logistics backbone in the Donetsk region is under threat," the newspaper quotes the Ukrainian analytical group Frontelligence Insight, whose representatives note that Pokrovsk "has become a key transportation and distribution railroad hub that has helped supply Ukrainian forces along a wide front line."
ADVERTISIMENT
In August, the Russian advance gained a more rapid pace and after that, the newspaper writes, the General Staff of the Armed Forces began to respond to the risky situation, in particular, reinforcements were sent to strengthen the defense in the Pokrovsk direction to support soldiers from several mechanized, airborne assault brigades and National Guard brigades that were already fighting fierce battles with the enemy there.
"Among these fresh forces was the "Kara-Dag" brigade. Formed in 2014, reorganized several times, bloody in battle in 2022, and then reinforced with additional heavy weapons, including T-64 tanks, the "Kara-Dag" Brigade is one of the National Guard's offensive brigades. Usually, it is a paramilitary police group, but military circumstances forced the brigade to fight as an army brigade," the article says.
ADVERTISIMENT
Until recently, the brigade fought on the southern front, in particular, it fought in the Melitopol area in the first days of the full-scale war, and after that, it remained in Zaporizhzhia until it was time to move east.
"But the deployment of the Karadazh brigade did not stop the Russian advance. And some Russian observers wonder where the rest of Ukraine's reserves are. Of course, many Ukrainian troops who have not yet been involved in combat joined Ukraine's sudden invasion of Russia's Kursk region. Despite this, there must be several unused brigades somewhere in Ukraine out of a total ground combat force of about 100 brigades," the author writes.
He also quotes Russian propagandist Yevgeny Norin, who said that Russia allegedly knows that "the Ukrainian armed forces still have several fairly intact and well-equipped units in reserve, about five brigades," and wonders why the command does not send them to defend the city's vital supply lines.
ADVERTISIMENT
"This can mean two things. They plan to deploy them elsewhere, and they want to achieve some decisive influence before the front in Donbass completely collapses," the propagandist concluded.
Forbes, in turn, suggests that this "other place" may be Kursk, where the Ukrainian operation continues - and continues successfully.
"By moving troops to Kursk rather than to the Pokrovsk direction, Ukraine's leaders are betting that the gains from their surprise invasion in the north are more important to the outcome of the war than the potential losses in the east. This is an extremely risky game," the author summarizes.
Earlier, it was reported that on August 28, the Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed another column of Putin's troops and a pontoon ferry in the Kursk region. The enemy has also apparently suffered losses in manpower, but the Russian command is carefully concealing them.
ADVERTISIMENT
In addition, Ukrainian defenders in the Kursk region are receiving "land-lifting" from the Russian occupiers. For example, since the start of the operation on August 6, the soldiers of the 80th Separate Mechanized Brigade alone have captured seven enemy tanks as trophies, including the "world's best tank" T-90M, as well as four brand new T-80 BVMs with mileage ranging from 80 to 300 kilometers. All the tanks will be used by their former owners after the repair work.
Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber . Do not fall for fakes!
Boston Properties (NYSE:BXP Free Report) had its price objective lifted by Evercore ISI from $76.00 to $77.00 in a research report released on Wednesday morning, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an outperform rating on the real estate investment trusts stock.
Several other research analysts also recently weighed in on BXP. Scotiabank upped their price target on shares of Boston Properties from $74.00 to $76.00 and gave the stock a sector outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. StockNews.com raised shares of Boston Properties from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an equal weight rating and set a $62.00 price objective on shares of Boston Properties in a research note on Thursday, June 20th. Truist Financial increased their price objective on shares of Boston Properties from $67.00 to $77.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Wedbush boosted their target price on Boston Properties from $63.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Monday, August 5th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Boston Properties presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $71.92.
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Boston Properties Trading Up 1.1 %
Shares of Boston Properties stock opened at $75.22 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $67.26 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $64.02. The company has a market cap of $11.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 61.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.46 and a beta of 1.18. Boston Properties has a fifty-two week low of $50.64 and a fifty-two week high of $75.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.90, a quick ratio of 4.77 and a current ratio of 4.83.
Boston Properties (NYSE:BXP Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.51 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.72 by ($1.21). Boston Properties had a return on equity of 2.05% and a net margin of 5.01%. The company had revenue of $850.48 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $819.49 million. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.86 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 4.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts predict that Boston Properties will post 7.12 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Boston Properties Announces Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 31st. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 28th were given a dividend of $0.98 per share. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 5.21%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 28th. Boston Propertiess dividend payout ratio is currently 321.31%.
Insider Activity at Boston Properties
In other Boston Properties news, EVP Peter V. Otteni sold 4,785 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $73.44, for a total value of $351,410.40. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. 1.35% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Boston Properties
Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in shares of Boston Properties by 0.5% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 23,568,962 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,539,289,000 after purchasing an additional 122,583 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Boston Properties during the 4th quarter worth about $890,848,000. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC lifted its holdings in Boston Properties by 3.8% during the 1st quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 4,502,079 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $294,031,000 after buying an additional 166,105 shares during the last quarter. Earnest Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Boston Properties by 25.9% during the 2nd quarter. Earnest Partners LLC now owns 2,637,235 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $162,348,000 after acquiring an additional 542,610 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in shares of Boston Properties by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,228,879 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $156,407,000 after acquiring an additional 22,074 shares during the last quarter. 98.72% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Boston Properties Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
Boston Properties, Inc (NYSE: BXP) (BXP or the Company) is the largest publicly traded developer, owner, and manager of premier workplaces in the United States, concentrated in six dynamic gateway markets Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC. BXP has delivered places that power progress for our clients and communities for more than 50 years.
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Arjuna Capital lowered its stake in shares of Brookfield Renewable Co. (NYSE:BEPC Free Report) by 2.3% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 111,573 shares of the companys stock after selling 2,678 shares during the quarter. Arjuna Capital owned approximately 0.06% of Brookfield Renewable worth $3,166,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Gulf International Bank UK Ltd increased its holdings in shares of Brookfield Renewable by 161.9% in the 1st quarter. Gulf International Bank UK Ltd now owns 1,197 shares of the companys stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 740 shares during the period. Bartlett & CO. Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Brookfield Renewable in the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Brookfield Renewable by 49.7% in the 1st quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,783 shares of the companys stock valued at $44,000 after acquiring an additional 592 shares during the period. Beach Investment Counsel Inc. PA purchased a new position in Brookfield Renewable in the 2nd quarter valued at $46,000. Finally, UniSuper Management Pty Ltd grew its position in Brookfield Renewable by 111.1% in the 1st quarter. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd now owns 1,900 shares of the companys stock valued at $47,000 after buying an additional 1,000 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.12% of the companys stock.
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Analysts Set New Price Targets
Separately, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of Brookfield Renewable from $30.00 to $33.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 16th.
Brookfield Renewable Price Performance
NYSE BEPC traded up $0.21 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $28.49. The companys stock had a trading volume of 649,572 shares, compared to its average volume of 965,418. The stock has a market cap of $5.12 billion, a PE ratio of -61.93 and a beta of 1.18. Brookfield Renewable Co. has a fifty-two week low of $21.35 and a fifty-two week high of $32.83. The companys 50-day moving average is $28.61 and its two-hundred day moving average is $27.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a current ratio of 0.39.
Brookfield Renewable (NYSE:BEPC Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, August 2nd. The company reported ($0.28) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.27) by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $1.48 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.51 billion. Brookfield Renewable had a net margin of 7.10% and a return on equity of 2.19%. Analysts forecast that Brookfield Renewable Co. will post -0.99 EPS for the current year.
Brookfield Renewable Announces Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a dividend of $0.355 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $1.42 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.98%. Brookfield Renewables payout ratio is currently -308.70%.
Brookfield Renewable Company Profile
(Free Report)
Brookfield Renewable Corporation owns and operates a portfolio of renewable power and sustainable solution assets primarily in the United States, Europe, Colombia, and Brazil. It operates hydroelectric, wind, solar, and distributed energy and sustainable solutions with an installed capacity of approximately 19,161 megawatts.
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Barnwell Industries, Inc. (NYSE:BRN Get Free Report) CEO Craig Douglas Hopkins purchased 5,000 shares of Barnwell Industries stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 28th. The stock was bought at an average price of $2.37 per share, with a total value of $11,850.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 70,000 shares of the companys stock, valued at $165,900. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink.
Barnwell Industries Price Performance
Shares of BRN stock opened at $2.52 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $25.27 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -7.64 and a beta of 0.15. The companys fifty day moving average price is $2.32 and its 200-day moving average price is $2.47. Barnwell Industries, Inc. has a one year low of $2.06 and a one year high of $3.20.
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Barnwell Industries (NYSE:BRN Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 13th. The company reported ($0.12) EPS for the quarter. The business had revenue of $5.53 million during the quarter. Barnwell Industries had a negative net margin of 13.29% and a negative return on equity of 18.20%.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Separately, StockNews.com assumed coverage on shares of Barnwell Industries in a report on Friday. They issued a hold rating for the company.
Read Our Latest Report on BRN
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Barnwell Industries
A hedge fund recently raised its stake in Barnwell Industries stock. Renaissance Technologies LLC boosted its position in shares of Barnwell Industries, Inc. (NYSE:BRN Free Report) by 1.9% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 355,534 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 6,612 shares during the period. Renaissance Technologies LLC owned approximately 3.55% of Barnwell Industries worth $836,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 40.71% of the companys stock.
Barnwell Industries Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
Barnwell Industries, Inc acquires, develops, produces, and sells oil and natural gas in Canada. The company operates through three segments: Oil and Natural Gas, Land Investment, and Contract Drilling. It also acquires and develops crude oil and natural gas assets in the province of Alberta, as well as invests in land interests in Hawaii.
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Crawford & Company (NYSE:CRD-A Get Free Report)s stock price traded up 1.2% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $10.99 and last traded at $10.83. 62,288 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, The stock had previously closed at $10.70.
Crawford & Company Stock Down 2.0 %
The business has a 50-day moving average of $9.47 and a 200-day moving average of $9.66.
About Crawford & Company
(Get Free Report)
Crawford & Company provides claims management and outsourcing solutions for carriers, brokers, and corporations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, Australia, Asia, and Latin America. The North America Loss Adjusting segment provides claims management services to insurance carriers and self-insured entities risk, including property, public liability, automobile liability, and marine insurances.
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Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. cut its holdings in shares of WEC Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE:WEC Free Report) by 8.3% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 21,780 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 1,971 shares during the quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc.s holdings in WEC Energy Group were worth $1,709,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. Braun Stacey Associates Inc. bought a new stake in WEC Energy Group in the 2nd quarter valued at $344,000. Blackhawk Capital Partners LLC. acquired a new stake in WEC Energy Group during the second quarter worth about $1,527,000. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV increased its stake in WEC Energy Group by 3.8% during the second quarter. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV now owns 16,038 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,258,000 after acquiring an additional 584 shares during the period. F M Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of WEC Energy Group in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $272,000. Finally, Blue Chip Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of WEC Energy Group by 12.1% during the 2nd quarter. Blue Chip Partners LLC now owns 3,332 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $261,000 after purchasing an additional 359 shares in the last quarter. 77.20% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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WEC Energy Group Price Performance
Shares of WEC traded up $0.26 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $93.03. 2,328,286 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,182,177. The company has a current ratio of 0.74, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.37. The stock has a market capitalization of $29.38 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.31, a PEG ratio of 2.40 and a beta of 0.41. The business has a 50-day moving average of $84.57 and a 200 day moving average of $82.07. WEC Energy Group, Inc. has a one year low of $75.13 and a one year high of $93.78.
WEC Energy Group Dividend Announcement
WEC Energy Group ( NYSE:WEC Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 31st. The utilities provider reported $0.67 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.63 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $1.77 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.87 billion. WEC Energy Group had a return on equity of 12.26% and a net margin of 15.85%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 3.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.92 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts expect that WEC Energy Group, Inc. will post 4.88 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 14th will be paid a $0.835 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, August 14th. This represents a $3.34 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.59%. WEC Energy Groups payout ratio is presently 72.93%.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other WEC Energy Group news, VP William J. Guc sold 6,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.99, for a total value of $557,940.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 7,702 shares of the companys stock, valued at $716,208.98. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In related news, VP William J. Guc sold 6,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $92.99, for a total transaction of $557,940.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 7,702 shares in the company, valued at $716,208.98. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, VP Joshua M. Erickson sold 350 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $89.75, for a total transaction of $31,412.50. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 2,377 shares in the company, valued at $213,335.75. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 8,462 shares of company stock valued at $776,608. Company insiders own 0.34% of the companys stock.
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of research analysts recently commented on WEC shares. Bank of America upped their target price on WEC Energy Group from $88.00 to $90.00 and gave the company an underperform rating in a research note on Thursday. KeyCorp decreased their target price on shares of WEC Energy Group from $96.00 to $95.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, July 22nd. Scotiabank increased their price target on shares of WEC Energy Group from $90.00 to $103.00 and gave the stock a sector outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 20th. StockNews.com downgraded WEC Energy Group from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Friday, August 9th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on WEC Energy Group from $91.00 to $93.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Friday, August 23rd. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $89.77.
Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on WEC
About WEC Energy Group
(Free Report)
WEC Energy Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides regulated natural gas and electricity, and renewable and nonregulated renewable energy services in the United States. It operates through Wisconsin, Illinois, Other States, Electric Transmission, and Non-Utility Energy Infrastructure segments.
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Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. lessened its holdings in ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW Free Report) by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 10,422 shares of the information technology services providers stock after selling 216 shares during the period. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc.s holdings in ServiceNow were worth $8,199,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of NOW. M&G Plc acquired a new position in shares of ServiceNow in the first quarter valued at $11,030,000. Smithfield Trust Co increased its stake in shares of ServiceNow by 36.4% in the 4th quarter. Smithfield Trust Co now owns 981 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $691,000 after acquiring an additional 262 shares during the last quarter. New Mexico Educational Retirement Board boosted its position in shares of ServiceNow by 9.4% during the first quarter. New Mexico Educational Retirement Board now owns 11,650 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $8,882,000 after purchasing an additional 1,000 shares in the last quarter. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management grew its stake in ServiceNow by 375.6% in the first quarter. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management now owns 1,365 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $1,041,000 after acquiring an additional 1,078 shares during the period. Finally, Summa Corp. bought a new stake in ServiceNow during the 4th quarter worth approximately $381,000. 87.18% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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Insider Transactions at ServiceNow
In related news, insider Christopher Bedi sold 215 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $700.00, for a total value of $150,500.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 15,892 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $11,124,400. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other news, General Counsel Russell S. Elmer sold 1,937 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, August 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $779.81, for a total transaction of $1,510,491.97. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel now owns 6,736 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,252,800.16. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Christopher Bedi sold 215 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $700.00, for a total value of $150,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 15,892 shares in the company, valued at $11,124,400. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 7,129 shares of company stock worth $5,759,436 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.25% of the companys stock.
ServiceNow Stock Up 2.9 %
Shares of ServiceNow stock traded up $23.73 on Friday, hitting $855.00. The company had a trading volume of 1,916,043 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,294,300. The stock has a market capitalization of $175.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 91.44, a P/E/G ratio of 4.82 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 1.12 and a current ratio of 1.12. ServiceNow, Inc. has a 1 year low of $527.24 and a 1 year high of $857.25. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $789.70 and a 200-day moving average of $760.16.
ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The information technology services provider reported $3.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.85 by $0.28. ServiceNow had a net margin of 11.51% and a return on equity of 14.52%. The firm had revenue of $2.63 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.61 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.77 EPS. The businesss revenue was up 22.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that ServiceNow, Inc. will post 6.84 earnings per share for the current year.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
NOW has been the topic of several analyst reports. William Blair reissued an outperform rating on shares of ServiceNow in a research report on Tuesday, May 7th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of ServiceNow from $830.00 to $860.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $900.00 price objective on shares of ServiceNow in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Guggenheim reiterated a sell rating and issued a $640.00 price target on shares of ServiceNow in a research note on Monday, July 8th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of ServiceNow from $920.00 to $935.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and twenty-five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, ServiceNow presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $849.62.
Read Our Latest Report on NOW
About ServiceNow
(Free Report)
ServiceNow, Inc provides end to-end intelligent workflow automation platform solutions for digital businesses in the North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company operates the Now platform for end-to-end digital transformation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotic process automation, process mining, performance analytics, and collaboration and development tools.
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UMB Bank n.a. lessened its position in shares of Diageo plc (NYSE:DEO Free Report) by 42.7% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 2,334 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,736 shares during the quarter. UMB Bank n.a.s holdings in Diageo were worth $294,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of DEO. Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado lifted its holdings in shares of Diageo by 4,665.2% in the 4th quarter. Public Employees Retirement Association of Colorado now owns 482,713 shares of the companys stock worth $70,312,000 after purchasing an additional 472,583 shares during the last quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC increased its position in Diageo by 3.3% in the 4th quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 14,621 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,129,000 after acquiring an additional 470 shares during the period. Beacon Financial Group acquired a new stake in Diageo in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $296,000. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its position in Diageo by 56.7% in the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 677,478 shares of the companys stock valued at $98,681,000 after acquiring an additional 245,255 shares during the period. Finally, QRG Capital Management Inc. increased its position in Diageo by 16.4% in the 1st quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 7,185 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,069,000 after acquiring an additional 1,011 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 8.97% of the companys stock.
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Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group cut Diageo from a neutral rating to a sell rating in a research report on Friday, July 12th. Citigroup upgraded Diageo from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 3rd. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada upgraded Diageo from an underperform rating to a sector perform rating in a report on Monday, August 12th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $2,950.00.
Diageo Stock Down 2.1 %
DEO traded down $2.75 during trading on Friday, reaching $130.78. 791,888 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 772,835. The stock has a market cap of $72.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.55 and a beta of 0.67. Diageo plc has a fifty-two week low of $119.48 and a fifty-two week high of $171.07. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.73, a current ratio of 1.58 and a quick ratio of 0.65. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $128.59 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $137.56.
Diageo Announces Dividend
The company also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 17th. Investors of record on Friday, August 30th will be given a dividend of $1.62 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This represents a yield of 3.2%. Diageos payout ratio is 71.37%.
Diageo Company Profile
(Free Report)
Diageo plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production, marketing, and sale of alcoholic beverages. The company offers scotch, gin, vodka, rum, raki, liqueur, wine, tequila, Chinese white spirits, cachaca, and brandy, as well as beer, including cider and flavored malt beverages. It also provides Chinese, Canadian, Irish, American, and Indian-Made Foreign Liquor whiskies, as well as flavored malt beverages, ready to drink, and non-alcoholic products.
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Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Duke Energy Co. (NYSE:DUK Free Report) by 58.7% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 39,820 shares of the utilities providers stock after buying an additional 14,722 shares during the quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLCs holdings in Duke Energy were worth $3,991,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Legacy Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Duke Energy in the 2nd quarter worth $702,000. Abacus Planning Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Duke Energy by 4.4% in the 2nd quarter. Abacus Planning Group Inc. now owns 7,651 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $767,000 after purchasing an additional 322 shares during the period. Intact Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in Duke Energy by 2.5% during the 2nd quarter. Intact Investment Management Inc. now owns 44,600 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $4,470,000 after buying an additional 1,100 shares during the period. Seven Springs Wealth Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 2.6% in the second quarter. Seven Springs Wealth Group LLC now owns 34,450 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $3,453,000 after buying an additional 881 shares during the period. Finally, Canal Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 0.9% during the second quarter. Canal Capital Management LLC now owns 67,765 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $6,792,000 after acquiring an additional 616 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 65.31% of the companys stock.
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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Several brokerages have recently commented on DUK. Scotiabank raised their target price on Duke Energy from $104.00 to $113.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 20th. Barclays raised their price objective on Duke Energy from $99.00 to $102.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on shares of Duke Energy from $99.00 to $114.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Thursday, August 15th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on shares of Duke Energy from $114.00 to $120.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $111.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, August 12th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $113.92.
Insider Activity at Duke Energy
In related news, EVP Louis E. Renjel sold 540 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $113.64, for a total transaction of $61,365.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 19,884 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,259,617.76. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. 0.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Duke Energy Stock Up 0.8 %
NYSE:DUK traded up $0.96 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $113.95. The companys stock had a trading volume of 3,022,442 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,948,703. Duke Energy Co. has a one year low of $83.06 and a one year high of $116.67. The businesss 50-day moving average is $107.96 and its 200-day moving average is $101.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54, a current ratio of 0.78 and a quick ratio of 0.50. The company has a market cap of $87.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.09 and a beta of 0.45.
Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 6th. The utilities provider reported $1.18 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.02 by $0.16. Duke Energy had a return on equity of 9.25% and a net margin of 10.78%. The business had revenue of $7.17 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.84 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.91 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 9.0% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts predict that Duke Energy Co. will post 5.97 EPS for the current year.
Duke Energy Increases Dividend
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 16th. Investors of record on Friday, August 16th will be issued a dividend of $1.045 per share. This is an increase from Duke Energys previous quarterly dividend of $1.03. This represents a $4.18 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.67%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 16th. Duke Energys dividend payout ratio is currently 105.03%.
About Duke Energy
(Free Report)
Duke Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company in the United States. It operates through two segments: Electric Utilities and Infrastructure (EU&I), and Gas Utilities and Infrastructure (GU&I). The EU&I segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity in the Carolinas, Florida, and the Midwest.
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Eaton Co. plc (NYSE:ETN Get Free Report) insider Michael Yelton sold 3,136 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $303.12, for a total value of $950,584.32. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 3,914 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,186,411.68. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website.
Eaton Price Performance
Shares of ETN opened at $307.02 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a current ratio of 1.56 and a quick ratio of 1.05. The company has a market cap of $122.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.25, a PEG ratio of 2.47 and a beta of 1.02. Eaton Co. plc has a 12 month low of $191.82 and a 12 month high of $345.19. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $305.37 and a 200 day moving average price of $310.17.
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Eaton (NYSE:ETN Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 1st. The industrial products company reported $2.73 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.61 by $0.12. The business had revenue of $6.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.35 billion. Eaton had a net margin of 15.12% and a return on equity of 21.45%. On average, research analysts forecast that Eaton Co. plc will post 10.66 earnings per share for the current year.
Eaton Announces Dividend
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 23rd. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 5th were given a dividend of $0.94 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 5th. This represents a $3.76 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.22%. Eatons dividend payout ratio is presently 44.39%.
A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the company. HSBC upped their price target on Eaton from $240.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Friday, May 3rd. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on shares of Eaton from $370.00 to $385.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, July 11th. Evercore ISI dropped their target price on Eaton from $357.00 to $333.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, August 19th. Raymond James initiated coverage on Eaton in a research note on Friday, June 28th. They set an outperform rating and a $375.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Barclays increased their target price on Eaton from $318.00 to $319.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and fourteen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $328.00.
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Institutional Trading of Eaton
Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Legacy Capital Group California Inc. boosted its holdings in Eaton by 1.2% in the 2nd quarter. Legacy Capital Group California Inc. now owns 2,776 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $870,000 after purchasing an additional 32 shares during the period. Well Done LLC raised its position in shares of Eaton by 1.3% during the second quarter. Well Done LLC now owns 2,551 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $800,000 after buying an additional 33 shares during the last quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Eaton by 1.7% in the first quarter. Verdence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 2,059 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $644,000 after buying an additional 34 shares during the period. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. grew its position in Eaton by 1.7% during the second quarter. J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. now owns 2,053 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $644,000 after buying an additional 35 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Front Row Advisors LLC increased its stake in Eaton by 0.4% during the second quarter. Front Row Advisors LLC now owns 7,842 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $2,459,000 after acquiring an additional 35 shares during the period. 82.97% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Eaton Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
Eaton Corporation plc operates as a power management company worldwide. The company's Electrical Americas and Electrical Global segment provides electrical components, industrial components, power distribution and assemblies, residential products, single and three phase power quality and connectivity products, wiring devices, circuit protection products, utility power distribution products, power reliability equipment, and services, as well as hazardous duty electrical equipment, emergency lighting, fire detection, explosion-proof instrumentation, and structural support systems.
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European Commercial REIT (CVE:ERE Get Free Report) was up 42.9% during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as C$0.25 and last traded at C$0.25. Approximately 7,400 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 88% from the average daily volume of 62,141 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.18.
European Commercial REIT Price Performance
The stock has a 50-day moving average price of C$0.25 and a 200 day moving average price of C$0.25.
European Commercial REIT Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
Everest Re Group, Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance and insurance products in the United States, Bermuda, and internationally. The company operates through Reinsurance Operations and Insurance Operations segments. The Reinsurance Operations 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.
Further Reading
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On the night of August 31, Russia attacked Ukraine with drones and missiles once again. Ukrainian air defense forces destroyed 24 Russian UAVs.
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Another 25 drones fell on their own, and three more reached Belarus and Russia. This was reported by the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the enemy launched an Iskander-M ballistic missile from the Voronezh region, four S-300 guided missiles from the occupied part of Donetsk region, and 52 Shahed-131/136 strike drones from the Kursk region of the Russian Federation.
Aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Air Force and Defense Forces were involved in repelling the enemy air attack.
"As a result of the anti-aircraft battle, 24 Shahed-131/136 attack UAVs were shot down, and 25 were lost locationally (fell down on their own). Two more drones returned to Russia, and another one reached Belarus. Air defense was operating in Kyiv, Poltava, Cherkasy, Dnipro, Chernihiv, Kropyvnytskyi, Mykolaiv and Sumy regions," the Air Force said.
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In particular, according to the head of the Cherkasy RegionalMilitary Administration Ihor Taburets, the defenders destroyed three UAVs over the Cherkasy region.
"Four private houses in Cherkasy region were damaged by falling debris. However, people were not injured. This is the most important thing. The area is being inspected," he said.
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Air defense forces were also working in Kyiv region.
"Air defense forces were working in the region. Enemy targets were shot down. There were no hits to critical or residential infrastructure. There are no casualties. The falling of the debris is recorded outside the settlements in open areas. As a result of the falling debris of the downed targets, forest and grass litter caught fire in 3 districts of the region. Operational groups continue to work on eliminating the consequences of the enemy's attack," said Ruslan Kravchenko, head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration.
And the head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, Serhiy Popko, said that Kyiv had been attacked with drones for the fourth time in a week. The air raid alert in the capital lasted about 4 hours.
"All Russian attack drones that threatened Kyiv were destroyed by air defense forces and other means. Preliminary, there was no damage or casualties in the city," he emphasized.
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As a reminder, the day before, the occupiers attacked Kharkiv with UAVs. The attack caused significant destruction and killed people, including a child (a girl who was in a playground). More than 70 people were injured.
It also became known that on August 30, Russians shelled Kherson region again. Two injured civilians were taken to the hospital.
Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber . Do not fall for fakes!
Camden Property Trust (NYSE:CPT Free Report) had its price target hoisted by Evercore ISI from $110.00 to $115.00 in a report published on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an in-line rating on the real estate investment trusts stock.
A number of other research analysts also recently issued reports on CPT. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on shares of Camden Property Trust from $110.00 to $128.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, August 26th. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on shares of Camden Property Trust from $98.00 to $105.50 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 14th. Wells Fargo & Company raised Camden Property Trust from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $104.00 to $127.00 in a research report on Monday, August 26th. Mizuho decreased their target price on Camden Property Trust from $111.00 to $108.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price target on Camden Property Trust from $109.00 to $117.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, July 18th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Camden Property Trust has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $116.62.
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Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Camden Property Trust
Camden Property Trust Price Performance
CPT stock opened at $125.20 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $13.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.69, a PEG ratio of 4.50 and a beta of 0.88. The firms 50-day moving average price is $114.69 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $105.52. The company has a current ratio of 0.43, a quick ratio of 0.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. Camden Property Trust has a 12-month low of $82.81 and a 12-month high of $125.35.
Camden Property Trust (NYSE:CPT Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The real estate investment trust reported $0.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.67 by ($1.27). The business had revenue of $387.15 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $384.76 million. Camden Property Trust had a net margin of 25.64% and a return on equity of 7.95%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.70 EPS. As a group, equities analysts predict that Camden Property Trust will post 6.73 earnings per share for the current year.
Camden Property Trust Dividend Announcement
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 17th. Investors of record on Friday, June 28th were given a $1.03 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 28th. This represents a $4.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.29%. Camden Property Trusts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 100.98%.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Camden Property Trust
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CPT. International Assets Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Camden Property Trust in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $90,900,000. Van ECK Associates Corp lifted its position in Camden Property Trust by 14.3% in the 4th quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 43,459 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $4,315,000 after acquiring an additional 5,423 shares in the last quarter. Cannell & Co. bought a new position in Camden Property Trust in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $7,358,000. Victory Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Camden Property Trust by 2.4% during the 4th quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 3,686,395 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $366,022,000 after buying an additional 87,337 shares during the period. Finally, New York Life Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Camden Property Trust by 73.9% during the 4th quarter. New York Life Investment Management LLC now owns 30,347 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $3,013,000 after buying an additional 12,898 shares during the period. 97.22% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Camden Property Trust Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
Camden Property Trust, an S&P 500 Company, is a real estate company primarily engaged in the ownership, management, development, redevelopment, acquisition, and construction of multifamily apartment communities. Camden owns and operates 172 properties containing 58,634 apartment homes across the United States.
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First Personal Financial Services cut its stake in shares of McDonalds Co. (NYSE:MCD Free Report) by 2.3% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 13,547 shares of the fast-food giants stock after selling 320 shares during the period. First Personal Financial Services holdings in McDonalds were worth $3,452,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of MCD. Boston Financial Mangement LLC increased its holdings in McDonalds by 0.9% in the 2nd quarter. Boston Financial Mangement LLC now owns 11,282 shares of the fast-food giants stock worth $2,875,000 after purchasing an additional 102 shares in the last quarter. Lee Danner & Bass Inc. acquired a new position in shares of McDonalds in the second quarter valued at approximately $3,682,000. OMC Financial Services LTD raised its holdings in McDonalds by 1.5% in the 2nd quarter. OMC Financial Services LTD now owns 17,908 shares of the fast-food giants stock valued at $4,564,000 after buying an additional 261 shares during the last quarter. KCM Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position in McDonalds by 3.4% during the 2nd quarter. KCM Investment Advisors LLC now owns 79,074 shares of the fast-food giants stock worth $20,151,000 after buying an additional 2,600 shares during the period. Finally, North Point Portfolio Managers Corp OH grew its holdings in McDonalds by 26.9% during the 2nd quarter. North Point Portfolio Managers Corp OH now owns 1,974 shares of the fast-food giants stock worth $503,000 after acquiring an additional 419 shares during the last quarter. 70.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Evercore ISI lifted their price target on shares of McDonalds from $300.00 to $320.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Monday, August 19th. Truist Financial cut their target price on McDonalds from $300.00 to $295.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. Wedbush reissued an outperform rating and issued a $295.00 price target on shares of McDonalds in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price objective on McDonalds from $320.00 to $310.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 29th. Finally, Guggenheim increased their target price on shares of McDonalds from $280.00 to $290.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $303.71.
McDonalds Price Performance
Shares of MCD stock traded up $0.69 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $288.55. The company had a trading volume of 2,528,115 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,519,216. The company has a market cap of $207.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.58 and a beta of 0.71. McDonalds Co. has a 12 month low of $243.53 and a 12 month high of $302.39. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $265.04 and a 200-day simple moving average of $271.00.
McDonalds (NYSE:MCD Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, July 29th. The fast-food giant reported $2.97 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $3.07 by ($0.10). McDonalds had a net margin of 32.25% and a negative return on equity of 178.92%. The company had revenue of $6.49 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.62 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $3.17 earnings per share. McDonaldss revenue was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts expect that McDonalds Co. will post 11.71 earnings per share for the current year.
McDonalds Dividend Announcement
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 17th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 3rd will be given a $1.67 dividend. This represents a $6.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.32%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 3rd. McDonaldss payout ratio is 56.71%.
Insider Buying and Selling at McDonalds
In other news, EVP Marion K. Gross sold 1,498 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $248.26, for a total value of $371,893.48. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 1,560 shares in the company, valued at approximately $387,285.60. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other McDonalds news, insider Joseph M. Erlinger sold 1,099 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $260.00, for a total transaction of $285,740.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 13,681 shares of the companys stock, valued at $3,557,060. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Marion K. Gross sold 1,498 shares of McDonalds stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $248.26, for a total value of $371,893.48. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 1,560 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $387,285.60. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 4,793 shares of company stock worth $1,260,106. Insiders own 0.23% of the companys stock.
McDonalds Company Profile
(Free Report)
McDonald's Corporation operates and franchises restaurants under the McDonald's brand in the United States and internationally. It offers food and beverages, including hamburgers and cheeseburgers, various chicken sandwiches, fries, shakes, desserts, sundaes, cookies, pies, soft drinks, coffee, and other beverages; and full or limited breakfast, as well as sells various other products during limited-time promotions.
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Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH grew its stake in Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (NYSE:ARE Free Report) by 0.1% in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 483,885 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after buying an additional 318 shares during the period. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH owned approximately 0.28% of Alexandria Real Estate Equities worth $56,600,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Taylor Frigon Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 13.2% in the 2nd quarter. Taylor Frigon Capital Management LLC now owns 18,370 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $2,149,000 after purchasing an additional 2,136 shares during the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its stake in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 132.8% in the second quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 270 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 154 shares during the last quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors bought a new stake in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities during the 2nd quarter worth $314,000. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 4.0% during the 2nd quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. now owns 44,548 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $5,211,000 after buying an additional 1,723 shares during the period. Finally, Whittier Trust Co. grew its stake in Alexandria Real Estate Equities by 4.5% in the 2nd quarter. Whittier Trust Co. now owns 81,973 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $9,588,000 after buying an additional 3,503 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 96.54% of the companys stock.
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Insiders Place Their Bets
In related news, major shareholder Real Estate Equitie Alexandria sold 150,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $4.21, for a total value of $631,500.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 6,005,077 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $25,281,374.17. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 1.15% of the companys stock.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Bank of America lowered shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities from a buy rating to a neutral rating and cut their target price for the stock from $151.00 to $126.00 in a research report on Monday, July 29th. Wedbush downgraded Alexandria Real Estate Equities from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and decreased their target price for the company from $140.00 to $130.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 24th. Evercore ISI lifted their price target on Alexandria Real Estate Equities from $126.00 to $127.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research report on Wednesday. Jefferies Financial Group lowered Alexandria Real Estate Equities from a buy rating to a hold rating and cut their price target for the stock from $136.00 to $127.00 in a report on Friday, August 2nd. Finally, JMP Securities restated a market outperform rating and issued a $140.00 price objective on shares of Alexandria Real Estate Equities in a research note on Tuesday, July 23rd. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Alexandria Real Estate Equities presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $131.33.
Read Our Latest Stock Report on ARE
Alexandria Real Estate Equities Stock Performance
Shares of NYSE:ARE traded up $1.75 during trading on Friday, hitting $119.57. 1,029,472 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 919,403. The company has a market capitalization of $20.91 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 111.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.00 and a beta of 1.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.55, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.23. Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. has a 1-year low of $90.73 and a 1-year high of $135.45. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $118.05 and its 200-day simple moving average is $119.82.
Alexandria Real Estate Equities (NYSE:ARE Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, July 22nd. The real estate investment trust reported $0.25 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $2.34 by ($2.09). The business had revenue of $766.70 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $775.03 million. Alexandria Real Estate Equities had a return on equity of 0.68% and a net margin of 5.09%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 7.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.24 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. will post 9.48 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Alexandria Real Estate Equities Increases Dividend
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 15th. Investors of record on Friday, June 28th were given a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.35%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, June 28th. This is a positive change from Alexandria Real Estate Equitiess previous quarterly dividend of $1.27. Alexandria Real Estate Equitiess dividend payout ratio is 485.98%.
Alexandria Real Estate Equities Profile
(Free Report)
Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc (NYSE: ARE), an S&P 500 company, is a best-in-class, mission-driven life science REIT making a positive and lasting impact on the world. As the pioneer of the life science real estate niche since our founding in 1994, Alexandria is the preeminent and longest-tenured owner, operator, and developer of collaborative life science, agtech, and advanced technology mega campuses in AAA innovation cluster locations, including Greater Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, San Diego, Seattle, Maryland, and Research Triangle.
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Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH lowered its holdings in Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) by 16.2% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,072,228 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 207,356 shares during the period. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OHs holdings in Wells Fargo & Company were worth $63,680,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Lee Danner & Bass Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $3,516,000. Signaturefd LLC grew its holdings in Wells Fargo & Company by 5.6% during the second quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 55,166 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $3,276,000 after purchasing an additional 2,922 shares during the period. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. increased its position in Wells Fargo & Company by 18.8% in the second quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. now owns 58,880 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $3,497,000 after buying an additional 9,338 shares during the last quarter. Golden State Equity Partners bought a new stake in shares of Wells Fargo & Company in the second quarter valued at $1,947,000. Finally, Argent Advisors Inc. lifted its position in shares of Wells Fargo & Company by 4.0% during the 2nd quarter. Argent Advisors Inc. now owns 28,740 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,707,000 after buying an additional 1,101 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 75.90% of the companys stock.
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Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of brokerages recently issued reports on WFC. Jefferies Financial Group cut Wells Fargo & Company to a hold rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $62.00 to $59.00 in a research note on Friday, August 16th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $55.00 to $57.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Thursday, July 11th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reduced their price objective on shares of Wells Fargo & Company from $62.00 to $61.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 15th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Wells Fargo & Company from $64.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 30th. Finally, Evercore ISI reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $67.00 price target (down from $70.00) on shares of Wells Fargo & Company in a research report on Monday, July 15th. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $59.63.
Wells Fargo & Company Price Performance
Shares of NYSE WFC traded up $1.12 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $58.47. 20,068,054 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 17,823,389. The company has a current ratio of 0.86, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $57.39 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $57.59. The company has a market cap of $203.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.01, a PEG ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 1.17. Wells Fargo & Company has a 12-month low of $38.38 and a 12-month high of $62.55.
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC Get Free Report) last announced 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. The business had revenue of $20.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $20.29 billion. Wells Fargo & Company had a net margin of 15.17% and a return on equity of 12.30%. Wells Fargo & Companys revenue for the quarter was up .8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.25 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that Wells Fargo & Company will post 5.14 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Wells Fargo & Company Increases Dividend
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Sunday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 9th will be given a dividend of $0.40 per share. This is an increase from Wells Fargo & Companys previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 9th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.74%. Wells Fargo & Companys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 32.85%.
Wells Fargo & Company Company Profile
(Free Report)
Wells Fargo & Company, a financial services company, provides diversified banking, investment, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Consumer Banking and Lending; Commercial Banking; Corporate and Investment Banking; and Wealth and Investment Management.
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Fortis Group Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of iShares U.S. Insurance ETF (NYSEARCA:IAK Free Report) by 16.1% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 64,687 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 8,980 shares during the quarter. iShares U.S. Insurance ETF accounts for 1.5% of Fortis Group Advisors LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest holding. Fortis Group Advisors LLC owned about 1.17% of iShares U.S. Insurance ETF worth $7,304,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Wells Fargo & Company MN boosted its holdings in iShares U.S. Insurance ETF by 7.7% during the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 176,639 shares of the companys stock valued at $17,686,000 after acquiring an additional 12,577 shares during the period. Osaic Holdings Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of iShares U.S. Insurance ETF by 6.2% in the 1st quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 173,135 shares of the companys stock worth $20,311,000 after buying an additional 10,148 shares during the period. Stifel Financial Corp grew its position in shares of iShares U.S. Insurance ETF by 11.0% during the 4th quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 134,142 shares of the companys stock worth $13,432,000 after buying an additional 13,240 shares in the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. increased its stake in shares of iShares U.S. Insurance ETF by 568.0% during the first quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 97,837 shares of the companys stock valued at $11,485,000 after buying an additional 83,191 shares during the period. Finally, Legend Financial Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in shares of iShares U.S. Insurance ETF by 0.7% in the second quarter. Legend Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 55,741 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,294,000 after acquiring an additional 406 shares in the last quarter.
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iShares U.S. Insurance ETF Stock Up 0.6 %
NYSEARCA:IAK traded up $0.78 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $128.59. The companys stock had a trading volume of 51,037 shares, compared to its average volume of 71,565. The firm has a market capitalization of $713.67 million, a PE ratio of 17.19 and a beta of 0.40. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $118.28 and a 200-day moving average of $115.23. iShares U.S. Insurance ETF has a 1 year low of $89.21 and a 1 year high of $128.74.
iShares U.S. Insurance ETF Profile
The iShares U.S. Insurance ETF (IAK) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the DJ US Select \u002F Insurance index. The fund tracks a market-cap index of US insurance companies. IAK was launched on May 1, 2006 and is managed by BlackRock.
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Great Portland Estates Plc (LON:GPOR Get Free Report)s share price passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of GBX 735.50 ($9.70) and traded as high as GBX 767.50 ($10.12). Great Portland Estates shares last traded at GBX 735.50 ($9.70), with a volume of 442,820 shares changing hands.
Great Portland Estates Stock Performance
The stocks 50 day moving average is GBX 735.50 and its 200 day moving average is GBX 735.50. The stock has a market capitalization of 1.87 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 124.66. The company has a current ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 24.29.
Great Portland Estates Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
We are a FTSE 250 property investment and development company owning A2.6 billion of real estate in central London. We proactively manage our portfolio, flexing our activities in tune with London's property cycle to deliver long-term out-performance. We create in-demand spaces that people want to be part of; helping our occupiers, local communities and the city to thrive.
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Hostmore plc (LON:MORE Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week low on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as GBX 8.54 ($0.11) and last traded at GBX 8.93 ($0.12), with a volume of 13297 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at GBX 9.76 ($0.13).
Hostmore Stock Down 0.1 %
The companys 50 day moving average price is GBX 13.90 and its two-hundred day moving average price is GBX 16.65. The firm has a market cap of 11.98 million, a PE ratio of -43.18 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a current ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 0.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1,145.20.
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Insider Activity at Hostmore
In other news, insider Julie McEwan bought 29,499 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 28th. The shares were bought at an average price of GBX 17 ($0.22) per share, for a total transaction of 5,014.83 ($6,613.25). In the last quarter, insiders have bought 107,262 shares of company stock worth $1,471,425. 40.72% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
About Hostmore
Hostmore plc operates in the hospitality business. It operates American-themed casual dining restaurants under the TGI Fridays brand; cocktail-led bar and restaurants under the 63rd+1st brand; and fast casual dining restaurants under the Fridays and Go brand. The company was incorporated in 2021 and is based in Edinburgh, the United Kingdom.
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Ingalls & Snyder LLC lessened its stake in shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC Free Report) by 15.3% during the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 4,974 shares of the companys stock after selling 900 shares during the quarter. Ingalls & Snyder LLCs holdings in McCormick & Company, Incorporated were worth $353,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of MKC. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC grew its position in McCormick & Company, Incorporated by 87.5% in the 2nd quarter. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC now owns 375 shares of the companys stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 175 shares during the last quarter. OFI Invest Asset Management bought a new position in McCormick & Company, Incorporated in the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. 1620 Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new position in McCormick & Company, Incorporated in the 2nd quarter valued at $35,000. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC bought a new position in McCormick & Company, Incorporated in the 4th quarter valued at $44,000. Finally, Hantz Financial Services Inc. bought a new position in McCormick & Company, Incorporated in the 2nd quarter valued at $67,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.74% of the companys stock.
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McCormick & Company, Incorporated Stock Up 1.3 %
Shares of MKC traded up $1.00 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $80.03. 1,902,919 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,924,285. McCormick & Company, Incorporated has a 52 week low of $59.13 and a 52 week high of $83.48. The company has a current ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. The companys 50 day moving average is $74.82 and its two-hundred day moving average is $72.70. The company has a market capitalization of $21.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.21, a PEG ratio of 4.02 and a beta of 0.75.
McCormick & Company, Incorporated Announces Dividend
McCormick & Company, Incorporated ( NYSE:MKC Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, June 27th. The company reported $0.69 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.59 by $0.10. McCormick & Company, Incorporated had a return on equity of 14.63% and a net margin of 11.07%. The company had revenue of $1.64 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.63 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.60 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was down 1.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that McCormick & Company, Incorporated will post 2.85 earnings per share for the current year.
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 22nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 8th were paid a $0.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, July 8th. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.10%. McCormick & Company, Incorporateds dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 61.31%.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
Several brokerages have commented on MKC. TD Cowen cut their price objective on McCormick & Company, Incorporated from $75.00 to $73.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, June 24th. Citigroup raised McCormick & Company, Incorporated from a sell rating to a neutral rating and upped their price objective for the company from $68.00 to $69.00 in a research report on Wednesday, June 12th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $76.25.
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on MKC
Insider Buying and Selling at McCormick & Company, Incorporated
In other McCormick & Company, Incorporated news, Director Lawrence Erik Kurzius sold 25,000 shares of McCormick & Company, Incorporated stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.00, for a total value of $1,875,000.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 199,258 shares in the company, valued at $14,944,350. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 22.90% of the stock is owned by insiders.
About McCormick & Company, Incorporated
(Free Report)
McCormick & Company, Incorporated manufactures, markets, and distributes spices, seasoning mixes, condiments, and other flavorful products to the food industry. It operates in two segments, Consumer and Flavor Solutions. The Consumer segment offers spices, herbs, and seasonings, as well as condiments and sauces, and desserts.
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Intact Investment Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Corpay, Inc. (NYSE:CPAY Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund acquired 2,200 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $586,000.
Other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Hantz Financial Services Inc. purchased a new position in Corpay in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $3,907,000. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd grew its stake in Corpay by 0.9% in the 2nd quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd now owns 7,754 shares of the companys stock worth $2,066,000 after buying an additional 71 shares in the last quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. grew its stake in Corpay by 252.2% in the 2nd quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. now owns 9,649 shares of the companys stock worth $2,571,000 after buying an additional 6,909 shares in the last quarter. UMB Bank n.a. purchased a new position in Corpay in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $493,000. Finally, Innealta Capital LLC purchased a new position in Corpay in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $36,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 98.84% of the companys stock.
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Corpay Stock Performance
NYSE:CPAY traded up $4.53 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $315.55. 649,212 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 463,855. The business has a fifty day moving average of $284.84. Corpay, Inc. has a 12 month low of $220.39 and a 12 month high of $319.94. The company has a quick ratio of 1.07, a current ratio of 1.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.48. The firm has a market capitalization of $22.17 billion, a PE ratio of 23.48, a P/E/G ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 1.20.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Corpay ( NYSE:CPAY Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 7th. The company reported $4.55 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $4.51 by $0.04. Corpay had a net margin of 26.29% and a return on equity of 36.97%. The business had revenue of $975.70 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $973.84 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $3.85 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 2.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that Corpay, Inc. will post 17.82 EPS for the current fiscal year.
A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on CPAY shares. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price objective on shares of Corpay from $360.00 to $350.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Thursday, May 9th. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Corpay in a report on Wednesday, June 5th. They issued an equal weight rating and a $285.00 price objective for the company. Raymond James lowered their price objective on shares of Corpay from $330.00 to $311.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Thursday, August 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Corpay from $327.00 to $353.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, August 20th. Finally, Wolfe Research lowered shares of Corpay from a peer perform rating to an underperform rating and set a $295.00 price objective for the company. in a report on Friday, May 17th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $332.50.
View Our Latest Research Report on Corpay
Corpay Profile
(Free Report)
Corpay, Inc operates as a payments company that helps businesses and consumers manage vehicle-related expenses, lodging expenses, and corporate payments in the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company offers vehicle payment solutions, which include fuel, tolls, parking, fleet maintenance, and long-haul transportation services, as well as prepaid food and transportation vouchers and cards.
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Intact Investment Management Inc. lowered its holdings in shares of Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd (NYSE:OR Free Report) by 14.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 112,200 shares of the basic materials companys stock after selling 18,300 shares during the quarter. Intact Investment Management Inc. owned approximately 0.06% of Osisko Gold Royalties worth $1,748,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in OR. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank lifted its holdings in shares of Osisko Gold Royalties by 29.3% in the second quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 48,801 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $760,000 after buying an additional 11,070 shares in the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC bought a new position in shares of Osisko Gold Royalties during the 2nd quarter valued at about $4,405,000. Corundum Trust Company INC purchased a new position in shares of Osisko Gold Royalties during the second quarter valued at about $249,000. U S Global Investors Inc. grew its position in shares of Osisko Gold Royalties by 19.3% during the second quarter. U S Global Investors Inc. now owns 434,432 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $7,131,000 after purchasing an additional 70,180 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Raymond James & Associates increased its holdings in shares of Osisko Gold Royalties by 9.1% in the second quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 135,667 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $2,114,000 after purchasing an additional 11,316 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.52% of the companys stock.
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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
Several research firms have weighed in on OR. TD Securities upgraded Osisko Gold Royalties to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, July 22nd. Jefferies Financial Group raised shares of Osisko Gold Royalties from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $19.00 target price for the company in a report on Friday, July 12th.
Osisko Gold Royalties Trading Down 0.8 %
Shares of NYSE:OR traded down $0.14 during trading on Friday, reaching $17.27. The companys stock had a trading volume of 331,084 shares, compared to its average volume of 781,280. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.22 billion, a PE ratio of -82.24 and a beta of 1.01. Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd has a 12 month low of $11.24 and a 12 month high of $18.34. The company has a current ratio of 4.92, a quick ratio of 4.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $16.90 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $16.23.
Osisko Gold Royalties (NYSE:OR Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 6th. The basic materials company reported $0.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.12 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $47.39 million during the quarter. Osisko Gold Royalties had a positive return on equity of 6.80% and a negative net margin of 36.71%. On average, research analysts predict that Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd will post 0.47 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Osisko Gold Royalties Announces Dividend
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 15th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 30th will be paid a dividend of $0.047 per share. This represents a $0.19 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.09%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 30th. Osisko Gold Royaltiess payout ratio is -85.71%.
Osisko Gold Royalties Company Profile
(Free Report)
Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd acquires and manages precious metal and other royalties, streams, and other interests in Canada and internationally. It also owns options on offtake; royalty/stream financings; and exclusive rights to participate in future royalty/stream financings on various projects. The company's primary asset is a 3-5% net smelter return royalty on the Canadian Malartic complex located in Canada.
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On Friday, August 30, Venezuelan security services detained two Colombians who fought for Ukraine. They were extradited to the terrorist state of Russia. The foreigners were arrested by the FSB.
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This was reported by the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo. The sister of one of the detainees said that they were noticed and detained because they were wearing the uniform of the Armed Forces of Venezuela they were traveling to Colombia in transit through the Venezuelan capital Caracas.
Meanwhile, the Russian Service of the BBC reported that the FSB announced the detention and arrest of two Colombian citizens suspected of participating in the war in Ukraine on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. During the searches, documents and military uniforms with insignia of the Carpathian Sich battalion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were seized from them. A criminal case was opened against them under the article on mercenarism.
As a reminder, Russia is a key ally of Venezuela. Russian financial aid and loans to Venezuela amount to billions of dollars.
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In addition, Venezuela is one of the largest buyers of Russian military equipment. In the period from 2005 to 2017, the total volume of arms and equipment purchases was estimated at more than $11 billion, including more than 120 tanks and self-propelled artillery systems, about 240 armored personnel carriers, several dozen Grad and Smerch multiple rocket launchers, and air defense systems.
As OBOZ.UA reported, Venezuela is recalling its diplomats from seven Latin American countries. These are the countries that refused to recognize the "victory" of Venezuela's current leader, Nicolas Maduro, in the presidential election.
Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber . Do not fall for fakes!
International Assets Investment Management LLC trimmed its position in Shopify Inc. (NYSE:SHOP Free Report) (TSE:SHOP) by 13.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 14,223 shares of the software makers stock after selling 2,225 shares during the period. International Assets Investment Management LLCs holdings in Shopify were worth $939,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
A number of other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Private Wealth Management Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Shopify in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. DSM Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in Shopify in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Jones Financial Companies Lllp bought a new position in shares of Shopify in the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP raised its position in shares of Shopify by 4,344.4% during the 4th quarter. Your Advocates Ltd. LLP now owns 400 shares of the software makers stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 391 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cultivar Capital Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Shopify during the 2nd quarter worth $33,000. 69.27% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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Shopify Stock Up 1.1 %
Shares of NYSE:SHOP opened at $74.05 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $66.29 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $69.10. The company has a current ratio of 7.32, a quick ratio of 7.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10. The stock has a market capitalization of $95.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -435.59, a PEG ratio of 2.50 and a beta of 2.30. Shopify Inc. has a 12-month low of $45.50 and a 12-month high of $91.57.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
Shopify ( NYSE:SHOP Get Free Report ) (TSE:SHOP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 7th. The software maker reported $0.26 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.20 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $2.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.01 billion. Shopify had a net margin of 16.40% and a return on equity of 10.88%. Shopifys revenue was up 20.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned ($0.08) EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Shopify Inc. will post 0.76 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
SHOP has been the topic of a number of research reports. CIBC lowered their price target on Shopify from $100.00 to $85.00 and set an outperformer rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, May 9th. Wedbush reissued a neutral rating and set a $72.00 price objective (up from $68.00) on shares of Shopify in a report on Wednesday, August 7th. KeyCorp assumed coverage on Shopify in a research report on Thursday, July 25th. They issued an overweight rating and a $80.00 target price for the company. Roth Mkm increased their price target on shares of Shopify from $77.00 to $79.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Finally, Piper Sandler reiterated a neutral rating and issued a $67.00 target price on shares of Shopify in a research report on Thursday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have issued a hold rating, twenty-three have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $77.30.
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About Shopify
(Free Report)
Shopify Inc, a commerce company, provides a commerce platform and services in Canada, the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, Australia, China, and Latin America. The company's platform enables merchants to displays, manages, markets, and sells its products through various sales channels, including web and mobile storefronts, physical retail locations, pop-up shops, social media storefronts, native mobile apps, buy buttons, and marketplaces; and enables to manage products and inventory, process orders and payments, fulfill and ship orders, new buyers and build customer relationships, source products, leverage analytics and reporting, manage cash, payments and transactions, and access financing.
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UMB Bank n.a. decreased its holdings in International Paper (NYSE:IP Free Report) by 14.8% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 4,254 shares of the basic materials companys stock after selling 738 shares during the quarter. UMB Bank n.a.s holdings in International Paper were worth $184,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Retirement Systems of Alabama grew its position in International Paper by 0.3% in the second quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama now owns 76,616 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $3,306,000 after buying an additional 246 shares during the last quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV grew its position in International Paper by 27.7% during the 2nd quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 1,157 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $50,000 after purchasing an additional 251 shares in the last quarter. Czech National Bank grew its position in International Paper by 0.5% during the 1st quarter. Czech National Bank now owns 60,897 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $2,376,000 after purchasing an additional 295 shares in the last quarter. Kentucky Retirement Systems grew its position in International Paper by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. Kentucky Retirement Systems now owns 27,685 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $1,001,000 after purchasing an additional 298 shares in the last quarter. Finally, 180 Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in International Paper by 4.2% during the 1st quarter. 180 Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 7,845 shares of the basic materials companys stock worth $306,000 after purchasing an additional 318 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.95% of the companys stock.
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Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of International Paper from a hold rating to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $38.00 to $57.00 in a research report on Thursday, May 23rd. Truist Financial boosted their price target on shares of International Paper from $52.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, July 16th. Argus upgraded shares of International Paper from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $52.00 price target on the stock in a report on Wednesday, August 14th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on shares of International Paper from $52.00 to $56.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, Seaport Res Ptn upgraded shares of International Paper from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a report on Friday, June 28th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $50.21.
International Paper Stock Up 0.6 %
Shares of IP stock traded up $0.31 on Friday, hitting $48.42. The companys stock had a trading volume of 4,160,121 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,575,114. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 1.59 and a quick ratio of 1.17. International Paper has a fifty-two week low of $31.76 and a fifty-two week high of $49.24. The firms fifty day moving average price is $45.65 and its 200-day moving average price is $41.21. The stock has a market capitalization of $16.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 98.82 and a beta of 1.06.
International Paper (NYSE:IP Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 24th. The basic materials company reported $0.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.41 by $0.14. International Paper had a net margin of 2.34% and a return on equity of 7.28%. The business had revenue of $4.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.78 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.59 EPS. International Papers quarterly revenue was up 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that International Paper will post 1.64 EPS for the current year.
International Paper Dividend Announcement
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 16th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 15th will be paid a $0.4625 dividend. This represents a $1.85 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.82%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 15th. International Papers payout ratio is presently 377.55%.
Insider Activity at International Paper
In other International Paper news, SVP Clay R. Ellis sold 9,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $48.83, for a total transaction of $439,470.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 49,832 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,433,296.56. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other International Paper news, SVP Clay R. Ellis sold 9,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $48.83, for a total transaction of $439,470.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 49,832 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,433,296.56. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Kathryn D. Sullivan sold 600 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, June 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $42.77, for a total transaction of $25,662.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 42,802 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,830,641.54. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 12,000 shares of company stock valued at $573,822. Insiders own 0.55% of the companys stock.
About International Paper
(Free Report)
International Paper Company produces and sells renewable fiber-based packaging and pulp products in North America, Latin America, Europe, and North Africa. It operates through two segments, Industrial Packaging and Global Cellulose Fibers. The company offers linerboard, medium, whitetop, recycled linerboard, recycled medium and saturating kraft; and pulp for a range of applications, such as diapers, towel and tissue products, feminine care, incontinence, and other personal care products, as well as specialty pulps for use in textiles, construction materials, paints, coatings, and others.
Further Reading
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Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (OTCMKTS:IIJIY Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large drop in short interest in the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 100 shares, a drop of 66.7% from the July 31st total of 300 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 700 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.1 days.
Internet Initiative Japan Stock Performance
IIJIY remained flat at $39.46 during trading on Friday. 59 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 810. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.79 and a beta of 0.62. Internet Initiative Japan has a 12-month low of $27.14 and a 12-month high of $41.30. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $32.77 and a 200 day simple moving average of $34.07.
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Internet Initiative Japan (OTCMKTS:IIJIY Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The communications equipment provider reported $0.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The company had revenue of $461.96 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $405.50 million. Internet Initiative Japan had a net margin of 7.16% and a return on equity of 16.57%. As a group, research analysts forecast that Internet Initiative Japan will post 0.34 EPS for the current year.
Internet Initiative Japan Company Profile
Internet Initiative Japan Inc provides Internet connectivity, WAN, outsourcing, systems integration, and network-related equipment sales services in Japan. It operates through two segments, Network Services and Systems Integration Business, and ATM Operation Business. The company offers mobile communication and remote access/telework services; WAN/network services, including SDN, multi-cloud network, closed connection, internet VPN, SEIL, remote access, wireless LAN, and GIGA-school; leased line and broadband services; IIJ DNS platform, and domain name registration and maintenance services; IIJ access ID management, dial-up access, and IIJ IPv6 fiber access services; and security solutions for IIJ managed firewall, DDoS protection, and managed IPS/IDS services.
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Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd increased its position in iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF (NYSEARCA:KSA Free Report) by 7.2% during the second quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 281,351 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 18,926 shares during the quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltds holdings in iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF were worth $11,428,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Jane Street Group LLC raised its stake in iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF by 12,171.3% during the 1st quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 583,625 shares of the companys stock valued at $25,773,000 after acquiring an additional 578,869 shares in the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC grew its position in iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF by 16.2% in the 2nd quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 544,304 shares of the companys stock valued at $22,110,000 after buying an additional 75,908 shares in the last quarter. Mondrian Investment Partners LTD lifted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF by 34.9% in the 1st quarter. Mondrian Investment Partners LTD now owns 356,672 shares of the companys stock worth $15,751,000 after acquiring an additional 92,283 shares during the period. Ninety One UK Ltd increased its stake in shares of iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF by 18.9% during the second quarter. Ninety One UK Ltd now owns 342,648 shares of the companys stock valued at $13,918,000 after acquiring an additional 54,535 shares during the period. Finally, CX Institutional lifted its position in iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF by 36,076.1% in the second quarter. CX Institutional now owns 335,714 shares of the companys stock worth $13,637,000 after purchasing an additional 334,786 shares during the period.
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iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF Stock Up 0.0 %
Shares of iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF stock opened at $42.37 on Friday. iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF has a fifty-two week low of $36.21 and a fifty-two week high of $45.10. The firm has a market cap of $792.32 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.50 and a beta of 0.58. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $41.35 and a 200-day simple moving average of $42.50.
iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF Profile
The iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF (KSA) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI Saudi Arabia IMI 25-50 index, a market-cap-weighted index of Saudi Arabian firms covering 99% of the market cap spectrum. KSA was launched on Sep 16, 2015 and is managed by BlackRock.
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Bryn Mawr Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Jacobs Solutions Inc. (NYSE:J Free Report) by 6.0% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 60,423 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 3,445 shares during the quarter. Bryn Mawr Capital Management LLCs holdings in Jacobs Solutions were worth $8,442,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
Several other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in J. Tlwm increased its stake in shares of Jacobs Solutions by 1.2% in the second quarter. Tlwm now owns 6,046 shares of the companys stock valued at $845,000 after purchasing an additional 74 shares during the period. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. increased its position in Jacobs Solutions by 7.9% in the 4th quarter. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. now owns 1,021 shares of the companys stock valued at $133,000 after acquiring an additional 75 shares during the period. American National Bank raised its stake in Jacobs Solutions by 1.4% during the 2nd quarter. American National Bank now owns 6,488 shares of the companys stock valued at $906,000 after acquiring an additional 88 shares in the last quarter. Global Financial Private Client LLC boosted its position in Jacobs Solutions by 2.6% during the 2nd quarter. Global Financial Private Client LLC now owns 3,944 shares of the companys stock worth $551,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the period. Finally, Fifth Third Bancorp grew its stake in shares of Jacobs Solutions by 3.3% in the second quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 3,697 shares of the companys stock worth $517,000 after purchasing an additional 117 shares in the last quarter. 85.65% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
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Jacobs Solutions Trading Up 0.6 %
Shares of Jacobs Solutions stock traded up $0.88 on Friday, reaching $150.88. 830,758 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 662,556. The company has a current ratio of 1.17, a quick ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. Jacobs Solutions Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $120.71 and a fifty-two week high of $154.50. The firm has a market capitalization of $18.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 0.70. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $144.08 and a 200-day moving average price of $144.19.
Jacobs Solutions Announces Dividend
Jacobs Solutions ( NYSE:J Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 6th. The company reported $1.96 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $1.96. The company had revenue of $4.23 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.39 billion. Jacobs Solutions had a net margin of 3.83% and a return on equity of 14.59%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 1.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.82 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that Jacobs Solutions Inc. will post 7.98 EPS for the current year.
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 23rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 26th were given a dividend of $0.29 per share. This represents a $1.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.77%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, July 26th. Jacobs Solutionss payout ratio is 22.39%.
Insider Buying and Selling at Jacobs Solutions
In other Jacobs Solutions news, insider Steven J. Demetriou sold 7,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $139.43, for a total transaction of $976,010.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 541,138 shares in the company, valued at approximately $75,450,871.34. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other Jacobs Solutions news, insider Steven J. Demetriou sold 7,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $139.43, for a total value of $976,010.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 541,138 shares in the company, valued at approximately $75,450,871.34. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, SVP William B. Allen, Jr. sold 1,451 shares of Jacobs Solutions stock in a transaction on Friday, August 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $146.51, for a total transaction of $212,586.01. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 26,699 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,911,670.49. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 22,451 shares of company stock valued at $3,196,336 in the last three months. 1.00% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of Jacobs Solutions from $161.00 to $167.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. UBS Group upped their price target on shares of Jacobs Solutions from $161.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 14th. Robert W. Baird lowered their price objective on shares of Jacobs Solutions from $163.00 to $160.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. StockNews.com downgraded Jacobs Solutions from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, August 15th. Finally, William Blair cut Jacobs Solutions from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 8th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Jacobs Solutions currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $160.40.
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Jacobs Solutions Profile
(Free Report)
Jacobs Solutions Inc provides consulting, technical, engineering, scientific, and project delivery services for the government and private sectors in the United States, Europe, Canada, India, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, and Africa. It operates through Critical Mission Solutions, People & Places Solutions, Divergent Solutions, and PA Consulting segments.
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Pine Valley Investments Ltd Liability Co lifted its holdings in John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III (NYSE:HPS Free Report) by 10.6% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 18,841 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 1,800 shares during the period. Pine Valley Investments Ltd Liability Cos holdings in John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III were worth $298,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Concourse Financial Group Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III in the 1st quarter worth $25,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC increased its position in John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III by 58.6% during the first quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 4,302 shares of the companys stock worth $66,000 after purchasing an additional 1,589 shares during the last quarter. Cetera Advisors LLC purchased a new position in John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III during the first quarter worth about $199,000. Activest Wealth Management boosted its holdings in John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III by 899.9% in the 1st quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 22,167 shares of the companys stock valued at $342,000 after purchasing an additional 19,950 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Shaker Financial Services LLC purchased a new stake in shares of John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $674,000.
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John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III Stock Up 0.1 %
Shares of NYSE HPS traded up $0.02 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $16.37. 57,102 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 53,574. John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III has a twelve month low of $11.79 and a twelve month high of $16.55. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $15.99 and a 200 day simple moving average of $15.50.
John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III Dividend Announcement
John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III Profile
The firm also recently declared a monthly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 12th were paid a $0.11 dividend. This represents a $1.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 8.06%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, August 12th.
(Free Report)
John Hancock Preferred Income Fund III is a closed ended fixed income 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 fixed income markets of the United States. It seeks to invest in securities of companies operating across diversified sectors.
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Benedict Financial Advisors Inc. lessened its stake in Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ Free Report) by 0.2% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 62,005 shares of the companys stock after selling 126 shares during the quarter. Johnson & Johnson accounts for about 2.3% of Benedict Financial Advisors Inc.s portfolio, making the stock its 5th largest holding. Benedict Financial Advisors Inc.s holdings in Johnson & Johnson were worth $9,063,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Innealta Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Johnson & Johnson in the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Christopher J. Hasenberg Inc purchased a new position in shares of Johnson & Johnson in the 1st quarter valued at about $31,000. MFA Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Johnson & Johnson in the 2nd quarter valued at about $43,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Johnson & Johnson in the 4th quarter valued at about $44,000. Finally, Grayhawk Investment Strategies Inc. increased its stake in shares of Johnson & Johnson by 528.6% in the 4th quarter. Grayhawk Investment Strategies Inc. now owns 308 shares of the companys stock valued at $48,000 after purchasing an additional 259 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 69.55% of the companys stock.
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Analyst Ratings Changes
Several brokerages recently weighed in on JNJ. Daiwa America lowered Johnson & Johnson from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 23rd. Daiwa Capital Markets lowered Johnson & Johnson from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and cut their price target for the company from $160.00 to $150.00 in a research note on Tuesday, July 23rd. TD Securities cut their price target on Johnson & Johnson from $195.00 to $185.00 in a research note on Thursday, July 18th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and set a $175.00 price objective on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research note on Tuesday, July 30th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an overweight rating and set a $215.00 price objective on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research note on Monday, August 5th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Johnson & Johnson has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $173.21.
Johnson & Johnson Price Performance
Shares of JNJ stock traded up $1.63 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $165.86. The company had a trading volume of 7,971,017 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,271,470. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 1.07. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $155.68 and a 200-day moving average of $153.51. The company has a market capitalization of $399.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.34, a PEG ratio of 2.63 and a beta of 0.52. Johnson & Johnson has a 12-month low of $143.13 and a 12-month high of $165.98.
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 17th. The company reported $2.82 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.71 by $0.11. Johnson & Johnson had a return on equity of 36.60% and a net margin of 46.34%. The firm had revenue of $22.45 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $22.33 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.80 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 4.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Johnson & Johnson will post 10.07 earnings per share for the current year.
Johnson & Johnson Dividend Announcement
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 10th. Investors of record on Tuesday, August 27th will be issued a $1.24 dividend. This represents a $4.96 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.99%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, August 27th. Johnson & Johnsons dividend payout ratio is presently 30.92%.
Johnson & Johnson Company Profile
(Free Report)
Johnson & Johnson, together with its subsidiaries, researches, develops, manufactures, and sells various products in the healthcare field worldwide. The company's Innovative Medicine segment offers products for various therapeutic areas, such as immunology, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and psoriasis; infectious diseases comprising HIV/AIDS; neuroscience, consisting of mood disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, and schizophrenia; oncology, such as prostate cancer, hematologic malignancies, lung cancer, and bladder cancer; cardiovascular and metabolism, including thrombosis, diabetes, and macular degeneration; and pulmonary hypertension comprising pulmonary arterial hypertension through retailers, wholesalers, distributors, hospitals, and healthcare professionals for prescription use.
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Lee Danner & Bass Inc. bought a new position in Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (NYSE:MPW Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm bought 22,640 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock, valued at approximately $98,000.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of MPW. Lindbrook Capital LLC boosted its stake in shares of Medical Properties Trust by 112.1% in the first quarter. Lindbrook Capital LLC now owns 7,225 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 3,819 shares during the period. Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its holdings in shares of Medical Properties Trust by 435.0% in the second quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 7,972 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $34,000 after buying an additional 6,482 shares in the last quarter. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in Medical Properties Trust by 166.7% during the second quarter. Iron Horse Wealth Management LLC now owns 8,000 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 5,000 shares in the last quarter. Future Financial Wealth Managment LLC bought a new stake in Medical Properties Trust in the 1st quarter valued at $38,000. Finally, Fidelis Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Medical Properties Trust during the 1st quarter valued at about $43,000. 71.79% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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Medical Properties Trust Stock Up 1.5 %
Medical Properties Trust stock opened at $4.50 on Friday. Medical Properties Trust, Inc. has a 1-year low of $2.92 and a 1-year high of $7.40. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $4.63 and a 200-day moving average price of $4.59. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.51, a current ratio of 3.10 and a quick ratio of 3.10. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.02, a PEG ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.27.
Medical Properties Trust Cuts Dividend
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) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.21 by ($0.75). The business had revenue of $266.60 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $259.53 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.48 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was down 21.0% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that Medical Properties Trust, Inc. will post 0.88 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The business 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. This represents a $0.32 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.12%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 9th. Medical Properties Trusts dividend payout ratio is presently -14.41%.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
MPW has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and issued a $5.00 target price on shares of Medical Properties Trust in a research report on Tuesday, May 14th. StockNews.com downgraded Medical Properties Trust from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Saturday, May 18th. Truist Financial raised their price target on Medical Properties Trust from $4.50 to $5.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. Finally, BNP Paribas cut shares of Medical Properties Trust from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and cut their price objective for the company from $6.00 to $4.00 in a research report on Tuesday, July 2nd. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and eight have issued a hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $4.86.
Read Our Latest Stock Report on MPW
Insider Buying and Selling at Medical Properties Trust
In other news, Director Elizabeth N. Pitman sold 10,025 shares of Medical Properties Trust stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $4.98, for a total transaction of $49,924.50. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 68,653 shares in the company, valued at $341,891.94. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In related news, Director Elizabeth N. Pitman sold 10,025 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $4.98, for a total value of $49,924.50. Following the sale, the director now owns 68,653 shares in the company, valued at $341,891.94. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director C Reynolds Thompson III sold 20,530 shares of the stock in a transaction 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 completion of the sale, the director now owns 54,637 shares in the company, valued at approximately $239,310.06. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.53% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.
About Medical Properties Trust
(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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UMB Bank n.a. boosted its holdings in Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM Free Report) by 2,275.5% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 5,915 shares of the construction companys stock after buying an additional 5,666 shares during the period. UMB Bank n.a.s holdings in Martin Marietta Materials were worth $3,205,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Global Assets Advisory LLC purchased a new position in shares of Martin Marietta Materials in the 1st quarter worth about $22,265,000. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Martin Marietta Materials by 25.3% during the 4th quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 8,562 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $4,272,000 after buying an additional 1,728 shares during the period. Brevan Howard Capital Management LP raised its holdings in shares of Martin Marietta Materials by 49.7% during the 4th quarter. Brevan Howard Capital Management LP now owns 5,672 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $2,830,000 after buying an additional 1,882 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Martin Marietta Materials by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 7,170,166 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $3,577,268,000 after buying an additional 69,701 shares during the period. Finally, Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Martin Marietta Materials by 7.8% during the 4th quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 60,499 shares of the construction companys stock valued at $29,161,000 after buying an additional 4,383 shares during the period. 95.04% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several brokerages recently commented on MLM. Citigroup dropped their target price on Martin Marietta Materials from $658.00 to $646.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Monday, August 12th. Loop Capital dropped their target price on Martin Marietta Materials from $630.00 to $615.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, August 13th. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on Martin Marietta Materials from $650.00 to $630.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 3rd. Stephens dropped their price objective on Martin Marietta Materials from $650.00 to $610.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 9th. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded Martin Marietta Materials from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Thursday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Martin Marietta Materials presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $629.82.
Martin Marietta Materials Stock Performance
Shares of MLM traded up $10.06 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $534.05. The stock had a trading volume of 538,793 shares, compared to its average volume of 445,783. The company has a market cap of $32.92 billion, a PE ratio of 15.53, a PEG ratio of 3.12 and a beta of 0.91. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $546.13 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $570.48. The company has a quick ratio of 2.41, a current ratio of 3.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44. Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $389.90 and a fifty-two week high of $626.67.
Martin Marietta Materials (NYSE:MLM Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 8th. The construction company reported $4.76 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.36 by ($0.60). Martin Marietta Materials had a return on equity of 14.74% and a net margin of 31.35%. The firm had revenue of $1.76 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.83 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $5.60 EPS. Martin Marietta Materialss revenue was down 3.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts expect that Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. will post 22.86 earnings per share for the current year.
Martin Marietta Materials Increases Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 3rd will be given a dividend of $0.79 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 3rd. This represents a $3.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.59%. This is a positive change from Martin Marietta Materialss previous quarterly dividend of $0.74. Martin Marietta Materialss payout ratio is currently 9.36%.
Martin Marietta Materials Company Profile
(Free Report)
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc, a natural resource-based building materials company, supplies aggregates and heavy-side building materials to the construction industry in the United States and internationally. It offers crushed stone, sand, and gravel products; ready mixed concrete and asphalt; paving products and services; and Portland and specialty cement for use in the infrastructure projects, and nonresidential and residential construction markets, as well as in the railroad, agricultural, utility, and environmental industries.
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Matisse Capital decreased its holdings in Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund Inc. (NYSE:NBXG Free Report) by 12.5% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 140,000 shares of the companys stock after selling 20,000 shares during the quarter. Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund makes up 0.9% of Matisse Capitals portfolio, making the stock its 28th biggest position. Matisse Capitals holdings in Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund were worth $1,807,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Whittier Trust Co. acquired a new stake in shares of Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund during the first quarter worth approximately $118,000. Prudent Investors Network Inc. bought a new position in shares of Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund during the first quarter worth about $146,000. Hartline Investment Corp bought a new stake in Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund in the first quarter valued at about $155,000. Comerica Bank lifted its holdings in Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund by 26.3% during the 1st quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 15,057 shares of the companys stock worth $177,000 after buying an additional 3,132 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bay Colony Advisory Group Inc d b a Bay Colony Advisors grew its position in shares of Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund by 32.9% in the 2nd quarter. Bay Colony Advisory Group Inc d b a Bay Colony Advisors now owns 17,496 shares of the companys stock worth $226,000 after acquiring an additional 4,329 shares in the last quarter.
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Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund Stock Performance
Shares of NBXG stock traded up 0.10 on Friday, hitting 12.44. 164,800 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 240,335. The companys fifty day moving average is 12.45 and its 200 day moving average is 12.11. Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund Inc. has a 1-year low of 9.31 and a 1-year high of 13.43.
Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund Announces Dividend
About Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund
The firm also recently announced a monthly dividend, which was paid on Friday, August 30th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 15th were issued a dividend of $0.10 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, August 15th. This represents a $1.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 9.65%.
(Free Report)
Neuberger Berman Next Generation Connectivity Fund Inc (NBXG) is a newly organized, non-diversified, limited term closed-end management investment company focused on next generation mobile network connectivity and technology.
The Funds investment strategy focuses on equity securities issued by U.S.
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The Dolmen of Menga in Antequera, in the southern Spanish province of Malaga, is the oldest and largest of those located on the Iberian Peninsula. It was built between 3,800 and 3,600 BC and is crowned by five large slabs. Until now, experts wondered how it was possible that in the middle of the Neolithic period, more than a thousand years before the first pyramids of Egypt were built, these enormous stones could be moved and placed with millimetric precision, orienting them towards the sunrise for astronomical purposes.
Ten years of research reflected in a study published in the open-access scientific journal Science Advances offer a surprising answer: they were dragged from a quarry located about 2,800 feet away. This was done by preparing a track with leveled sleepers mounted on a system of sleds that allowed them to be steered in any direction. For the Spanish researchers who wrote the scientific article, the extraordinary dimensions of some of the structural pieces of the dolmen required sophisticated design and planning, a large mobilization of manpower, as well as perfectly-executed logistics.
The Dolmen of Menga is located on the top of a hill that rises about 160 feet above the plain of the Guadalhorce Valley. Its a megalithic gallery monument: 81 feet long, with a maximum width of 18.7 feet and a height that varies between eight and 11 feet. Access to the interior space is through a small, roofless atrium. It preserves three aligned pillars (although it possibly had a fourth). The 32 stones that make it up weigh about 1,140 tons. Of these, the largest and the one that covers the back of the chamber weighs 150 tons. This is the largest slab that was moved during the megalithic phenomenon in the Iberian Peninsula and the second-largest in Europe, only surpassed by the Great Menhir Brise, south of Brittany, in France.
Jose Antonio Lozano Rodriguez, the principal author of the study and a researcher at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), explains that, to build the dolmen, soft or moderately soft stones were used, which indicates that [the builders] had spectacular engineering knowledge. The problem was that they had to be transported without breaking, taking into account that it was a porous material. Therefore, everything was planned from the quarry, thanks to the sophisticated knowledge of engineering, geology, geometry and astronomy that its builders had. This expert points out that the first thing that was done was to prepare a smooth pavement, so that the stones wouldnt vibrate. This was then leveled with cross beams, so that the sleds on which they were mounted could slide easily.
Since there was no heavy machinery available to lift such a huge stone in the Neolithic period, those in charge decided to bury the megalithic building, made up of orthostates, or blocks of stones placed vertically. In this way, the convex slabs could be slid over the orthostats and pillars, meaning that the workers wouldnt have to climb ramps.
The entrance to the Dolmen of Menga, aligned with Pena de los Enamorados (Lovers' Rock), a mountain near the city of Antequera, in the Spanish province of Malaga. makasana (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The enormous pressure exerted by the slabs and the mound that covers it caused the engineers to design the orthostats with an inclination of between 83 and 86 degrees, so that they would rest on each other and the building would be able to join together to form a unit. The inclination unified all the orthostates and created a homogeneous distribution of stress, Lozano explains. To prevent the slabs from breaking in the center, pillars were placed to support them. And the upper face of the slabs, especially the heaviest slab, was given a convex shape. The slabs thus acted as relieving arches, just as occurs in medieval and modern cathedrals: this made it possible to shift the stresses towards the orthostates. Its the first proven use of the principle of the relieving arch, almost 6,000 years ago. Its one of the first complex stone buildings in the history of humanity, the researcher emphasizes.
The study adds that the engineering design and its orientation towards the mountain of Pena de los Enamorados (The Lovers Rock) and with a solar significance demonstrates that, in the Neolithic period, there was already scientific knowledge of extraordinary precision and inventive brilliance. The Dolmen of Menga reveals an astronomical alignment: its solar orientation means that, during the summer solstice, the left side of the inner chamber remains in shadow. Meanwhile, a large part of the right side remains illuminated.
Entrance to the Dolmen of Menga, in Antequera, Spain. Javier Perez Gonzalez (UNESCO)
Megaliths are structures made of large stones. Theyre found in a variety of regions throughout the world and were especially popular in late-prehistoric Europe (the Neolithic period, the Copper Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age). During these eras, megalithic monumentality was widespread. Humanitys first monumental stone constructions also contained profound social and ideological messages that were durable and visible. The longevity of large stones (unlike wood) and their visual impact on the surrounding landscapes suggest that long-term persistence was an important driver behind their construction.
The megalithic sites in the city of Antequera includes two natural formations, Lovers Rock and the limestone massif of El Torcal, as well as four large monuments: the aforementioned Dolmen of Menga, the Dolmen of Viera, the circular tomb of El Romeral and the recently-discovered megalithic hypogeum of Piedras Blancas, located at the foot of Lovers Rock.
For its time period, the Dolmen of Menga is unique for several reasons, according to the researchers from the CSIC and the universities of Alcala, Salamanca, Seville and Granada. The use of pillars to support the gigantic cornerstones and the embedding of a large part of the building in the bedrock to achieve stability, as well as the perfect fit of the orthostates with each other, all make it a monument with characteristics that arent seen in any other megalithic construction.
A woman inside the megalithic monument in 2023. Education Images / Universal / Getty Images
A deep knowledge of the properties and location of the available rocks, as well as notions of elementary physics such as friction, activation energy, the optimal slope of a ramp, or the estimation of the center of mass or load capacity of the available rocks, make the structure unique and demonstrate the builders mastery of geometry, engineering and astronomy (among other disciplines). For the researchers, all of this is confirmed by the precise alignment of the central axis of symmetry of Menga at 45 degrees, thus coinciding with the natural orientation plane of the northern cliff of the Pena de los Enamorados, to which the dolmen is oriented.
The authors affirm that, due to the accumulation of advanced knowledge in various fields of geology, physics, mathematics and astronomy, this dolmen not only represents a feat of early engineering, but also a substantial step in the advancement of human science. [The Dolmen of] Menga demonstrates the successful attempt to make a colossal monument that would last thousands of years, the study concludes.
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Mezzasalma Advisors LLC bought a new stake in WPP plc (NYSE:WPP Free Report) in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund bought 4,933 shares of the business services providers stock, valued at approximately $226,000.
Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of WPP. Hantz Financial Services Inc. bought a new position in WPP during the second quarter valued at $1,860,000. Signaturefd LLC lifted its holdings in shares of WPP by 4.2% in the 2nd quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 9,504 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $435,000 after acquiring an additional 380 shares during the last quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. grew its position in WPP by 8.0% in the second quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 19,176 shares of the business services providers stock worth $878,000 after acquiring an additional 1,420 shares in the last quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC increased its stake in WPP by 239.0% during the second quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 2,756 shares of the business services providers stock worth $126,000 after acquiring an additional 1,943 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its position in WPP by 14.5% during the second quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 18,089 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $828,000 after purchasing an additional 2,286 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 4.34% of the companys stock.
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WPP Stock Down 0.0 %
NYSE WPP traded down $0.01 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $47.77. 71,619 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 165,791. WPP plc has a 52 week low of $41.13 and a 52 week high of $54.21. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $46.71 and its 200-day simple moving average is $47.98. The company has a market cap of $10.30 billion, a PE ratio of 8.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.69 and a beta of 1.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 0.89 and a quick ratio of 0.86.
WPP Increases Dividend
Analyst Ratings Changes
The company also recently declared a Semi-Annual dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, October 11th will be issued a $0.954 dividend. This is a boost from WPPs previous Semi-Annual dividend of $0.24. This represents a dividend yield of 5.7%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, October 11th. WPPs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 31.93%.
Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Citigroup raised WPP to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of WPP from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, August 26th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, WPP has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $46.00.
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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.
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Pinnacle Associates Ltd. reduced its holdings in Mueller Water Products, Inc. (NYSE:MWA Free Report) by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 162,250 shares of the industrial products companys stock after selling 750 shares during the period. Pinnacle Associates Ltd.s holdings in Mueller Water Products were worth $2,908,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Pingora Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Mueller Water Products in the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. purchased a new stake in Mueller Water Products in the 1st quarter worth about $46,000. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC purchased a new stake in Mueller Water Products in the 2nd quarter worth about $72,000. Register Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Mueller Water Products in the 1st quarter worth about $80,000. Finally, TFO Wealth Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of Mueller Water Products by 345,700.0% during the 4th quarter. TFO Wealth Partners LLC now owns 6,916 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $100,000 after purchasing an additional 6,914 shares in the last quarter. 91.68% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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Mueller Water Products Stock Performance
MWA traded up $0.36 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $21.47. The companys stock had a trading volume of 951,841 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,243,718. The stock has a market cap of $3.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.55, a PEG ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 1.33. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $19.67 and a 200 day simple moving average of $17.70. The company has a current ratio of 3.53, a quick ratio of 2.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59. Mueller Water Products, Inc. has a twelve month low of $12.13 and a twelve month high of $21.51.
Mueller Water Products Dividend Announcement
Mueller Water Products ( NYSE:MWA Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Monday, August 5th. The industrial products company reported $0.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.22 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $356.70 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $329.67 million. Mueller Water Products had a return on equity of 16.97% and a net margin of 8.10%. The companys revenue was up 9.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.18 EPS. Research analysts expect that Mueller Water Products, Inc. will post 0.86 earnings per share for the current year.
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, August 20th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 9th were given a dividend of $0.064 per share. This represents a $0.26 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.19%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 9th. Mueller Water Productss dividend payout ratio is presently 39.06%.
Insider Activity
In other news, insider J Scott Hall sold 135,253 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $20.34, for a total transaction of $2,751,046.02. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 544,029 shares in the company, valued at $11,065,549.86. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other Mueller Water Products news, insider J Scott Hall sold 135,253 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $20.34, for a total value of $2,751,046.02. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 544,029 shares in the company, valued at $11,065,549.86. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Thomas J. Hansen sold 10,791 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, August 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.55, for a total value of $221,755.05. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 102,792 shares in the company, valued at $2,112,375.60. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 256,869 shares of company stock worth $5,141,842. Company insiders own 1.40% of the companys stock.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on the company. Oppenheimer raised their price target on Mueller Water Products from $22.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Baird R W raised Mueller Water Products to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 8th. Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on Mueller Water Products from $18.00 to $24.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 8th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on Mueller Water Products from $20.00 to $23.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Mueller Water Products from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Saturday, August 24th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, one has given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Mueller Water Products presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $21.60.
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Mueller Water Products Profile
(Free Report)
Mueller Water Products, Inc manufactures and markets products and services for the transmission, distribution, and measurement of water used by municipalities, and the residential and non-residential construction industries in the United States, Israel, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Water Flow Solutions and Water Management Solutions.
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Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV grew its position in Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT Free Report) by 0.7% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 5,681 shares of the industrial products companys stock after buying an additional 42 shares during the period. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADVs holdings in Caterpillar were worth $1,892,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. F M Investments LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Caterpillar during the 2nd quarter worth about $10,955,000. FAS Wealth Partners Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Caterpillar by 6.6% during the second quarter. FAS Wealth Partners Inc. now owns 13,123 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $4,371,000 after acquiring an additional 809 shares during the period. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank increased its stake in shares of Caterpillar by 7.4% during the second quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 267,304 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $89,039,000 after purchasing an additional 18,399 shares during the period. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC boosted its stake in Caterpillar by 1.8% in the 2nd quarter. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC now owns 18,339 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $6,109,000 after purchasing an additional 319 shares during the period. Finally, Arkadios Wealth Advisors grew its holdings in Caterpillar by 15.0% in the 2nd quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors now owns 6,370 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $2,122,000 after buying an additional 831 shares in the last quarter. 70.98% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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Insider Activity
In related news, insider Cheryl H. Johnson sold 1,508 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $350.00, for a total value of $527,800.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 18,515 shares in the company, valued at $6,480,250. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, insider Cheryl H. Johnson sold 2,975 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $342.48, for a total transaction of $1,018,878.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 15,615 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,347,825.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Cheryl H. Johnson sold 1,508 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $350.00, for a total value of $527,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 18,515 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,480,250. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.33% of the companys stock.
Caterpillar Stock Up 1.3 %
NYSE CAT traded up $4.43 on Friday, reaching $356.07. The company had a trading volume of 2,973,446 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,679,620. Caterpillar Inc. has a 52-week low of $223.76 and a 52-week high of $382.01. The company has a quick ratio of 0.83, a current ratio of 1.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.41. The stock has a market capitalization of $174.14 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.08, a P/E/G ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 1.12. The companys fifty day moving average is $338.84 and its 200 day moving average is $342.55.
Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The industrial products company reported $5.99 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $5.53 by $0.46. The business had revenue of $16.69 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.91 billion. Caterpillar had a return on equity of 58.61% and a net margin of 16.79%. Caterpillars quarterly revenue was down 3.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $5.55 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Caterpillar Inc. will post 21.57 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Caterpillar declared that its board has approved a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, June 12th that permits the company to buyback $20.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization permits the industrial products company to repurchase up to 12.7% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are generally a sign that the companys board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.
Caterpillar Increases Dividend
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, August 20th. Shareholders of record on Monday, July 22nd were paid a $1.41 dividend. This represents a $5.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.58%. This is a boost from Caterpillars previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. The ex-dividend date was Monday, July 22nd. Caterpillars payout ratio is presently 25.46%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several brokerages have weighed in on CAT. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Caterpillar from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, August 10th. UBS Group boosted their price target on Caterpillar from $270.00 to $285.00 and gave the company a sell rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Raymond James began coverage on Caterpillar in a research note on Friday, June 28th. They set a market perform rating on the stock. Truist Financial reiterated a buy rating and set a $399.00 target price (up from $390.00) on shares of Caterpillar in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, Evercore ISI decreased their price target on Caterpillar from $338.00 to $321.00 and set an in-line rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, August 19th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $336.31.
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Caterpillar Profile
(Free Report)
Caterpillar Inc manufactures and sells construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives in worldwide. Its Construction Industries segment offers asphalt pavers, compactors, road reclaimers, forestry machines, cold planers, material handlers, track-type tractors, excavators, telehandlers, motor graders, and pipelayers; compact track, wheel, track-type, backhoe, and skid steer loaders; and related parts and tools.
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P/F Bakkafrost (OTCMKTS:BKFKF Get Free Report) saw a significant increase in short interest in the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 60,300 shares, an increase of 16.0% from the July 31st total of 52,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 200 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 301.5 days.
P/F Bakkafrost Stock Performance
P/F Bakkafrost stock opened at $55.88 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $51.62 and a 200-day moving average of $56.37. P/F Bakkafrost has a 1-year low of $41.79 and a 1-year high of $64.30.
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P/F Bakkafrost Company Profile
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P/F Bakkafrost, together with its subsidiaries, produces and sells salmon products in North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia, and internationally. It operates through seven segments: Fishmeal, Fish Oil and Fish Feed; Freshwater FO; Freshwater SCT; Farming FO; Farming SCT; Services; and Sales & Other.
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Shares of Premium Brands Holdings Co. (OTCMKTS:PRBZF Get Free Report) were up 0.1% during trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $64.57 and last traded at $64.57. Approximately 100 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 97% from the average daily volume of 3,430 shares. The stock had previously closed at $64.48.
Premium Brands Stock Up 0.1 %
The companys 50 day moving average price is $66.07 and its 200 day moving average price is $65.80.
Premium Brands Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
Premium Brands Holdings Corporation, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and distributes food products primarily in Canada and the United States. It operates in two segments, Specialty Foods and Premium Food Distribution. The company provides processed meat, deli products, meat snacks, beef jerky and halal, sandwiches, pastries, specialty and gourmet products, entrees, panini, wraps, subs, hamburgers, burgers, salads and kettle products, muffins, breads, pastas, pizza, and baking and sushi products.
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Principal Financial Group Inc. boosted its stake in Republic Services, Inc. (NYSE:RSG Free Report) by 1.2% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 751,279 shares of the business services providers stock after buying an additional 8,759 shares during the quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. owned approximately 0.24% of Republic Services worth $146,004,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.
A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Unigestion Holding SA raised its holdings in Republic Services by 2,178.2% in the 4th quarter. Unigestion Holding SA now owns 127,647 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $21,048,000 after acquiring an additional 122,044 shares during the last quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia raised its holdings in Republic Services by 52.3% in the 4th quarter. Bank of Nova Scotia now owns 214,504 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $35,357,000 after acquiring an additional 73,651 shares during the last quarter. TCW Group Inc. acquired a new position in Republic Services in the 4th quarter valued at $17,903,000. Hsbc Holdings PLC raised its holdings in Republic Services by 8.7% in the 4th quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 456,726 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $75,297,000 after acquiring an additional 36,484 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Allianz Asset Management GmbH raised its holdings in Republic Services by 10.4% in the 4th quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 591,209 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $97,496,000 after acquiring an additional 55,668 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 57.73% of the companys stock.
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Insider Transactions at Republic Services
In related news, Director Katharine Weymouth purchased 540 shares of Republic Services stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 4th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $185.26 per share, with a total value of $100,040.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 540 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $100,040.40. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Republic Services news, Director Tomago Collins sold 3,200 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $203.01, for a total value of $649,632.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 17,486 shares in the company, valued at $3,549,832.86. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Katharine Weymouth purchased 540 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 4th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $185.26 per share, for a total transaction of $100,040.40. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 540 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $100,040.40. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.09% of the companys stock.
Republic Services Stock Up 1.1 %
Shares of RSG stock traded up $2.27 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $208.21. 883,953 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,181,102. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 0.59. Republic Services, Inc. has a one year low of $140.23 and a one year high of $208.69. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $199.17 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $191.15. The stock has a market capitalization of $65.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.53, a P/E/G ratio of 3.26 and a beta of 0.69.
Republic Services (NYSE:RSG Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The business services provider reported $1.61 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.53 by $0.08. Republic Services had a net margin of 12.11% and a return on equity of 17.81%. The business had revenue of $4.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.03 billion. Sell-side analysts predict that Republic Services, Inc. will post 6.18 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Republic Services Increases Dividend
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, October 2nd will be given a dividend of $0.58 per share. This is a boost from Republic Servicess previous quarterly dividend of $0.54. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, October 2nd. This represents a $2.32 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.11%. Republic Servicess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 40.70%.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of analysts have recently commented on RSG shares. Robert W. Baird upped their price objective on Republic Services from $208.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Truist Financial upgraded Republic Services from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $192.00 to $220.00 in a report on Thursday, July 11th. Raymond James lowered their price target on Republic Services from $219.00 to $214.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 25th. CIBC increased their price target on Republic Services from $196.00 to $208.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded Republic Services from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Republic Services presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $211.00.
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Republic Services Company Profile
(Free Report)
Republic Services, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, offers environmental services in the United States and Canada. It is involved in the collection and processing of recyclable, solid waste, and industrial waste materials; transportation and disposal of non-hazardous and hazardous waste streams; and other environmental solutions.
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Principal Financial Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Packaging Co. of America (NYSE:PKG Free Report) by 2.0% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 424,904 shares of the industrial products companys stock after buying an additional 8,274 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc.s holdings in Packaging Co. of America were worth $77,568,000 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. Panagora Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Packaging Co. of America by 21.1% in the 2nd quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 29,871 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $5,453,000 after acquiring an additional 5,210 shares during the period. Rowlandmiller & PARTNERS.ADV raised its stake in shares of Packaging Co. of America by 3.0% during the 2nd quarter. Rowlandmiller & PARTNERS.ADV now owns 14,386 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $2,626,000 after buying an additional 415 shares during the last quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank boosted its position in shares of Packaging Co. of America by 12.4% in the 2nd quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 29,901 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $5,459,000 after buying an additional 3,294 shares in the last quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors boosted its position in shares of Packaging Co. of America by 19.8% in the 2nd quarter. Arkadios Wealth Advisors now owns 2,165 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $395,000 after buying an additional 358 shares in the last quarter. Finally, OmniStar Financial Group Inc. grew its stake in Packaging Co. of America by 4.1% in the 2nd quarter. OmniStar Financial Group Inc. now owns 3,763 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $687,000 after acquiring an additional 149 shares during the last quarter. 89.78% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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Packaging Co. of America Trading Up 1.4 %
Shares of NYSE PKG traded up $2.89 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $209.54. The stock had a trading volume of 843,264 shares, compared to its average volume of 616,073. The company has a quick ratio of 1.71, a current ratio of 2.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60. Packaging Co. of America has a 1-year low of $143.82 and a 1-year high of $210.11. The company has a market capitalization of $18.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.19, a PEG ratio of 5.08 and a beta of 0.77. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $191.90 and a 200 day moving average price of $184.72.
Packaging Co. of America Dividend Announcement
Packaging Co. of America ( NYSE:PKG Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The industrial products company reported $2.20 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.14 by $0.06. Packaging Co. of America had a net margin of 9.06% and a return on equity of 18.21%. The firm had revenue of $2.08 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.02 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.31 earnings per share. Packaging Co. of Americas revenue was up 6.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts predict that Packaging Co. of America will post 8.71 earnings per share for the current year.
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 16th. Investors of record on Tuesday, October 15th will be issued a $1.25 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 16th. This represents a $5.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.39%. Packaging Co. of Americas dividend payout ratio is currently 62.50%.
Insider Buying and Selling at Packaging Co. of America
In other news, SVP Donald R. Shirley sold 6,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $196.28, for a total value of $1,177,680.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 20,772 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,077,128.16. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. In other news, SVP Donald R. Shirley sold 6,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $196.28, for a total transaction of $1,177,680.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 20,772 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,077,128.16. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Charles J. Carter sold 5,389 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $196.28, for a total transaction of $1,057,752.92. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 25,539 shares of the companys stock, valued at $5,012,794.92. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.60% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several analysts have issued reports on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of Packaging Co. of America from $194.00 to $215.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, July 25th. Bank of America upped their target price on Packaging Co. of America from $197.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, June 17th. StockNews.com downgraded Packaging Co. of America from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday. Citigroup upped their price objective on Packaging Co. of America from $181.00 to $187.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, July 8th. Finally, Truist Financial increased their price objective on Packaging Co. of America from $215.00 to $219.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $190.50.
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Packaging Co. of America Company Profile
(Free Report)
Packaging Corporation of America manufactures and sells containerboard and corrugated packaging products in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Packaging, Paper, and Corporate and Other. The Packaging segment offers various containerboard and corrugated packaging products, such as conventional shipping containers used to protect and transport manufactured goods; multi-color boxes and displays that help to merchandise the packaged product in retail locations; and honeycomb protective packaging products, as well as packaging for meat, fresh fruit and vegetables, processed food, beverages, and other industrial and consumer products.
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iA Global Asset Management Inc. cut its position in shares of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU Free Report) by 16.5% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 7,988 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 1,579 shares during the quarter. iA Global Asset Management Inc.s holdings in Prudential Financial were worth $936,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of PRU. Atlas Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Prudential Financial in the second quarter valued at $984,000. Signaturefd LLC increased its position in Prudential Financial by 4.3% during the second quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 10,845 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,271,000 after purchasing an additional 447 shares during the last quarter. Oxler Private Wealth LLC raised its stake in Prudential Financial by 1.1% during the second quarter. Oxler Private Wealth LLC now owns 10,848 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,271,000 after purchasing an additional 121 shares during the period. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV boosted its holdings in shares of Prudential Financial by 3.0% in the 2nd quarter. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV now owns 6,549 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $768,000 after purchasing an additional 191 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank grew its stake in shares of Prudential Financial by 6.9% during the 2nd quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 298,058 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $34,929,000 after buying an additional 19,221 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 56.83% of the companys stock.
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Insider Transactions at Prudential Financial
In other news, major shareholder Insurance Co Of Ame Prudential acquired 652,884 shares of Prudential Financial stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 20th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $27.57 per share, for a total transaction of $18,000,011.88. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider now directly owns 3,883,390 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $107,065,062.30. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, EVP Ann M. Kappler sold 2,839 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $113.43, for a total transaction of $322,027.77. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 14,535 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,648,705.05. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, major shareholder Insurance Co Of Ame Prudential purchased 652,884 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 20th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $27.57 per share, for a total transaction of $18,000,011.88. Following the acquisition, the insider now owns 3,883,390 shares in the company, valued at approximately $107,065,062.30. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders own 0.31% of the companys stock.
Prudential Financial Trading Up 1.1 %
Shares of PRU opened at $121.16 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $118.03 and a 200 day moving average price of $115.13. Prudential Financial, Inc. has a one year low of $87.95 and a one year high of $128.52. The company has a market capitalization of $43.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.61, a P/E/G ratio of 0.89 and a beta of 1.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65, a quick ratio of 0.13 and a current ratio of 0.13.
Prudential Financial (NYSE:PRU Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The financial services provider reported $3.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.43 by ($0.04). The company had revenue of $13.84 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.78 billion. Prudential Financial had a return on equity of 16.00% and a net margin of 4.86%. Sell-side analysts forecast that Prudential Financial, Inc. will post 13.33 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Prudential Financial Dividend Announcement
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 12th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, August 20th will be issued a dividend of $1.30 per share. This represents a $5.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.29%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, August 20th. Prudential Financials dividend payout ratio is presently 88.44%.
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of research analysts recently weighed in on PRU shares. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reiterated a market perform rating and issued a $121.00 target price on shares of Prudential Financial in a report on Wednesday, August 21st. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of Prudential Financial from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and set a $113.00 price target on the stock in a report on Monday, August 12th. Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on shares of Prudential Financial from $123.00 to $122.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Monday, August 19th. Argus raised shares of Prudential Financial to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price target on Prudential Financial from $143.00 to $141.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Friday, June 28th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have given a hold rating, one has issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $119.33.
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Prudential Financial Profile
(Free Report)
Prudential Financial, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides insurance, investment management, and other financial products and services in the United States and internationally. It operates through PGIM, Retirement Strategies, Group Insurance, Individual Life, and International Businesses segments.
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PT Adaro Energy Indonesia Tbk (OTCMKTS:ADOOY 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 4,600 shares, a growth of 58.6% from the July 31st total of 2,900 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 5,400 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.9 days.
PT Adaro Energy Indonesia Tbk Price Performance
Shares of OTCMKTS:ADOOY opened at $11.17 on Friday. PT Adaro Energy Indonesia Tbk has a 12 month low of $7.49 and a 12 month high of $11.17. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $9.55 and its 200 day moving average price is $8.85.
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PT Adaro Energy Indonesia Tbk Company Profile
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PT Adaro Energy Indonesia Tbk, together with its subsidiaries, engages in coal and mining business in Indonesia. It operates through Coal Mining and Trading; Mining Services; Logistics; and Others segments. The company provides trading, transportation, warehousing, quarrying, cargo handling, and mining and transportation support services.
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StockNews.com downgraded shares of RenaissanceRe (NYSE:RNR Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report issued on Wednesday morning.
Several other analysts have also weighed in on RNR. Evercore ISI lifted their price objective on shares of RenaissanceRe from $216.00 to $218.00 and gave the company an underperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 1st. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of RenaissanceRe from $288.00 to $280.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of RenaissanceRe from $265.00 to $267.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Bank of America lifted their price objective on shares of RenaissanceRe from $334.00 to $347.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, July 11th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on shares of RenaissanceRe from $257.00 to $240.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 10th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $263.40.
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Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on RenaissanceRe
RenaissanceRe Stock Down 1.1 %
RenaissanceRe stock opened at $254.63 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21, a quick ratio of 1.38 and a current ratio of 1.38. RenaissanceRe has a 52-week low of $183.82 and a 52-week high of $259.23. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $230.94 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $227.78. The firm has a market cap of $13.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.63, a PEG ratio of 1.32 and a beta of 0.38.
RenaissanceRe (NYSE:RNR Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 24th. The insurance provider reported $12.41 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $10.88 by $1.53. The company had revenue of $2.95 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.93 billion. RenaissanceRe had a net margin of 25.38% and a return on equity of 27.74%. Equities analysts predict that RenaissanceRe will post 38.92 EPS for the current year.
RenaissanceRe Announces Dividend
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Investors of record on Friday, September 13th will be given a $0.39 dividend. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.61%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, September 13th. RenaissanceRes payout ratio is currently 3.45%.
Insider Activity at RenaissanceRe
In other RenaissanceRe news, CFO Robert Qutub sold 2,500 shares of RenaissanceRe stock in a transaction on Friday, July 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $224.56, for a total transaction of $561,400.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 73,915 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $16,598,352.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other RenaissanceRe news, EVP David E. Marra sold 1,000 shares of RenaissanceRe stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $230.00, for a total transaction of $230,000.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 85,544 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $19,675,120. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Robert Qutub sold 2,500 shares of RenaissanceRe stock in a transaction on Friday, July 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.56, for a total transaction of $561,400.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 73,915 shares in the company, valued at $16,598,352.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.30% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On RenaissanceRe
A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in RNR. GAMMA Investing LLC bought a new stake in shares of RenaissanceRe during the 4th quarter worth $37,000. Kestra Private Wealth Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of RenaissanceRe during the 4th quarter worth $522,000. Jackson Creek Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of RenaissanceRe during the 4th quarter worth $289,000. Victory Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of RenaissanceRe by 20.4% during the 4th quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 23,306 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $4,568,000 after purchasing an additional 3,944 shares during the period. Finally, New York Life Investment Management LLC raised its stake in shares of RenaissanceRe by 9.1% during the 4th quarter. New York Life Investment Management LLC now owns 5,747 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $1,126,000 after purchasing an additional 479 shares during the period. 99.97% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
About RenaissanceRe
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RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance and insurance products in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Property, and Casualty and Specialty segments. The Property segment writes property catastrophe excess of loss reinsurance and excess of loss reinsurance to insure insurance and reinsurance companies against natural and man-made catastrophes, including hurricanes, earthquakes, typhoons, and tsunamis, as well as winter storms, freezes, floods, fires, windstorms, tornadoes, explosions, and acts of terrorism; and other property class of products, such as proportional reinsurance, property per risk, property reinsurance, binding facilities, and regional U.S.
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Being alone for 10 minutes a day should be considered a fundamental human right. Or perhaps it should be funded by Social Security, in the interest of mental health and national harmony. Being more alone than ever, of course, isnt advisable scientific evidence linking unwanted loneliness with various chronic diseases is solid but constantly being accompanied by other peoples chatter (real or digital) isnt good, either. Freeing yourself from social expectations and distractions, while seeking some space and introspection, is a healthy practice. It allows you to be at peace and not give up on who you are, or who you aspire to be.
Aloneliness is a word that some academics now use to refer to the irritation that we feel when we cannot take a few minutes out of social or family life to be by ourselves. Robert Coplan a psychologist at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada defines it as the negative feeling that appears when a person cannot be alone for the time they need. This lack like unwanted loneliness erodes our well-being, he tells EL PAIS via email. In his research, he finds that this feeling is associated both in children and adolescents, as well as in young adults with higher levels of perceived stress, a negative mood and symptoms of depression. A 2022 study that examined the effect of the absence of moments of solitude in several marriages concluded that aloneliness was a fairly accurate predictor of arguments and aggression in couples.
In just over a century, solitude has gone from being idealized by romantic writers and poets, to being a subject of study and epidemiological warning for contemporary sociologists and anthropologists. In English, theres a subtle semantic distinction between solitude and loneliness. Although both terms appear as synonyms in many dictionaries, they dont have the same connotation. Solitude is a place we voluntarily arrive at for a time and from which we can leave. Meanwhile, loneliness is something that happens to us a negative feeling that invades us when were isolated and dissatisfied with our social life, Professor Coplan clarifies.
In the essay Solitude (1905), Spanish philosopher Miguel de Unamuno already differentiated two types of solitude: the imposed one which doesnt come from an action that we exercise freely and the desired one, a state that we actively seek because it produces well-being. Coplan notes that there are many reasons for unwanted lonelinesss bad reputation, including its association with poor mental health and the development of several chronic diseases. He cites a recent report by US Surgeon General Vivek Hallegere, which states that chronic loneliness is a health risk thats equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Freedom is the great benefit that according to Coplan science finds in spending time without social interactions. It allows us to relax, to push our negative emotions [away] until we feel better, to restore and recharge our batteries which are exhausted from excessive socialization and to open up the necessary space in our minds so that creativity can explode and problems that once seemed unsolvable can be solved. We can do what we want without the restrictions imposed on us by the gaze of others, to feed our need for privacy and reflection. For many people, this is the only way to concentrate, he explains.
No one should feel guilty for wanting a few minutes of solitude, even if that desire excludes children, partners, parents, or friends. The expert only sets one condition for taking advantage of it: The experience will only be positive if we have chosen it.
Jennifer L. Smith a researcher at the Mather Institute in Illinois, which specializes in issues related to aging has found that the power of choice is what determines the way we experience solitude. We have a positive attitude towards the time we spend alone when we dont feel forced to give up on our social life and we know that well get it back, she writes, in an email to EL PAIS. Loneliness has a bad reputation, because were social animals and we assume that others are unhappy when theyre alone. This isnt always the case. Additionally, it can feel very lonely to be surrounded by many people, she points out.
Theres no such thing as a minimum standard time for micro-moments of solitude. Science hasnt been able to determine why one person would need 10 minutes a day and perhaps another would need half-an-hour. Virginia Thomas a professor of Psychology at Middlebury College invites us to check the pulse of our needs.
Its a learning curve; we learn about ourselves. [We have to find out] if [our irritation] goes away when we go swimming or for a walk, or if what calms us down is disappearing from the familys radar for a few minutes, Thomas says, in conversation with EL PAIS.
There are also those who believe that they dont need any time for introspection and solitude. These individuals have a real aversion to facing themselves. Tore Bonsaksen a professor and researcher at the Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences applies the echo chamber theory to what we think when were alone. We hear our thoughts over and over again, amplified and distorted. And, if were alone and also depressed, we will repeat increasingly negative ideas in a loop, he describes via email. In a series of 11 studies carried out by the University of Virginia and Harvard University, a quarter of the female participants and two-thirds of the men said they preferred an electric shock rather than spending time alone with their thoughts.
To enjoy solitude, we have to accept that its healthy. And, for that reason, we should allow ourselves to take social breaks without feeling guilty, Thomas reflects. She studies the cultural impact on ways of experiencing solitude. In the most collectivist societies and families that value and identify unity with harmony, its difficult to make people understand the value of spending time alone without anyone getting angry. Professor Coplan believes that those who need to be alone should let their closest circle know. What the latest research shows is that these micro-moments of solitude greatly improve relationships. We should be able to say: I love you and I enjoy spending time with you, but I need my space and that will be good for both of us.
A bather enjoys solitude on a beach on the Greek island of Mykonos in 1976. Elliott Erwitt ( Magnum Photos /Contacto)
Cultivating positive solitude will help us understand ourselves better and differentiate what really interests us from what we do when were simply dragged along by influences and social hype. Some experts believe that it prepares us to make better choices. It can also help you re-evaluate filler friendships: relationships you maintain because youd rather do anything on a Friday night besides staying at home by yourself, even at the cost of spending time with people whose company you dont enjoy, says Angela Grice, a researcher at Howard University.
In a 2021 study, Virginia Thomas discovered that specific skills can be developed to enjoy certain doses of solitude, without necessarily becoming a lone wolf. And, in another work thats still unpublished, she demonstrates that one can learn these skills: in just eight weeks,
a person can improve their ability to enjoy solitude. Among the skills that Thomas describes are the ability to connect with oneself, the wisdom to protect our time and validate the need for moments of solitude, as well as the sense to distinguish, on the one hand, when were overstimulated and need to go out for some air and, on the other, when weve had enough of solitude and must seek company again.
The best of both worlds
Thomas tells EL PAIS that science has made it very clear that solitude is a positive experience, so long as we manage to control it and balance it with a social life. The ideal balance will depend on individual needs. Ive interviewed people between 18 and 99-years-old and those who live the most fruitful solitudes are those who can relax and enjoy their time alone, because they know that theyll get their social life back when they want it. They have the best of both worlds. Most studies show that people benefit more from moments of solitude as they get older and gain more control over their time and greater knowledge about their emotions.
Thuy-vy Nguyen is a social psychologist who runs the Solitude Lab at Durham University, which tests individuals resilience to loneliness and their reactions to imagining that no one is watching them. She and her fellow researchers record the benefits of being alone from time to time, including stress reduction, mood regulation and deeper levels of rest and relaxation. Nguyen is also a co-author of Solitude: The Science and Power of Being Alone (2024).
When people are alone, they take advantage of their freedom to pursue their goals at their own pace, without having to respond to the demands and expectations of the social world. Some people use that space to enjoy their hobbies or unleash their creativity. Others prefer to read, listen to music, or walk in nature, Nguyen explains to EL PAIS via email.
Her experiments confirm that some people inhibit themselves from enjoying themselves when theyre alone, especially if they think theyre being watched. Overestimating the attention other people pay us and worrying too much about their judgment prevents us from relaxing and enjoying ourselves, Nguyen adds.
A man pictured alone in Portugal, in an undated image. Jean Gaumy (Magnum Photos / Contacto)
The experts consulted for this report believe that we must be proactive in the search for micro-moments of solitude that generate well-being. Its easier than it seems and doesnt require turning into a hermit or abandoning civilization. Sometimes, its enough to get up half-an-hour before the rest of the family to drink a cup of coffee in silence, Nguyen suggests.
Professor Coplan finds it useful to eat alone some days at work. However, as a child, he became accustomed to so-called companionate solitude. Coplan told The New York Times that he used to accompany his father on fishing trips. They would spend hours sitting in silence, side by side. It was like being alone without being alone.
Spending time alone is crucial for people whose routines involve constant social interaction and the endless demands of other people, Nguyen emphasizes. For others, stealing a moment of peace wont be so difficult the average adult in the US and UK spends around four hours a day alone but the problem is learning to manage that space, so that solitude isnt perceived as a waste of time.
Bonsaksen thinks that our long list of passive friends on social media platforms doesnt protect us from unwanted loneliness. Its just social capital resources that could be useful at some point. They serve to make people boast about being well-connected, but it takes a lot more connection and interaction with others to not feel lonely, he writes. In his experience, people who already feel lonely find it difficult to connect online with other people and, when they do, those relationships seem superficial.
From the point of view of personal connection, social media seems to work better as an extension of existing relationships, rather than as a space for establishing new connections.
Bonsaksen also distinguishes between the uses we give to the phone when were alone. Active users chat, post and comment; passive users scroll and look at other profiles. At least one study has linked a passive attitude on social media with a depressive mood thats often closely linked to unwanted loneliness.
The phone can be mistaken for that friend whos always there when everyone else has already left. It doesnt rest and, by design, it doesnt encourage people to rest, either. It sends out constant alerts, notifications, sounds and signals. Its no secret that, even if we say that we use [social media] platforms, theyre the ones that use us and end up shaping our lives.
Our precious minutes of solitude could end up contaminated by a bot farm, or sprinkles of digital hate. In both cases, we may end up in a bad mood without knowing exactly why and, above all, we will have lost an opportunity to be happy. Solitude, in controlled doses, is a powerful tool for well-being. We shouldnt give up this superpower to anyone.
Translated by Avik Jain Chatlani.
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Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:RYAN Get Free Report) Director Nicholas Dominic Cortezi sold 5,375 shares of Ryan Specialty stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $64.73, for a total transaction of $347,923.75. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 2,685 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $173,800.05. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website.
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On Monday, August 26th, Nicholas Dominic Cortezi sold 2,325 shares of Ryan Specialty stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $64.60, for a total transaction of $150,195.00.
On Friday, August 23rd, Nicholas Dominic Cortezi sold 1,703 shares of Ryan Specialty stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $64.66, for a total transaction of $110,115.98.
On Wednesday, August 21st, Nicholas Dominic Cortezi sold 35,000 shares of Ryan Specialty stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $65.15, for a total value of $2,280,250.00.
On Monday, August 19th, Nicholas Dominic Cortezi sold 35,000 shares of Ryan Specialty stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $64.69, for a total value of $2,264,150.00.
On Thursday, August 15th, Nicholas Dominic Cortezi sold 1,500 shares of Ryan Specialty stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $65.02, for a total value of $97,530.00.
Ryan Specialty Stock Performance
Ryan Specialty stock opened at $64.63 on Friday. Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. has a 1-year low of $41.49 and a 1-year high of $69.03. The company has a current ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.81. The firm has a market capitalization of $16.83 billion, a PE ratio of 121.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 0.62. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $61.21 and its 200 day simple moving average is $55.56.
Ryan Specialty Dividend Announcement
Ryan Specialty ( NYSE:RYAN Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The company reported $0.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.56 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $695.40 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $695.56 million. Ryan Specialty had a net margin of 10.21% and a return on equity of 48.08%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 18.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.45 earnings per share. As a group, analysts expect that Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc. will post 1.81 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, August 27th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, August 13th were given a dividend of $0.11 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, August 13th. This represents a $0.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.68%. Ryan Specialtys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 83.02%.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
RYAN has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $62.00 price objective on shares of Ryan Specialty in a report on Tuesday, July 2nd. Wolfe Research downgraded shares of Ryan Specialty from an outperform rating to a peer perform rating in a research report on Monday, May 6th. Bank of America started coverage on shares of Ryan Specialty in a research report on Wednesday, May 22nd. They set a buy rating and a $67.00 target price on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Ryan Specialty from $54.00 to $56.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research report on Friday, August 2nd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on Ryan Specialty from $58.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, August 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $62.00.
Read Our Latest Research Report on Ryan Specialty
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its stake in Ryan Specialty by 96.4% in the 2nd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 605 shares of the companys stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 297 shares in the last quarter. Crewe Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Ryan Specialty in the 2nd quarter worth about $39,000. Intelligent Financial Strategies bought a new position in shares of Ryan Specialty during the 1st quarter valued at about $44,000. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Ryan Specialty during the 1st quarter valued at about $45,000. Finally, Rothschild Investment LLC bought a new stake in Ryan Specialty in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $87,000. 84.82% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Ryan Specialty Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
Ryan Specialty Holdings, Inc operates as a service provider of specialty products and solutions for insurance brokers, agents, and carriers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Singapore. It offers distribution, underwriting, product development, administration, and risk management services by acting as a wholesale broker and a managing underwriter.
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Digital China Holdings Limited (OTCMKTS:DCHIF Get Free Report) saw a significant decrease in short interest in the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 3,498,200 shares, a decrease of 24.6% from the July 31st total of 4,640,200 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 100 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 34,982.0 days.
Digital China Stock Performance
Shares of DCHIF stock remained flat at $0.40 during trading hours on Friday. Digital China has a 1 year low of $0.26 and a 1 year high of $0.43. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $0.42 and its 200 day simple moving average is $0.37.
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Digital China Company Profile
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Digital China Holdings Limited, an investment holding company, provides big data products and solutions for government and enterprise customers primarily in Mainland China. The Big Data Products and Solutions segment sells data software products focused on spatial-temporal big data and artificial intelligence.
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Funding Circle Holdings plc (OTCMKTS:FDCHF Get Free Report) saw a large increase in short interest in the month of August. As of August 15th, there was short interest totalling 400 shares, an increase of 100.0% from the July 31st total of 200 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 0 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently days.
Funding Circle Stock Performance
Funding Circle has a 12 month low of $0.41 and a 12 month high of $0.96. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $0.96 and a 200 day moving average of $0.75.
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About Funding Circle
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Funding Circle Holdings plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides online lending platforms in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. The company offers small business loans, recovery loan schemes, and business finance solutions to small enterprises. It also provides flexipay and flexipay card solutions.
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Stelmine Canada Ltd. (CVE:STH Get Free Report)s share price shot up 25% on Wednesday . The company traded as high as C$0.03 and last traded at C$0.03. 700,000 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 543% from the average session volume of 108,814 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.02.
Stelmine Canada Price Performance
The company has a current ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 2.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.82. The stock has a market capitalization of C$2.55 million, a P/E ratio of -2.50 and a beta of 1.41. The stocks 50-day moving average price is C$0.03 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$0.04.
Stelmine Canada Company Profile
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Stelmine Canada Ltd. engages in the acquisition, exploration, production, development, and operation of mining properties in Canada. The company primarily explores for gold. It holds 100% interests in the Courcy project comprising 165 claims covering an area of 86 square kilometers located in Fermont, Quebec; Mercator project, which comprise 1095 claims that covers an area of 561 square kilometers located within the extension of the Opinaca metasedimentary basin in the Caniapiscau district; Joubert property comprising 103 claims that covers an area of 55 kilometers located in Quebec; Trieste property comprising 14 claims located in Quebec; and Ilnu property comprising 82 claims located in Quebec.
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Mezzasalma Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of The Progressive Co. (NYSE:PGR Free Report) by 258.8% in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 4,722 shares of the insurance providers stock after buying an additional 3,406 shares during the quarter. Mezzasalma Advisors LLCs holdings in Progressive were worth $981,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the business. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. grew its position in Progressive by 11.8% during the 2nd quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. now owns 455 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $95,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares during the period. City State Bank grew its stake in shares of Progressive by 8.2% during the 2nd quarter. City State Bank now owns 661 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $137,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the period. GYL Financial Synergies LLC increased its holdings in shares of Progressive by 4.0% during the 2nd quarter. GYL Financial Synergies LLC now owns 1,302 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $270,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. lifted its stake in shares of Progressive by 2.6% in the 2nd quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. now owns 2,047 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $425,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares during the period. Finally, D.B. Root & Company LLC boosted its holdings in Progressive by 4.4% during the second quarter. D.B. Root & Company LLC now owns 1,237 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $257,000 after buying an additional 52 shares in the last quarter. 85.34% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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Insider Transactions at Progressive
In other news, CAO Mariann Wojtkun Marshall sold 650 shares of Progressive stock in a transaction on Monday, June 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $208.11, for a total transaction of $135,271.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 3,981 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $828,485.91. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, CAO Mariann Wojtkun Marshall sold 650 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $208.11, for a total transaction of $135,271.50. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 3,981 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $828,485.91. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, insider Steven Broz sold 6,122 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $235.19, for a total value of $1,439,833.18. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 32,316 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,600,400.04. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 103,984 shares of company stock valued at $22,564,766. 0.34% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Progressive Trading Up 0.9 %
Progressive stock traded up $2.19 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $252.20. The companys stock had a trading volume of 2,817,633 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,536,695. The stocks fifty day moving average is $220.40 and its two-hundred day moving average is $209.96. The company has a current ratio of 0.31, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. The firm has a market capitalization of $147.71 billion, a PE ratio of 25.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 0.35. The Progressive Co. has a 1 year low of $131.87 and a 1 year high of $254.35.
Progressive (NYSE:PGR Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, July 16th. The insurance provider reported $2.65 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.04 by $0.61. Progressive had a net margin of 10.17% and a return on equity of 33.01%. The business had revenue of $17.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.54 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.57 earnings per share. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 21.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts anticipate that The Progressive Co. will post 12.16 EPS for the current year.
Progressive Announces Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, October 11th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, October 3rd will be paid a $0.10 dividend. This represents a $0.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.16%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 3rd. Progressives payout ratio is presently 4.09%.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
A number of research analysts have weighed in on PGR shares. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upgraded shares of Progressive from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $210.00 to $245.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 17th. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on Progressive from $256.00 to $255.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Monday, June 10th. Roth Mkm lifted their price target on shares of Progressive from $235.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, August 15th. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of Progressive from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $230.00 to $262.00 in a research report on Thursday, August 15th. Finally, Evercore ISI boosted their target price on shares of Progressive from $243.00 to $246.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $234.41.
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Progressive Company Profile
(Free Report)
The Progressive Corporation, an insurance holding company, provides personal and commercial auto, personal residential and commercial property, business related general liability, and other specialty property-casualty insurance products and related services in the United States. It operates in three segments: Personal Lines, Commercial Lines, and Property.
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TrueMark Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. (NYSE:SQM Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 8,723 shares of the basic materials companys stock, valued at approximately $355,000.
Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in SQM. Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new stake in Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile in the 1st quarter valued at $34,000. Blue Trust Inc. grew its stake in Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile by 396.2% in the 2nd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 913 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 729 shares during the period. CWM LLC grew its stake in Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile by 40.1% in the 1st quarter. CWM LLC now owns 790 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $39,000 after acquiring an additional 226 shares during the period. Accent Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile in the 4th quarter valued at $47,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile by 133.8% in the 4th quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 830 shares of the basic materials companys stock valued at $50,000 after acquiring an additional 475 shares during the period. 12.41% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile Stock Up 0.0 %
Shares of SQM stock traded up $0.01 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $38.80. 1,649,021 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,220,583. The businesss fifty day moving average is $38.85 and its two-hundred day moving average is $43.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 2.19 and a quick ratio of 1.47. Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. has a 12-month low of $32.24 and a 12-month high of $64.62. The firm has a market capitalization of $11.08 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.90 and a beta of 1.05.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile ( NYSE:SQM Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 21st. The basic materials company reported $0.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.99 by ($0.24). The business had revenue of $1.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.27 billion. Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile had a net margin of 0.48% and a return on equity of 23.15%. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.03 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts expect that Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. will post -0.88 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their target price on shares of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile from $45.00 to $36.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, July 18th. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price target on shares of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile from $70.00 to $65.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, May 24th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, August 9th. Bank of America lowered their price target on shares of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile from $47.00 to $38.00 and set an underperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, August 21st. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price objective on shares of Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile from $62.80 to $55.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Monday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $53.94.
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Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile Profile
(Free Report)
Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile SA produces and distributes specialty plant nutrients, iodine derivatives, lithium derivatives, potassium chloride and sulfate, industrial chemicals, and other products and services. The company offers specialty plant nutrients, including potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, sodium potassium nitrate, specialty blends, and other specialty fertilizers.
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UMB Bank n.a. lifted its holdings in shares of Kontoor Brands, Inc. (NYSE:KTB Free Report) by 1.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 51,038 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 744 shares during the quarter. UMB Bank n.a.s holdings in Kontoor Brands were worth $3,376,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the business. SG Americas Securities LLC grew its position in shares of Kontoor Brands by 5.0% during the 2nd quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 3,544 shares of the companys stock worth $234,000 after buying an additional 169 shares during the period. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. boosted its stake in Kontoor Brands by 3.6% during the 2nd quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 4,979 shares of the companys stock worth $329,000 after acquiring an additional 175 shares during the last quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System boosted its stake in Kontoor Brands by 0.8% during the 2nd quarter. Louisiana State Employees Retirement System now owns 25,000 shares of the companys stock worth $1,654,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC boosted its stake in Kontoor Brands by 22.7% during the 1st quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC now owns 1,584 shares of the companys stock worth $95,000 after acquiring an additional 293 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Swiss National Bank boosted its stake in Kontoor Brands by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 99,814 shares of the companys stock worth $6,014,000 after acquiring an additional 300 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.06% of the companys stock.
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Kontoor Brands Stock Up 0.7 %
KTB traded up $0.49 during trading on Friday, reaching $74.84. The company had a trading volume of 710,072 shares, compared to its average volume of 512,368. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $68.76 and its 200 day moving average price is $65.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.04, a current ratio of 2.74 and a quick ratio of 1.42. The company has a market cap of $4.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.82, a PEG ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 1.16. Kontoor Brands, Inc. has a 12 month low of $39.90 and a 12 month high of $75.17.
Kontoor Brands Announces Dividend
Kontoor Brands ( NYSE:KTB Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 1st. The company reported $0.98 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.88 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $607.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $592.97 million. Kontoor Brands had a net margin of 9.35% and a return on equity of 72.43%. The firms revenue for the quarter was down 1.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.77 earnings per share. Equities analysts anticipate that Kontoor Brands, Inc. will post 4.8 EPS for the current year.
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 20th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 10th will be given a $0.50 dividend. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.67%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 10th. Kontoor Brandss dividend payout ratio is presently 50.63%.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several research firms recently weighed in on KTB. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Kontoor Brands from $76.00 to $83.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on shares of Kontoor Brands from $77.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, June 14th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on shares of Kontoor Brands from $68.00 to $77.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday, May 3rd. Finally, Guggenheim lifted their price target on shares of Kontoor Brands from $75.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Friday, August 2nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $78.83.
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Kontoor Brands Profile
(Free Report)
Kontoor Brands, Inc, a lifestyle apparel company, designs, produces, procures, markets, distributes, and licenses denim, apparel, footwear, and accessories, primarily under the Wrangler and Lee brands. The company operates through two segments: Wrangler and Lee. It licenses and sells apparel under the Rock & Republic brand name.
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Van ECK Associates Corp trimmed its position in shares of Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO Free Report) by 19.2% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 334,041 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 79,298 shares during the quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp owned approximately 0.10% of Valero Energy worth $52,364,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.
Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. EdgeRock Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Valero Energy during the second quarter worth approximately $27,000. Lynx Investment Advisory purchased a new stake in Valero Energy in the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. Summit Securities Group LLC purchased a new stake in Valero Energy in the 2nd quarter valued at $31,000. Rise Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Valero Energy in the 1st quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, Pathway Financial Advisers LLC purchased a new stake in Valero Energy in the 1st quarter valued at $33,000. 78.69% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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Valero Energy Trading Up 3.5 %
VLO traded up $4.92 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $146.73. 3,359,564 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,981,542. The firms fifty day moving average is $150.21 and its two-hundred day moving average is $155.51. Valero Energy Co. has a 1-year low of $119.88 and a 1-year high of $184.79. The company has a current ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. The company has a market cap of $47.98 billion, a PE ratio of 7.27, a PEG ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 1.42.
Valero Energy Dividend Announcement
Valero Energy ( NYSE:VLO Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 25th. The oil and gas company reported $2.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.60 by $0.11. The company had revenue of $34.49 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $32.97 billion. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 21.01% and a net margin of 4.25%. Valero Energys revenue for the quarter was down .1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $5.40 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Valero Energy Co. will post 12.86 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 1st will be given a $1.07 dividend. This represents a $4.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.92%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 1st. Valero Energys dividend payout ratio is currently 21.20%.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
VLO has been the subject of several analyst reports. StockNews.com cut Valero Energy from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, July 17th. Scotiabank upped their target price on Valero Energy from $165.00 to $173.00 and gave the company a sector outperform rating in a report on Friday, July 12th. Wolfe Research began coverage on Valero Energy in a research note on Thursday, July 18th. They issued an outperform rating and a $177.00 price target on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Valero Energy from $156.00 to $165.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on Valero Energy from $178.00 to $172.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, July 2nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $174.00.
Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Valero Energy
About Valero Energy
(Free Report)
Valero Energy Corporation manufactures, markets, and sells petroleum-based and low-carbon liquid transportation fuels and petrochemical products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Latin America, Mexico, Peru, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol.
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Whitecap Resources Inc. (TSE:WCP Get Free Report) shares passed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of C$10.10 and traded as high as C$10.58. Whitecap Resources shares last traded at C$10.49, with a volume of 2,778,072 shares trading hands.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
WCP has been the topic of several research reports. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded Whitecap Resources to a moderate buy rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Scotiabank boosted their target price on Whitecap Resources from C$12.00 to C$13.00 in a research report on Friday, July 12th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Whitecap Resources has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of C$13.61.
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Whitecap Resources Stock Performance
The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 23.55, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 0.94. The business has a 50 day moving average price of C$10.21 and a two-hundred day moving average price of C$10.11. The company has a market cap of C$6.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of -0.33 and a beta of 2.71.
Whitecap Resources (TSE:WCP Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th. The company reported C$0.41 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of C$0.29 by C$0.12. The business had revenue of C$1.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$946.00 million. Whitecap Resources had a return on equity of 13.89% and a net margin of 22.43%. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Whitecap Resources Inc. will post 1.0211055 earnings per share for the current year.
Whitecap Resources Increases Dividend
The firm also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 16th. Shareholders of record on Saturday, August 31st will be given a dividend of $0.061 per share. This is a positive change from Whitecap Resourcess previous monthly dividend of $0.06. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 30th. This represents a $0.73 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.13%. Whitecap Resourcess dividend payout ratio is presently 58.40%.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other Whitecap Resources news, Director Grant Bradley Fagerheim sold 20,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$10.22, for a total transaction of C$204,400.00. In other Whitecap Resources news, Director Grant Bradley Fagerheim sold 20,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$10.22, for a total transaction of C$204,400.00. Also, Director Chandra Henry bought 10,000 shares of Whitecap Resources stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 10th. The shares were purchased at an average price of C$10.00 per share, for a total transaction of C$100,000.00. In the last quarter, insiders have bought 30,000 shares of company stock worth $303,400. Company insiders own 0.82% of the companys stock.
About Whitecap Resources
(Get Free Report)
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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WidePoint Co. (NYSEAMERICAN:WYY Get Free Report) passed above its fifty day moving average during trading on Thursday . The stock has a fifty day moving average of $0.00 and traded as high as $3.71. WidePoint shares last traded at $3.61, with a volume of 33,305 shares trading hands.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
Several analysts recently issued reports on WYY shares. StockNews.com started coverage on WidePoint in a report on Sunday, June 16th. They issued a hold rating for the company. Litchfield Hills Research upgraded WidePoint to a strong-buy rating in a report on Monday, June 24th.
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WidePoint Trading Up 1.1 %
The stock has a market capitalization of $35.22 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -8.69 and a beta of 1.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28, a current ratio of 1.06 and a quick ratio of 1.06.
WidePoint (NYSEAMERICAN:WYY Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 14th. The technology company reported ($0.05) EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.08) by $0.03. The company had revenue of $36.04 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $29.64 million. WidePoint had a negative net margin of 2.74% and a negative return on equity of 23.31%. Research analysts predict that WidePoint Co. will post -0.23 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Institutional Investors Weigh In On WidePoint
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Platform Technology Partners increased its stake in WidePoint by 74.8% in the 4th quarter. Platform Technology Partners now owns 46,753 shares of the technology companys stock worth $108,000 after purchasing an additional 20,000 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its position in shares of WidePoint by 41.8% in the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 61,058 shares of the technology companys stock valued at $256,000 after acquiring an additional 17,991 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Summit Financial Strategies Inc. boosted its stake in WidePoint by 170.5% in the 2nd quarter. Summit Financial Strategies Inc. now owns 103,068 shares of the technology companys stock worth $432,000 after purchasing an additional 64,963 shares during the period. 22.60% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
WidePoint Company Profile
(Get Free Report)
WidePoint Corporation provides technology management as a service (TMaaS) to the government and business enterprises in North America and Europe. It offers TMaaS solutions through a secure federal government certified proprietary portal and secure enterprise portal that provides ability to manage, analyze, and protect communications assets, as well as deploys identity management solutions that provides secured virtual and physical access to restricted environments.
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Jane Goodall was four years old when she went on vacation with her mother to a large farm where cows, pigs, and horses all lived together. There, a young Goodall became obsessed with finding out how it was possible for an egg to come from a hen, so she hid in one of the six coops and waited. She squatted for four hours until she saw the brown bird lift its wings slightly and drop a white egg onto the straw. That was, according to the ethologist, the birth of a little scientist. The patience and curiosity that accompanied Goodall continue to guide the hand of the worlds most renowned primatologist at the age of 90. Today, determined to touch the hearts of those who listen to her, she defends environmental activism with two unique weapons: empathy and an overflowing source of hope. There is still room for action, she tells EL PAIS during her visit to Medellin, Colombia. We have four engines: the intellect of humans, the resilience of nature, young people, and an indomitable spirit.
When she had not yet turned 30, Goodall had already shaken the basic concepts of science by demonstrating how similar we are to chimpanzees, with whom we now know that we share 98.7% of our DNA. In addition to revolutionizing the definition of human being by discovering that primates were also capable of creating tools, she demonstrated that we shared emotions such as sadness, empathy, and even a sense of humor. If primates had a language, we would also be amazed by how similar it would be to ours, Goodall, the U.N. messenger for peace at the Reasons for Hope conference organized by Caja de Compensacion Familiar de Antioquia (Comfama) and Elemental, said on August 22.
Goodall took to the stage with the famed Mr. H. a stuffed monkey that never leaves her side and a glass of whiskey. She didnt let anyone help her with the stairs, but smiled kindly at anyone who tried. She sat wrapped in a hummingbird shawl shes had for years she hasnt bought clothes in two decades and recounted dozens of anecdotes with the same passion and tenderness as when she first told them. She said that if she closes her eyes, she can relive her memories. She touched upon the courage of her mother, with whom she entered the Tanzanian jungles seven decades ago because she was not allowed to be left alone; to the first time the chimpanzee David Greybeard sat next to her and showed her how he had shaped a contraption to eat termites; or to when the professors on her doctorate course, which she took without any previous study, told her she had done everything wrong. They told me I couldnt talk about chimpanzee emotions, or give them names, or say they had altruistic gestures or personalities, said the Templeton Award winner. But I had a teacher before them who proved that what they were saying was absolute nonsense. That teacher was my dog, Rusty.
Its hard not to wonder how this woman who has been talking about the same thing for years shes on a world tour 300 days out of 365 annually and using the same anecdotes, was able to sell out the Metropolitan Theater in Medellin in 12 minutes. A few seconds of chatting are enough to understand. Her words are balm in the face of a sometimes catastrophist and overwhelming environmentalist discourse. Using rage to defend the environment is counterproductive. And thats when Goodall turns everything upside down: We must find the story that can touch the hearts of those who dont think like us.
Question. You have said that animals will eventually reclaim the territory we have stolen from them. How do you think they will do that?
Answer. They cant do it without our help. Were building machinery thats destroying nature. And were the ones with intellect! They cant do anything about it, theyll just try to get back at us if we cooperate. And were going to be screwed if we dont understand that destroying biodiversity and climate change go hand-in-hand, and do something about it. But there are many communities in many countries that know the importance of living in harmony with nature, and theyre not necessarily part of the education system. Thats what has to change. People have to genuinely understand what were experiencing and then theyll start to change. The more people care about the future, the more we can safeguard it.
Q. There is a large part of environmental activism that is deeply angry. Is anger effective?
A. No. Defending the environment with anger is counterproductive. I know activists who go after businessmen or politicians, point their fingers at them, and are angry and tell them that they have to change because they are bad. The only thing you will achieve by doing so is for them to attack you back, or they will just not listen to you. Rather than attacking them intellectually, it is better to try to get to their heart. How do you do that? Find out what that person is like until you find the story that can touch their heart. And maybe at that point, you wont even know that youve changed something inside. But it will come.
Q. Is a new political generation concerned with ecology emerging?
A. Yes, absolutely. We know a lot of people in positions of power who started out in our Roots and Shoots program [Goodalls education program that has a presence in 70 countries], in 1991. But we face a big challenge in getting this kind of knowledge to where there are dictatorships or governments that dont want this information. Its a big challenge. And Im not the person who has to solve those problems.
Q. There are studies that speak of the importance of friendship between male chimpanzees for their reproduction. Are we humans also stronger together?
A. For me, the male chimpanzee is involved in a fierce competition for dominance and has three strategies to achieve it. The first is through brute force. These males get to the top, but they dont last long there, because they make everyone turn against them. Second, using intellect. A good example is when I saw that a male would only dare to attack a higher-ranking male if his brother was there to protect him. And the third is perseverance. You go and try again and again and again. Until the others get tired and say: I cant take it anymore! And they let you move up. And that can be an interesting thing for humans who want to get to the top: you have to use your intellect, be persistent, and not be aggressive.
Jane Goodall in a scene from the documentary 'Jane Goodall: Return to Gombe,' which includes footage of the primatologist with chimpanzees in the 1960s. National Geographic
Q. What can we expect from COP16, which will be held in Colombia?
A. I hope that COP16 is not just all talk and that politicians come to the conclusion that the impact on biodiversity and climate change has to stop. People in power have to understand this. And also that we still have time to work together. First, so that people have a decent life, so that grandchildren and great-grandchildren have a chance to live. And second, to give nature space to survive.
Q. Considering your career, what still surprises you today?
A. How stupid some people are. [Laughs].
Q. Until you came to science, it was said that to be a good scientist, you had to be objective. To what extent did the coldness of science influence our ability to empathize?
A. It used to be that way. Now there are more and more scientists who understand that we need to study empathy and emotions. Before, only species were studied, not individuals. And we had to change that way of doing science. Until we understood that, we didnt realize that individuals are capable of changing communities. And it is the same with humans. An example is wars; it is individuals who make them happen. It happened with Hitler and Stalin and now with Netanyahu and Putin.
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Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH lowered its position in shares of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM Free Report) by 18.1% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 400,734 shares of the restaurant operators stock after selling 88,494 shares during the period. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OHs holdings in Yum! Brands were worth $53,081,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Ruedi Wealth Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Yum! Brands by 79.8% in the 1st quarter. Ruedi Wealth Management Inc. now owns 187 shares of the restaurant operators stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 83 shares in the last quarter. Manchester Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Yum! Brands by 165.7% in the 1st quarter. Manchester Capital Management LLC now owns 186 shares of the restaurant operators stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 116 shares in the last quarter. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Yum! Brands during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Crewe Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Yum! Brands in the first quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. bought a new position in Yum! Brands during the 1st quarter valued at $37,000. 82.37% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
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Analyst Ratings Changes
YUM has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. TD Cowen restated a buy rating and issued a $156.00 target price on shares of Yum! Brands in a research note on Tuesday, August 6th. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on Yum! Brands from $133.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, May 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on Yum! Brands from $143.00 to $147.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Robert W. Baird upped their price target on Yum! Brands from $150.00 to $154.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on shares of Yum! Brands in a report on Thursday, June 13th. They issued a neutral rating and a $150.00 price objective for the company. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $145.00.
Yum! Brands Trading Down 0.2 %
Yum! Brands stock traded down $0.33 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $134.92. 1,876,329 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,967,391. Yum! Brands, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $115.53 and a fifty-two week high of $143.20. The firm has a market cap of $37.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.92, a PEG ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 1.07. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $132.46 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $135.85.
Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The restaurant operator reported $1.35 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.33 by $0.02. Yum! Brands had a negative return on equity of 18.90% and a net margin of 21.96%. The company had revenue of $1.76 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.80 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.41 earnings per share. Analysts anticipate that Yum! Brands, Inc. will post 5.62 earnings per share for the current year.
Yum! Brands Dividend Announcement
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 6th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, August 27th will be given a dividend of $0.67 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, August 27th. This represents a $2.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.99%. Yum! Brandss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 47.52%.
Yum! Brands announced that its Board of Directors has approved a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, May 15th that authorizes the company to buyback $2.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the restaurant operator to reacquire up to 5% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are often a sign that the companys board believes its shares are undervalued.
Insider Transactions at Yum! Brands
In other Yum! Brands news, CEO David W. Gibbs sold 6,961 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $131.02, for a total value of $912,030.22. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 162,381 shares in the company, valued at $21,275,158.62. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Sabir Sami sold 71,051 shares of Yum! Brands stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $137.16, for a total value of $9,745,355.16. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 68 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,326.88. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO David W. Gibbs sold 6,961 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $131.02, for a total transaction of $912,030.22. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 162,381 shares of the companys stock, valued at $21,275,158.62. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 101,685 shares of company stock valued at $13,910,094. Company insiders own 0.31% of the companys stock.
Yum! Brands Company Profile
(Free Report)
Yum! Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, develops, operates, and franchises quick service restaurants worldwide. The company operates through the KFC Division, the Taco Bell Division, the Pizza Hut Division, and the Habit Burger Grill Division segments. It also operates restaurants under the KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and The Habit Burger Grill brands, which specialize in chicken, pizza, made-to-order chargrilled burgers, sandwiches, Mexican-style food categories, and other food products.
Further Reading
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The technical tie is stubborn. A week after the end of the Democratic convention, and 12 days before the televised debate that will pit the two U.S. presidential candidates against each other, Vice President Kamala Harris maintains the momentum she has built since she became the head of the Democratic ticket, and is slightly advancing in the polls. But Republican candidate Donald Trump, firmly supported by his voters, is not letting her get any further ahead. The tie in voting intention, especially in the swing states that will decide the November election, is almost absolute.
The Democratic candidate appears to have received a certain boost after the success of the Democratic convention in Chicago and a week of mostly positive media coverage. Five polls after the close of the party convention give her a lead over her rival of up to four percentage points, and find Harris gaining ground among women, Latino voters and young people: part of the coalition of minorities that represents the Democratic voter base. These groups had distanced themselves from Joe Biden, whom they considered too old to take on a second term and whose policies especially around the war in Gaza, in the case of the youngest they did not necessarily agree with.
According to a poll conducted by Ipsos and published by Reuters on Thursday, the vice president leads her Republican rival nationwide by four percentage points, 45% to 41%, among registered voters. The margin of error for this survey is 2%.
A month ago, the same poll gave Harris a one-percentage-point lead. The new survey finds that the vice presidents rise is driven, above all, by the enthusiasm she arouses among the Democratic grassroots. The candidate saw her voting intention increase among women and Latino voters: among both groups, she leads Trump by 13 percentage points, 49% versus 36%. In July, she led the Republican by nine points among women and only six among Latinos.
Another poll, conducted by Suffolk and published by USA Today, paints a picture in which Harris leads Trump by more than four percentage points, 47.6% to 43.3%. This is a radical turnaround from two months ago, when the Republican was ahead of Biden by three points (41% to 38%) after the televised debate between the two in which the president performed dismally, leading to his withdrawal from the race.
According to this poll, the Democratic candidate has the support of 76% of African-American voters, a gap of 47 percentage points with the support received by Biden and 64 points ahead of Trump. Among young people, Harris leads her Republican rival by 13 points (49%-36%), while two months ago it was the former president who remained in the lead among those under 34 years of age, by 11 percentage points.
Other polls, published by The Economist and Yahoo News, also place the vice president ahead of her rival, although by similar distances to those she already enjoyed before the convention.
Tie in key states
However, the poll results are less flattering for the vice president in the seven key states (Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Nevada and Arizona). In these, according to the Reuters poll, the former president is ahead of Harris by two percentage points, 45-43%. The aggregator of electoral polling expert Nate Silver places Harris 3.5 percentage points ahead of Trump (49% versus 45.5%) across the country, but points to much tighter results in the swing states: in Georgia, Trump is ahead by 0.6 percentage points; in North Carolina, the vice president is ahead by just four-tenths.
In a sign of the importance of those key states, Harris was on a bus tour of Georgia on Thursday with her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Next week she will travel to Pennsylvania with Biden and also visit Michigan, her campaign has said.
By contrast, a poll for the conservative television network Fox News, released on Wednesday, shows the vice president ahead of her rival in the swing states of Georgia, Nevada (two percentage points) and Arizona (one point) thanks to strong support among women, African-American voters and young people, while Trump has a one-point lead in North Carolina. In 2020, the former president won that state by less than one percentage point, while Biden won the remaining three by narrow margins.
The Fox News poll says Harris is the preferred candidate by voters who see her as the most willing to fight for ordinary people and the one who can best unite the country. Those surveyed, on the other hand, lean towards Trump when it comes to managing the economy or the situation at the border.
Predictions for November couldnt be closer to 50%-50%, says Silver on his blog, Silver Line. Meanwhile, the head of the veteran electoral analysis website Cook Report, Amy Walter, notes that although Harris has been improving her results in the polls since she took over from Biden, Trump has not lost ground either. The electoral competition is tightening, not because Harris is taking votes away from the former president, but because Democrats and independents with Democratic leanings are returning to the fold, says this expert.
This weeks polls confirm this. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, 73% of Democratic voters say they are more enthusiastic about voting in November now that Harris has entered the race. In March, that poll found that 61% of Democratic voters planned to go to the polls, mainly with the idea of preventing Trump from winning. Now, 52% say they will go to the polls to support Harris, rather than simply to vote against the Republican candidate.
Meanwhile, the technical tie continues, awaiting the possible impact of events on the horizon, including the resurgence of the federal cases against the former president. On Thursday, Harris granted her first formal interview as a presidential hopeful, and told CNN that she is willing to include a Republican in her cabinet.
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August 29, 2024 Bong Go urges PhilHealth to address insufficient case rates after tragic story of Walter, a health officer in Camarines Norte failed by the same system he promoted Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, delivered a powerful privilege speech on Tuesday, August 27, highlighting the tragic story of Walter, a dedicated health officer from Camarines Norte who was failed by the very system he served and was mandated to promote. Go used this heartbreaking example to call for urgent reforms within PhilHealth, demanding that the agency improve its services and fulfill its promises to the Filipino people. Walter is a dedicated PhilHealth contributor and provincial health officer who served the public for 15 years in Camarines Norte, the hometown of fellow Senator Robinhood Padilla. According to information given to Go, he was one of the most active personnel in promoting Universal Health Care (UHC) in the province. "Consistent contributor po sya ng PhilHealth, walang mintis," Go noted. However, despite his years of service and contributions to PhilHealth both on a personal level and in relation to his work, Walter faced a tragic situation when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Go recounted the devastating financial burden that Walter's family had to bear due to the insufficient coverage provided by PhilHealth. Walter's total accummulated contributions to PhilHealth over the years amounted to P200,000, yet when he needed assistance the most, the coverage provided was shockingly inadequate. "Lumapit sa aming opisina, lumapit po sa Malasakit Center ang kanyang pamilya para humingi ng tulong sa hospital bill. Umabot sa apat na milyon ang kanyang huling bill sa ospital. P800,000 ang PWD discount," Go shared, emphasizing the immense hospital bill that Sir Walter's family faced. Out of the P4 million hospital bill, PhilHealth only covered P29,120. "Tumataginting na P29,120. May barya pa!" Go exclaimed, expressing his frustration at the negligible amount covered by PhilHealth. With more than two million pesos still left unpaid, Walter's family was left in a dire financial situation, struggling to find ways to cover the remaining costs. Go's office already provided medical assistance to help the family with the bill. This situation was not an isolated incident. In an earlier confinement, Walter's hospital bill reached P6 million, yet PhilHealth only covered P27,000. Go highlighted the injustice of this situation, stating, "Fifteen years po nagsakripisyo si Sir Walter para sa pamilya, para sa bayan. Umabot sa P200,000 ang total contributions nya sa PhilHealth bilang mamamayan. More than 10 million in hospital bills, namatay na halos P60,000 lang suma-total ang deduction ng PhilHealth sa kanyang huling dalawang confinement." Go pointed out that PhilHealth currently has around 9,000 case rates, which represent the amount the corporation covers for specific illnesses or medical procedures. PhilHealth President Emmanual Ledesma informed the Committee on Health that the agency had already increased the case rates by 30% in January 2024, with plans to implement an additional 30% increase before the end of the year. "Paalala ko lang po sa PhilHealth, increase your case rates," Go urged, emphasizing the need for substantial changes in the health insurance system. However, he questioned whether this 60% total increase would be sufficient to address the long-standing deficiencies in PhilHealth's coverage. He pointed out that PhilHealth had not enhanced its benefits for 12 years, leading to a potential mismatch between the current case rates and the actual costs of medical treatments. "Kaya kahit magtaas tayo ng 60%, baka naman napakaliit ng PhilHealth benefits compared to the actual cost ng treatment sa ngayon. Ang mahal talagang magpa-ospital ngayon. Baka ang mangyari, eh pampalubag loob lang po ito," Go remarked, expressing his concern that the planned increases might not be enough to make a meaningful difference for Filipinos facing high medical expenses. Go then cited data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, which revealed that the top causes of death in the country from January to November 2023 were heart disease and coronary artery disease. He drew attention to the fact that angioplasty, a critical procedure for treating cardiovascular disease, only has a case rate of P30,000 to P39,000 under PhilHealth, while the actual cost of this life-saving treatment can reach up to P300,000. "Kulang na kulang talaga," Go lamented, stressing the urgent need for PhilHealth to adjust its coverage to reflect the real costs of treatment. He also shared a concerning example involving a PhilHealth employee in the Visayas who incurred a hospital bill of P800,000 but received only P30,000 in coverage from PhilHealth, the very agency that employs him. "'Yun lang po ang kinover," Go emphasized, highlighting the inconsistency and inadequacy of PhilHealth's support, even for its employees. Go did not mince words when he described the treatment Walter and other patients received from PhilHealth as unjust and inhumane. He pointed out the painful irony that a man who had dedicated his life to public health and contributed significantly to PhilHealth was let down by the very system he helped support. "Mali ito, Mr. President. Hindi po ito makatao," Go declared, emphasizing the gross injustice that had occurred. "National Heroes Day po kahapon. Marahil isa sa mga heroes sa Camarines Norte si Sir Walter for his quiet but selfless service as a health officer. Pero ganito nalang ba parati? Aantayin natin mamatay ang bayani para lang magising sa katotohanan at sa bulok na sistemang nagpahirap sa buhay ng mga kababayan natin," Go said. He lamented the fact that despite PhilHealth's substantial reserve funds, amounting to P500 billion, the agency still fails to provide adequate coverage when it is most needed. Go further elaborated on the fundamental issues with PhilHealth's insurance model. "While we understand the concept of insurance, hindi ito katanggap-tanggap na hindi mo man lang mapakinabangan ang binayad mo sa oras na kailanganin mo. Hindi po ito tama. Nag-contribute ka, nagbayad ka, bawas na sa sweldo mo, nung namatay ka, lugi ka pa," Go passionately argued. Go concluded by calling on PhilHealth to fulfill its promise to the Filipino people, particularly those who contribute diligently to the system, including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who work abroad to support their families back home. "Bawat piso, bawat sentimo ay napakahalaga para sa ating Pilipino, lalo na po sa mga OFW na nagko-contribute po mula sa abroad. At dapat mabigyan po ng maayos na serbisyo ang ating mga kababayan. Kung ano ang kino-contribute nila, dapat po ay mapakinabangan nila," Go concluded, reinforcing his commitment to advocating for better healthcare coverage and ensuring that PhilHealth lives up to its mandate.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 31, 2024 - 13:34 | Arts, World, All
Award-winning Japanese anime filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki is among this year's five recipients of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, the organization behind what is regarded as Asia's Nobel Prize said Saturday.
Miyazaki "tackles complicated issues, using art to make them comprehensible to children," the Philippines-based Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation said of the 83-year-old co-founder of Studio Ghibli, whose works include the Oscar-winning films "The Boy and the Heron" and "Spirited Away."
"He educates by entertaining," it said.
The foundation also named Karma Phuntsho, founder of an educational charity in Bhutan, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, a Vietnamese physician who dealt with the effects of a toxic chemical used by the United States during the Vietnam War, and the Rural Doctors Movement of Thailand as 2024 Magsaysay Awardees.
Farwiza Farhan of Indonesia, who heads a foundation dedicated to protecting Sumatra Island's Leuser Ecosystem, was chosen as this year's Magsaysay laureate for Emergent Leadership for "her profound understanding of the vital connection between nature and humanity," the foundation said.
"This year's Ramon Magsaysay Awardees have reminded us that the future is shaped by those who dare to envision a better world and dedicate themselves to turning that vision into reality," foundation chair Cheche Lazaro said in a statement.
The award, named after the Philippines' seventh president who died in a plane crash in 1957, has been given to more than 300 individuals, groups and organizations since 1958. Aside from honoring Magsaysay's memory, it seeks to perpetuate his example in public service and pragmatic idealism, according to the foundation.
Official conferment of the award is set for Nov. 16 in Manila. Each will receive a medallion, a certificate inscribed with their citation and a cash prize.
Related coverage:
Studio Ghibli receives honorary Palme d'Or at Cannes film festival
Animator Miyazaki, scholar Ueno among Time's 100 influential people
Oscar-winning Miyazaki film leads China box office days after debut
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KYODO NEWS - Aug 31, 2024 - 17:44 | All, World, Japan
A Chinese navy survey ship entered Japan's territorial waters off its southwestern islands Saturday, the Japanese Defense Ministry said, less than a week after Tokyo strongly protested against a Chinese military aircraft's airspace breach.
Japan again protested to China and conveyed its strong concern over the latest crossing through diplomatic channels, the ministry said. It marked the 10th entry by a Chinese survey ship into Japanese waters off Kagoshima Prefecture since November 2021.
The vessel was spotted entering the territorial waters west of Kuchinoerabu Island around 6 a.m. and left the waters southwest of Yakushima Island at around 7:53 a.m., the ministry said. The Maritime Self-Defense Force sent a minesweeper and patrol aircraft to monitor the Chinese vessel.
Survey vessels are often used to conduct research on underwater topography for submarine navigation.
The latest case comes after Japan on Monday confirmed for the first time that a Chinese military spy plane violated Japanese airspace over waters in the East China Sea off islands in the southwestern prefecture of Nagasaki.
In recent years, Chinese ships have also repeatedly entered Japan's territorial waters in the East China Sea, around the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, which China claims and calls Diaoyu.
Related coverage:
Japan lawmaker asks China to prevent repeat of airspace breach
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Defense Ministry requests record 8.5 trillion yen for FY 2025 budget
'So much for freedom and dialogue..': Sanjeev Sanyal gets blocked by V-Dem following his attack on Sweden leader's Islam comments
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KYODO NEWS - Aug 31, 2024 - 23:00 | All, World, Japan
The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
----------
Japan rail disruption spreads as typhoon crawls eastward
TOKYO - Disruption to shinkansen bullet train services in Japan spread Saturday amid heavy rain as a slow-moving typhoon lingered in western Japan.
JR Central suspended its Tokaido Shinkansen trains between Gifu-Hashima and Maibara on Saturday morning due to heavy rain caused by Typhoon Shanshan. With services between Tokyo and Nagoya already halted, most of the Tokaido Shinkansen Line was paralyzed Saturday morning.
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China enters Japan waters days after air violation protested
TOKYO - A Chinese navy survey ship entered Japan's territorial waters off its southwestern islands Saturday, the Japanese Defense Ministry said, less than a week after Tokyo strongly protested against a Chinese military aircraft's airspace breach.
Japan again protested to China and conveyed its strong concern over the latest crossing through diplomatic channels, the ministry said. It marked the 10th entry by a Chinese survey ship into Japanese waters off Kagoshima Prefecture since November 2021.
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Japanese animator Miyazaki among 5 Magsaysay awardees for 2024
MANILA - Award-winning Japanese anime filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki is among this year's five recipients of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, the organization behind what is regarded as Asia's Nobel Prize said Saturday.
Miyazaki "tackles complicated issues, using art to make them comprehensible to children," the Philippines-based Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation said of the 83-year-old co-founder of Studio Ghibli, whose works include the Oscar-winning films "The Boy and the Heron" and "Spirited Away."
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Baseball: Shohei Ohtani hot on "50-50" trail with 43rd steal, 43rd homer
PHOENIX, Arizona - Shohei Ohtani inched closer to being the first Major League Baseball player with 50 home runs and stolen bases in a season, collecting his 43rd steal and 43rd homer in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 10-9 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday.
Ohtani, who joined the "40-40" club in 126 games, fewer than any of the five others to achieve the feat, became the first to reach 43 in both categories in a single season. He went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.
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Boxing: Undisputed champ Inoue not underestimating Doheny
YOKOHAMA - Three days before he puts his undisputed super bantamweight title on the line, Japan's Naoya Inoue said Saturday that his opponent, Ireland's TJ Doheny, poses a challenge.
"I am not underestimating his ability," the 31-year-old Inoue told a press conference in reference to the 37-year-old he will face at Tokyo's Ariake Arena.
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Philippines says China rammed coast guard ship in South China Sea shoal
MANILA - A Philippine Coast Guard ship anchored in Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea since April was rammed by a China Coast Guard vessel on Saturday, officials said, as tensions between the two countries over their maritime disputes have recently shifted to the area.
Teresa Magbanua, one of the two largest vessels of the Philippine Coast Guard, which Beijing wants Manila to remove from Sabina Shoal, sustained damage after it was "intentionally" hit multiple times while operating in the vicinity, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela said.
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Paralympics: Power dad Yuya Oe sinks his teeth into archery
PARIS - A public servant by day, para archer Yuya Oe's rare ability is being able to wield a bow in his arm and aim an arrow with his teeth to hit a target 50 meters away.
His motivation, he says, is wanting to be a "cool dad" for his children, something he was able to do on the world's greatest stage for athletes with disabilities at the Paralympics in Paris on Friday.
Video: Japan governor testifies under oath over suspected abuse of power
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Sheikh Hasina's extradition key to new leaf in Indo-Bangla relations: Top BNP leader
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By Yoshihisa Kobayashi, KYODO NEWS - Aug 31, 2024 - 11:20 | All, Japan, Feature
Research has shed light on a previously little-known insect-eating tradition in parts of the Tohoku region in Japan's northeast, where dragonflies have been consumed as both delicacies and for medicinal purposes.
Shuji Watanabe, a senior curator at the Iwate Prefectural Museum, compiled a field report that describes how dragonflies have long been eaten by locals in parts of Iwate and Akita prefectures.
Associate professor Ryohei Sugahara, an expert in human entomophagy, or the eating of insects, called Watanabe's report "intriguing as eating adult dragonflies is rare."
One woman in her 70s, born and raised in the village of Kunohe, Iwate Prefecture, recalled her elementary schooldays when she ate dragonflies a few times with friends. "I was told that dragonflies were good for my health because they are gods," she said.
"When we would play near the mountains or rivers after school, we caught dragonflies and ate them like that after pulling off their wings. There was nothing odd about it because we were eating wild edible fruits like chocolate vines and freshwater crabs, too."
Watanabe discovered that dragonflies were often plucked out of the air by hand midflight, after which they would be consumed by sucking on the de-winged bodies.
A woman in her 20s from Odate, Akita, talked about eating a dragonfly when she was in middle school. "I opened the chest of the insect by pulling on both sides while holding it near its wings and then sucking out the insides," she said.
Although she could not recall the taste, she said "it was like a (sashimi) chicken tender."
The woman "likely ate the flight muscles," said Sugahara, an associate professor at Hirosaki University in Aomori Prefecture who is familiar with entomophagy in the Tohoku region. "My guess is she ate it more like a snack."
Watanabe heard about the practice of eating dragonflies from a colleague seven or eight years ago and began to interview local people in 2020. In the three and half years that followed, he found five cases in Iwate and one case in Akita, ranging from the 1950s to the 2000s.
Additional literature-based studies by Watanabe revealed that dragonflies had been used as medicine in various parts of Japan since ancient times. In Iwate, there is a record of burning red dragonflies and turning them into a powder to act as a cough suppressant in children.
While dragonfly larvae were eaten, there had been no evidence of the adults having been consumed raw, he said.
The tradition of eating dragonflies in Tohoku is believed to have mainly involved species such as Sympetrum infuscatum and Sympetrum frequens, observed in various places in Japan.
According to Watanabe, dragonfly larvae are an abundant protein source, while a variety of minerals like calcium are contained in adult dragonflies. "Since they were used for medicinal purposes, children were probably not hesitant to eat them."
It is widely known that people in Japan eat locusts in prefectures such as Nagano and Gunma and bee larvae in Nagano, Aichi, Gifu and other prefectures.
Locusts have also been consumed in Iwate, and "it is said that a variety of insects were also eaten in Yamagata. Though rare now, entomophagy used to be widely practiced in Tohoku," Sugahara said.
Entomophagy is often touted as a potential solution to global food shortages caused by various factors including overpopulation.
The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization said in a report that beetles and other such insects account for 31 percent of the world's insect species eaten. Dragonflies make up only 3 percent, and examples of larvae that appear to be eaten in places such as Laos and Papua New Guinea, are introduced in the report.
"Since the release of my report, I have received information on the consumption of dragonflies in Aomori Prefecture and for medicinal use in the southern part of Miyagi Prefecture," Watanabe said. "I intend to continue my field research as it was possibly practiced more widely than was previously thought."
Related coverage:
FEATURE: Edible bug businesses 'hearing crickets' at crossroads in Japan
FEATURE: Japanese mosquito coils taking bite out of malaria in Kenya
Canadian pastor convicted for trying to protect children from groomers
A Canadian pastor has been found guilty of "criminal harassment" after confronting a library manager for hosting "drag queen story hours" for children and protesting against the event.
In March, Derek Reimer, a pastor at Mission 7 Ministries, a Christian organization that focuses on outreach to homeless people in Calgary, Alberta confronted a library manager at the Calgary Public Library for hosting a drag queen event for children. Reimer, known for his outspoken opposition to drag queen story hours and other LGBT events, also posted a video of the interaction on Facebook, stating his intention to return to protest if the event continued.
This, in turn, has found Reimer guilty of criminal harassment.
"A judge found me guilty today of criminal harassment for expressing my opposition towards drag queen story hour to a library manager set on hosting the event. For posting the video of our interaction on Facebook, and saying we'll be back [to protest] if the event continues," Reimer said in a message sent to LifeSiteNews. "This charge is punishable up to two years, and I will be posting the sentencing date soon." (Related: Canadian pastors being arrested for preaching the Gospel while broadcasters remain free to exploit drag children to advance LGBT agenda.)
Justice Karen Molle of the Alberta Court of Justice acquitted Reimer on public disturbance charges for using a loudspeaker to protest outside two separate drag story events. Molle ruled that such actions did not constitute a criminal offense. Reimer was also found guilty of four counts of breaching his bail conditions, which banned him from protesting outside "drag queen story time" events and being within 300 meters of any LGBTQ event in Calgary.
His lawyer, Andrew MacKenzie, noted that an appeal of the ruling is possible. Reimer remains free on bail for now.
Calgary enacted pro-LBGT bylaws to suppress pastors and parents from protesting
Reimer has been arrested multiple times for his activism, which resulted in repeated legal troubles.
This happened since the Calgary City Council enacted a new bylaw in March 2023 to prevent protests against drag queen storytime events and other LGBTQ events at public facilities.
The "Safe and Inclusive Access Bylaw" establishes a 100-meter buffer zone around all city-owned and affiliated public buildings. This prohibits "specified protests" both inside and outside these spaces.
This means that protests against LGBTQ events, including drag queen story times, are now banned within a 100-meter radius of city recreation centers, libraries and other public facilities. The ban extends to protests by individuals or groups, including pastors and concerned parents, who have been vocal against what they see as "radical LGBTQ events" in public spaces.
Violators of the new regulations could face significant penalties, including fines of up to CA$10,000 ($7,430) or up to one year in jail.
The bylaw, which went into effect immediately, did not include the usual committee review or public consultation process. That same month, the city council also voted to amend the street harassment bylaw and include the term "intimidation" to address protesters disrupting drag queen storytime events.
Head over to Groomers.news for more stories about drag performances that involve children.
Watch InfoWars host Owen Shroyer discuss a viral video of drag queens teaching children to dance like strippers.
This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
TRUE FAITH: Canadian pastor Artur Pawlowski refuses to obey fascist Canadas gag order, says hes prepared to go to prison.
Drag queens dressed as Disney characters perform in front of kids at Tennessee brewery.
Drag queens now performing pre-shows at Star Wars movie theater showings.
Tax-funded Ohio group sponsors monthly drag tutorials grooming children to be drag queens.
Outdoor apparel company The North Face named as major sponsor of LGBT youth camp that grooms kids to become drag queens.
Sources include:
LifeSiteNews.com 1
LifeSiteNews.com 2
Brighteon.com
Start em young: Government climate alarmists brainwashing kids to comply with green tyranny
Climate alarmists in the federal government are now brainwashing children with an "inescapable death spiral" if they do not comply with green tyranny.
The Washington Free Beacon reported on this matter, citing the Climate Kids webpage operated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). While the webpage includes educational materials and activities for children, it also parrots talking points from the climate alarmists. These include claims like "the world is undergoing cataclysmic warming," "sea levels are rising" and "global ice coverage is diminishing."
Just like the green tyrants claim, the Climate Kids page claims that fossil fuels are to blame for "pollution, the destruction of landscapes and natural habitats, oil spills in the ocean, and nasty fracking chemicals in the ground." It also proclaims that global warming is the "biggest problem of all" despite studies that prove that the world's temperatures are actually cooling. (Related: NO WARMING AT ALL: Global COOLING continues for eighth straight year, according to NOAA data.)
The Free Beacon also showed an example of NASA's Climate Kids webpage brainwashing children about the dangers of "climate change" and rising sea levels. One image predicted that cities like New Orleans and Miami could be underwater. However, the site does not show a timeline as to when it will happen.
Meanwhile, the NOAA Education Portal managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) also peddles talking points from climate alarmists. It includes a curriculum with catastrophic language about global warming. "Courses linked on the portal, for example, encourage students to foster negative emotions about the state of the environment into taking action," noted the Free Beacon.
"The online resources appear to be a peg in the Biden-Harris administration's broader strategy of aiming climate messaging at younger generations."
Texas Sen. Cruz to investigate the two climate portals
According to the Free Beacon, the NASA Climate Kids webpage was created during the Obama administration in 2012. However, the NOAA Education Portal was made under the Biden administration only in 2022.
The webpages did not sit well with U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee, with both now the subject of an investigation he is spearheading. On Aug. 22, he wrote letters to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and NOAA Administration Richard Spinrad over the two resources. Cruz demanded information from the two officials about their efforts to stoke climate anxiety and "manufacture support" for "radical environmental activism."
The senator accused the two agencies of producing "faux-educational materials that fuel climate alarmism" to generate support for the Biden administration's climate agenda. Such fearmongering, he noted, contributes to the rise of "eco-anxiety" among young Americans.
"Young people are absorbing the rhetoric. They report high levels of anxiety about climate change and are adapting their behavior in radical ways, including by foregoing children. Is this anxiety based on science or sensationalism? The evidence points to the latter."
Cruz wrote in his letter to Nelson that the prediction of submerged cities shown in the Climate Kids webpage wouldn't happen for hundreds of years, if it will, based on the most updated analyses. "Our country's approach to climate change should be driven by science, not the woke zeitgeist," the senator wrote.
The Texas Republican meanwhile wrote in his letter to Spinrad that a video from 2012 in the NOAA Education Portal warned that melting ice caps could create an "inescapable death spiral." The same video warned that "global warming" would leave no ice in the Arctic Ocean by 2022. However, NASA's own data showed the opposite the minimum extent of Arctic ice has increased by 29 percent since the video's creation.
NASA spokeswoman Jennifer Dooren told the Free Beacon that her agency received the letter and would respond to the senator directly. Meanwhile, NOAA which is under the Department of Commerce did not respond to a request for comment.
Visit ClimateAlarmism.news for similar stories.
Watch Christopher Monckton, a former advisor to the British Tory government, denouncing climate alarmism as a communist scheme below.
This video is from The New American channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
96% of NOAA heat measurement stations are corruptly placed to support climate change hoax.
Governments wasting TRILLIONS on "climate change" using faulty temperature data, experts warn.
PROOF that NASA is faking global temperature data to push the false "global warming" science fraud.
World Economic Forum tells governments and corporations: Spend $3.5 TRILLION ANNUALLY to "decarbonize" the planet.
CLIMATE LIES: Top climate scientists say they were ordered to "cover up" truth that earth's temperature hasn't risen in 15 years.
Sources include:
ClimateDepot.com
FreeBeacon.com
Brighteon.com
Cornel West proposes creating a COVID-19 Truth Commission, Vaccine Safety and Utilization Panel to restore public health
Independent candidate for president Cornel West posted a video to X this week calling for the creation of two new organizations to tackle Big Pharma's vice grip on the United States and public health policy.
Like many these days, West is concerned about the pharmaceutical industry's control after witnessing the horrors of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) "pandemic." The events of those three horrific years opened a lot of eyes to the fact that Big Pharma controls the nation's politicians and the policies they implement.
West wants to create a COVID-19 Truth Commission that will get to the bottom of what happened, why it happened, who was behind it happening, and most important of all, to stop the government's COVID crimes against humanity from ever again occurring in America.
The COVID-19 Truth Commission would "explore the disproportionate impact on marginalized communities, seek reparations, and ensure justice and equity in our future responses," West says.
Another goal of the COVID-19 Truth Commission would be to address the censorship that prevented any formidable conversation from taking place all throughout the "pandemic" that might have helped restrain some of the worst mandates from ever taking place.
Brothers and sisters, it's time we commit to understanding and addressing the role of pharmaceutical influence in public policy. I propose a COVID-19 Truth Commission to explore the disproportionate impact on marginalized communities, seek reparations, and ensure justice and pic.twitter.com/XteB3MBBBg Cornel West (@CornelWest) August 25, 2024
(Related: Did you hear? Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is joining forces with Donald Trump, as are a number of other Democrats, to actively campaign against Kamala Harris.)
RFK Jr. thanks Cornel for "commitment to ending the corruption"
West also wants to create a Vaccine Safety and Utilization Panel to help restore trust in the nation's public health institutions. Instead of trying to do this through deception and sleight of hand as is currently the way government does things, West wants science, transparency, and community engagement to be the new normal.
"I want to speak to my brothers and sisters of all colors who are concerned about not just the vaccine but the role of the pharmaceutical companies in shaping public policy, not allowing the various voices to be heard; the role of censorship; the attempt to impose closure on various voices that would help us understand what's really going on when it comes to health care policy vis-a-vis vaccines," West says.
"I want a truth commission to find out what happened in the past, and I want to make sure that each and every one of us has fair access to the truth."
These two new organizations are just one part of West's transformative "Blueprint for Change," as he is calling it, that he plans to implement within the first 100 days of his term should he get elected.
"The West / Abdullah administration will ensure that every policy upholds the value of truth, justice, and love," West says.
West's posts on X came just one day after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. decided to suspend his campaign in the 10 or so battleground states that Trump absolutely needs in order to win. Kennedy commented on West's posts to thank him for caring about these important issues.
"So thankful to you Cornell [sic], for commitment to ending the corruption," Kennedy wrote.
"Would you like to add your name to list of politicians calling for the Covid shots to be pulled off the market and pledging not to take donations from BigPharma?" asked Dr. Mary Talley Bowden, MD, linking to this page.
The latest news about the 2024 presidential election can be found at Rigged.news.
Sources for this article include:
X.com
NaturalNews.com
AmericansForHealthFreedom.org
Israel CUTS OFF communications in Jenin as it expands military operations in the occupied West Bank
Internet and landline services were cut off in Jenin on Thursday, Aug. 29, as Israel's largest military operation in the occupied West Bank in more than 20 years entered its second day.
The Palestinian Telecommunications Company (Paltel) and Ooredoo Palestine, the two largest telecommunications companies in the occupied West Bank, reported that the ongoing connectivity failure to Jenin was caused by the latest series of Israeli aggression against Jenin, which has damaged their man and backup lines in the area.
One of these actions reportedly involved Israeli bulldozers plowing through telecommunications infrastructure, severing communications throughout the city. Additionally, electricity and water lines have been damaged, exacerbating the already dire situation.
Paramedics have reported significant challenges, with repeated communication losses due to interference on their channels. Israeli military vehicles have also delayed medical teams from reaching hospitals, further endangering lives.
Paltel and Ooredoo have sent out technical crews to restore services as quickly as possible despite the difficult situation on the ground.
Incursion into Jenin led to the deaths of top Palestinian militants
The Israeli offensive against Jenin began early Wednesday, Aug. 28, with coordinated land and air attacks on Jenin and on two other cities in the northern West Bank, Tulkarm and Tubas.
The next day, the Israeli Defense Forces announced that it had killed and retrieved the bodies of five Palestinians, including Muhammad Jaber, a top commander of the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Tulkarm. Their killings brought the total death toll from the current assault up to 18. (Related: Israeli official threatens to turn West Bank into RUINS just like the Gaza Strip.)
Among the other victims was Muhammad al-Orabi, a young man from Jenin, whose two brothers were killed in previous raids.
Palestinian medical sources confirmed that Orabi was shot by Israeli soldiers near his home in Jein's Old City neighborhood. Journalist Ali Samoudi, a Jenin resident, stated that Orabi posed no threat when he was shot, adding that Israeli snipers stationed across the city were ordered to "shoot at any moving object."
"My house is in the eastern neighborhood, and there is a sniper stationed opposite it, which prevented me from leaving the house for several hours because orders are given to them to shoot at anyone," Samoudi told Middle East Eye (MEE).
According to Samoudi, Israeli military vehicles continue to besiege Jenin Governmental Hospital, obstructing medical teams from accessing the facility while conducting inspections. Residents in Jenin reported hearing intermittent armed clashes and the detonation of explosive devices targeting Israeli military vehicles on Thursday.
"From the first moments of the Israeli invasion, the electricity was cut off. We have been without electricity and water for 48 hours," a Jenin resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told MEE. "The situation is really, really bad. Food in our refrigerators has gone bad, so we are forced to leave Jenin and take shelter with relatives outside the city."
The resident added that there was no internet access or even the ability to charge phones, describing the conditions as akin to those in Gaza.
In Tulkarm, residents of the Nour Shams camp reported being unable to move on Thursday due to a tight Israeli army siege that has sealed off the area amid ongoing violent raids on homes. Nihad al-Shawish, head of the camp's popular committee, described the offensive as "very ferocious."
"The raids on homes are brutal and are carried out with police dogs that dont hesitate to attack citizens," Shawish told MEE. "Young men are also detained after being taken to several buildings inside the camp, tied up, blindfolded, and subjected to field interrogation."
Shawish said people are crammed into their homes, hearing gunfire amid ongoing incursions into dozens of homes, terrorizing their residents. Israeli bulldozers have also ripped up streets in the area, cutting off water to the entire camp, according to local reports.
Shawish noted that Israeli media reports were spreading rumors that the army had asked residents to leave voluntarily, although he said this was the only time he had heard such "evacuation" discussed.
The siege on Nour Shams camp extended to the Al-Manshiya neighborhood, where Israeli soldiers prevented the transfer of the body of a Palestinian with special needs killed by the Israeli army on Wednesday evening. On Thursday afternoon, the Israeli army blew up a house in the neighborhood, igniting a fire that spread to nearby homes.
Watch this video of an attack by Israeli security forces and armed Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the village of Beita in the occupied West Bank.
This video is from the channel Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Armed Israeli settlers attack West Bank village, burning down properties and killing a young Palestinian man.
Masked Israeli mob launches deadly anti-Palestinian pogrom in West Bank.
UNICEF REPORT: Child casualties in West Bank surged by 250% since Israels war began in October.
ICJ declares Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories ILLEGAL.
Israel approves largest LAND GRAB in the Palestinian West Bank in over 30 years.
Sources include:
MiddleEastEye.net
MiddleEastMonitor.com
Brighteon.com
Cancer researcher: IVERMECTIN can overcome chemotherapy resistance of TURBO CANCERS caused by mRNA vaccines
An oncologist, cancer researcher and author recently shared a study that chemotherapy-resistant turbo cancers caused by Pfizer and Moderna Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) mRNA vaccines can be overcome by ivermectin, a controversial anti-parasitic drug known to ease symptoms of viruses such as coronavirus. Health authorities have been debunking this information and have not authorized or approved its use in humans for this purpose.
In a Substack newsletter, Dr. William Makis cited a paper from 2020 (by Juarez et al) on the antitumor effects of ivermectin at clinically feasible concentrations where it was found to support its clinical development as a repositioned cancer drug.
According to the study, at a human dose of two mg/kg, ivermectin can achieve anti-cancer effects such as cell cycle arrest (inhibit proliferation), preferential inhibition of cancer stem-like cells, synergize with several chemotherapy drugs and inhibit tumor growth in a breast cancer mouse model.
Ivermectin was tested at two mg/kg/day, translating to roughly 5uM in vitro concentration. They found that the drug goes after cancer stem cells, which tend to be resistant to chemotherapy.
"Ivermectin has a preferential depletion effect on the cancer stem-like cell population," the authors included in the research. "We observed that among all the evaluated cell lines, a decrease in cell viability and clonogenicity is more evident in the cancer stem-like cells than in their parental population."
It also found that the most sensitive cancer cell lines were the ovarian, breast, glioblastoma (brain), lung, colon, uterine squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), hepatocellular, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), pancreatic and endometrial.
Meanwhile, the least sensitive were osteosarcoma, gastric and melanoma.
Moreover, lymphoma and leukemia cell lines appear to be more resistant to Ivermectin but the drug has a significant impact on those cells' ability to form colonies, according to the study. (Related: Ivermectin can "kill cancer cells" and boost immune response, suggest health experts.)
Makis further highlighted that this was the first study he had ever seen that had tested as many as 28 cancer types with ivermectin.
"No wonder it's hidden from the public," he commented.
NEW ARTICLE: IVERMECTIN Tested against 28 types of Cancer - which cancers were most sensitive to Ivermectin? Which were least sensitive? A research group from Mexico investigated Ivermectin in Cancer Paper: 2020 (Juarez et al) - Antitumor effects of ivermectin at clinically pic.twitter.com/xWhgEBa1uv William Makis MD (@MakisMD) August 26, 2024
FDA took down social media posts discouraging ivermectin use for COVID-19 but mainstream media seemed to have missed this
Back in March, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agreed to permanently take down its social media posts urging people to avoid the usage of ivermectin for COVID-19.
One of the pages that the agency has removed was a page that said: "Should I take ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19? No." It also took down posts, including one that reads: "You are not a horse. You are not a cow. Seriously, y'all. Stop it."
The move was done following a lawsuit with a settlement filed with a federal court in Texas that ordered the agency to delete another page titled "Why you should not use ivermectin to treat or prevent COVID-19 within 21 days."
The article said that ivermectin was neither authorized nor approved to be used to prevent or treat COVID-19 in humans or animals. It also claims that evidence does not support the efficacy of ivermectin against coronavirus.
On June 2, 2022, Doctors Paul Marik, Mary Talley Bowden and Robert Apter filed a lawsuit against the FDA and its secretary Robert Califf, as well as the Department of Health and Human Services and its secretary Xavier Becerra. They accused the FDA of meddling with their capacity to practice medicine. The lawsuit was first turned down on the basis that the FDA has "sovereign immunity." However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit overruled the lower court's ruling, stating that the "FDA is not a physician" and "even tweet-sized doses of personalized medical advice are beyond the FDA's statutory authority."
Ivermectin has long been approved for use in both animals and humans. In cases of humans, the drug is recommended to treat parasitic infections such as river blindness disease, threadworm infestation, tropical eosinophilia, roundworm infestation, whipworm infestation, filariasis (also called elephantiasis) and loiasis.
On X, formerly Twitter, Dr. Mary Talley Bowden wrote: "This landmark case sets an important precedent in limiting FDA overreach into the doctor-patient relationship."
Moreover, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr in a tweet said: "The FDA is biased against many low-cost, generic, and/or natural therapies with low-profit potential. Could it be because half its funding comes from Big Pharma?"
Ivermectin is not an exceptional case. The FDA is biased against many low-cost, generic, and/or natural therapies with low profit potential. Could it be because half its funding comes from Big Pharma? https://t.co/LxpqLuvb6A Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) March 22, 2024
Australian politician Craig Kelly also called the FDA "corrupt," stating that they have "blood on their hands."
Head over to Cancer.news for more stories, similar to this.
Sources for this article include:
Makismd.substack.com
HindustanTimes.com
KYODO NEWS - Aug 31, 2024 - 08:11 | All, Japan, World
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world's largest contract chipmaker, is expected to build its third chip plant in Japan as early as 2030, Taiwan's economic affairs minister said Friday.
Kuo Jyh-huei, minister of economic affairs, said the new plant, which will follow TSMC's existing two factories in Kumamoto Prefecture, would focus on advanced chip production, but the decision to proceed with construction rests with the chipmaker.
"Experienced engineers are essential in producing advanced chips," the minister said in an interview with Kyodo News on the sidelines of a forum in Tokyo. "Japan lacks enough experience, so (such skilled engineers) will not be available until 2030 or later."
The minister stopped short of specifying the location for the new plant but said he is willing to work with Japan on developing a skilled engineering workforce.
Japan is in the midst of efforts to fortify supply chains for semiconductors, seen as a critical component for its mainstay industries, as dependence on major supplier Taiwan poses geopolitical risks amid rising tensions between the United States and China over the self-ruled island.
Japanese chip venture Rapidus Corp. is currently building a plant in Hokkaido to mass produce state-of-the-art 2-nanometer chips.
In June, TSMC CEO C.C. Wei said his company would decide whether to build its third factory in Japan after successfully getting its first two plants off the ground.
Kumamoto Gov. Takashi Kimura called on TSMC to consider setting up its third plant in the prefecture when he visited its headquarters in Taiwan earlier this month.
The chip giant plans to begin mass production at the first factory by the end of the year and is aiming to start operations at the second plant in 2027.
The Japanese government decided to provide subsidies of up to 476 billion yen ($3.3 billion) for the first plant and an additional 732 billion yen for the second plant.
Related coverage:
Japan's Rapidus seeks 100 bil. yen in loans for chip production
Samsung awarded $6.4 billion in U.S. grants for Texas chip facilities
TSMC awarded $6.6 billion in U.S. grants for chip plants in Arizona
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan meets with Xi Jinping as Biden works to normalize relations with China
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with Chinese President and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping on the third and final day of a rare visit to Beijing.
This is the first such trip by a high-ranking United States official in China in several months after Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen made similar visits earlier this year.
According to the White House, the trip was intended to be a continuation of President Joe Biden's efforts to maintain open communications with Beijing and manage his deteriorating bilateral relationship with Xi.
In a White House-provided readout, Sullivan and Xi reportedly welcomed "ongoing efforts to maintain open lines of communications."
Sullivan's trip also comes as U.S.-Chinese relations are at an all-time low amid a trade war that dates back to 2018, tensions over Chinese incursions into the disputed South China Sea and threats made against the democratically governed Taiwan. (Related: U.S. to DEFEND Philippines against China after multiple ship collisions near Sabina Shoal.)
"We believe that competition with China does not have to lead to conflict or confrontation," Sullivan told reporters at a press conference shortly before leaving Beijing, referencing the economic battles between Beijing and Washington over a variety of economic and industrial policies, such as electric vehicles and solar panel manufacturing. "The key is responsible management through diplomacy."
"While great changes have taken place in the two countries and in China-U.S. relations, China's commitment to the goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S. relationship remains unchanged," said Xi.
"President Biden is committed to responsibly managing this consequential relationship to ensure that competition does not veer into conflict or confrontation, and to work together where our interests align," said Sullivan.
Xi and Sullivan reportedly agreed to work toward scheduling a phone call between Xi and Biden, and were open to the two meeting in person at the coming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru or the Group of 20 summit in Brazil.
Sullivan and Xi also reportedly discussed a variety of other prominent issues, including Taiwan, recent clashes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, and the growing number of American citizens being detained in China.
CCP general demands U.S. sever all ties with Taiwan
One day before Sullivan met with Xi in Beijing, he met with People's Liberation Army Gen. Zhang Youxia, considered to be the most senior military official in China.
In their meeting, Zhang reportedly told Sullivan that Taiwan is an "uncrossable first red line" in any future talks with the United States. Zhang is the vice chairman of the Central Military Commission and the most senior military official in China next only to Xi.
Zhang told Sullivan that Taiwan was at "the heart of China's core interests," and that any positive development in U.S.-Chinese relations would have recognition of Chinese sovereignty over Taiwan as one of its foundations.
He demanded that Washington cease colluding with the democratically elected government in Taipei, sever all "military ties," "stop arming Taiwan" and "stop spreading false narratives about Taiwan."
"Resolutely opposing Taiwan independence and promoting reunification is the mission and duty of the People's Liberation Army," said Zhang. "We must respond to the reckless provocations of the Taiwan independence forces."
Beijing regards Taiwan as a province of China that has broken away and must be reunified, by force if necessary, and has repeatedly warned that the issue of Taiwan is the main "red line" in U.S.-China relations.
While most of the world, including the U.S., does not recognize Taiwan as an independent nation, many do have informal economic and cultural relations with the democratic island nation, and Washington has insisted upon its opposition to any attempt to take Taiwan by force. Treaties with Taiwan also legally oblige the U.S. to arm the island to defend itself against any possible Chinese invasion.
Watch this episode of "TruNews" as host Rick Wiles and co-host Raymond Burkhart discuss the deteriorating relations between China and the United States.
This video is from the TruNews channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Products sold by Chinese retailers Shein, Temu and AliExpress found to contain toxic chemicals that may threaten public health.
American pharmaceutical companies accused of carrying out clinical trials with Chinese military.
China alarmed by U.S.-made missile system sent to the Philippines, claiming it could heighten tensions in the region.
U.S. would prevail over China in a war over Taiwan, high-ranking U.S. military official claims.
Taiwanese president warns military cadets about China's relentless threat to Taiwan's national sovereignty.
Sources include:
NTD.com
APNews.com
SCMP.com
Brighteon.com
Palin wins appeal on defamation case against New York Times
Over the years, I have written repeatedly ( here here , and here ) about the interesting defamation case brought by Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, against the New York Times. The judge in the case U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff was previously reversed and proceeded to issue novel and deeply flawed rulings before dismissing her case. He has now been reversed again and Palin will have a new opportunity to sue the newspaper. Given Judge Rakoffs dismal record in this case, it is concerning that he will be allowed to preside in any new trial.
(Article republished from JonathanTurley.org)
In the opinion below, the three-judge panel of the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals threw out a 2022 jury verdict in favor of the New York Times due to the errors of Judge Rakoff.
The case involves an editorial that suggested Palin inspired or incited Jared Loughners 2011 shooting of then-U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.). It was outrageously and demonstrably untrue. The editorial was published in the wake of the shooting of Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) and other GOP members of Congress by James T. Hodgkinson, of Illinois, 66, a liberal activist and campaign supporter of Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). It appears The Times wanted to shift the narrative back to right-wing violence; it stated that SarahPAC, Palins political action committee, had posted a graphic that put Giffords in crosshairs before she was shot, described it as direct incitement of violence and opined that while not as guilty as Palin, liberals should of course hold themselves to the same standard of decency that they ask of the right.
In reality, the map SarahPAC distributed put targets on various districts that were viewed as possible flip districts by Republicans, and the map was published long before the shooting.
Previously, Rakoff insisted that he was not at all happy to make this decision but that he was, again, forced to dismiss the case because the Supreme Court established a very high standard for actual malice for public figures in seeking recovery for defamation. He was referring to the New York Times v. Sullivan standard requiring a showing that a false statement was made with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not.
The Times helped create this standard as the victim of a bias campaign. The status is far less obvious today. For many, the Palin controversy exposed the advocacy journalism now in vogue in the media. The hit piece on Palin was all-too-familiar for conservatives and Republicans routinely targeted by the newspaper. In that sense, the Times has become the very thing that the original decision sought to combat: a threat to free speech. The Times, they argue, often uses this protection to shield false attacks on political opponents.
Decades ago, The Times was being targeted by segregationists who wanted to deter media from publishing accounts of segregationists opposing the civil rights movement. This effort was creating such a threat that media had to choose between a type of self-censorship or insolvency. In his concurrence in New York Times v. Sullivan, Justice Hugo Black said that state libel laws threaten the very existence of an American press virile enough to publish unpopular views on public affairs and bold enough to criticize the conduct of public officials.
After he was reversed in dismissing the case, Rakoff proceeded to again dismiss the case after the jury was sent to reach a verdict. He declared that Palin had failed to offer evidence that would satisfy the minimum of the actual malice standard. I criticized that ruling as legally flawed. There was clearly sufficient evidence to allow a jury to render a verdict.
The Second Circuit agreed and reversed Rakoff in finding that Palin did cite sufficient evidence on actual malice.
However, it was the handling of the case by Judge Rakoff that added additional reversible errors. Rakoff had not sequestered the jury and his dismissal was reported widely. The jury learned of the decision and ruled against Palin. While some jurors said that the news did not impact their decision, the Second Circuit correctly rejected the claim. The appellate panel ruled that [w]e think a jurys verdict reached with the knowledge of the judges already-announced disposition of the case will rarely be untainted, no matter what the jurors say upon subsequent inquiry.
To make matters worse, Rakoff instructed the jury not to speak to the media after the case, an abusive demand that worked to protect his own errors. Jurors are free to discuss cases after a dismissal or verdict.
Palin was already under a great disadvantage as a leading Republican being tried before a New York jury. Rakoff added to that burden with a series of flawed decisions. Even after being previously reversed, Rakoff appeared intent on dismissing the case.
I previously wrote about the case because it highlighted a concern about the extension of New York Times v. Sullivan from public officials to public figures.
As I wrote previously, Justice William Brennan wrote arguably his most eloquent and profound decision in New York Times v. Sullivan.
News outfits were being targeted at the time by anti-segregation figures in lawsuits to deter them from covering the civil rights marches. The court correctly saw civil liability as creating a chilling effect on the free press either by draining the publications of funds or inducing a type of self-censorship. Imposing a high standard for proof of defamation, Brennan sought to give the free press breathing space to carry out its key function in our system.
The court believed that public officials have ample means to rebut false statements, but that its essential for democracy for voters and reporters to be able to challenge government officials. To achieve that breathing space, the court required that public officials had to prove actual malice, where the defendant had actual knowledge of the falsity of a statement or showed reckless disregard of whether it was true or false.
Two justices have indicated that they might be open to the idea of revisiting New York Times v. Sullivan. Justice Clarence Thomas has been a long critic of the standard as unsupported in either the text or the history of the Constitution. Thomas and Justice Neil Gorsuch objected last year to the denial of certiorari in Berisha v. Lawson, in which author Guy Lawson published a book detailing the true story of three Miami youngsters who allegedly became international arms dealers.
It was a success and landed a movie deal. A central figure in the story was Shkelzen Berisha, the son of Albanias former prime minister. He sued Lawson alleging defamation and claimed that he was not, as portrayed, an associate of the Albanian mafia and that Lawson used unreliable sources for his account.
Berisha is a public figure rather than a public official. The problem is that there is one missing element to imposing a higher burden on public figures like Berisha: furthering the democratic process. In teaching defamation, the actual malice standard rests convincingly on a democratic rationale that a free people and a free press must have breathing space to criticize the government and their leaders. It helps protect and perfect democracy.
For 30 years, I have struggled in class to offer the same compelling rationale for applying the standard to anyone who is considered a public figure. It takes very little to qualify as a public figure, or a limited-purpose public figure. However, why should private success alone expose someone like the Kardashians to a higher burden of proof for defamation? Writing about hot-dog-eating champion Michelle Lesco does not protect core democratic principles or even support core journalistic principles. To succeed, a Kardashian would still have to prove that a statement was false and unreasonable to print. Moreover, publications are protected in most states by retraction statutes limiting or blocking damages for corrected stories. Finally, opinion is already protected from defamation actions.
These are difficult questions that warrant serious discussion not only on the court but also in society. For example, there may be a more credible basis for imposing a higher standard on public figures on subjects of great public interest. However, what constitutes a legitimate public matter, particularly when that matter is based on a false account?
Take Nicholas Sandmann, who was pulled into a vortex of coverage due to the false claim that he abused an elderly Native American activist in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Sandmann has secured settlements for the biased and false reporting of major media outlets. Defamation still protects opinion without the reliance on a higher constitutional standard for figures like Sandmann.
Clearly, the public figure standard is an obvious benefit to the media. However, without a compelling argument for a constitutional standard for public figures, it seems more like a judicially maintained subsidy or shield. The purpose of Times v. Sullivan was not to simply prop up the press. The Palin case and other cases could present a new opportunity for the court to review the doctrine.
Palin, however, must now go back before Judge Rakoff and a New York jury, something that has proven a deadly combination. If her case ultimately goes to the Supreme Court, it may allow for a reconsideration of the extension of New York Times v. Sullivan to public figures.
Here is the opinion: Palin v. New York Times
Read more at: JonathanTurley.org
RFK Jr. reveals he left the Democratic Party because it had departed so dramatically from its core values
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) has revealed that the reason he left the Democratic Party is because it had long "departed so dramatically from its core values."
During the press conference at Phoenix, Arizona on Aug. 23, RFK Jr. recalled the first time he attended the Democratic convention in 1960 at the age of six.
"I attended my first Democratic convention at the age of six in 1960. Back then, the Democrats were the champions of the Constitution, of civil rights," he said. "The Democrats stood against authoritarianism, against censorship, against colonialism, imperialism and unjust wars. We were the party of labor, the working class. The Democrats were the party of government transparency and the champion of the environment. Our party was the bulwark against big money interests and corporate power. True to its name, it was the party of democracy."
However, RFK Jr. argued that the party has dramatically diverged from these core values and became "the party of war, censorship, corruption, Big Pharma, Big Tech, Big Ag and Big Money."
RFK Jr. criticized the Democratic National Committee (DNC) for its anti-democratic actions, including "canceling the primary to conceal the cognitive decline of the sitting president" and engaging in "continual legal warfare" against him and Republican presidential nominee, former president Donald Trump. He also accused the DNC of running a "sham primary" and appointing Vice President Kamala Harris as the presidential nominee without a transparent process or election. (Related: RFK Jr., Childrens Health Defense granted go-ahead to SUE Biden regime for CENSORSHIP.) The former Democrat also accused the media of failing to uphold its role as a "guardian of the First Amendment and democratic principles." He claimed that the media has become complicit in "censorship and media control" to suppress political speech and protect the powerful. "Your institutions have made themselves government mouthpieces and stenographers for the organs of power," RFK Jr. said. "You didnt alone cause the devolution of American democracy, but you couldve prevented it. The mainstream media was once the guardian of the First Amendment and democratic principles, [but] its joined this systemic attack on democracy. The media justifies their censorship on the grounds of combating misinformation, but governments and oppressors dont censor lies they dont fear lies they fear the truth. Thats what they censor." All this has triggered RFK Jr. to leave the Democratic Party back in October and run as an independent candidate. "When it abandoned democracy by canceling the primary to conceal the cognitive decline of the sitting president, I left the party to run as an Independent," he said. RFK Jr. endorses Trump for "free speech, the war in Ukraine and the war on our children" RFK Jr. also addressed the reasons why he eventually decided to withdraw from his presidential bid and endorse Trump "free speech, the war in Ukraine and the war on our children." He clarified that, while he and Trump differ on certain policies, they align on fundamental issues threatening the nation, such as "ending the forever wars, securing the border, protecting freedom of speech" and dismantling the influence of corporate and government interests over American democracy. "Ending the forever wars, ending the childhood disease epidemic, securing the border, protecting freedom of speech, unraveling the corporate capture of our regulatory agencies, getting the U.S. intelligence agencies out of the business of propagandizing, censoring, and surveilling Americans and interfering with our elections," he said. "Ultimately, the only thing that will save our country and our children is if we choose to love our kids more than we hate each other."
Follow RFKJr.news for more news about the independent presidential candidate.
Watch Lisa Haven's commentary on Robert F. Kennedy Jr. possibly joining the camp of former President Donald Trump below.
This video is from the Lisa Haven channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
RFK Jr. reveals other Democrats will join him in actively campaigning for Donald Trump.
RFK Jr.: Democrats have no platform; they are only united by HATRED of Donald Trump.
RFK Jr. suspends campaign with singular focus: Ending childhood illness epidemic.
RFK Jr. suspends presidential campaign, will join forces with Trump to save millions of children.
Sources include:
LifeSiteNews.com
TheGuardian.com
Brighteon.com
South Africa halts delivery of artillery shells to Poland over concerns they could be sent to Ukraine
South Africa has withheld the delivery of 155mm artillery shells to Poland, citing concerns that the munitions might be diverted to Ukraine
Ezra Jele, head of the secretariat of the South African government body overseeing arms contracts, revealed that after two years of uncertainty, Poland has now canceled the contract.
In early 2022, in response to Russias special military operation in Ukraine, Poland, along with several non-North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries, placed an order for 55,000 Assegai 155mm artillery shells from Denel Munition, a South African arms manufacturer and subsidiary of German arms giant Rheinmetall. (Related: Poland preparing military for World War III, NATO reveals.)
Jan-Patrick Helmsen, managing director of Denel Munition, expressed pride in the deal at the time, noting NATO's continued trust in their globally recognized technology.
However, by late 2022, South Africa's National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) halted the contract's fulfillment.
While export permits to Poland and other countries were not outright canceled, they were indefinitely suspended without a clear resolution timeline, as Jele stated.
The deal, valued at approximately 190 million Polish zloty ($49.29 million), was Poland's second-largest arms purchase from South Africa, with the United Arab Emirates placing the largest order. The NCACC also partially suspended arms exports to Turkey and Saudi Arabia around the same period.
In 2023, Jele explained to the South African parliamentary defense committee that the suspension was due to concerns that the weapons could be redirected to Ukraine. He highlighted that the NCACC takes into account various factors when deciding on arms permits, including arms embargoes, human rights issues, regional stability, and the risk of weapon redirection, alongside South Africas national interests.
South Africa's decision may be influenced by its close ties to Russia
This decision is also set against a broader geopolitical backdrop.
In April 2023, South Africas then minister of international relations and cooperation, Naledi Pandor, hosted Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Alexander Kozlov in Pretoria. Around the same time, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) reaffirmed its ties with Russia, describing Putins United Russia party as a longtime ally and friend of the ANC.
The ANCs financial difficulties, especially during the lead-up to parliamentary and presidential elections, further complicated the situation. At the beginning of 2023, the ANC struggled with funding issues, even facing challenges in organizing a pre-election congress.
Subsequently, the party received nearly a million dollars from Viktor Vekselbergs United Manganese of Kalahari, a Russian mining company sanctioned by the United States. This donation led to the opposition's criticism of the ANCs neutral stance on the Ukraine conflict and its reluctance to condemn Russias offensive.
Despite losing its long-held majority in the latest general election in May, the ANC maintained control over key government roles, including foreign affairs and defense, preserving its pro-Russian position.
Poland seeks to produce its own artillery ammunition rather than rely on foreign suppliers
On Aug. 21, Polish publication Rzeczpospolita reported that Poland is seeking to produce its own artillery ammunition.
Poland is now pursuing local production and signed a $2.75 billion deal in December 2023 with the PGZ-Amunicja consortium for nearly 300,000 155mm shells, with deliveries scheduled from 2024 to 2029. This contract aims to boost domestic production capabilities and support both local and export needs.
Jele had previously indicated that a permit for Poland, worth 893 million South African rand ($50.32 million), was on hold, though he did not specify the reason.
Defense analyst Darren Olivier criticized the indefinite hold as effectively a denial, arguing that it is contrary to the spirit of the law, which should either approve or deny permits within a reasonable timeframe.
The NCACC has also put some permits to Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the U.A.E. on hold, causing frustration and financial losses for South Africas defense industry.
Watch this video from Poland of Western military aid traveling through the country on its way to Ukraine.
This video is from the channel The Prisoner on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Poland alerts NATO, sends more troops to border after accusing Belarus of violating its airspace.
Poland confirms NATO troops are in Ukraine.
Poland does not plan to donate its own F-16 fighter jets and Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, but urges other nations to do so.
Sources include:
RMX.news
DefenceWeb.co.za
Brighteon.com
The stage is being set for the cataclysmic wars of 2025
While the mainstream media focuses our attention on the upcoming election, the stage is being set for the unthinkable. Chess pieces are in motion all over the planet, and global leaders continue to drag us in directions that we should not want to go. If everyone truly understood where current events were taking us, there would be massive protests in every major city right now. The comfortable lifestyles that so many of us take for granted are about to be shattered. The U.S. could soon find itself involved in several major wars simultaneously, and we are definitely not prepared for such a scenario
(Article republished from EndOfTheAmericanDream.com)
Most Americans could not even pick out Taiwan on a blank map of the world, but for the Chinese the island of Taiwan is of the utmost importance.
On Thursday, a Chinese general told Jake Sullivan to his face that Taiwan is the first red line that must not be crossed
A top Chinese general on Thursday told White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan that the U.S. must stop its collusion with Taiwan, during a high-stakes meeting in Beijing. Gen. Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of Chinas Central Military Commission, told Sullivan that Taiwan is at the very core of Chinas core interests, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-US relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed, according to a readout from the Chinese Ministry of National Defense. The PLA will definitely take countermeasures against the provocations of the Taiwan independence forces, the readout said Zhang had told Sullivan, using an acronym for Chinas military, the Peoples Liberation Army. China urges the US side to stop military collusion with Taiwan, stop arming Taiwan, and stop spreading false narratives on Taiwan.
The Chinese are very angry.
And they have been preparing to take military action against Taiwan for a very long time.
When that finally happens, we will be at war with China, and everything will change.
Meanwhile, the Russians continue to gobble up even more territory in eastern Ukraine
Russian troops continue to make significant advances toward Pokrovsk, the city in Donetsk that is a key logistics hub, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) whose map shows the latest state of play in the region. The Washington, D.C., think tank cited geolocated footage from Wednesday it said showed Russian advances into Memryk, a town around 18 miles southeast of Pokrovsk, which some military bloggers claimed Moscow had completely seized. Other geolocated footage showed advances by Russian forces in other areas southeast of Pokrovsk, near the city of Novohrodivka, which has been corroborated by Russian military bloggers.
At this point, western leaders are so desperate to achieve victory that they are throwing everything except the kitchen sink at the Russians.
In fact, the British have even sent robotic war dogs to Ukraine
The United Kingdom has provided Ukraine with robotic war dogs that have started assisting troops on the battlefield and terrifying Russian troops who see them, according to reports. The robot dog demonstrated its capabilities in delivering a range of critical equipment, showcasing its potential as an invaluable asset to military units, manufacturer Brit Alliance said of the units. The robot dog exhibited exceptional mobility and agility, crucial for traversing complex and hostile environments, the company added. Whether navigating through debris, climbing over obstacles, or moving stealthily across open ground, the robot dog has proven itself capable of maintaining a high level of operational effectiveness.
Both sides are just going to keep escalating matters until a line is crossed that will never be able to be uncrossed.
The Russians are preparing for that inevitability by constructing shiny new bomb shelters for their population
The Kremlin yesterday released a bizarre video glamorising its newly built bomb shelters, as Ukraine continued its incursion into Russian territory. Filmed in the popular Black Sea resort of Sochi, the clip features two young women smiling as they walk into a shelter as if this is just another part of everyday life.
Unfortunately for us, when bombs start falling on our soil we will be out of luck because we dont have any bomb shelters.
Interestingly, a YouGov poll that was conducted last year discovered that 66 percent of Americans are concerned that humanity could be wiped out by nuclear weapons
According to a 2023 YouGov poll of a thousand respondents, sixty-six per cent are worried that the human race will be wiped out by nuclear weapons; roughly the same number worry that we will be killed off by a world war; fifty-three per cent think the next pandemic could do us in; fifty-two per cent bet on climate change; forty-six per cent on A.I.; forty-two per cent on an act of God; thirty-seven per cent on an asteroid; thirty-one per cent global inability to have children; twenty-five per cent an alien invasion.
We should be very thankful that nuclear weapons have not been used in combat since the end of World War II.
Unfortunately, it wont be too long before that streak ends.
The war that I am watching more closely than any other right now is the current conflict in the Middle East.
This week, Israel launched the largest military operation in the West Bank that we have seen in at least two decades
Thursday marks day two of the Israeli military and security forces large-scale raid into the West Bank, the biggest seen in at least two decades. Fierce fighting overnight focused on a mosque in the city of Tulkarem, resulting in five Palestinian gunmen being killed. The first day of the major assault involving hundreds of IDF troops and Shin Bet security personnel left at least nine Palestinians dead. Fighter jets, drones, and bulldozers have been seen focusing counter-terror efforts in the towns of Jenin, Tulkarem and Tubas each which also contains sprawling refugee camps. Amid international criticism over the apparent expansion of the Gaza war into the PA-administered West Bank, Israeli leadership says it has intelligence showing that if it didnt act, another Oct.7-style terror attack might have been launched from operatives in the West Bank.
Needless to say, this has caused tensions in the region to soar even higher.
At one point, Israeli troops actually fired shoulder-launched missiles at a mosque in Tulkarem
In Tulkarem, troops of Border Polices elite Yamam counterterrorism unit were dispatched to a mosque in the city following intelligence provided by the Shin Bet of a group of gunmen holed up there. The Yamam officers carried out a tactic known as pressure cooker that involves escalating the volume of fire directed at a building to force suspects to come out. The Israeli forces had fired shoulder-launched missiles at the mosque as part of the tactic, and two gunmen were killed.
As you can imagine, many in the Islamic world are working themselves up into a frenzy over this.
I have never seen more anger and more frustration in the region, and it is only a matter of time before it fully explodes.
In fact, even the mainstream media is now admitting that an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah is inevitable
Furthermore, after the complete failure of UNSCR 1701 that concluded the Second Lebanon War and that was supposed to make sure Hezbollah would not rearm in south Lebanon it did so anyway many Israelis lost all trust in the efficacy of diplomacy to stop Hezbollah. The brutal truth is that war between Israel and Hezbollah is inevitable, even if it wont happen this week or next week, or even in the next few months. Hezbollah has proven to Israelis and Israeli decision-makers that it is a considerable threat that cannot be dealt with only by trying to stop its rearmament.
I think that it is quite likely that we could see all-out war in the Middle East by the end of this calendar year.
Sadly, most people have absolutely no idea what that is going to look like.
It is going to be more horrible than most people would dare to imagine.
Of course the same thing could be said about the other cataclysmic conflicts that are coming too.
I have been writing about these approaching conflicts for many years, and now we are just about there.
If people really understood the death and destruction that these wars will cause, there would be enormous anti-war movements all over the planet.
But instead, billions of people seem to have come down with a really bad case of war fever, and that is extremely unfortunate.
Read more at: EndOfTheAmericanDream.com
Trump warns Zuckerberg and anyone who illegally interferes in election will be jailed for life
(Article by Paul Joseph Watson republished from Modernity.news)
The claim appears in a new book written by Trump called Save America that is due to be published next week.
Trump says that the Facebook founder will spend the rest of his life in prison if there is proven meddling.
Zuckerbergs Facebook played a key role in censoring the Hunter Biden laptop story before the 2020 election based on fake claims that the story was a Russian disinformation operation, when in fact it was completely true.
Former President Donald Trump railed against Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in his upcoming book, accusing the tech tycoon of undermining him in the last election and warning of possible jail time. Trump, 78, recounted meeting with Zuckerberg, 40, and seethed over the 2020 election pic.twitter.com/XPMdIjeM6Y Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) August 28, 2024
Some observers say that the suppression of this story, along with a multitude of others, could have changed the outcome of the vote.
In the book, Trump says that he is watching him [Zuckerberg] closely ahead of the election in November.
While he was in office, Trump said that Zuckerberg would visit him and bring his very nice wife to dinners, be as nice as anyone could be, but was secretly mounting a plot against the President.
He told me there was nobody like Trump on Facebook. But at the same time, and for whatever reason, steered it against me, writes Trump.
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.
Trumps Facebook account was suspended after the January 6 riot, despite the president telling protesters to remain peaceful and go home.
He was only reinstated to the social media platform at the start of this year.
As we previously highlighted, Zuckerberg sensationally admitted that the Biden White House pressured Facebook to censor content about COVID-19 and the Hunter Biden laptop story and that he now regrets it.
I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it. I also think we made some choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information, we wouldnt make today, wrote Zuckerberg in a letter to the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee.
Read more at: Modernity.news
Zuckerberg admits to censoring Americans, Hunter Biden laptop story under Biden-Harris pressure
On Aug. 26, 2024, Meta's Mark Zuckerberg wrote a letter to Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) of the House Committee on the Judiciary telling him that the regime of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris "pressured" Facebook to censor Americans, which Facebook did.
Facebook remains under the microscope as part of a lengthy investigation into the social media platform's content moderation policies. So far, Facebook has produced thousands of documents in accordance with the investigation.
With hundreds of millions of users hailing from many different countries around the world, Facebook regularly receives requests from governments and others expressing concerns about the information being spread. The Biden regime was especially concerned all throughout the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) "pandemic" about what people were sharing about lockdowns, face masks and "vaccines."
In 2021 at the height of COVID, the Biden regime, and specifically the White House, "repeatedly pressured" Facebook staff to censor content about the "pandemic," "including humor and satire," Zuckerberg says. And whenever Facebook disagreed, Biden and his people "expressed a lot of frustration."
"Ultimately, it was our decision whether or not to take content down, and we own our own decisions, including COVID-19-related changes we made to our enforcement in the wake of this pressure," Zuckerberg wrote in the letter.
"I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it. I also think we made some choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information, we wouldn't make today."
"Like I said to our teams at the time, I feel strongly that we should not compromise our content standards due to pressure from any Administration in either direction and we're ready to push back if something like this happens again."
(Related: Remember when Facebook blocked a censorship report that names the company 31 separate times from being shared by users on its platform?)
Convenient excuses
Concerning the Hunter Biden laptop scandal, Zuckerberg says the Biden regime, and specifically the FBI, contacted Facebook about "a potential Russian disinformation operation" that was allegedly behind the effort to expose the Biden Crime Family for corruption with Burisma and Ukraine leading up to the 2020 election.
After the New York Post published its famous expose on Hunter's illicit activities with Burisma and Ukraine, Facebook sent it off to "fact-checkers" for review. During the time it was being reviewed, the expose was blocked from being shared on Facebook.
Facebook has since learned that the report "was not Russian disinformation." And just like with his COVID censorship scheme, Zuckerberg says he now regrets "in retrospect" agreeing to "demote the story."
"We've changed our policies and processes to make sure this doesn't happen again for instance, we no longer temporarily demote things in the U.S. while waiting for fact-checkers."
This is all a convenient excuse from Zuckerberg that he and his team were simply misled or mistaken when they decided to keep Americans in the dark about COVID and the Hunter Biden laptop story, two topics that had Zuckerberg maintained free speech might have changed the direction of the United States in a major way.
To further try to persuade the House committee to let him off the hook for his election meddling, Zuckerberg noted at the end of his letter that he made "contributions" during the last presidential cycle "to 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 global pandemic," Zuckerberg wrote.
"I made these contributions through the Chan Zuckerberg initiative."
If Americans let them, the government and social media giants will continue to throttle the truth online. Learn more at Censorship.news.
Sources for this article include:
X.com
NaturalNews.com
KYODO NEWS - Aug 31, 2024 - 09:29 | All, Japan
The Japanese government on Friday shelved its plans to give money and encourage more women to relocate to rural areas upon marriage, after a chorus of criticism online that the move is discriminatory and lacks sensitivity, despite its intended aim of helping revitalize regional areas.
The government initially planned to incentivize the relocation of would-be brides to rural areas by expanding the scope of an existing program that hands out up to 600,000 yen ($4,100) per person to those moving out of the Tokyo metropolitan area and work in other parts of Japan.
The plan was to remove that work requirement while also targeting women looking for partners outside the greater Tokyo area to tie the knot with.
As soon as the idea was reported by media outlets, however, the government faced an immediate backlash, with online comments such as "Do they think money can buy women?" and "They are trying to 'utilize' women."
Criticisms also came from within the government of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. "If we try to motivate people to move to regional areas by using marriage, and leave the root cause of the problem unattended, it won't be the right way to do it," said Wakako Yata, an adviser to the prime minister.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, regional revitalization minister Hanako Jimi said she instructed officials to "reconsider" the plan.
"We will carefully listen to the voices of people who are struggling due to income gaps between men and women, gender bias, and other reasons, and take measures," she said.
The government is tackling the concentration of people in urban areas like Tokyo. The COVID-19 pandemic increased the appeal of rural areas by giving people more flexibility in how and where they work.
Still, overconcentration remains a challenge, with Tokyo experiencing a net inflow of around 68,000 people in 2023, according to government data. Of the total, around 37,000 were women.
The ratio of single men in rural areas is higher than in cities, partly because an increasing number of women are choosing to remain in the Tokyo area rather than return to their hometowns.
Japan is already one of the world's fastest aging nations, with its birthrate on a downtrend. The trend reflects more people choosing not to marry at all or to do so late in life.
Related coverage:
Utsunomiya tram's rejuvenation achievements a model for other cities
FOCUS: Allowing foreign trainees to switch jobs stirs debate in rural Japan
Japan promoting pedal power to give abandoned railways new prospects
KYODO NEWS - Aug 31, 2024 - 22:36 | World, All
A Philippine Coast Guard ship anchored in Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea since April was rammed by a China Coast Guard vessel on Saturday, officials said, as tensions between the two countries over their maritime disputes have recently shifted to the area.
Teresa Magbanua, one of the two largest vessels of the Philippine Coast Guard, which Beijing wants Manila to remove from Sabina Shoal, sustained damage after it was "intentionally" hit multiple times while operating in the vicinity, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela said.
But China said it was the Philippine ship that "deliberately collided" with its vessel and reiterated its demand for the withdrawal of Teresa Magbanua. Beijing, which continues to claim nearly the entire South China Sea despite an international ruling that it has no legal basis, calls the shoal Xianbin Jiao.
Despite the damage, the Philippine vessel will remain at Sabina Shoal, which is within the country's exclusive economic zone, and dropped anchor in another spot there hours after the incident, Tarriela said. None of its crew was injured, and a team is being considered to assess its seaworthiness, he added.
Two other coast guard ships, two Chinese navy tugboats, and several maritime militia vessels were in the vicinity at the time of the incident, according to Tarriela. Earlier this week, China rammed and used a water cannon against a Philippine vessel there and also blocked a resupply mission from Manila.
The Philippines said it deployed Teresa Magbanua to Sabina Shoal to monitor Chinese activities, including the potential for reclamation after the discovery of an unnatural accumulation of crushed corals there. Sabina is near Second Thomas Shoal, where tense encounters between Chinese and Philippine vessels have occurred since last year.
Related coverage:
China enters Japan waters days after air violation protested
China blocks Philippine Coast Guard supply mission in South China Sea
Philippines, China reach provisional accord to ease maritime tension
Many tough laws in India, need to make them more active: PM Modi on crimes against women
W
hile the anger and outrage over a woman doctor's rape and murder at a Kolkata government hospital continues to keep the medical fraternity as well as citizens agitated nationwide, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reiterated the need and urgency to ensure safety of women, particularly at the workplace.
PM Modi said that the atrocities against women are a matter of grave concern and there is a need to ensure faster justice in such cases.
"Today, atrocities against women, safety of children are matters of serious concern for society. Many strict laws have been made in the country for the safety of women, but we need to make it more active," PM Modi said.
"The faster the decisions are taken in cases related to atrocities against women, the greater assurance of safety half the population will get," said PM Modi, addressing an event in Delhi on the 75 years of the Supreme Court.
Notably, the Prime Minister, in the last few days, has repeatedly spoken about safeguarding women and also asked state governments to accord top priority on cases pertaining to girls.
PM Modi's remarks come a day after West Bengal Chief Minister's second letter to the Centre, demanding a central legislation and exemplary punishment for heinous crimes like rape and murder.
The Trinamool supremo also alleged that her previous letter to the PM went "unanswered" on such a "sensitive issue."
The Centre, replying to the Bengal CM's letter, highlighted that the existing laws are strong enough to deal with such crimes.
BJP leaders called out the state government over slow and tardy progress in the case and asked it to act swiftly, rather than playing to the gallery.
PM Modi's call for swift justice in crimes against women came while addressing the inaugural event of the 2-day National Conference of District Judiciary, at Bharat Mandapam on Saturday.
The Supreme Court has organised a two-day national conference of the District Judiciary from August 31 to September 1.
The two-day conference will have five working sessions that will discuss wide-ranging issues pertaining to the district judiciary including infrastructure, human resource, judicial security, judicial training and more.
Many tough laws in India, need to make them more active: PM Modi on crimes against women
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The jury deliberated for roughly eight hours over Thursday and Friday before ruling in favor of the city of Urbana in its lawsuit against the Bloomington construction company.
A new editorial was published in Volume 11 of Oncoscience on July 19, 2024, entitled, "Functional information offers individualized adaptive cancer therapies."
As introduced in this editorial, the Oxford Computer Science Dictionary offers both general and technical definitions of information. Generally, information is anything that can cause a change in a human mind's opinion about the current state of the real world. Technically, information is anything that reduces the uncertainty of a system's state. Claude Shannon provided an objective measure of information, known as entropy (H), by mathematically defining it in terms of the uncertainty associated with transmitting a message from a source, through a channel, to a receiver in a noisy environment. According to the technical definition, information entropy (H) increases when uncertainty in a data set is reduced.
Here, R. Craig Herndon from the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo, Texas, also explains that Shannon information entropy, based on outcome probabilities or uncertainties in a data stream, can also be defined in terms of signal data uncertainty, often quantified by standard deviation. He suggests that precision medicine research efforts will benefit from integrating functional information.
"This application of functional information for adapting radiation therapy to individual patients requires an understanding of the systems involved to ensure there is an information exchange between the bioresponse and biomarker model."
The global plastic pollution crisis and the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic where billions of single-use diagnostic tests were discarded is prompting businesses and researchers to develop new and more sustainable rapid diagnostic tests.
Some companies have designed biodegradable tests for flu and COVID-19, while researchers are finding new and creative ways of making tests out of recycled materials.
But these innovations mostly come from companies and institutions in the global North. Low- and middle-income countries, where plastic pollution is most severe and local production of diagnostics is rare, will need a big push from investors and regulatory bodies to become sustainable, experts say.
Last month, Dutch company Okos Diagnostics started selling what it says is the first fully biodegradable test kit for COVID-19, Influenza A and B and Respiratory Syncytial Virus, after three years of prototyping and testing various materials and designs.
The test case is made of a plant-based material resulting from agricultural discard. The complete test, which is ready for users to buy and swab themselves, is now being sold worldwide for EUR 4.99 (US$ 5.5).
The company made it a point that the test be biodegradable and not just recycled, so that it could address the issue of used tests ending up in landfills, especially in low- and middle-income countries, co-founder Sander Julian Brus told SciDev.Net.
Okos calculated that its test kit could biodegrade in 10 to 30 months and is now partnering with the Helix Biogen Institute in Nigeria to test biodegradability in real-world conditions.
While environmental concerns might not have been front of mind in the early stages of the pandemic, I think now is the right time, said Brus.
Since we entered an endemic phase [of the pandemic], now its the right time to switch and for the industry to change and to make sure that if the next thing breaks out, it can be done differently, he added.
The waste issue
In a 2022 report, the World Health Organization estimated that over 140 million test kits used around the world during the first phase of the pandemic could have generated as much as 2,600 tonnes of waste most of it plastic.
The United Nations is poised to sign a legally binding agreement to curb plastic pollution by the end of this year.
Across Sub-Saharan Africa, where rates of HIV and many other diseases are higher than elsewhere, self-testing has become a lifeline for people in recent years. That is also contributing to pollution in an area of the world where appropriate waste disposal is lagging, says Collins Odhiambo, portfolio lead at the African Society for Laboratory Medicine.
An OECD projection sees global plastic use almost tripling by 2060 from 2019 levels and growing more than sixfold in Sub-Saharan Africa.
People just throw waste anywhere. If it is collected, its just taken somewhere and dumped, Odhiambo, who is based in Kenya, told SciDev.Net.
Producing more sustainable materials instead of plastic could be part of the solution, but Odhiambo is not convinced that the continents manufacturing sector can currently support such a shift.
I think the landscape in Africa for local manufacturing is not yet there, he explained. Neither for sustainable diagnostics, nor for plastic diagnostics.
Most diagnostic or pharmaceutical products reach Africa via technology transfer from rich countries.
We need to first change the practice up [in the global North], so that if they use sustainable materials in the North, then when they do the technology transfer to Africa its actually technology that includes the use of biodegradable material. Collins Odhiambo, portfolio lead at the African Society for Laboratory Medicine
Chewing gum and fridge parts
Besides Netherlands-based Okos, more and more companies and research institutions are starting to take up the challenge. British diagnostic company Abingdon Health recently partnered with London-based sustainable design consultancy Morrama to come up with plant fibre test cases for various types of rapid testing. The test should be launched on the market by the spring of 2025.
At Heriot-Watt University in Scotland, a group of researchers earlier this year designed tests made of recycled materials, using pellets that originated from objects as diverse as chewing gum and old fridge parts.
Its not written anywhere that it has to be in virgin plastic, said Maiwenn Kersaudy-Kerhoas, professor in microfluidic engineering in the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Heriot-Watt University, who has been leading the test prototyping.
However, using recycled materials is just an intermediate solution and in the long run more investment is needed in manufacturing lines for non-plastic materials, Kersaudy-Kerhoas told SciDev.Net.
Elijah Kolawole Oladipo, director of science at Helix Biogen Institute, is optimistic that sustainable diagnostics manufacturing can come to Africa soon enough, if sufficient investment can be attracted.
The Nigerian research institute is partnering with test-makers Okos on a study to check biodegradability of test kits in soil. The idea is eventually to replicate the tests production locally and make it available in Nigeria and beyond.
Instead of continuing to accept transfers of technology coming from the global North, Oladipo believes, African nations should leverage their abundance of raw materials to build local manufacturing plants for sustainable products.
To the known risk factors for cardiovascular disease-;high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, overweight and obesity, smoking, and physical inactivity-;a new one has to be added: clonal hematopoiesis. This condition is triggered by acquired mutations in blood stem cells and was already known to be associated with an elevated cardiovascular risk. However, until now it was uncertain if clonal hematopoiesis was a cause or consequence of cardiovascular disease. Now, a new study published in Nature Medicine and carried out by researchers at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) resolves this critical debate by establishing clonal hematopoiesis as a new risk factor for atherosclerosis-;the formation of lesions in the arterial wall that underlies most cardiovascular disorders. In a second study, published in the European Heart Journal, the CNIC scientists propose the ancient medication colchicine as the central plank of personalized strategies to alleviate the effects of clonal hematopoiesis associated with acquired mutations in the TET2 gene. The results of these important studies will be presented today at the European Society of Cardiology meeting in London, UK.
Acquired mutations in blood cell lineages: a new cause of atherosclerosis
An adult person produces hundreds of thousands of blood cells every day. This high rate of cell division unavoidably entails the accumulation of DNA mutations in the dividing cells. These mutations are known as somatic mutations, and are acquired, not inherited. "Although most somatic mutations are innocuous, some give the affected cells a competitive advantage that allows them to expand and progressively accumulate, generating clonal populations of mutated blood cells, a phenomenon known as clonal haematopoiesis," explained Jose Javier Fuster, who led the Nature Medicine study, for which it has received support from Fundacion "la Caixa".
These mutations had already been proposed as a possible risk factor for cardiovascular disease; however, the exact nature of the relationship had remained unclear. As Dr. Jose Javier Fuster, coordinator of the CNIC "Novel Mechanisms of Atherosclerosis" program, explained, "some earlier studies suggested that somatic mutations linked to clonal hematopoiesis contribute directly to cardiovascular disease and thereby accelerating the development of atherosclerosis. On the other hand, others proposed that it is atherosclerosis that causes clonal hematopoiesis by increasing the proliferation of blood stem cells and thereby generating a higher proportion of mutated blood cells."
The Nature Medicine study clarifies the relationship between clonal hematopoiesis and atherosclerosis through a longitudinal analysis of data from the PESA-CNIC-Santander study. PESA (Progression of Early Subclinical Atherosclerosis) is a prospective study of more than 4000 apparently healthy middle-aged participants who have undergone periodic examinations using advanced imaging technology since 2010 to detect the presence and progression of asymptomatic atherosclerosis. PESA is a collaborative initiative of the CNIC and Santander Bank. "The PESA study has already made very important contributions to our understanding of cardiovascular disease, and its longitudinal nature and unique characteristics provide an ideal framework for carrying out this important study on the relationship between clonal hematopoiesis and atherosclerosis," said Dr. Valentin Fuster, CNIC General Director, principal investigator on the PESA study, and co-lead author on the Nature Medicine study.
The researchers used high-sensitivity DNA sequencing technology to detect somatic mutations in blood samples and assessed the presence and progression of atherosclerosis detected with noninvasive imaging techniques in the PESA participants.
The study was a multidisciplinary effort involving specialists in basic science and cardiology, together with the specialized technical expertise of the Bioinformatics, Genomics, and Clinical Trials Units at the CNIC." Jose Javier Fuster
The results of the study clearly demonstrate that participants who had mutations linked to clonal hematopoiesis at the start of the study were more likely to develop atherosclerosis in the following years. On the other hand, the presence and extent of atherosclerosis had no influence on the expansion of mutated blood cells. "These results indicate that the mutations contribute to the development of atherosclerosis but are not a consequence of it," explained co-first author Miriam Diez-Diez. "However, it remains possible that other factors, such as genetic profile or lifestyle, might modulate the effects of clonal hematopoiesis, and future studies are planned to examine this possibility," added Beatriz L. Ramos-Neble, the other co-first author on the study.
The results of the study have clear clinical implications and identify clonal hematopoiesis as a cardiovascular risk factor completely different from the traditional risk factors studied in recent decades. This novelty holds promise for the development of new strategies for the prevention of cardiovascular disorders. "By demonstrating that the mutations linked to clonal hematopoiesis precede atherosclerosis and contribute to its development, our research suggests that blocking the effects of these somatic mutations could help to prevent cardiovascular disease," claimed Dr. Jose Javier Fuster. The second CNIC study, published in the European Heart Journal, lays the groundwork for this.
An ancient drug to alleviate a new cardiovascular risk factor
The best characterized mutations linked to clonal hematopoiesis are those that affect the TET2 gene. In a 2017 study published in Science, Dr. Jose Javier Fuster's team showed that mutations in TET2 accelerate the development of atherosclerosis in animal models. In the new study published in the European Heart Journal, the CNIC group, in partnership with the team led by Dr. Pradeep Natarajan at the Broad Institute in Boston, show that the adverse effects of TET2 mutations on cardiovascular health can be alleviated by treatment with the anti-inflammatory drug colchicine.
The CNIC team demonstrated that administration of colchicine to animals with TET2 mutations slows the development of atherosclerosis to a rate similar to that seen in non-mutated animals. In parallel, the Broad Institute scientists showed that individuals with TET2 mutations and who had been treated with colchicine for other conditions had a lower risk of myocardial infarction than untreated patients with similar mutations.
Plant preparations containing colchicine have been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine, and the drug is used in modern medicine to treat inflammatory conditions such as gout. "Colchicine is a very cheap medicine, available throughout the world, and is approved for the prevention of cardiovascular disease by the European Medicines Agency and by the FDA in the USA. There is therefore no major obstacle to its use for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in people with TET2 mutations," emphasized Dr. Maria Angeles Zuriaga, who conducted the experimental studies at the CNIC and is the first author on the European Heart Journal study.
Dr. Jose Javier Fuster underlined the important implications of the study for personalized medicine. "In clonal hematopoiesis, each mutated gene acts through different mechanisms and will therefore likely require specific interventions to target its effects. This study lays the groundwork for using colchicine for/in the personalized prevention of cardiovascular disease of carriers of mutations in TET2, but new clinical trials will be needed to conclusively demonstrate its effectiveness in these individuals."
The PESA study is cofunded by the CNIC and Santander Bank. The two studies were additionally funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion e Universidades (PLEC2021-008194), the Spanish cardiovascular research network (CIBERCV), Fundacion "la Caixa" (LCF/PR/HR17/52150007; LCF/PR/HR22/52420011), and Fundacion 'La Marato TV3' (202314-31).
BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The following is a summary of published science and technology news of China.
PUJIANG INNOVATION FORUM
The 2024 Pujiang Innovation Forum will be held in Shanghai from Sept. 7 to 10, the Ministry of Science and Technology announced at a press conference in Beijing on Friday.
More than 300 experts and scholars from over 40 countries and regions will attend the forum, during which a series of research achievements will be released. Foreign guests will account for nearly 40 percent of attendees.
AI MODEL FOR LUNAR EXPLORATION
The world's first professional, multimodal large language model for the field of lunar science has been released in China to significantly accelerate the processing speed of massive amounts of lunar data.
The new tool was debuted at the China International Big Data Industry Expo in Guiyang, the capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, by the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Geochemistry and the Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Group.
BEIDOU NAVIGATION SERVICE PLATFORM
China's national Beidou high-precision navigation and positioning service platform has entered trial operation, representing new progress in the country's indigenous satellite navigation capabilities, the National Geomatics Center of China revealed in Chongqing on Thursday.
Developed under the leadership of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the platform integrates satellite navigation and positioning base stations nationwide within the natural resources system, injecting new impetus into the development of the digital economy.
A high-pitched buzzing sound in your ear is an unmistakable sign that a female mosquito is out on the hunt -; for they, not males, drink blood. Hearing that tone might make you turn to try to swat the pest. But for a male mosquito, that tone means it's time to mate.
An international team led by researchers at the University of Washington has uncovered surprising details about mosquito mating, which could lead to improved malaria control techniques and even help develop precision drone flight. In a paper published Aug. 30 in the journal Current Biology, the team revealed that when a male Anopheles coluzzii mosquito hears the sound of female-specific wingbeats, his vision becomes active.
Many mosquito species have relatively poor vision, and Anopheles coluzzii -; a major spreader of malaria in Africa -; is no exception. But the team found that when a male hears the telltale buzz of female flight, his eyes "activate" and he visually scans the immediate vicinity for a potential mate. Even in a busy, crowded swarm of amorous mosquitoes, which is how A. coluzzii mates, the researchers found that the male can visually lock on to his target. He then speeds up and zooms deftly through the swarm -; and avoids colliding with others.
"We have discovered this incredibly strong association in male mosquitoes when they are seeking out a mate: They hear the sound of wingbeats at a specific frequency -; the kind that females make -; and that stimulus engages the visual system," said lead author Saumya Gupta, a UW postdoctoral researcher in biology. "It shows the complex interplay at work between different mosquito sensory systems."
This strong link between males hearing the female-like buzz and moving toward an object in their field of vision may open up a new route for mosquito control: a new generation of traps specific to the Anopheles mosquitoes that spread malaria.
This sound is so attractive to males that it causes them to steer toward what they think might be the source, be it an actual female or, perhaps, a mosquito trap." Jeffrey Riffell, senior author, UW professor of biology
Like most Anopheles species, Anopheles coluzzii mate in large swarms at sunset. The bulk of the bugs in these swarms are males, with only a few females. To human eyes, the swarms may appear chaotic. Mosquitoes of both sexes rapidly zip past each other. Males must use their senses to both avoid collision and find a rare female.
Gupta, Riffell and their colleagues -; including scientists from Wageningen University in the Netherlands, the Health Sciences Research Institute in Burkina Faso, and the University of Montpelier in France -; wanted to understand the interplay between mosquitoes' senses and how they work together in these swarms. To test the flight behavior of individual male mosquitoes, they built a miniature arena that uses a curved, pixelated screen to mimic the visual chaos of a swarm. The arena is essentially a mosquito flight simulator. In it, the mosquito test subject, which is tethered and cannot freely move, can still see, smell and hear, and also beat its wings as if it is in flight.
In arena tests with dozens of male Anopheles coluzzii mosquitoes, the researchers discovered that males responded differently to an object in their field of vision based on what sound the researchers broadcast into the arena. If they played to a tone at 450 hertz -; the frequency at which female mosquito wings beat in these swarms -; males steered toward the object. But males did not try to turn toward the object if the researchers played a tone at 700 hertz, which is closer to the frequency at which their fellow males beat their wings.
The mosquito's perceived distance to the object also mattered. If the simulated object appeared more than three body lengths away, he would not turn toward it, even in the presence of female-like flight tones.
"The resolving power of the mosquito eye is about 1,000-fold less than the resolving power of the human eye," said Riffell. "Mosquitoes tend to use vision for more passive behaviors, like avoiding other objects and controlling their position."
In addition to their dramatic response to objects when hearing female flight tones, arena experiments revealed that males made a different set of subtle flight adjustments to other objects. They modified their wingbeat amplitude and frequency in response to an object in their field of view, even with no wingbeat sounds piped in through the speaker. The team hypothesized that these visually driven responses may be preparatory maneuvers to avoid an object. To learn more, they filmed male-only swarms in the laboratory. Analyses of those movements showed that males accelerated away when they neared another male.
"We believe our results indicate that males use close-range visual cues for collision avoidance within swarms," said Gupta. "However, hearing female flight tones appears to dramatically alter their behavior, suggesting the importance of integrating sound and visual information."
This research may demonstrate a new method for mosquito control by targeting how mosquitoes integrate auditory and visual cues. The males' strong and consistent attraction to visual cues when they hear the female buzz may be a vulnerability that researchers can utilize while designing the next generation of mosquito traps -;particularly traps for the Anopheles species, which are a major spreader of malaria pathogens.
"Mosquito swarms are a popular target for mosquito control efforts, because it really leads to a strong reduction in biting overall," said Riffell. "But today's measures, like insecticides, are increasingly less effective as mosquitoes evolve resistance. We need new approaches, like lures or traps, which will draw in mosquitoes with high fidelity."
Co-authors are Antoine Cribellier, Serge Poda and Florian Muijres of Wageningen University of Wageningen University in the Netherlands and Olivier Roux of the University of Montpelier in France. Roux and Poda are also with the Health Sciences Research Institute in Burkina Faso. The research was funded by the Human Frontiers Science Program, the National Institutes of Health, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the French National Research Agency.
The imaging techniques currently used in biological research cannot penetrate into deeper tissue layers. In cancer treatment, this means that remnants of tumors or individual cancer cells at tumor margins and in lymph nodes are not visible. Doctors performing surgery are therefore repeatedly faced with the difficult question of whether all of the affected tissue has actually been removed. For the patient's quality of life, however, the complete removal of the tumor is just as essential as the preservation of healthy tissue and organs.
In their research, the scientists led by Oliver Bruns, Andriy Chmyrov, Ellen Sletten and Christopher Rowlands are making use of the properties of short-wave infrared light. Thanks to its lower scattering, it can penetrate deeper into tissue, enabling improved visualization of tissue structures.
In cancer research in particular, the unprecedented sensitivity of imaging using short-wave infrared light, fluorescent dyes and state-of-the-art cameras may enable us to make even just a few cancer cells clearly visible. Our goal is to precisely detect and remove even the smallest tumor remnants in the future." Prof. Oliver Bruns, Chair in the Faculty of Medicine at TU Dresden
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative has recognized the potential of this technology and has already funded the researchers with one million USD in 2021. Based on the outstanding results in the first funding phase, the team will now even receive funding of USD 2.2 million. The consortium led by Oliver Bruns and Andriy Chmyrov from the Department of Functional Imaging in Surgical Oncology at the National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden (NCT/UCC) is one of the nine selected beneficiaries from around 300 funding applications submitted.
Bruns holds a Chair in the Faculty of Medicine at TU Dresden funded by the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). In addition to the Faculty of Medicine, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital Dresden and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, the DKFZ is one of the bodies responsible for the National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden (NCT/UCC Dresden), which is one of the six NCT sites in Germany.
The research team intends to use the funding to carry out fundamental studies and utilize novel physical effects in order to identify the optimal conditions for short-wave infrared imaging. To this end, they are working on the design of special Raman probes and a visionary microscope that will overcome the limitations of previous microscopy techniques. These highly innovative technologies could be used in various areas of biological research and medical diagnostics and, for the first time, enable the non-invasive microscopic examination of deeper tissue layers.
Prof. Esther Troost, Dean of the Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, emphasizes: "The funding from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative underlines the outstanding quality of research at our faculty. The work of the team led by Oliver Bruns and Andriy Chmyrov is helping to set new benchmarks in medical imaging and significantly improve the diagnosis of tumor diseases." For the Director of the Clinic and Polyclinic for Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology at University Hospital Dresden, this opens up the prospect of being able to better calculate the target volume of radiation, just to give one example. "So far, the basis for this radiation has been conventional imaging techniques such as MRI. We were not able to detect tumor spread in this way. This scientific approach is therefore an essential step towards improved therapy."
Prof. Jurgen Weitz, Managing Director of the NCT/UCC and Director of the Clinic for Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, agrees that these scientific efforts provide the opportunity for more precise operations: "With this technology, we can locate and remove tumors more precisely, which could significantly increase the success rate of surgical interventions."
Prof. Michael Albrecht, Medical Director of the University Hospital of Dresden, adds: "This advanced imaging technology has the potential to significantly improve patient care by enabling more precise diagnoses and more individualized treatment approaches."
Nigeria is to begin the immediate rollout of 5,000 doses of mpox vaccines while the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) eyes its first shipment of 65,000 doses, as Africa steps up measures to control the multi-country outbreak.
The vaccine, administered in two doses, will go first to people at high-risk, including health workers and those living in areas with high infection rates, according to Nigeria's National Primary Healthcare Development Agency.
Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa, said the delivery of 10,000 doses to Nigeria by USAID this week signified "a clear demonstration of international solidarity in the face of global public health emergencies".
Nigeria became the first African country to receive the vaccine after confirming 40 cases of the disease, whose symptoms include fever, swollen lymph nodes and a rash leading to blisters.
The DRC, the country worst affected, is expecting to receive 65,000 doses of the vaccine on 1 September, announced Jean Kaseya, director-general of the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), during an online press conference on Wednesday (28 August).
He said 50,000 doses would be sent by the US while 15,000 will be provided by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Kaseya said the JYNNEOS vaccine, made by Danish pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic, was one of the surest ways of stopping the mpox epidemic, alongside epidemiological surveillance and screening.
He stressed the vaccine was the same one used in the US and Europe to stem an outbreak of mpox - formerly known as monkeypox - in 2022.
"It has been given to millions of Americans and Europeans, which has made it possible to stop [that] epidemic," he told the press conference.
In July, the emerging infectious diseases foundation CEPI announced trials in the DRC to see if vaccinating people already exposed to mpox stops them getting sick and spreading it.
Kaseya said Africa CDC would be sending 72 epidemiologists to affected areas in September to collect more data on case numbers, citing problems with the reliability of current data.
These epidemiologists, in addition to the support they will be giving to the teams in the field, will also be focusing on the quality of the data, so that we can have data that will enable us to make good decisions, he said.
In the coming weeks, we will begin to provide what we believe to be quality data thanks to this support.
Response plans
For the first time since its creation, Africa CDC declared on 13 August that the new mpox epidemic constituted a public health emergency of continental security (PHECS) in Africa. The next day, the WHO declared it a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).
This declaration marks an important moment in the history of public health in Africa and demonstrates the seriousness of the situation and the need for a unified, continent-wide response to this rapidly spreading disease. Nicaise Ndembi, Kaseyas scientific advisor and mpox response coordinator for the African Union and Africa CDC
He stressed that it is now urgent to take coordinated action at national, regional and international levels to stop the spread of mpox.
Africa CDC is working to develop a continental response plan, which, according to Kaseya, should take into account the individual needs of each country. He said the plan will be presented to African heads of state for endorsement in the coming weeks.
The WHO has already launched a global strategic plan for mpox preparedness and response, which it says requires US$ 87.4 million over the next six months (September 2024-February 2025).
WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, speaking at the WHO Regional Committee for Africa in Brazzaville this week (26 August), stressed the need for more research and surveillance of the disease, as well as equitable access to vaccines.
I am certain that with the leadership of the affected countries and the support of the WHO, partners such as CDC Africa and others, we will be able to bring this epidemic under control quickly, as we have been able to do with other epidemics in recent years, he said.
New variants
According to the latest WHO epidemiological data, 14 African countries have reported cases of mpox so far, with Gabon confirming its first case of the virus on 22 August.
The DRC remains the country hardest hit by the epidemic, with a total of 3,244 cases and 25 deaths recorded to date this year.
Burundi has recorded 231 cases, while a number of cases have also been confirmed in Central African Republic (45); Cote dIvoire (28); South Africa (24), and Congo (23).
There are two main types of the virus, Clade I and Clade II. Clade I, endemic to Central Africa, causes more severe illness and disease. The less severe Clade II strain caused the global outbreak in 2022 and is the type being seen in Nigeria.
However, a novel, sexually transmitted strain of the virus, identified as Clade Ib, has started spreading across the DRC and neighboring countries, causing alarm.
Flaubert Mba, wildlife specialist and One Heath focal point at the Centre for Research on Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases, told SciDev.Net: The emergence of the new, more virulent variant (Clade Ib) and the increase in human-to-human transmission, with new routes such as sexual transmission, remains a cause for concern.
In addition to vaccination and the recommended hygiene measures, he believes that African countries need to focus on epidemiological surveillance, particularly in areas where wildlife and people interact.
Mpox is a re-emergent zoonosis, meaning that it is transmitted from animals to humans and vice versa, he explained.
Particular emphasis needs to be placed on at-risk areas associated with risk mapping and areas where there have been outbreaks in the past.
The Philippines is under global scrutiny as it proceeds with the controlled rollout of an unproven African swine fever (ASF) vaccine from Vietnam amid doubts from experts about its safety and efficacy.
ASF is a highly contagious viral disease that affects domestic and wild pigs and has a mortality rate that can reach 100 per cent, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
There is no internationally approved vaccine against the virus which has led to huge losses in pig populations following an upsurge in the disease since 2022.
There is a very big concern, said Ramon Clarete, a professor of economics at the University of the Philippines Diliman who specializes in agricultural productivity. We really must be careful about this [vaccine], because the swine industry is a very important industry in agriculture.
The concerns stem from a perceived lack of transparency from Vietnam about its trial data and the nature of the ASF vaccine, which consists of a live virus that has been weakened by deleting important parts of its genes. This type, called a live-attenuated vaccine, may still pose a serious risk of mutation and reversion to its viral form.
The risk with a live-attenuated vaccine is that it may still have a little bit of virulence that can cause either the disease or some form of discomfort or disease, said Baptiste Dungu, professor at University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo and vaccinologist with more than 30 years in veterinary vaccine research, manufacturing, and commercialization.
A study published in Nature tested the virus strain in ten pigs and found that while it did not gain back its virulence, a virus variant emerged in one pig, which eventually spread through all ten pigs. The variant appeared to be slightly more replicative and had an increased risk of shedding, the study claims.
Shedding is when a virus is excreted by the animal that has been vaccinated and then it goes to another animal. Baptiste Dungu, Professor at University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
This phenomenon did not occur in any of the previous studies, but it is relevant because it could also happen in the field during intensive use, the authors said in the paper.
The Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said they had carefully reviewed the field trial data before granting the vaccine a Certificate of Product Registration under Monitored Release (CPR MR), which allows its controlled use in the country.
CPR MR is issued by the FDA for new drugs and vaccines that have successfully met the stringent safety, efficacy and quality standards required for approval, the agency told SciDev.Net.
The vaccine, named the AVAC ASF LIVE vaccine, is created by AVAC Vietnam JSC and imported into the Philippines by KPP Powers Commodities Inc. It is derived from a virus strain called ASFV-G-MGF, or MGF for short.
However, on 27 October 2022, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) issued a public notice about the withdrawal of MGF from the select agent regulatory exclusions because it has evaluated new information and determined that they have the potential to pose a severe threat to animal health or animal products.
It has also determined that the virus strain is not safe for use in pigs because its genome is unstable, potentially leading to reversion of virulence, the notice warned.
APHIS cited two journal articles published by the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute in China as the basis for the decision, saying that the studies identified instability within the MGF genome segments.
In December 2023, WOAH issued a warning on the use of sub-standard vaccines following announcements of export deals between the vaccine maker AVAC Vietnam JSC and Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines. The warning urges authorities to only use high-quality vaccines with proven safety and efficacy.
Despite these concerns, the controlled rollout will proceed next month, with 150,000 doses to be distributed in pig farms on a voluntary basis. The campaign will begin on 2 September, in Lobo, Batangas, the ground zero of ASF outbreaks, according to agriculture assistant secretary and spokesman Arnel de Mesa.
Last month, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel claimed on the state television PTV that the vaccine from Vietnam really works.
The Department of Agriculture did not respond to SciDev.Nets requests for more information about the field trials.
The FDA said that field trials have been ongoing in the Philippines for almost two years now and claimed that the vaccine has a 100 per cent efficacy with no side effects. However, no trial data has been made public.
When asked for the field trial documents, the FDA said that they follow strict confidentiality protocols and that direct access to them is not permitted.
Former Agriculture Undersecretary Jose Reano questioned the credibility of the trials, explaining that he had not seen the field trial documents.
If the results were really positive, they should be proud and share the data with the public, Reano told SciDev.Net, while adding that the government should not rely on the vaccine as the main form of intervention.
Last year, the trials were scrutinized in a senate hearing with Senator Cynthia Villar questioning KPP Powers Commodities Inc. about its involvement in the trials. The senator noted a conflict of interest and said the Department of Agriculture should independently conduct the field trials.
SciDev.Net reached out repeatedly to the company KPP Powers but did not receive a response in time for publication.
I am for the introduction of this [vaccination] if it has been found by experts that it is safe to use, said Clarete.
However, he said that the FDA should be more transparent with the trials.
The Philippines is one of the 19 Asian countries affected by ASF since 2019, according to data from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. It has since spread to 74 of its 82 provinces and reduced the swine population from 12.7 million in 2019 to 9.9 million in 2023.
As of July 2023, the hog industry lost at least Php200 billion or about US$3.5 billion, according to Nicanor Briones, AGAP party-list representative and chair of the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines.
A study by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (Duncan NRI) at Texas Children's Hospital, reveals that the protein Tau a key player implicated in several neurodegenerative conditions including Alzheimer's disease also plays a positive role in the brain. Tau mitigates neuronal damage caused by excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) or free radicals and promotes healthy aging. The study was published in Nature Neuroscience.
"ROS are natural byproducts of various cellular functions in the body. While low levels of ROS are beneficial, excess ROS is harmful to cells as it triggers the production of toxic forms of other molecules that induce oxidative stress, including peroxidated lipids," said lead author Dr. Lindsey Goodman, a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Dr. Hugo Bellen. "Neurons are particularly susceptible to oxidative stress and are destroyed if peroxidated lipid levels are not tightly controlled."
Lipid droplets protect the brain from oxidative damage
There is mounting evidence supporting the notion that our brains have developed multiple neuroprotective strategies to combat ROS-induced oxidative damage.
One of the strategies, discovered in 2015 by the Bellen team, consists of neurons exporting these toxic peroxidated lipids to neighboring glial cells, which sequester them into lipid droplets for storage and future energy production. "This process effectively removes and neutralizes these toxic lipids," Goodman said. "In the current study we investigated the role of Tau in the formation of glial lipid droplets."
The team found that endogenous normal Tau in flies is required for glial lipid droplet formation and for protecting against neuronal ROS. Similarly, Tau was required in glial cells obtained from rats and humans to form lipid droplets.
And while expression of normal human Tau was sufficient to restore the process of formation and maturation of glial lipid droplets in flies lacking their own Tau, when this human Tau protein carried disease-causing mutations which are linked to an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease the glia were incapable of forming lipid droplets in response to neuronal ROS.
This argues that mutations in Tau may reduce the protein's normal ability to prevent oxidative stress in addition to causing the protein to accumulate into the typical hallmarks of disease, as described by previous work. Altogether, the findings support a new neuroprotective role for Tau against the toxicity associated with ROS." Dr. Lindsey Goodman, lead author
Further connections with disease were discovered using established fly and rat models of Tau-mediated conditions that overexpress disease-causing human Tau protein in glia. In these scenarios, the investigators again saw defects in glial lipid droplets and glial cell demise in response to neuronal ROS. This demonstrated that Tau is a dosage-sensitive regulator of glial lipid droplets where too much or too little Tau is detrimental.
"By revealing a surprising new neuroprotective role for Tau, the study opens the door to potential new strategies to slow, reverse and treat neurodegenerative conditions," said Bellen, corresponding author of the work. He is a distinguished service professor in molecular biology and genetics at Baylor and holds a Chair in Neurogenetics at Duncan NRI. Bellen also is a March of Dimes Professor in Developmental Biology at Baylor.
In summary, contrary to its usual 'bad guy' role in neurodegenerative disease, this study demonstrates that Tau also plays a 'good guy' role in glia by helping sequester toxic lipids, reducing oxidative damage and, hence protecting our brains. However, when Tau is absent or when defective Tau proteins are present, this protective effect disappears, leading to disease.
Written by Sachin Gawri:
Gurgaon, one of the fastest-growing residential and commercial hubs in the NCR region, has emerged as an attractive destination for investors and buyers over the years. Owing to its strategic location, rapid urban development, and world-class infrastructure, the city is home to high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) who seek premium living spaces with top-notch amenities. Offering lifestyle benefits to homebuyers, these properties come with exclusive amenities that not only enhance the living experience but also lead to higher rental yields.
A survey shows that 71 per cent of wealthy Indians desire to invest in luxury real estate for the next 12-24 months. Moreover, integrating smart technology and sustainable design elements in the properties increases property prices by up to 20 per cent.
However, the selection process for luxury properties focuses on various factors. While location remains a priority, architectural uniqueness and premium amenities continue to be significant spotlights, with developments offering bespoke designs and state-of-the-art facilities experiencing higher demand. Compliance with regulatory requirements is also pivotal. Affluent investors and buyers should conduct thorough due diligence to effectively navigate Indias intricate real estate laws and regulations, ensuring their investments fully comply with current legal standards. This includes a deep understanding of the Real Estate Regulation and Development Act (RERA), which has introduced significant reforms to the sector since its enactment.
Besides, investing in Gurgaons luxury real estate requires a comprehensive understanding of market dynamics and opportunities. Economic policies play an eminent role in shaping the market. For instance, the recent cap on capital gains tax spurred a rush of transactions as investors sought to leverage tax benefits before the end of the fiscal year. This adjustment is part of broader economic shifts that have seen luxury real estate prices in top markets like Mumbai and Delhi increase by over 30% in the last five years. Hence, the volatility of the luxury market demands strategic investment planning, emphasizing both the economic landscape and individual property valuations.
The luxury real estate sector caters to the growing demographic of HNIs and UHNIs, driven by urbanization and increasing disposable incomes. As this buyer segment notably focuses on sustainable living and is influenced by technological advancements, luxury homes emerge as lifestyle statements. Hence, luxury real estate investments offer various methods like traditional bank loans, commercial mortgages, real estate investment trusts (REITs), and crowdfunding platforms. Each method offers different terms, rates, and eligibility requirements, catering to the buyers investment objectives, financial state, and risk preferences.
Thus, as the appeal of the luxury real estate segment grows, these strategies further enhance the functionality of the properties. Aligning with global sustainability goals and attracting a new generation of eco-conscious investors, the sector offers promising opportunities for everyone interested in investing in the real estate sector. Thoroughly understanding the market dynamics, investors and buyers can navigate this profitable landscape.
(The author is founder and CEO, RISE Infraventures)
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday announced a change in the dates for polling and counting in Haryana amid demands from various sections regarding the same.
Haryana will go to polls on October 5 instead of October 1. The counting of votes for both Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir will take place on October 8. The date for the third phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir remains unchanged.
The poll body said in a statement that representations were received from national and state political parties and All India Bishnoi Mahasabha regarding the mass movement of people of the Bishnoi community of Haryana to Rajasthan to participate in centuries-old Asoj Amavasya festival celebration.
It may deny voting rights to a large number of people and may lead to reduce voters participation in general elections to the legislative assembly of Haryana, the poll body added.
The Commission, having considered these representations, has decided to change the date of poll only for Haryana from 1st October 2024 (Tuesday) to 5th October 2024 (Saturday), it added.
Poll dates for Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana were announced earlier this month for October 1 and the counting of votes for both states was supposed to take place on October 5.
Elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir in three phases starting from September 18. The third phase of polling, as announced earlier, will be held on October 1. The polling dates in the UT have not been changed.
News18 has learnt that the Chief Election Officer (CEO) of Haryana sent a report on Saturday to the ECI after consulting with the Deputy Commissioners of Hisar, Sirsa, and Fatehabad, after which the date changes were announced.
Bishnoi communitys annual festival falls on Amavas during the month of Asoj when the devotees go to their native place in Mukam, Bikaner.
This year, the festival will take place on October 2 and thousands of Bishnoi families residing in Sirsa, Fatehabad and Hisar will be travelling to Rajasthan on poll day, denying them their voting rights.
Thousands of Bishnoi families reside in these three districts, and it is a longstanding tradition from the last 3 centuries for them to visit their native place in Mukam, Rajasthan, during this time. Families from these districts are expected to start their journey on October 1 which is the poll day in Haryana. Members of the Bishnoi community residing in other districts in Haryana are also likely to travel to Mukam in Rajasthan, the report added.
Politicians React to Change In Poll Dates
On EC changing the date of counting of votes for Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana assembly elections, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said, I want to thank the Election Commission for their decision Our State President Mohanlal Kaushik wrote to the EC regarding a problem that there are consecutive holidays on September 29, 30 and October 1, 2. We expressed concern that this might affect the voting percentage. People might go on holidays or vacations. Other parties also expressed concern over this I want to thank the Election Commission they considered this
Former Haryana Minister Anil Vij also expressed gratitude to the election commission for revising facilitating and encouraging more people to come out to vote.
Congress leader and former Haryana CM Bhupinder Hooda said the change in polling dates reflects BJPs acceptance of an impending electoral defeat. They (BJP) have already accepted defeat in Haryana, he said.
This is not the first time the election commission has adjusted poll dates out of respect for the sentiments of various communities.
During the Punjab Assembly Elections in 2022, ECI postponed the polls by a week to accommodate devotees travelling to Varanasi for Guru Ravidas Jayanti.
Similarly, in Manipur during the Assembly elections 2022, the election commission changed the polling dates to respect the Christian communitys Sunday prayers.
In the Rajasthan Assembly elections 2023, the poll body rescheduled the polling originally scheduled on Devuthani Ekadashi, a day significant for mass weddings in Rajasthan.
During the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls in 2012, polling date was changed due to Barawafat.
Speaking to News18, a poll body official said that the commission has consistently upheld the belief that Every Vote Matters and strives to create an ecosystem that encourages the active participation of all stakeholders, fostering a strong democracy.
Inclusivity has always been a core value of the Commission, particularly in ensuring that every eligible voter has the opportunity to participate in the electoral process, the official said.
Questions were also raised on the earlier polling date of October as it was allowing the voters to club weekend (September 28 and 29), a national holiday (October 2). The date of polling October 1 would also have been a paid holiday. Also, October 3 would mark the first day of Sharad Navratri, a holiday for many.
Coincidentally, the revised polling date also resolves any concerns about a six-day holiday by taking a one-day leave on Sep 30, 2024.
However, polling on weekends has also not helped the ECI in higher voter turnout due to urban apathy working class using the date as an extra paid holiday.
The West Bengal government on Saturday moved to the Supreme Court to challenge the bail granted to Sayan Lahiri of Chhatra Samaj, who was arrested in connection with the Nabanna Abhijan violence.
On Friday, the Calcutta High Court had directed the Kolkata Police to release Lahiri. In response, the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government has sought a stay on this decision. The matter is expected to be mentioned before the Supreme Court on Monday for urgent listing.
While granting bail to Lahiri, the high court had cautioned the police against using excessive force to terrorise protesters and stated that Lahiri could not be held liable for organising the protests simply due to his vocal role.
Lahiri was one of the convenors of the Nabanna Abhijan (March to Secretariat) on August 27, which condemned the rape and murder of the trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata earlier this month.
Parts of Kolkata and Howrah became virtual battlefields on the afternoon of August 27 due to clashes between the police and protesters. In several locations, the police had to resort to lathi-charges, tear gas, and water cannons to disperse protesters heading towards the state Secretariat in the Mandirtala area of Howrah district, adjacent to Kolkata.
(With inputs from agencies)
West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Saturday accused the police of keeping the parents of the doctor who was raped and murdered in Kolkatas RG Kar MCH under house arrest. The Congress leader visited the house of the deceased doctor and spoke to her parents.
Chowdhury alleged that the police had offered the victims father money for cremating the body quickly.
I visited the family of the deceased doctors residence and spoke to them for a long time. The police have kept the family under house arrest. They are not allowing them to come out of the house on the pretext of various excuses. The police have created a barricade around them, the CISF have no clue about this, Chowdhury told reporters.
The Kolkata Police following the directive of the state government had offered the father money while telling him that the body of his daughter be cremated without delay, Chowdhury alleged.
The body of a 31-year-old post-graduate trainee doctor was found in the seminar room of state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9. Junior doctors have been on a cease-work since that day demanding justice for her and strong security measures at medical establishments.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was stopped by the police from entering the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital when he arrived to meet the agitating junior doctors.
I went there as a common person and not a political leader, to express solidarity to them. But I was stopped from meeting them by the police Had they shown this promptness earlier, our sister doctor would not have met this fate, Chowdhury said.
One civic volunteer of the Kolkata Police was arrested for his alleged involvement in the crime.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is investigating the matter following the Calcutta High Courts order.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday labelled China a unique problem and stressed that the challenges posed by Beijing in the trade and security domains extend beyond Indias borders.
China in many ways is a unique problem because it is a unique polity, it is a unique economy. Unless one tries to grasp that uniqueness and understand it, the judgements, the conclusions and the policy prescriptions flowing out of it can be problematic, Jaishankar said at the ET World Leaders Forum, as he highlighted the concerns regarding the global trade deficits with China.
New Indias Risks
During a session titled New Indias Risks, Reforms, and Responsibilities, the minister pointed out that decades of overlooking the nature of Chinese production have led to significant economic imbalances. If today people are complaining about trade deficits with China, it is because we all consciously chose to overlook the advantages that China enjoyed in a system where they had a level playing field, he said during the event.
#WATCH | Delhi: At the ET World Leaders Forum, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar says, China is a unique problem because it is a unique polity and economy. Its not just an indian problem. If today people are complaining about trade deficits with China, it is because pic.twitter.com/6qeAZPmbHo ANI (@ANI) August 31, 2024
A general China problem
There is a general China problem. We are not the only country in the world which is having a debate about China. Go to Europe, and ask them what is among their major economic or national security debates today. It is about China. Look at the United States (of America). It is obsessed with China, and rightly so in many ways, Jaishankar said. So, the fact is that it is not only India which has a China problem, he said.
India has a China problem a special China problem that is over and above the worlds general China problem, Jaishankar said. He further underlined that the issue of Chinas influence is a global concern, not limited to India. Go to Europe and ask them what is among your major economic or national security debates. Its about China. Look at the United States; its obsessed with China, and rightly so in many ways, he remarked.
China is not going to stop
The external affairs minister stressed the importance of enhancing domestic manufacturing capabilities to counterbalance Chinas economic dominance. By my complaining, China is not going to stop doing things. If I do not build up my strength at home, our foreign policy will be as good as our domestic policy, he explained.
Jaishankars comments come amid ongoing discussions about Indias trade relationship with China, which has continued to grow despite tensions along the border. He attributed the rising trade volume to a historical neglect of the manufacturing sector. He also underlined the need for a balanced approach to foreign investments, particularly from China. I am pro-investment, pro-growth, but somewhere there should be a balance, he said.
BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- China has made substantial strides in protecting the water ecology of key river basins, with national water-quality continuing to improve in the first half of this year, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) on Friday.
The proportion of surface-water bodies nationwide classified as having excellent water quality reached 89.4 percent in 2023, an increase of 1.5 percentage points compared to the previous year, MEE official Huang Xiaozeng told a press conference.
This figure surpasses the target set in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) by 4.4 percentage points, Huang noted.
Using the Yangtze River as an example, Huang reported that 98.5 percent of monitoring sites in the basin achieved excellent water quality in 2023, up 0.4 percentage points year on year.
Additionally, the number of indigenous fish species recorded in the Yangtze River Basin increased to 227, up by 34 species from 2022. The number of nationally protected aquatic wildlife species rose to 14 in 2023, an increase of three compared to the previous year.
Huang also said that in June last year, the MEE, in collaboration with relevant departments, issued detailed assessment criteria for water ecology in the Yangtze River Basin. The first assessment under these criteria is scheduled for 2025.
Based on the pilot efforts in the Yangtze, China aims to refine its water-ecology monitoring and evaluation methods nationwide, establish and improve water-ecology standards, and support the evaluation system for building a beautiful China, Huang said.
Hours after senior journalist Abhijit Majumdar alleged that his phone number was blocked by telecom operator Airtel on the orders of Kolkata cyber police, he said that the phone services has been resumed. The journalist on Friday alleged that his phone services were blocked on orders of the Mamata Banerjee government amid tensions in West Bengal over the rape and murder case of a 31-year-old Kolkata doctor.
Airtel just resumed my phone services, Abhijit Majumder, the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Earshot, posted on X.
Airtel just resumed my phone services. https://t.co/f6s4m7tZ3n Abhijit Majumder (@abhijitmajumder) August 31, 2024
Earlier in the day, Majumdar on X stated, My phone has been blocked. Called Airtel. It has been blocked by apparently cyber police, West Bengal. How is this even legal?
In another post, he shared an audio clip of his conversation with an Airtel executive, who explained that his number was suspended after directions from the West Bengal cyber police due to fraud activity.
So, the police of #MamataBanerjee have blocked my phone number.I was talking too much about #KolkataDoctorDeath.They think they will silence me Called Airtel, this is what they said pic.twitter.com/8juvpZb75h Abhijit Majumder (@abhijitmajumder) August 30, 2024
So, the police of #MamataBanerjee have blocked my phone number. I was talking too much about #KolkataDoctorDeath. They think they will silence me Called Airtel, this is what they said, Majumder remarked.
Speaking on the suspension, Majumder told CNN-News18, I havent received any communique from the West Bengal Police. The telecom ministry has informed me that they are investigating the matter. My posts are public.
Targeting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Majumder criticised the action as unlawful and a form of dictatorship.
This action is unlawful, this is dictatorship. They should provide evidence for these allegations. My outgoing and incoming calls were barred, he asserted.
Majumder also questioned the connection between Airtel and the West Bengal government, stating, I thought number blocking could only be authorised by the central government.
Responding to Majumders post, Kanchan Gupta, senior advisor at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, condemned the suspension as unacceptable and questioned the lack of details or charges against the journalist.
Unacceptable.Per @airtelindia @Airtel_Presence wellknown journalist @abhijitmajumder s Cell has been blocked nationwide and globally by @WBPolice / @KolkataPolice Cyber Cell who have cited fraud as the reason.No details, no charges, no information, nothing.Abhijit is a https://t.co/3HFkh1p2mf Kanchan Gupta (@KanchanGupta) August 31, 2024
No details, no charges, no information, nothing. Abhijit is a trenchant critic of TMC Govt and has been highlighting lapses in RG Kar case. West Bengal is now a Police State?, Gupta noted.
Abhijit Majumder is a senior journalist. He also contributes to Network18 as a columnist and commentator.
Kolkata rape and murder case accused Sanjay Roy who is lodged at Presidency Correctional Home has reportedly expressed his anger over the meal served in prison. Not happy over the simple roti-sabzi" meal served to him, Roy had demanded that he should be allowed to eat egg chowmein.
However, according to jail rules, all inmates have to eat the same food prepared for every other prisoner. Thus, Roys demand for egg-chowmein could not be met.
Sources from Presidency prison said that when he was served roti and vegetables he was angry with the meal. However, after being reprimanded by the jail staff, he finally agreed to eat.
Earlier, when Roy was brought to Presidency Correctional Home from CBI custody, he requested the jail staff that he be allowed to get some sleep. He was also found to be mumbling at times. However, after a few days, he has returned to his normal self.
Meanwhile, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is investigating the RG Kar Hospital rape and murder case. The CBI team has questioned former principal of Kolkatas RG Kar Medical College, Sandeep Ghosh again on Friday.
Sandeep Ghosh was summoned by the CBI for the 14th consecutive day in connection with the investigation of the rape and murder of the trainee doctor. Officials said that the agency has already questioned Ghosh for more than 140 hours.
Apart from this heinous crime, Ghosh is also under the CBIs radar for the financial scam case in the hospital, in which officials have already registered an FIR against him and other institutions. The CBI officials also searched the former principals residence last Sunday and questioned him.
The rape and killing of the junior doctor in a seminar hall of the hospital earlier in August has sparked widespread protests.
The medics body with severe injury marks was found inside the seminar hall of the hospitals chest department in the morning of August 9. Roy was arrested the following day.
On August 13, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe from the Kolkata Police to the CBI, which started its investigation on August 14.
Keralas Arimpur, a village that was once known as Aripura, the land of rice cultivation, has a rich history tied to its agricultural roots. Today, it carries forward its legacy under a new name but remains a place where traditional and modern livelihoods intersect. One such story of this intersection is that of Samrat Ghosh, a young man who journeyed from Murshidabad in West Bengal to Arimpur about five years ago. Drawn by the promise of better opportunities, Samrat arrived in this Kerala village to work in construction, a field that was far removed from the farming traditions of Aripura.
Alongside his work, Samrat was dedicated to maintaining his physical fitness. He joined a local gym and underwent structured training under the guidance of trainer Akhil, using his work breaks to exercise. Competing in bodybuilding contests organized by the Kappa Association, Samrat, an outsider, won the titles of Mr. Thrissur and Mr. Kerala in the 65 kg sub-junior category. He also secured second place in the sub-junior bodybuilding competition held in South India and has begun preparing for the Mr. India competition.
Despite his growing recognition in the bodybuilding world, Samrat has continued his work as a mason on construction sites in Arimpur. He reflects on the stark difference between his earnings here and what he used to make back in his hometown. In Murshidabad, he earned a mere Rs 300 per day, but in Kerala, his daily wage has risen to Rs 1,000. This significant increase in income has allowed him to lead a more comfortable life and pursue his passion for bodybuilding without financial strain.
He has grown attached to the land of Kerala and wishes to stay in Arimpur. Pleased with his earnings, physical fitness and recognition, Samrat Ghosh is content and has no interest in returning to his native place. He feels that Kerala has welcomed him and he intends to stay.
Massive protests continued at Gudlavalleru Engineering College in Andhra Pradeshs Krishna district on Saturday, a day after students alleged that a hidden camera was installed in the washroom of the girls hostel.
A high-level inquiry was initiated into the incident following the intervention of chief minister Chandrababu Naidu.
Speaking to News18, Krishna district Superintendent of Police (SP) Gangadhar Rao said a thorough probe is being conducted but, so far, the police have not recovered any hidden camera from inside the washroom as alleged by the students.
He also said they have seized two laptops and other electronic devices from the accused identified as Vijay Kumar, a student of the same college, who was zeroed in on based on the testimonies of the girls and some WhatsApp chats.
The students had alleged that nearly 300 obscene videos were recorded and circulated by the accused but the police investigation so far hasnt been able to trace the videos in question. The SP also said the laptops of the accused were checked in front of the protesting girls and their parents but no video was recovered from the devices.
Meanwhile, protesters continued their demonstration, expressing their anger over the investigation.
Sharanya, a student, said: What has the management been doing since the last one week? When we lodged a complaint once again on Friday, they paid no heed to that overnight, they are saying this is fake news and threatening to file a case against us instead.
The protesting girls also said the management was aware of the issue since a week but did not take action until the demonstration began.
Andhra Pradesh Womens Commission chairperson Gajjala Venkatalakshmi has taken suo moto cognisance of the incident and urged the police to take strict action against the accused. She will also visit the campus on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Andhra education minister Nara Lokesh took to social media platform X to assuage the concerns of the students.
I have asked the authorities for details about the protest of the female students at the Gudlavaleru Engineering College. I have ordered an enquiry into the allegations of hidden camera. Strict action will be taken against the culprits and those responsible if it is found that they have committed a mistake in the investigation. Managements should take early steps without ragging or harassment in colleges, he said.
Attacks by political opponents on the government have to be responded to on a strong footing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told his colleagues, adding that they must maintain the positive energy and celebrate the 10-year anniversaries of the governments landmark schemes.
At the Council of Ministers meet earlier this week, Modi commended the women and child development ministry for its quick response to the Mamata Banerjee government when the chief minister wrote to the PM for stronger anti-rape laws.
Sources said the prime minister cited this as an example to stress on quick response time by the government, saying the response must be on strong footing. The WCD ministry had written to the chief minister, pointing to non-operationalisation of fast-track courts in West Bengal for addressing rape and POCSO cases.
PM Modi also said the upcoming 10-year-anniversaries of various landmark schemes of the government must be celebrated like the Finance Ministry had done with 10 years of PM Jan Dhan Yojana, and that this model must be adopted by all.
All this was part of the new Inform mantra given by the prime minister, in addition to his existing perform, reform, transform model for the government. The PM told his team of ministers to maintain the positive energy and not let any negative energy envelop the country.
Other Instructions by PM
PM Modi asked the government to come up with a Rozgaar ranking of the states, to specify which state had generated how many jobs. He also asked for organisational re-structuring of central ministries and said all central government employees must register on the iGOT platform where they should be regularly examined for competence and certificates be given to them. The PM asked the Ministers of State (MoSs) to coordinate this particular exercise.
Modi also asked that state administrations needed to be streamlined and two-day workshops be organised on sectoral subjects with participation of ministers from the states. He said the Centre should show the disha (direction) to the political leadership of the states. The PM also remarked at the meeting that the Aspirational Districts scheme had become somewhat dormant and the same should be rejuvenated by sending officers in the field.
Raising the issue of womens safety for the third time in recent weeks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for prompt action against crimes targeting women and children.
His strong remarks follow protests against the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at Kolkatas RG Kar Hospital and the sexual abuse of two four-year-old school girls in Badlapur near Mumbai. Addressing the National Conference of District Judiciary, PM Modi said Today, atrocities against women, safety of children are serious concerns of the society."
Addressing the National Conference of District Judiciary.https://t.co/QRCLSh1mDS Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 31, 2024
Strict laws
Many strict laws have been made in the country for the safety of women, but we need to make it more active. The faster the decisions are taken in cases related to atrocities against women, the greater assurance of safety half the population will get," he added.
The faster the decisions are taken in cases related to atrocities against women, the greater assurance of safety half the population will get," said PM Modi, addressing an event in Delhi on the 75 years of the Supreme Court. In the last few weeks, the Prime Minister has repeatedly spoken about safeguarding women and also asked state governments to accord top priority to cases pertaining to women.
His remarks on womens safety come in the wake of nationwide outrage over the Kolkata rape-murder case. On Friday, Union Women and Child Development Minister Annpurna Devi replied to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees second letter to PM Modi reiterating her earlier demand for strict punishment for heinous crimes such as rape and rape-murder.
The WCD Minister mentioned that stringent punishments for rape/ rape with murder already exist in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)". It prescribes for a minimum of 10 years rigorous imprisonment for rape and extendable up to life imprisonment for the remainder of the natural life of the convict or with death depending upon the severity of the crime," the Union Minister said in her letter.
Last week, Modi termed crimes against women an unpardonable sin, adding the guilty should not be spared. Speaking at the Lakhpati Didi Sammelan in north Maharashtras Jalgaon, Modi said the safety of women should be a priority. The safety of mothers, sisters, and daughters is the countrys priority. I have repeatedly raised this issue from the Red Fort," he said. Modi said that he would tell every political party and state government that crime against women is an unpardonable sin. Whoever is guilty should not be spared, he added.
Throwback to when Nicole Kidman turned a lot of heads on the red carpet, as she made a stunning entry as ever at the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award Gala at Hollywoods Dolby Theatre. She was also the recipient of the prestigious award. The Oscar-winning actor stepped out at the annual event with her husband Keith Urban and their daughters, looking every inch like a Hollywood diva in a glamorous custom Balenciaga outfit from the Fall 24 collection.
She wore a fitted gown, embroidered perfectly with gold sequins, along with a long train. She further teamed her look with Balenciagas black pumps. Talking more about her look, Kidman had her long blonde hair styled in a side part with loose waves framing her face. Going for an elegant look, she completed it with smokey eyes, rose blush and soft pink lips. Apart from that, Omegas custom 26 mm De Ville Mini Tresor watch in the shade of Moonshine Gold was enough to make her stand out.
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Before stepping out on the red carpet, the Aquaman star indulged in a stunning photo shoot in what seems to be a backyard setting, posing beautifully amid well-tended grass with a swimming pool, shrubbery and trees in the background. The actress dazzling gold gown looked breathtaking, catching the sunlight at the right time. The dress cascaded smoothly past Kidmans feet, forming a long train.
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Nicole Kidmans best looks in shimmer
The actress love for shimmer has always remained evident at award functions. Earlier at the Met Gala 2023, Nicole looked amazing in a Chanel Haute Couture sleeveless gown with over-the-top feathered detailing.
Nicole Kidman said heartbreak feels good at the met gala! THATS MY GIRL pic.twitter.com/c7qBRpv33o (@heyjaeee) May 1, 2023
Prior to that, she slipped into another glittering gown in the shade of metallic bronze colour at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. The gorgeous piece featured sequin work all over the body in gold and bronze.
: Nicole Kidman in photoshoot for the SAG Awards, 2018. pic.twitter.com/C2JNERmfvw nicole kidman daily (@dailykidman) August 29, 2022
Known for her work in films like Aquaman, Just Go With It and Batman Forever, Nicole Kidman was honoured with the AFI Life Achievement Award last weekend. She shared a post to express her gratitude on Instagram and wrote, Deeply moved by all of the support around the world that Ive been seeing and hearing.
While this comes just as another feather in her cap, the actress has also bagged several other accolades, including the Academy, BAFTA, Golden Globe, Primetime Emmy, and Screen Actor Guild Awards.
A Delhi Police Commissioner suffered a sudden heart attack recently, while dancing at a retirement party and died before he could be taken to the hospital. Dancing is a healthy activity, so why did this happen? Professor Padmashree Dr Nitish Nayak of the Department of Cardiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi says some things that are associated with sudden heart attack or cardiac arrest. Dr Nayak says that peoples lifestyles are changing. Wrong eating habits and stress further increase the risk. Sometimes hard work, dancing or running creates a sudden pressure on the heart, which can lead to a sudden blood clot or blockage in the heart and increases the risk of sudden cardiac arrest.
Dr Nitish Nayak said that you must have seen many videos of people dying of heart attacks. while dancing at weddings and parties. When one eats something, the blood circulation that is blood flow is more focused on the stomach. This reduces the total blood pool in the body. This means that at that time the blood supply to the heart decreases a little. If you do a more strenuous activity like dancing or running in such a situation, the heart has to work extra hard to increase blood circulation and provide energy. Due to the sudden pressure on the heart, it fails.
Another reason for the risk of heart attack or cardiac arrest after eating is that insulin production increases to convert food into energy. More oxygen is required for this process. To provide more oxygen, blood pressure must be increased. High blood pressure puts more pressure on the heart. This damages the function of the endothelium, the inner wall of the arteries. As a result, the risk of blood clots in the arteries increases, and blood clots increase the risk of heart attack.
Sometimes sudden cardiac arrest occurs even in people who are unaware of their heart condition. Often people are unaware of their blood pressure, diabetes and heart problems. Sometimes they ignore some symptoms even if they see them, they have one or the other weakness, so a mountain of diseases falls on them and cases like sudden cardiac arrest come to the fore.
The doctor advises not only dancing but avoiding any heavy physical activity after eating. One should even avoid walking, exercising or doing any other strenuous work at least half an hour after eating.
People should get their blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol, that is lipid profile checked regularly. This way, any future crisis can be avoided. Those who are heart patients should take special precautions. Along with improving lifestyle, efforts should be made to keep stress away and engage in daily physical activity.
Actor Nicole Kidman looked stunning as casts a spell on the red carpet unfurled for her film, Babygirl at the 81st Venice International Film Festival 2024.
Nicole, who stars in the erotic thriller movie, directed by Halina Reijn, looked glamorous in a haute couture ensemble from Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberrys Fall/Winter 2024/25 collection. The look featured a corset bustier in nude organza with an impossible V neckline. The corset was entirely embroidered with black contrasted dusting-effect sequins slowly graduating into black fringes. She finished the look with a long black velvet skirt.
The piece of art was hugely celebrated among others at Schiaparellis runway showcase at Paris Haute Couture 2024. The collection The Phoenix envisioned by Daniel, was a tribute to Elsa Schiaparelli, who was known to blur the lines between fashion and art and life and art.
According to Daniel note shared on the brands website, the context of this collection, which honours Elsas singular gift for rebirth, is second only to its form. Each piece is clear in its silhouette and its technique: you can see every looks origins, how each moved from sketch to study to fabric. Each gown, each bustier, each shoe, every piece of folded velvet feather, or triple organza spike, seeks to catch the eye and hold it.
And just like Daniels vision for the collection, Nicole celebrated the opulent piece of art on the prestigious red carpet with confidence and grace. Styled by Jason Bolden, who is known for this impeccable sense of style, celebrated Nicoles captivating persona and beauty in this one of a kind couture piece. Her long golden blonde hair was styled by Adir Abergel.
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Ahead of her red carpet moment, Nicole was spotted in a pre fall 2024 Bottega Veneta black dress. Directed by Halina Reijn, the cast including Harris Dickinson, Antonio Banderas, and Sophie Wilde were also present on the red carpet looking stylish in their respective ensembles. Sophie Wilde looked stunning in black strapless fitted gown with a long train. She accessorised with sheer fascinator which was styled across her face, adding a hint of drama to her red carpet look.
The 81st Venice International Film Festival will be held till September 7, 2024 in Venice, Italy.
Hopping on the globally viral very demure, very mindful trend, Priyanka Chopra recently dropped a bunch of pictures on Instagram. Offering a glimpse of her recent photoshoot for Vogue, the post showed the actress channeling her inner diva in multiple outfits that look straight out of a dream. Here we have decoded all her looks for some major fashion inspiration.
In the first picture, Priyanka Chopra wore a translucent white top, perfect for glam evenings. She elevated her look with a silver necklace and earrings for some added bling to her otherwise subtle look. With her tresses tied in a messy hairdo, she took our breaths away and we are not complaining. The stunning look is followed by a close-up shot of half her face that boasts kohl-rimmed eyes, a matte base and nude lip shade.
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Attached next is an enthralling picture wherein she is seen posing against a wall with red drapes. In a white shirt and black skirt with a formal touch, she exuded boss-lady vibes. Taking it a notch higher with a white drape around her shoulder cascading freely, she proved her love for experiments with fashion. Her stilettos, picked carefully, blended well with her statement-making look. For further styling, she tied her hair up for a fuss-free appearance.
Moving on to the fourth picture, Priyanka Chopra poses dramatically in a white outfit with beige fabric beneath. From her accessory aisle, she picked a golden statement choker and a matching drape featuring dainty embroidery, held by her with her hand. Sporting a golden backless outfit in the subsequent look, she was dripping every bit of elegance and feminine energy. The final image in the post shows her striking a pose in a saffron number that came with a veil.
Revealing the names of designers that she wore for her latest photoshoot, Priyanka wrote, Wearing gorgeous, custom creations by some of Indias finest designers- Savio Jon, Amit Aggarwal, Tarun Tahiliani, Varun Bahl, Falguni Shane Peacock, Re-Ceremonial and Ashdeen.
Priyanka Chopra was recently in India to attend her younger brother Siddharth Chopras engagement ceremony with Neelam Upadhyaya. She also added the screening of her upcoming Marathi production Paani. Next, the actress will be seen in The Bluff and Heads of State.
Passengers leave a train after arriving at the Dar Es Salaam station of Tanzania-Zambia Railway in Dar Es Salaam, capital of Tanzania, Feb. 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)
BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Addressing audiences in Tanzania in March 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping started with the Swahili greeting "Habari," meaning "How are you?"
Africa was on the itinerary of Xi's first overseas trip as Chinese president that year, and this warm gesture in Tanzania, which elicited thunderous applause, underscored his deep affinity for the continent.
Xi's interest in Africa is partly shaped by his childhood experiences. "Chinese people of my age grew up in a warm, friendly atmosphere with Africa," he told a South African TV station before his trip, reminiscing about stories such as the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway in the 1970s.
During a period pivotal to economic development for both Tanzania and Zambia, this railway greatly improved the connectivity of the two African countries, providing the latter, a landlocked nation rich in copper, with access to the sea via the port city of Dar es Salaam. Today, the railway is still playing its role.
Scores of Chinese technicians and workers lost their lives during the railway's construction process. During his 2013 trip to Tanzania, Xi visited a cemetery where some of them were laid to rest. In a light drizzle, he carefully arranged the ribbons on a wreath and placed flowers at their tombs.
"Their names will be engraved, along with the railway, in the hearts of the Chinese people and the peoples in Tanzania and Zambia," he said.
China tightened its belt to help its African brothers build the railway, even during its own period of poverty, Xi recalled during a meeting with visiting Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan in 2022.
"Now that China is more developed, it is better placed to act on the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, help our African friends achieve common development, and build a stronger China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era," Xi said, reiterating the principle he had introduced during his 2013 trip to Africa to guide China's approach toward the continent.
China-Africa cooperation has expanded significantly under this principle. Over the years, China and African countries have worked together to build or upgrade close to 100,000 kilometers of roads, more than 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly 1,000 bridges and almost 100 ports.
"China and African countries are destined to be good friends, good brothers and good partners, and China-Africa cooperation stands as a fine example of South-South cooperation," Xi said in his speech at the BRICS Business Forum in Johannesburg in 2018.
In his 2013 speech in Tanzania, Xi also recalled how African countries rushed to China's aid after a devastating earthquake hit Wenchuan in 2008. An African country, not well-off itself, donated 2 million euros (around 2.2 million U.S. dollars), an act that Xi said had "warmed our hearts."
China-Africa friendship has not been an overnight achievement, nor has it been gifted from on high, Xi said. "Rather, it has been fostered throughout the years when China and Africa supported and stood alongside each other in trying times."
To date, Xi has visited Africa five times as president, setting foot on many countries across the continent. From the 10 cooperation plans proposed at the 2015 Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) to the eight major initiatives announced at the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit, numerous measures have been implemented to forge a closer China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
Themed "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future," the 2024 FOCAC summit will be held in Beijing from Sept. 4 to 6.
Xi will attend the opening ceremony of the summit, which is anticipated as another joyful reunion of the China-Africa family.
Shardiya Navratri is a Hindu festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil. Devotees worship Goddess Durga for her hard-fought victory against the demon Mahishashura. The battle lasted for nine days and nights. The tenth day is celebrated as Vijayadashami or Dussehra. People worship Goddess Durga on this day. This year, Navratri will start from the Pratipada of Shukla Paksha of Ashwin month. It will begin on October 3 and is said to be performed till Navami on October 11. Navratri is observed four times a year, but Chaitra and Sharadiya Navratri are said to be the major ones among them. Devotees perform pujas and keep fast during these nine days to worship Goddess Durga. It is also believed that the Shardiya Navratri is associated with Lord Rama and Mother Sita.
In Hindu mythology, it is said that Lord Rama did not want to wait to worship the Goddess of Shakti before the final battle with Ravana. He worshipped the Goddess for 9 days before the final battle with Ravana. Pleased with Lord Ramas dedication, the Goddess Durga blessed him to achieve victory. In the scriptures, Vedas and Puranas, the importance of Navratri is said to be associated with Lord Rama.
According to Haridwar-based astrologer Pandit Shridhar Shastri, the importance of Shardiya Navratri is associated with Lord Rama and Ravana. Before the final battle with Ravana, Lord Rama invoked Goddess Durga, the goddess of power, to worship her. After the completion of Navratri, Lord Rama conquered Ravana on Dashami.
According to religious scriptures, every year, Sharadiya Navratri begins from the Pratipada of Shukla Paksha of Ashwin month. During these nine days, the devotees keep fast and worship Goddess Durga by reciting Durga Stotra and Durga Chalisa. As per the Hindu belief, Goddess Durga blesses their devotee and fulfils all their wishes if they worship her with dedication during Navratri.
Each day of Navratri is associated with a different incarnation of Durga, such as Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, and Chandraghanta. It is also considered a harvest festival that celebrates the goddess as the motherly power behind life and creation.
Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth are not going with a big fat destination wedding. Instead, they have chosen to have a wedding ceremony at a venue that has a special connection with their families. The actress, in a new interview, revealed that the wedding preparations are underway. Although she chose not to disclose the wedding date, she shed some light on her unique wedding venue.
Speaking with Vogue India, Aditi Rao Hydari revealed that her and Sids wedding will be centered around a 400-year-old temple. The wedding will be centred around a 400-year-old temple in Wanaparthy that is of significance to my family, Aditi shared.
Aditi and Siddarth met in 2021 on the sets of the Telugu film, Maha Samudram. In the same conversation, Aditi shared the adorable wedding proposal Siddharth had planned for her. I was closest to my nani, who passed away a few years ago. She started a school in Hyderabad. One day, Siddarth asked me if he could see it, knowing full well how close I had been to her. They visited the school in March and he asked Aditi to show him a special location close to her heart: a floor above the nursery section, she recalled.
He got down on his knee and I asked him, Now what have you lost? Whose shoelaces are open? He kept saying, Addu, listen to me. And then he proposed. He said he wanted to bring me to my favourite childhood place, one with my grandmothers blessings, the actress added.
They announced their engagement in March this year. Fans confused their engagement ceremony with a wedding ceremony. The couple had to jump onto social media to clarify that they are not married yet but are in the process of it. The couple had been dating for a few years now.
After much speculation, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh finally announced their pregnancy in February this year. Taking to Instagram, the much-loved couple shared that their baby will arrive in September 2024. The post met with a lot of love from their industry peers including Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Vikrant Massey, Ayushmann Khurrana, and Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, among many others. Through the past few months, Deepikas public appearances where shes flaunting her baby bump have been going viral. She has also been grabbing attention for setting chic maternity fashion goals.
And now, News18 Showsha has an exclusive update for DeepVeer fans. Weve learned the date Kalki 2898 AD and Pathaan star is set to welcome her little bundle of joy. A little birdie tells us, Deepika and Ranveer are eagerly waiting for the upcoming chapter of their lives and are busy setting up a space for their baby. If things go as per plans, she will deliver the baby on September 28 at a hospital in South Bombay. At present, the soon-to-be mother is enjoying every bit of the break that she has taken from work. This also negates the conjectures that shell be giving birth in London.
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Weve also learned that Deepika plans on resuming work in 2025 and would like to dedicate the next few months to her newborn. Her maternity leave will last till March of next year. And after that, shell immediately get busy with filming the sequel of Kalki along with Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan and Prabhas, the source adds. On Friday (August 30), we exclusively reported that Nag Ashwins Kalki 2 will get on floors in January-February 2025. And next year, she also plans on beginning work on The Intern co-starring Big B.
We reached out to her team for a comment on the same but they remained unavailable (at the time of publishing this story).
Rumours of Deepika and Ranveer having a baby boy have been circulating for some time and a recent social media post further fueled these speculations. A gifting brand shared a photo of some adorable presents, ordered by Deepika, on its official Instagram handle. The image featured beautifully wrapped gift boxes with a tag indicating that it was for Deepika. The boxes were wrapped in minimalist brown paper with a light blue string tied in a neat bow. Attached to the string were several charming ceramic hangings, including shapes like fish, stars, and circles, all in shades of blue and white.
In January this year, Deepika spoke to Vogue Singapore about embracing parenthood. She said, Ranveer and I love children. We look forward to the day when we will start our own family My family keeps me grounded and Ranveer and I hope to inculcate the same values in our children. On a related note, the couple after dating for six years tied the knot in an intimate wedding ceremony in 2018 at Lake Como, Italy. Five years later, their wedding video was unveiled in 2023 on Koffee With Karan season 8.
Kangana Ranaut has claimed that her upcoming movie Emergency is not being given certification because the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is getting death threats. Recently, the actress-turned-politician took to her X handle and dropped a video in which she alleged that they are being asked to remove scenes relating to Indira Gandhis assassination and Bhindranwale from Emergency. Kangana called the pending certification of her film unbelievable and expressed that she feels sorry for such affairs in our country.
There are rumours doing the rounds that our film, Emergency, has been granted Censor certificate. This is not true. In fact, our film had been cleared but certification has been stopped because many threats were coming in. Death threats. The Censor Board members are getting threats. We are under pressure not to show the assassination of Indira Gandhi, not to show Bhindranwale, not to show the Punjab riots. I dont know what will be left to show then This is unbelievable for me and I am very sorry for the state of things in this country, Kangana said.
On Friday also, the actress spoke to the news agency IANS when she stated that she would fight for her movie. Its getting too late. I hope the film comes on time. Otherwise, I am determined to fight for it. I am determined to even go to court to protect my film. To save my right as an individual. You cant change history and scare us by threats, she said.
We have to show the history. An almost 70-year-old woman was shot 30-35 times in her house Someone must have killed her. Now you want to show it Because apparently, you think you can hurt someone. But you have to show the history. So how did she die? the actress added.
For the unversed, Kangana Ranauts Emergency has been facing ban calls. The film is likely to be banned in Telangana, where a delegation of 18 members from the Telangana Sikh Society, led by former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Tejdeep Kaur Menon, accused the film of depicting the community as terrorists and anti-nationals.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Akhal Takht have also demanded an immediate ban on the film, claiming it tries to character assassinate Sikhs by creating a narrative against them.
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 is scheduled to hit theatres on September 6, 2024.
A fresh FIR has been filed against Malayalam director Ranjith for allegedly sexually harassing a male actor in 2012. As reported by the news agency ANI, Ranjith had invited the victim to a Bengaluru hotel for an audition where he allegedly asked the actor to strip naked and clicked his pictures. Reportedly, the director assaulted the young actor sexually and even offered him money the next day.
The actor filed a complaint to the DGP and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) is likely to consider it. As per the complainant, his naked photos were sent to actress Revathi. Narrating what actually happened, the young male actor claimed, When Ranjith told me to stand naked, he was talking to an actress. I have already revealed the name of that actressRevathi. Ranjith told me it was Revathi. I dont know if there is any relationship between Ranjith and Revathi, but Ranjith took my photos and sent them to her.
When I asked who the photos were being sent to, Ranjith said they were sent to Revathi, adding that she liked what she saw. This incident happened during the location pack-up of the movie Bavuttiyude Namathil. The director was present there in connection with the audio launch of the movie or some other related event, he added, as quoted by Deccan Herald.
Earlier this week, another FIR was filed against Ranjith for allegedly sexually assaulting a Bengali actress during the auditions for his 2009 film Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha.
I was talking on the phone to a cinematographer, standing in Ranjiths bedroom balcony. As I stood there, he touched my bangles. I was uncomfortable with it, but I gave him the benefit of doubt. Then he started caressing my neck, so I excused myself and left the room, the actress claimed.
I was not able to share the incident with anyone. After the incident, I spent the night in my hotel room in fear, thinking, what if people come and knock on my door? I was waiting for daylight, she added.
Later, Ranjith also addressed the allegations and counter-accused the actress of spreading lies. I interacted with her in the presence of screenwriter Shankar Ramakrishnan and two assistants. After Ramakrishnan narrated the story to Sreelekha, she was excited. I had some confusion about which character should be given to her, he said and alleged that the Bengali actress made such allegations because she was not given a role in the movie.
Malayalam superstar Mohanlal has finally broken silence on his resignation as the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA). On Saturday, the actor attended an event in Thiruvananthapuram,
Kerala when he admitted that a lot of things are being said about his resignation.
Mohanlal clarified that he has not escaped responsibility with his decision and shared that he was busy with some personal work. I have not fled anywhere. Because of my personal issues, I was not in Kerala. Because of my wifes surgery, I had to be in hospital, the actor said.
He further questioned those who are raising questions on AMMA and added, The entire Malayalam cinema is answerable to the Hema committee report. What we are seeing is that all questions are directed only at AMMA.
Mohanlal seemingly defended AMMAs decision for joint resignation and continued by saying, AMMA cannot give answer to all the questions. Everybody should be asked these questions. This is a very hard-working industry. A lot of people are involved in this. But not everyone is to be blamed for this.
For the unversed, Mohanlal resigned as the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists earlier this week. He and his 17-member executive committee submitted a joint resignation after the findings of the Justice Hema Committee Report were made public and when a series of actresses accused actors, directors and producers in the Malayalam film industry of sexual misconduct.
However, Mohanlals decision was criticised by many. Recently, actor Parvathy Thiruvothu, who is also the founding member of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), also questioned Mohanlals move and called him a coward.
The first reaction I had when I heard the news about this collective resignation was, how cowardly. How cowardly of them to step away from a position where they are accountable to speak to the media. Thats an immediate cop-out. With this, the onus has again fallen on women to take the conversations and debates forward. It would have been amazing if they had shown at least the intention to work with the state government and stakeholders to figure a way out, Parvathy told journalist Barkha Dutt on her YouTube channel.
Author and columnist Shobhaa De has lashed out at Mohanlala for resigning from the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) amid the ongoing Malayalam MeToo movement. Recently, De spoke to a news portal when she questioned Mohanlals decision and called it a cowardly act.
Stand up, be a man, tell your other team members to take responsibility and help those who are at the receiving end, she told NDTV.
The tragedy in this particular case is that for nearly five years the Justice Hema report had been lying there, nothing had been done. There was a breakaway group started by some women in the Malayalam film industry who were completely disheartened by the pathetic working conditions, and it was a cosy mens club controlled by 15-20 men, who had absolutely power over their working and personal life, Shobhaa De added.
The author further expressed that Mohanlals decision to resign from AMMA was not helpful. The way this industry works is its a patriarchal system in its nastiest, most toxic form. Women seem to be completely voiceless and powerless. So things must be changed. Im extremely, in a way, disheartened, shocked that the all-powerful executive committee headed by Mohanlal was to resign en masse. How does it help? she said.
De called the Malayalam superstars decision a well calculated move and urged everyone to speak up against those who have been accused of sexual harassment.
For the unversed, Mohanlal resigned as the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists earlier this week. The actor announced his decision and left everyone shocked. He was the president of the association and had a 17-member executive committee. However, all the members of the committee submitted their joint resignation. Their decision came amid the shocking allegations by a series of actresses accusing sexual misconduct by male industry members after the details of Justice Hema Committee report were made public.
YouTuber and Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner Elvish Yadav keeps hitting the headlines for one thing or another. After being allegedly involved in a snake venom case, he was also embroiled in another trouble for clicking pictures inside Kashu Viswanath temple. Reports about Elvishs wedding with his Punjabi girlfriend in Udaipur have been making rounds online for a few days. Amidst all this, the YouTuber was papped on the streets of Mumbai, and the video went viral on Instagram.
At the beginning of the video, one of the paps asked Elvish, Kaise ho? (How are you?). He soon replied, Badiya badiya. (Good, good.) Another pap quizzed him the same, to which the YouTuber mentioned, Main badiya, aap kaise ho bhai? (I am very good, how are you brother?). One more pap questioned him about his whereabouts. The pap was heard saying, Aajkl dikhte nhi ho. (You are not seen these days.) To this, Elvish replied, Main zameen main rehne lag gya aaj kal. (I have started living close to the ground these days.)
Check out the post here:
Soon after the post went viral on social media, Elvishs fans flooded the comment section, heaping praises on the YouTuber. One user mentioned, Elvish knows how to answer and keep it savage. Another user added, One Liner King Always. A third user commented, Elvish, the real roaster without any script.
Meanwhile, a few users hinted at Elvishs alleged involvement in a snake venom case. While one netizen commented, Snakes ke sath sambhandh joo hoo gye hai, another wrote, Venom ki supply karke aa rha hai.
For context, in March, Elvish was arrested by Noida Police for his alleged involvement in a snake venom case. According to NDTV, Elvish admitted to his crimes. However, no official statement was released. A week later, Elvish was granted bail on a Rs 50,000 bail bond.
Following the alleged snake venom case, in July 2024, Elvish Yadav yet again landed in trouble for clicking pictures inside the Kashi Vishwanath temple. A Varanasi sessions court advocate named Prateek Kumar Singh filed a complaint against the Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner, claiming that the temple authorities were biased towards the YouTuber. This was because the use of mobile phones and cameras was prohibited inside the temple premises. For the same, Elvish also appeared before the ED officials, and when mobbed by the paps while he was returning from the office, he denied commenting on the same matter.
Coming to his personal life, as reported by True Scoop, during a candid chat on a YouTube podcast, the Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner revealed that he would do court marriage with his Punjabi girlfriend in Udaipur. While being asked about his marriage date, Elvish jokingly mentioned, There is still time, and added that whenever he gets married, he will let everyone know about the same.
Many actors and actresses have come out in support of Darshan and said that he will get justice. Now, veteran actress Malashree has also come out in support of the actor. Talking to the media about Darshans case, Malashree said, I believe in justice and God. It was Darshan who introduced my daughter Aradhana to the industry through the film Kaatera; so my daughter Aradhana and I will be forever grateful to Darshan. The love shown by Darshan cannot be forgotten, she added. Malashree said that he is different from the things she heard and saw. I really dont know what to say about the incident that has happened now. There is a belief in justice. Hope it will turn out good for Darshan, Malashree further added. She also said Darshans wife Vijaylaksmi is a strong woman, and has seen many ups and downs in life.
For More: I Believe In Justice: Veteran Actress Malashree Comes Out In Support Of Darshan
On the occasion of Nandamuri Balakrishnas 50 years of entering the film industry, a grand celebration has been planned by the Telugu film industry at Hyderabad Hitex Novotel Hotel on September 1. Noted celebrities and politicians will visit the grand event sponsored by Shreyas Media in association with Suchir India. The Film Chamber of Commerce President Bharat Bhushan and other important individuals invited the National Award Winner Allu Arjun on behalf of the Telugu film industry.
For More: Allu Arjun Among Star-studded Guest List For NBKs 50-Year Milestone Event
After much speculation, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh finally announced their pregnancy in February this year. Taking to Instagram, the much-loved couple shared that their baby will arrive in September 2024. The post met with a lot of love from their industry peers including Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Vikrant Massey, Ayushmann Khurrana, and Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, among many others. Through the past few months, Deepikas public appearances where shes flaunting her baby bump have been going viral. She has also been grabbing attention for setting chic maternity fashion goals.
For More: Deepika Padukones Due Date Revealed; Actress On Maternity Leave Till March 2025? | Exclusive
Looks like the makers of Rajinikanth-starrer Coolie are leaving no stones unturned to increase the hype for their film. Recently, the films director Lokesh Kanagaraj has been busy making back-to-back announcements about the films star cast and this has led to fans going into a frenzy. Now, on Friday, Lokesh Kanagaraj shared an official character poster of Preethi. Can you guess who the actress is? Shruti Haasan is all set to join the stellar star cast of Coolie. Lokesh Kanagaraj shared a poster of the character Preethi, which will be portrayed by the actress. The poster featured her in a serious expression and a shovel in her hands. Shruti Haasan wore a simple suit and kept her hair half-tied with a middle parting and a bindi on her forehead. Lokesh Kanagaraj dropped the photo on the social media platform X and wrote, Kicked to have Shruti Haasan joining the cast of Coolie as Preethi. Welcome on board.
For More: Shruti Haasan Joins Rajinikanth-Starrer Coolie. Check 1st Look Poster Here
The creators of the hit Amazon Prime Video series Panchayat have revealed that Panchayat 4 is currently in progress, keeping the fans excited. Panchayats director, Deepak Kumar Mishra, has announced that production has started. After Season 3s intense and exciting conclusion, fans are eagerly awaiting the next release.
For More: Panchayat Season 4 In The Works: Director Confirms 2026 Release
Sonakshi Sinha, the ultimate wanderlust, has been taking her adventures worldwide, and her latest trip to New York City is no exception. In a vibrant Instagram post, she shared an exciting video documenting her NYC escapade with her husband Zaheer Iqbal. They dove into a series of fun-filled activities in the bustling city, making the most of their time in the Big Apple.
From flaunting chic outfits to riding a pink metro and enjoying thrilling games at a park, Sonakshi Sinhas latest Instagram video offers an exhilarating glimpse into her NYC adventure. The video captures the couples delightful moments, from soaking up the sun on a private beach to boating, riding a massive roller coaster, and more.
Sonakshi and Zaheer also took a memorable photo at Times Square and enjoyed leisurely drives in vintage cars. The actresss video, showcasing these vibrant moments, is a must-watch. She captioned it, New York for a minute! Bessssst trip everrr with Sanam Ratansi and baby girl A. #newyorkcity #hamptons #SonaZahTravelTales, and included the hip-hop classic Empire State of Mind by Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys.
Check out the post here:
Sonakshi also went to Southampton in New York with Zaheer, and the duo seemed lost in one another. Sharing some lovey-dovey photos of them clicked at various spots of the village on Long Island, Home is where the heart is and wherever in the world my heart is with my home Zaheer Iqbal #SonaZahTravelTales, Sonakshi wrote in the caption.
Find out the post here:
It seems that Sonakshi and Zaheer have gone on an expedition to cover the iconic tourist place together. A month after the couple exchanged vows, they were spotted enjoying one anothers embrace on their romantic honeymoon in the Philippines. They stayed at a renowned wellness retreat named The Farm at San Benito and mentioned how they took care of their bodies and minds.
Lovingly, they penned, We celebrated one month of our wedding by doing what we needed to do the most RECOVER!!! In one week, we were taught what wellness actually means, listen to our bodies and take care of our minds. Waking up in the midst of nature, eating right, sleeping on time, detox treatments and massages galore feeling brand new. The madly-in-love duo also thanked their amazing friends Nirvana Chaudhary, Rahul Chaudhary and Varun Chaudhary for the life-changing experience, along with everyone else who made their stay over there comfortable. #SonaZahTravelTales.
Post here:
Sonakshi Sinha got married to the love of her life, Zaheer Iqbal, on June 23 in a low-key wedding ceremony at the formers Bandra home. Following this, they hosted a grand star-studded reception in one of Mumbais posh restaurants, Bastian, the same night.
Press Release
August 30, 2024 CHIZ: 'SENATE ASSIST' REVOLUTIONIZES SERVICE DELIVERY, BRINGING IMMEDIATE AID TO EVERY FILIPINO In a groundbreaking move to revolutionize public service delivery, the Senate of the Philippines, led by Senate President Francis "Chiz" G. Escudero, has launched in Tuguegarao City and Talisay City, Cebu, the "Senate Assist," an innovative online platform that delivers essential medical and social services directly to the fingertips of Filipinos, wherever they may be. "With Senate Assist, we are dismantling the barriers that have long separated our people from the help they need. Hindi na kailangan pang maghintay, magbiyahe, o mang-abala para makahingi ng tulong. Now, with just a few clicks, assistance is within reach," Escudero declared. The pioneering platform was first piloted in Tuguegarao City on August 29, during a community outreach event spearheaded by the Senate Spouses Foundation, Inc. (SSFI). Residents of Barangay Carig Sur were the first to experience Senate Assist, guided personally by SSFI President Heart Evangelista-Escudero, who walked them through accessing the Senate's broad range of assistance programs. That same day, the platform was introduced to the people of Talisay City, through a dedicated Senate Assist booth at the "Lab For All" program--also known as "Laboratoryo, Konsulta at Gamot para sa Lahat"--an initiative led by First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos. Developed in collaboration with SSFI and supported by public and private sector partners, Senate Assist is poised to transform how the Senate delivers services nationwide. "This initiative is more than just an extension of the Senate's reach--it's a revolution in public service. Senate Assist is a lifeline that connects every Filipino to the resources they need, no matter the distance or circumstance," Escudero said. During the launch, residents of Tuguegarao and Talisay were introduced to the platform's user-friendly features, enabling them to request financial, medical, and social assistance without the usual bureaucratic hurdles. "No more waiting, no more traveling, no more red tape. Senate Assist puts the power of public service directly into the hands of every Filipino, 24/7," Escudero underscored. As Senate Assist prepares for its nationwide rollout, Escudero reaffirmed the Senate's commitment to continuously improving and expanding the platform's capabilities. "This is just the beginning. Senate Assist will evolve, innovate, and expand to ensure that no Filipino is left behind. Our mission is clear: to be there for our people, whenever and wherever they need us," Escudero concluded.
BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian satellite MISRSAT-2, a high-resolution optical remote-sensing satellite, has been orbiting more than 600 km above the ground, providing the North African country with services such as resource surveys, environmental disaster monitoring and assessment, urban planning, and crop growth evaluation for agriculture and forestry.
Launched from China in December 2023, the MISRSAT-2 was assembled and tested at the China-aided AIT (assembly, integration and test) center in Egypt, making it the first African country with a complete satellite AIT capability.
The collaboration between China and Egypt highlights the success of China-Africa space cooperation, leading to notable advancements in satellite exports as well as resource sharing, space technology exchange and infrastructure development in the field of space.
China has developed and launched several satellites for African countries, including two communication satellites for Nigeria in 2007 and 2011, respectively, a communication satellite for Algeria in 2017, a cube satellite for Ethiopia in 2019, a scientific experimental satellite for Sudan in 2019, and MISRSAT-2 for Egypt in 2023.
In 2017, China launched Algeria's first communications satellite, Alcomsat-1, which now supports broadcasting, television, broadband access, and mobile and emergency communications. The satellite's significance is so profound that its image is featured on Algeria's 500 Dinar banknotes as a national symbol of pride.
According to the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Dakar Action Plan (2022-2024), adopted by the 8th Ministerial Conference of FOCAC held in Dakar of Senegal in November 2021, China and Africa would actively work for the establishment of a China-Africa space cooperation sub-forum under the FOCAC framework.
Both sides would focus on supporting projects concerning satellite remote sensing and communications satellites to drive the development of the space industry of African countries.
ENRICHING PEOPLE'S LIVES
A network of satellites and ground stations across the African continent has advanced the space industry and significantly improved local people's lives.
For example, the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) has been widely used in Africa's agriculture, urban planning, infrastructure construction and traffic services.
The first China-Africa BDS Cooperation Forum was held in Beijing in November 2021, during which the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in areas such as BDS, 5G and smart city construction.
In Xai-Xai city, located in Gaza Province in the south of Mozambique, local farmers use BDS-powered drones to survey fields, sow seeds, and spray pesticides. Unlike manual spraying, which covers only three to four mu (1 mu equals about 666 square meters) of land per hour, drones can spray pesticides over hundreds of mu simultaneously and operate at night.
"The precise agriculture model of 'BDS plus drones' is a beneficial attempt in the agricultural technology cooperation between China and Mozambique. Chinese agricultural technology has made an important contribution to Mozambique's food security," said Danilo Latifo, director of the agriculture department in Gaza Province.
In Burkina Faso, a hospital constructed during the COVID-19 pandemic used BDS high-precision services for construction surveying and mapping. The survey was completed in just six days, reducing the construction time by over half.
EMPOWERING LOCAL TALENT
In addition to offering space products and services, China also help train African talent, laying a strong foundation for the future of African space endeavors.
In early August, a training session in China welcomed 36 young technical and management professionals from developing countries, including Egypt, Ethiopia and Rwanda. They gained insights into information and communication technology, satellite internet, quality management and systems engineering within the space industry.
The session was hosted by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.
"Recently, China and Egypt are carrying out cooperative projects related to the Chang'e-7 mission. It's very meaningful for me to learn something here," said Shimaa Soultan, a satellite payload test engineer from the Egyptian Space Agency and one of the trainees.
China and Africa have also cooperated to promote space knowledge among young people, helping Africa embrace the future of the space industry.
On Sept. 6, 2022, a live class titled "Talk with Taikonauts" was held at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with students from Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia and South Africa joining the talk at sub-venues.
Three taikonauts from China's Shenzhou-14 crew -- Chen Dong, Liu Yang and Cai Xuzhe --connected with youth from these African countries via video link, sharing their experiences from the Shenzhou-14 mission.
According to the Mission of China to the African Union, since 2014, China has awarded scholarships to graduate students from eight African countries -- Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Togo, Cameroon, Mozambique, Nigeria and Sudan -- to study remote sensing and geographic information systems, satellite communication and navigation, and small satellite technology.
China has also carried out space science and technology innovation cooperation and exchange activities with universities and research institutions in countries such as Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Tunisia, Cameroon and Morocco.
Sonakshi Sinha and her husband Zaheer Iqbal had a gala time during their extended vacation in New York. The newlyweds thoroughly enjoyed their exploring before returning to Mumbai. Last night, the couple was spotted stepping out for a dinner date, and the paparazzi were there to capture the moment. Sonakshis playful interaction with the photographers is too fun to miss.
The video starts with Sonakshi Sinha exiting an eatery after her dinner date with Zaheer Iqbal. As she walks towards their car, she frequently turns back to look for Zaheer while being snapped by the paparazzi. During a brief exchange with the photographers, Sonakshi playfully says, Mereko ghar jaane de (Let me go home). When they ask her to stop for a moment, she responds with, Kyu ruku mai (why should I stop)? Eventually, Zaheer joins her, taking his place in the front seat of the car.
For her dinner date, Sonakshi Sinha was dressed in casual wear that included a long black graphic tee and black jeggings. Elevating her look, she decided to layer the outfit with a denim jacket and tied her hair in a messy bun. Zaheer Iqbal, too, looked dapper in a black T-shirt, perfect for a casual outing.
Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal have had fans hooked to Instagram through their romantic posts. In one of the pictures shared on Stories, the duo was embracing each other as Sonakshi planted a peck on her beaus cheeks. Holding her from behind, Zaheer looked dashing in a white vest and comfy denim shorts for an uber-chic look. Sonakshi wore a white T-shirt with tights and tied her denim jacket around her waist in the picture.
In a recent post, Sonakshi Sinha shared more snapshots from their delightful outing. The couple looked deeply in love in one photo taken in a lush green setting. Additional images included an adorable selfie and moments of them soaking up the sun. Accompanying the pictures, Sonakshi wrote, Home is where the heart is and wherever in the world my heart is with my home.
Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal entered marital bliss together in June 2024.
Introduction
In the latest flare-up of violence in Pakistan, dozens of militants affiliated with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) launched a well-coordinated wave of attacks on the night of 25/26 August across Balochistan, targeting both security personnel and civilians. The date is significant as it marks the anniversary of Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Shahbaz Khan Bugtis death at the hands of Security Forces on August 26, 2006, in his cave.
At least 50 people, including 14 security personnel, lost their lives as militants went on a rampage across the province. They stormed police stations, blew up railway tracks and a crucial bridge, and set fire to nearly three dozen vehicles, including trucks loaded with coal and fruit. They attacked police stations, a paramilitary camp in Bela, Levies stations, and blocked key roads, including the Coastal Highway. In Khadkocha, a group of militants stormed the local police station and took Levies officials hostage for several hours. They managed to escape after security forces arrived on the scene but not before setting the premises on fire.
In Kalat, militants attacked a Levies station and set fire to a toll plaza on the national highway. In Lasbela, the militants stormed a Frontier Corps camp by ramming an explosive-laden vehicle into the main gate and entering the premises under heavy gunfire. Among the casualties were 23 people in Musakhail, mostly labourers from Punjab, who were offloaded from trucks and vans and shot dead after an identity check.
The BLA claimed responsibility for the attacks. In a statement, the group said that the Majeed Brigade carried out the attacks, including two suicide bombingsone involving a female attackertargeting the FC camp in Bela. The pictures of the bombers were released on the BLAs social media platform.
Pakistans Response
In response, security forces claimed to have neutralised 21 militants. Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Quetta and chaired a high-level meeting of the National Action Plans Provincial Apex Committee, which included the Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, as well as other top government and security officials.
He stated, There has been a wave of great concern among the people across Pakistan due to the recent heartrending incident that occurred in Balochistan. He went on to assert, However, I think that at the moment, we have to decide that we must fully eradicate terrorism from Balochistan through our collective vision, power, and unwavering determination, highlighting that the province was extremely important and beautiful, and stressed the need to remove all obstacles from its path to progress. He vowed to root out terrorism that has surged again since 2018 not only from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but from the entire country.
On August 27, Prime Minister Sharif had said that talks could be held with those who acknowledged Pakistans Constitution and flag, but there could be no dialogue with terrorists. This statement clearly acknowledges solutions that lie beyond a kinetic response.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore that the decision to launch the Azm-i-Istehkam operation in Balochistan was a tricky matter, but added that the political leadership would decide in a few days. He said that a tit-for-tat response would be given to terrorists, alongside seeking a political solution.
The truth remains that similar resolutions have been made in the past regarding Balochistan. Yet, the recent attacks have shown that the separatist threat has grown in both lethality and reach. Furthermore, the violence indicates an intelligence failure of significant proportions. The assaults were not confined to a limited area but occurred at multiple locations across Balochistan. In fact, their sophistication points to a high level of coordination and planning.
What Fuelled the Growth of Baloch Militancy
While there is unanimity regarding the states right to use force to combat terrorism, there is also a need to address the root causes of the political unrest that fuels the insurgency. Despite resorting to kinetic measures, Pakistan has failed to contain the insurgency.
In fact, the increasing alienation of the Baloch population, due to the deprivation of democratic and economic rights, the use of force to suppress protests, and the growing incidents of enforced disappearances, has fuelled anger, particularly among the youth. This has provided separatist groups with more sympathisers and recruits. There is no doubt that the failure to address the genuine demands of the Baloch people has resulted in the rise of such attacks.
Tariq Khosa, a police officer who served in Balochistan and was the Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency, wrote an article before this incident on how state atrocities turned Dr Allah Nazar, a gold medallist from Bolan Medical College, into a dissident. He also described how the leadership of Baloch dissidents passed from Tribal Sardars like the Marris, Mengals, and Bugtis to the lower-middle and middle-class youth. The policy of persecution turned a young doctor, Mahrang Baloch, whose father was murdered, into a leading human rights activist against alleged enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Opposing violence, she has stated that the solution to the Balochistan conundrum lies in the rule of law, which those in power dont want because chaos strengthens their grip on power.
Furthermore, the massive rigging carried out in the February 8 elections in Balochistan has led to anger at the blatant misuse of authority and corruption by those who conducted the polls, leading to an erosion of the states writ.
In his article in Dawn, Tariq Khosa wrote about citizens feeling that the social contract between them and the state is on the verge of collapse. He argued that the national purpose, postulated through constitutional frameworks and based on the rule of law, justice, and equity, no longer holds them together and that the state seems to have lost its narrative of national cohesion due to the follies of those who wield actual power in the province.
The leader of the Baloch Liberation Front, Allah Nazar, had earlier been detained by intelligence agencies in 2005. His brother was killed while in illegal custody. The continuing enforced disappearances and the dumping of tortured dead bodies are pushing many of the victims family members towards militancy. Even those who have been peacefully protesting against state excesses are branded as traitors.
There are also concerns among many Baloch regarding developmental projects like CPEC and mining rights. For example, Gwadars historic fishing communities have seen their livelihoods destroyed by corporate trawlers, while the wider population has been exploited by state and private profiteers, with the province receiving very little in terms of royalties for its mineral wealth.
The current round of insurgency in Balochistan has raged for almost two decades and was originally triggered by the regime of General Pervez Musharraf, who had ominously announced, They wont know what hit them. The flawed approach of the security apparatus is largely responsible for the present state of affairs.
It is apparent that Baloch militants are now better organised and appear to have a stronger support base, allowing them to operate more effectively. The attacks have also occurred in a region that has long been the epicentre of political discontent. The province is rapidly turning into a full-blown insurrection, driven by the growing alienation of the local population. The government is now being challenged by peoples power, as demonstrated by recent protest marches in Gwadar and Turbat. These latest high-profile militant attacks occurred following weeks of mass protests in Southern Balochistan.
Way Forward
Implementing an effective strategy to counter the insurgency requires a multi-pronged approach that combines military, intelligence, and law enforcement operations with political and socioeconomic measures. To restore peace in its restive provinces, Pakistans leaders need a whole-of-government approach that focuses on all aspects simultaneously in a mutually supportive manner, addressing the many dimensions fuelling these conflicts.
Domestic insurgencies require political solutions, as they involve issues concerning the nature and legitimacy of governance over a particular territory and the aspirations of the people who inhabit it. Human rights abuses, disappearances, and staged encounters often do more harm than good, agitating the population and potentially being counterproductive, undermining the very institutions they aim to protect. However, instead of introspection, historian Ishtiaq Ahmed has described it as a declaration of war on Pakistan by the BLA and stated on social media that a separatist movement can only succeed when it is supported by a powerful neighbour.
Geography also plays a significant role in the situation. The unsettled border with Afghanistan and the fact that the Taliban 2.0 is no longer a puppet of Pakistan have allowed groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and TTP to seek refuge in Iran and Afghanistan when the pressure mounts. This sanctuary gives them time to regroup. The TTPs ability to reconstitute itself in Afghanistan after being routed by the Pakistani military further demonstrates that geography makes a purely military victory impossible.
Unfortunately, while Pakistan feels the impact of terrorism on its western border and makes statements about the elimination of all forms of terrorism, it behaves quite differently when it comes to its eastern border with India, particularly in J&K and Punjab. As a result, such statements hold little weight, as Pakistans actions often contradict its words.
Conclusion
While the latest surge in violence demonstrates the growing capacity of separatist groups to carry out high-profile terrorist attacks, it also raises questions about the states failure to address the serious security challenge extending from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to Balochistan.
Both of Pakistans strategically located western provinces have become battlegrounds for diverse militant groups challenging the writ of the state. In KP, the conflict is primarily waged by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), while Balochistan faces challenges from various Baloch ethnonationalist groups.
While the security forces are engaged with the TTP, which seeks to enforce Taliban rule in parts of KP, the Baloch separatist organisations have expanded their operations. The latest surge in violence has highlighted the vulnerability of an increasingly fragmented state. The significant toll of casualties suffered by the security forces underscores the gravity of the situation. As Aasim Sajjad Akhtar noted in Dawn, Balochistan has bled for so long that the mainstream Pakistani consciousness has tuned it into the background.
In conflict, success is achieved by diminishing an enemys capacity and will to fight. However, in an insurgency, the will to fight is largely political and social, rooted in perceived injustices committed by the government or its lack of legitimacy and competence. Addressing these underlying issues can lead to stability; until then, the insurgency represents a failure of the Pakistani state.
Maharashtra finds itself engulfed by a big storm over the collapse of a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The incident has sparked a political storm in the poll-bound state, with the BJP facing sharp criticism from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). On Friday, Prime Minister Modi even apologised for the statues collapse, saying Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is as reverential as a deity. Listen in.
It must be remembered that in Maharashtra, Shivaji Maharaj is not just a historical figure; he is an icon of Maratha pride and identity. The statue, unveiled only nine months ago by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was meant to symbolise the enduring legacy of the Maratha emperor. Its sudden collapse, however, has given the opposition, especially the MVA, a powerful tool to target the ruling BJP with. In a state where Shivaji Maharaj evokes strong emotions, the collapse of his statue has complicated the already muddy Maratha waters for the BJP.
The Opposition is wasting no time in leveraging this incident to their advantage. The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, Uddhav Thackeray, has announced a protest march on September 1 in Mumbai, calling for Chief Minister Eknath Shindes resignation. The Opposition is accusing the BJP of disrespecting Shivajis legacy and being indifferent to the sentiments of Maharashtrians. To top it all, allegations of poor construction quality and corruption are also being made.
The question is, do these claims hold any weight?
While the MVAs rhetoric is gaining traction, it is important to remember the efforts the BJP, under Prime Minister Modi, has made to honour Shivaji Maharaj and his enduring legacy.
The Return of Shivajis Wagh Nakh
The BJP government has facilitated the return of Shivaji Maharajs legendary tiger claw weapon, the wagh nakh, from Londons Victoria and Albert Museum. This was part of the governments efforts to commemorate Shivajis 350th coronation anniversary. It was using this weapon that Shivaji Maharaj disembowelled Afzal Khan, a general who served the Adil Shah dynasty of Bijapur. The Battle of Pratapgarh and the killing of Afzal Khan is, even today, remembered as one of Shivaji Maharajs greatest victories, where a numerically stronger enemy was made to bite the dust.
At the same time, the NDA government of Maharashtra is also working to bring back Shivaji Maharajs famous Jagdamba sword from the UK.
Indian Navys Flag Change
The Modi government has grown a reputation for not being beholden to signs and symbols of colonialism. It is no secret that Shivaji Maharaj is called the father of the Indian Navy, because he was an emperor who organised the building of a formidable Maratha Navy. Shivaji Maharaj also commissioned several naval forts along the coast of Maharashtra. Given our rich history in the naval arena, it made no sense for the Indian Navys flag to carry a symbol of coloniality.
So, a very significant decision to celebrate Shivaji Maharajs legacy was taken in September 2022, when PM Modi replaced the Indian Navys flag with a new design inspired by Shivaji Maharajs royal seal. The Prime Minister said, Till today the Indian naval flags carried a sign of slavery, which has been replaced with a new one inspired by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj".
The question we must ask ourselves is this: Did no Indian leader think of honouring Shivaji Maharajs legacy before PM Modi? If they did, why did it take a Modi-led BJP government to set the record straight and appropriately honour the Maratha emperors naval legacy?
Commemorating 350th Coronation Anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj
In June last year, PM Modi addressed a grand event marking Shivaji Maharajs 350th coronation anniversary at the Raigarh Fort. He highlighted Shivajis contributions to nation-building and how his ideals continue to inspire contemporary India, especially the workings of his government.
At the same time, the BJPs efforts to honour Shivaji Maharaj have not been limited to Maharashtra alone. In fact, PM Modi has unveiled statues of Shivaji Maharaj in places like Surat and even internationally, with a statue in Mauritius in 2023. This reflects the spread of Shivajis influence beyond Maharashtra and the Modi governments desire to internationalise the great Maratha emperors legacy.
Congress Tricky Past
Speaking about statues, the Congress has some serious explaining to do. In August last year, a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was removed from a traffic circle in Bagalkot district of Karnataka. The BJP had slammed Congress back then for its silence on the issue.
In 2022, Congress members in the Mangaluru City Corporation even objected to a proposal to install a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji in the city. That begs the question, is the Congress really in a position to comment on the commitment of other parties to Shivaji Maharajs legacy?
The Grand Shiv Smarak
The NDA government in Maharashtra has initiated the construction of a monumental Shiv Smarak off the coast of Mumbai. Once completed, this will be the tallest statue in the world. The memorial is also slated to include other facilities, like an amphitheatre and a light-and-sound show, and is estimated to witness 10,000 footfalls in a day.
Educational Initiatives
Today, the BJP is being attacked by parties that sat idly as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajs legacy was diluted in our history textbooks. In fact, reports from 2013 even claim that NCERT not only cut short the portion of Shivaji Maharaj from its Class 6 history book, but also provided little and inadequate information about the Maratha emperor.
To make matters worse, the book, titled Our Pasts-II, did not even carry a picture of Shivaji Maharaj for students reference. The question, therefore, is this: did the parties attacking the BJP over the collapse of Shivaji Maharajs statue do so much as lift a finger to ensure Indian children and students learn more about legends like the Maratha emperor through their textbooks? The Shiv Sena, for one, did protest the lack of information on Shivaji Maharaj but back then, it was an alliance partner of the BJP.
The BJPs track record in this aspect fares better than the rest. In 2018, the NCERT added more information on Chhatrapati Shivaji in its Class VII history textbook.
At the same time, the BJP has pushed for the inclusion of Shivaji Maharajs life and contributions in educational curricula, particularly in Maharashtra. This move is part of a broader effort to educate younger generations about Shivajis significance in Indian history.
As the political battle over Shivaji Maharajs legacy heats up in Maharashtra, it is clear that the collapse of his statue has become more than just a local issue. It is a flashpoint in the larger electoral contest, with both the BJP and the MVA trying to stake their claim as the true custodians of Shivajis legacy. While the Opposition seizes on the incident to question the BJPs commitment to Shivajis legacy, it is essential to weigh these criticisms against the broader efforts made by the Modi government to honour and elevate Shivaji Maharajs place in Indian history.
Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
The plight of Hindus in Bangladesh, caste dynamics, and strategic course correction in social and political outreach will be central to discussions at the RSS and its affiliates three-day Samanvaya Baithak. The coordination meeting, set to begin on Saturday in Palakkad, Kerala, has brought together 32 Sangh-inspired and affiliated organisations, including its political front BJP.
A total of 230 representatives and 90 national-level Sangh office bearers, including national presidents, organisational secretaries, and senior leaders of the organisations, will participate in this landmark event, the first-of-its-kind in Kerala.
This years Samanvaya Baithak in Palakkad is pivotal for the RSS and its affiliates, including the BJP, for several reasons. As the largest coordination meeting of its kind, it comes at a critical juncture following electoral setbacks in key states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal.
Spotlight on caste, Hindus in Bangladesh
The meetings spotlight is on caste issues, which have taken on new urgency. All affiliated groups have been tasked with presenting reports on emerging caste fault lines across states. This focus intensifies amid ongoing debates about a comprehensive caste census, and other caste related disparity in professional structures, especially in government jobs.
With caste issues emerging as a sensitive and significant national concern, and routinely raised by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the demand for a caste census gains momentum. Despite mounting pressure, the RSS continues to oppose the publication of caste data, as senior functionaries said release of caste data could deepen societal divisions.
The inclusion of the plight of Hindus in Bangladesh marks a significant shift from the RSSs usual domestic focus. Senior RSS leaders are alarmed by the severe persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh and plan to discuss strategies to support them. Many senior RSS functionaries have changed their social media profile picture to some symbolic photos supporting Bangladeshi Hindus. A senior RSS functionary said the inclusion of international concerns underscores the RSS broader commitment to Hindu communities beyond Indias borders.
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has sharply attacked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his recent comments regarding SPs signature red caps.
Yadav was responding to Adityanaths comments that the red caps, associated with the Samajwadi Party, symbolise black deeds. Red is the colour of emotions and symbolises the Goddess Durga, Yadav was quoted as saying by India Today, during a rally in Kannauj.
They are abusing our cap, yet our behaviour is so good. At least we have full hair, so we are wearing a cap. Those who do not have hair should also wear a cap, the former UP CM added.
Shock of defeat
Adityanath had previously accused the SP of a history filled with wrongdoing, a claim Yadav dismissed as a reflection of UP CMs inability to accept the BJPs electoral setbacks in the state. He could not bear the shock of defeat, which is why he is making such statements, Yadav said.
Yadav took issue with Adityanaths comments about international issues, particularly regarding Bangladesh. If he has concerns about foreign matters, he should address them with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the External Affairs Minister, Yadav remarked, suggesting that Adityanaths comments were an attempt to incite unrest.
On the topic of a caste-based census, Yadav stressed the need for an accurate count, saying, Caste census means caste census, and warned the BJP against any manipulation of the issue. He reiterated that this demand reflects the aspirations of backward communities, Dalits, and minorities, collectively known as the PDA (Pichda, Dalit, and Alpashankhyak) family.
The ruling Congress in Karnataka took out a procession to the Raj Bhavan on Saturday to request governor Thawar Chand Gehlot to sanction the prosecution of union minister HD Kumaraswamy and three former Bharatiya Janata Party ministers.
The delegation of cabinet ministers, MPs, MLAs, MLCs, and other leaders met the governor and presented a memorandum to point out that in the case of the Janata Dal (Secular) leader and BJP leaders, the investigation had already been completed and sanction was pending for years.
Our suspicion is that the Raj Bhavan is becoming like an office of a political party. We urged him to protect the Raj Bhavan and the Constitution, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, who led the procession to the Raj Bhavan from the Gandhi statue at the Vidhana Soudha, told the media.
Chief minister Siddaramaiah who was present at the dharna at the Gandhi statue, however, did not participate in the procession.
In the case of Siddaramaiah, in which there is no proof, the governor chose to sanction his prosecution as soon as permission to sanction for prosecution was sought. We did not raise the issue of Siddaramaiah as he is fighting his case before the high court. But in the case of Kumaraswamy and the former BJP ministers, even investigation has been completed and awaiting the filing of the chargesheets pending the sanction, Shivakumar said.
Nobody is permanent in politics, he said. The governors office should not be allowed to convert into an office of a political party. A conspiracy is being hatched to destabilise a democratically elected government in Karnataka. The governor must uphold the dignity of the office and the Constitution and should permit sanction for the prosecution of Kumaraswamy and Murugesh Nirani, Janardhana Reddy, and Shashikala Jolle, Shivakumar said.
According to him, the governor said that there were no requests pending before him seeking sanction for prosecution. We have done our duty by appealing to him to be fair, Shivakumar said.
A four-year-old child has returned to the Hecht Museum in Haifa after unintentionally shattering a historic, late Bronze Age urn. The 3,500-year-old relic was damaged last week when it was on exhibit at the University of Haifa Museum. Yet, Dr Inbal Rivlin, the director of the museum, extended an invitation to the youngster to come back for a guided tour and to view the jar after it was fully restored. The jar was among the objects displayed in the open as part of the centres philosophy of allowing people to dig into history without the use of glass or boundaries.
The dishware was an extraordinary item since it was relatively unspoiled, according to the BBC, which shared the footage and stated that it belonged to the Bronze Age, 2200 to 1500 BC. In the video, a little kid named Ariel Geller is seen inspecting the artefact, surrounded by his family.
A museum official is shown detailing the whole restoration procedure to the family, as well as the history of the urn.
Ariels parents stayed for the interview, during which his mother said that the youngster had requested her to look at the jar at the time of the incident. The antique urn had broken the moment her mother gave her the order to step away from the valuables.
It was just a destruction of a second, the mother recalls.
It stated that he even got the chance to perform some restoration work on his own, putting together and mending a little shattered jar with the help of specialised equipment.
Dr Rivlin was quoted by Sky News saying, In a similar manner to the repairs currently under way on the ancient jar, this is exactly what professionals do.
The jar, according to the museum, is distinctive of the Canaan region, dates back before the times of King Solomon and David, and was used to store and transport local goods, primarily olive oil and wine.
The University of Haifas campus is home to a free museum featuring several archaeological artefacts spanning the Chalcolithic and Byzantine eras.
A video of a Zomato delivery agent wading through knee-deep water to deliver food in Ahmedabad is going viral. The footage is from Ahmedabad, where heavy rains have flooded roads and streets.
However, the individual who posted the video praised the delivery agents dedication and urged Deepinder Goyal-led organisation to reward him. In response to the viral post, Zomato asked for details to identify the brave worker, as the company wanted to recognise and reward the superhero for their extraordinary efforts.
In the video, people are standing near the flooded street, while the delivery agent walks through the water without any complaints. The person filming the video can be heard admiring his dedication, despite the difficult and risky situation. The user wrote, ZOMATO delivering in Ahmedabad amidst extremely heavy rains. Give this guy an award for providing delivery in extreme weather conditions.
Soon after the video was shared, Zomato replied, Thank you for highlighting our delivery partners extraordinary efforts. They truly went above and beyond, braving extreme weather like a superhero. To help us recognize and celebrate their efforts, could you please share the order ID or details about the area and timing of the delivery? This will ensure our superhero delivery partner gets the recognition they deserve.
Hi Vikunj! Thank you for highlighting our delivery partners extraordinary efforts! They truly went above and beyond, braving extreme weather like a superhero. To help us recognize and celebrate their efforts, could you please share the order ID or details about the area and Zomato Care (@zomatocare) August 28, 2024
Reacting to the post, a user wrote, This is individual effort. Zomato should not take any credit considering its history of behaviour with partners.
This is individual effort. Zomato should not take any credit considering its history of behavior with partners hangouts two (@HangoutsTwo) August 31, 2024
Tagging Deepinder Goyal and Zomato, another shared, These heroes deserve special recognition.
An individual wrote, Maan Gaye bhai well-done.
Maan Gaye bhai well-done Goutam Joshi (@goutamjoshi7867) August 31, 2024
One more added, Ye jo order karte hain, unhe bhi sochna chahiye ki kaise koi itne pani me khana lekar ayega. Who bhi toh insan hai, uski majboori hai pahuchana. (Those who place orders should also think about how someone will deliver food in such heavy rain. They are human too and its their duty to deliver).
Ye to Jo order karte he..unhe bhi sochna chahiye ki kaise koi itne Pani me khana lekar ayega ..vo bhi to insan he..uski mazboori he pahuchana Manjusaini (@Manjusa98806575) August 30, 2024
Since the video was shared on X, it has garnered over 3000 views.
The remains of the carcasses of ancient animals buried in the ground provide very unique information about them. Scientists call these remains fossils. The discovery and study have given a lot of information about dinosaurs, which are extinct now. Recently, in a shocking incident, scientists have found a prehistoric sea cows fossil that was hunted by two predators. After studying the fossil, they found that both an ancient crocodile and a tiger shark had attacked a sea cow one after the other. The fossil remains of the sea cow show that it was first killed by a crocodile and then eaten by a tiger shark. The discovery was made in Venezuela, when a local farmer informed authorities about the presence of some strange rocks in his fields. The fossils were found to be well preserved as they were buried in fine sediment.
The sea cow skeleton bears distinctive tooth marks and is a rare example of a single animal being attacked by two predators during the early to middle Miocene epoch (23 million to 11.6 million years ago).
This study was recently published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, in which deep teeth marks on the front part of the sea cows mouth indicate that the crocodile first grabbed its face and tried to suffocate it. More cuts on the cow show that the crocodile dragged its prey and put it to death. The cows skeleton had several bite marks as well as a tiger sharks tooth. These sharks are known to scavenge for food and are often called the dustbins of the sea.
Marcelo Sanchez-Villagra, a study co-author and a professor of paleobiology and the director of the Palaeontological Institute & Museum at the University of Zurich, said in a statement that the first fossils unearthed were parts of skulls.
According to reports, Marcelo said, Initially, we were unfamiliar with the sites geology, and the first fossils we unearthed were parts of skulls. It took us some time to determine what they were sea cow skulls, which are quite peculiar in appearance.
The fossil skeleton included part of the sea cows skull and 18 vertebrae. It was discovered in outcrops of the Early to Middle Miocene Agua Clara Formation near the city of Coro.
Several states in India experience flooding every year. The state of Gujarat is presently reeling under a severe flood. Numerous districts and cities in the state are currently underwater and people are in great distress. Another issue has emerged in the city of Vadodara. Besides flooding, the people are also dealing with crocodiles that have entered the city. Recently, several videos of crocodiles roaming around the city surfaced on the internet. One crocodile was seen on the roof of a flooded house, while another was spotted on a college campus. In various parts of the city, several crocodiles ranging from 10 to 15 feet in length, were seen on roads, in parks, outside houses and on a university campus after the Vishwamitri River overflowed. On Thursday, August 30, an official informed a news agency that they had rescued 10 crocodiles over the past five days. Four of these have been reportedly released, while the others will be released once the water level decreases.
According to reports, there are around 300 crocodiles in the Vishwamitri River. The water level has reached its maximum height of 37 feet, which is 12 feet above the danger mark. This morning the water level decreased to 24 feet. Efforts to rescue crocodiles from residential areas along the banks of the Vishwamitri River continue year-round, but the numbers increase significantly during the monsoon season.
Now as the floodwaters are reportedly decreasing, the rescue operation of the crocodiles will accelerate. According to a report, Range Forest Officer (RFO) Karansingh Rajput mentioned that four crocodiles were rescued and released into the river. In the month of July, this number quickly rose to 21. Over the past five days, around 26 people have lost their lives in Gujarat due to rain-related incidents.
Media reports suggested that more than 50,000 people have been relocated from flood-affected areas, and around 4,200 people have been rescued. Teams from the Indian Army, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State SDRF, and the local administration have been deployed for rescue and relief operations. The worst affected areas are Vadodara, Dwarka, Jamnagar, Rajkot, and Kutch.
XI'AN, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- China Eastern Airlines on Friday launched a direct flight route between Xi'an, the capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, and Hanoi in Vietnam.
Outbound flights depart from Xi'an Xianyang International Airport at 5:10 p.m. Beijing time, and are scheduled to arrive in Hanoi at 6:55 p.m. local time. Return flights depart from Hanoi at 8:15 p.m. local time and arrive in Xi'an at 11:55 p.m. Beijing time, with a flight duration of approximately two hours and 40 minutes.
The round-trip flights will operate twice weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays. The new route is part of Xi'an Xianyang International Airport's broader efforts to expand its international network and strengthen Xi'an's role as an international aviation hub.
In 2019, Brandon Miller, a renowned real estate entrepreneur in New York, celebrated his tenth wedding anniversary in the backyard of his 5,500-square-foot Hamptons vacation house. He was married to Candice Miller, an influencer and operator of the popular lifestyle blog Mama and Tata. Their Midsummer Nights Dream party was an incredible public spectacle of their idyllic life and marriage. Last month, when Miller died by suicide, he was in a debt of over $34 million (Rs 284.93 crore) and had only $8,000 (Rs 6 lakh) in his savings account.
According to The Real Deal, $11.5 million (over Rs 96 crore) of the debt was related to mortgages on his Hamptons mansion, based on a bond petition filed in surrogates court by Candice. According to reports, the Water Mill estate listed for $15.5 million (almost Rs 130 crores) this month.
Brandon had four mortgages on the property. Titan Capital, who gave him $800,000 (more than Rs 6 crore) as a bridge loan, took Candice to court for nonpayment of the mortgage last month, The Real Deal reported citing his legal documents.
Brandon had another $2 million (over Rs 16 crore) to pay Titan on the property and also loans from UBS and Stevens Financial Group.
He reportedly owed the largest sum of money that was unsecured and amounted to a $11.3 million (almost Rs 95 crore) loan from the Chicago-based BMO Bank.
The deceased left an extra $6.1 million (over 51 crore) in unsecured debt to Donald Jaffe who has been the financier to the developer and his father, Michael Miller on different projects before taking legal proceedings against Miller challenging him to pay the remaining balance in the business loan made. Meanwhile, Jaffe is still attempting to recover his losses.
Other unpaid expenses include more than $300,000 (over Rs 2.5 crore) to American Express and $266,000 (over Rs 2 crore) to Funding Club, a Brooklyn-based cash advance financing firm.
There was reportedly resentment and jealousy directed at Candice since she appeared to live a perfect life.
She also established close friendships with other fellow celebrities including Ashley Olsen, Mary Kate, stylist Rachel Zoe, Ivanka Trump and Something Navy fashion blogger Arielle Charnas.
However, the family was actually over-stretched with debt and were way beyond their capabilities to sustain that kind of lifestyle.
Miller was found lying unconscious in his car inside the familys garage as reported by The New York Post. He was rushed to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, and he breathed his last a few days later.
Recently, Page Six has found out that Candace has been left to rebuild her life and she has moved to Miami with two young daughters.
A two-year-old child, who was kidnapped over a year ago, grew so close to his abductor that they were seen crying when the Jaipur Police rescued the toddler. On August 27, the police rescued Prithvi from Tanuj Chahar in Aligarh after a prolonged investigation.
However, before Chahar handed over the kid, they looked inseparable. In the video, the child is seen and heard crying as officers forcibly separated them, eventually returning the sobbing kid to his mother, who was waiting outside with her family. Interestingly, even the kidnapper was seen wiping off his tears when the child was taken away from him.
The 33-year-old Chahar, a former head constable in the Reserve Police Lines in Aligarh and a resident of Agra, evaded the police for over a year. Suspended from his police duties, Chahar used his knowledge of law enforcement procedures to avoid detection.
He lived with Prithvi in a hut near the Yamuna River, frequently changing his appearance and avoiding mobile phones. He even grew a long beard and posed as an ascetic recluse to disguise his identity.
Chahar kidnapped Prithvi after asking his mother, Poonam Chaudhary, whom he had known before, to leave her home with him. When she refused, Chahar allegedly kidnapped her child in an attempt to force them to flee together.
As per an earlier News18 report, the kidnapper went to Jaipur searching for the woman he loved, but she was married off to someone else.
After a year, he found her and lived with her in Jaipur, but both were already married to other people, leading to objections from their families and eventually to their breakup.
During this period, the woman had a child, which led to Chahars decision to kidnap the baby. Chahar then started claiming that the child was his, and after failing to persuade the mother to join him in UP, he made a desperate attempt to reunite with her by kidnapping the child, hoping she would return for the childs sake.
Jaipur Police ASP Poonamchand Vishnoi told the publication that while Chahar was on the run, he was under surveillance and had been communicating with the childs mother.
However, he managed to avoid detection by frequently changing his phone and location, even taunting the police by claiming they would never catch him.
Currently, in police custody, Chahar continues to claim the child as his own and demands her return.
Meanwhile, Prithvis mother has expressed a clear desire to sever all ties with the accused.
The police operation, carried out by a special team, reportedly tracked Chahar across multiple locations, including Mathura, Agra and Vrindavan.
Mohammed Touhid Hossain, the Bangladesh interim governments foreign affairs advisor, said the interim government could consider seeking the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in New Delhi.
Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh for India on August 5, after a violent uprising against her led to nearly 300 deaths, including that of many students. She has been named in at least two murder cases.
Her staying in Delhi, in India, the question comes thatthere are so many cases (against Hasina) that could be again some speculating, I am not a person right to answer this, if there is a request from there (Ministry of Home and Ministry of Law) we have to ask for her, you know, return to Bangladesh, Hossain was quoted as saying by Reuters TV.
At least three of Hasinas former ministers and advisers have already been arrested in Bangladesh.
If there is a demand from there, and that creates an embarrassing situation for the Indian government. So I think the Indian government knows this and I am sure they will take care of it, he further added.
In his first interview to international media since taking over, Hossain said Nobel laureate Mohammed Yunus, who is leading the interim government, is very unhappy about the way the statements are coming from India, from the former prime minister, and he conveyed this to the Indian envoy in a meeting on earlier this month.
Professor Yunus is very unhappy about the way the statements are coming from India, from the former Prime Minister. He is quite unhappy about this and I have conveyed this to the High Commissioner (of India). I have also told the press that we have conveyed this because we believe in transparent relations, he said.
Hossain also said that Bangladesh should not be tackling the issues arising out of the Rohingya crisis and the influx of the minority group from Myanmar which is fleeing the country due to persecution.
India is a very large country, if they want to take some, its fine. We have taken a million, let them take 200,000, I dont mind. But the goal is their repatriation to their country, he said.
We are not in a position to allow any more Rohingyas to enter. Its a humanitarian issue that involves the entire world, not only Bangladesh. We have done more than our share, and the world should take charge of that, he further added.
The body of Bangladeshs Awami League leader Ishaque Ali Khan Panna, found decomposing earlier this week at a betel nut plantation in Meghalaya, has been handed over to the countrys authorities.
According to a report by Prothom Alo, the family members of the deceased leader were present at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Dawki Tamabil for the handover along with Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) personnel, immigration police and other officials.
An official from Meghalaya told news agency PTI that Ishaque Ali Khan Panna was throttled to death and that there were injury marks on his head.
According to the post-mortem examination report, Panna died of asphyxia. His windpipe was throttled. The Forensic Science Laboratory report will shed more light on this matter, a senior government officer said.
There were lacerated wounds on the body on the lower right part of the orbital region and bruises on the forehead. These marks indicated he had struggled just before dying, he further added.
The decomposed body of Panna was discovered by local people from a betel nut plantation at Dona Bhoi village in East Jaintia Hills district, about 1.5 km from the Bangladesh border, on August 26. The Awami League leader was identified through his passport.
The former Chhatra League leader reportedly lost his life while attempting to flee to India through the Dona border at Kanighat in Sylhet on the night of August 24, Bangladeshi news media reported.
He was a former general secretary of the Bangladesh Chhatra League and a prominent member of the Awami League from Pirojpur district in the neighbouring country. He had been on the run following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5.
British-Indian Labour MP Jas Athwal has publically apologised after a BBC probe revealed poor living conditions in several flats he rents out, including issues with toxic black mould and broken fire alarms.
Athwal, who represents Ilford South and is the largest landlord in the House of Commons with 15 rental properties, expressed his profound sorrow over the situation, saying that he is committed to providing quality accommodation for his tenants. I want every one of my tenants to have excellent accommodation, he said.
Ants are everywhere
The investigation uncovered that nearly half of the residents in a block of seven flats reported needing to frequently clean mould from their bathroom ceilings, while one tenant described the ant problem as pervasive, saying, The ants are everywhere. Some tenants claimed they faced threats of eviction if they complained about the conditions.
Athwal acknowledged that he had met with the property management company to address communication failures and ensure that issues are resolved promptly. He emphasised his role as a renters champion and denied any knowledge of eviction threats against tenants.
However, Andrew Boff, a Conservative member of the London Assembly, has called for an investigation by the Labour Party and Redbridge Council, highlighting that none of the seven flats possess the required selective property licenses, a regulation Athwal had implemented as council leader.
In 2018, Athwal, who served as the leader of Redbridge Council from 2014 until he became an MP last month, shared an article about a local landlord fined by the council. He commented, Rogue landlords, we are coming for you.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said he could have done with a Vande Bharat when asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modis train ride to Kyiv.
The minister had accompanied PM Modi on his maiden visit to Kyiv aboard the Rail Force One, as Ukraine remained engaged in a military conflict with Russia.
PM Modi had earlier this month also travelled to Poland and had taken a train from there for the Ukrainian capital where he held meetings with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Jaishankar said it was a 10-hour journey each way. I could have done with a Vande Bharat. It was 10 hours each way, and I think, given the situation, obviously, you got what you got, but 10 hours is 10 hours," he said while speaking at a session at the ET World Leaders Forum.
He also said he does not recall PM Modi taking a long train ride like the one he took earlier this month during his foreign visit.
I remember Prime Minister Narendra Modi going on a Shinkansen bullet train in Japan, I often cannot remember any other train ride at least for a long time," he said.
Other than Prime Minister Modi, several other leaders have used the Train Force One to visit Kyiv. US President Joe Biden used the train during his 2023 visit to Kyiv. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi in 2022 travelled to Ukraine by this train. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada also visited Ukraine via this train.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo also visited Kyiv via a train.
Built in 2014 to cater to tourists in Crimea, Rail Force One resembles a luxurious hotel on rails. It features a spacious table for meetings, comfortable sofas and a wall-mounted television.
In terms of safety, the train is designed to safeguard its VIP passengers. It boasts armoured windows, advanced communication systems and is equipped to withstand the toughest situations. It includes surveillance systems, a secure communication network and a dedicated security team on board.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that its crucial to start a new chapter in the Indo-Bangla ties, which should begin with the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, as her continued presence in India could further damage bilateral relations.
The veteran leader, the second-in-command of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), emphasised his partys desire for strong relations with India, stating they are prepared to move past previous differences and collaborate.
Electricity deal
He also assured that the BNP would never permit any activities on Bangladeshi soil that could threaten Indias security. In an interview with PTI at his residence in Dhaka, Alamgir said if the BNP is voted to power, it will review and re-evaluate the questionable Adani electricity deal signed during the Awami League regime, as it is putting tremendous pressure on the people of Bangladesh.
Claiming that it was a diplomatic failure on the part of New Delhi for failing to understand the psyche of the people of Bangladesh, Alamgir said that even after the fall of the Hasina government following a peoples uprising, the Indian establishment is yet to reach out to BNP, even though China, the US, the UK, and Pakistan have already done so. Alamgir asserted that the safety of minorities in Bangladesh is an internal matter, contending that reports of attacks on Hindus are not accurate since most incidents are politically motivated rather than communal.
Sheikh Hasina has to face the law of Bangladesh for all the crimes and corruption committed by her and her regime. To enable this and respect the sentiments of the people of Bangladesh, India should ensure her return to Bangladesh, he said. After unprecedented anti-government protests that peaked on August 5, Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled to India. Hasinas presence in India for over three weeks has given rise to speculation in Bangladesh.
New chapter
We want to start a new chapter in India-Bangladesh relations, and ensuring the return of Hasina to Bangladesh will be a new leaf in the bilateral ties, he said Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League are both condemned here and standing by them will only worsen the perception of India in Bangladesh, he told PTI. Alamgir said if India doesnt ensure the return of Hasina to Bangladesh, bilateral ties between the two nations will worsen.
There is already anger against India, as it is seen as a supporter of the authoritarian Sheikh Hasina regime. If you ask anyone in Bangladesh, they will say that India did not do the right thing by giving shelter to Sheikh Hasina. Now, if India doesnt ensure the extradition of Hasina to Bangladesh, the relationship between the two countries will further decline, he said.
On Friday, the spokesperson for the External Affairs Ministry, Randhir Jaiswal, during a press briefing was asked if a formal request had been made from Bangladeshs interim government for the extradition of Hasina, but he did not give a clear answer. The former prime minister of Bangladesh came to India at very short notice for safety reasons. We have nothing further to add on that matter. What you asked lies in the realm of hypothetical issues, Jaiswal had said.
When asked about the ongoing India out campaign in Bangladesh, Alamgir said there is palpable anger against India, as it never bothered to establish a relationship with the people of the country but was content with its relationship with the Awami League only. Indias diplomacy regarding Bangladesh was not pragmatic. It did not establish a relationship with the people of Bangladesh and other stakeholders but put all its eggs in one basket. India has to understand the pulse of the people of Bangladesh, he said.
Alamgir said if voted to power, the BNP would try to strengthen the relationship with India and resolve misunderstandings and past differences. If we are voted to power, we will engage more with India, as we want a strong relationship with India. We will try to resolve the misunderstandings and past differences. We have to talk, as that will be pragmatic diplomacy to resolve the issues. Even after such a major political upheaval in Bangladesh, India has not started any dialogue with us, he said.
The 76-year-old leader said the high commissioners and ambassadors of Pakistan, China, the US, and the UK had reached out and spoken to us, but there has been no communication from India. Alamgir said questionable bilateral treaties that went against the interests of Bangladesh during the Awami League regime will be re-examined and, if needed, reviewed.
We have no issues with bilateral treaties and agreements with India done during the Awami League regime, which are in the interest of Bangladesh. But there are some questionable bilateral treaties and agreements that are not in the interest of Bangladesh and need to be re-looked and reviewed, he said. Listing out bilateral projects that need to be re-examined, Alamgir said the Adani electricity deal tops the list, as there are a lot of questions regarding it and it is putting a lot of pressure on the people of Bangladesh.
Hindu minorities
Speaking on the issue of attacks on Hindu minorities following the fall of the Awami League government earlier this month, Alamgir called the reports factually incorrect and misleading. The reports that attacks on Hindu minorities are taking place are factually incorrect. There may be some instances, but those are more political in nature and not communal, he said.
The attacks might have occurred because of political reasons, as the victims were activists of the Awami League, irrespective of religion, caste, or creed. We have taken precautions and asked our leaders to protect Hindu families, he said. Alamgir asserted that the issue of minority safety is an internal matter of the country.
The question of minorities is an internal matter of Bangladesh. When India makes it an issue, Bangladesh needs to address it at an international forum. We never complain about what happens to Indian minorities, so no one should comment on the issue of minorities here, he said.
When asked about concerns that anti-India elements might gain ground on Bangladeshi soil in the absence of the Awami League government, the former minister in the BNP cabinet said, The BNP government would never allow anti-India forces to gain ground in the country. Terrorism or such activities in Bangladesh are very minimal in nature, and the situation is under control. We can assure India that BNP will never allow any anti-India forces or security threats to gain ground in the country, he said.
Alamgir hoped that fresh elections would be held in the country within a year. We hope the reforms undertaken by the interim government in the election commission, judiciary, bureaucracy, and police will be completed in a year, and then fresh elections can be held, he said. When asked whether the BNP led by former premier Khaleda Zia would go for an alliance with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami just like early 2000, Alamgir said the party presently is not in alliance with Jamaat.
The alliance we had with the Jamaat ceased to exist long ago. But at times we had carried out joint programmes against the Awami League regime during the recent people;s uprising. But at the moment we are not in any alliance with Jamaat, he said.
An Indian-origin man has been charged with the murder of a 21-year-old student from Nepal, who was shot dead in her apartment during a robbery in the US city of Houston.
Police discovered Muna Pandeys body with multiple gunshot wounds on Monday evening after receiving an anonymous tip about a dead body inside her apartment, Fox News reported. Pandey, who moved to Houston in 2021 to study at Houston Community College, was found lying on her bed with three gunshot wounds to her torso and one to the back of her head, according to court documents.
Bobby Singh Shah
US investigators believe Bobby Singh Shah, 51, shot her during an attempted robbery. Surveillance footage captured Shah outside her apartment shortly before the shooting, where he was seen demanding she open the door while brandishing a pistol. Authorities arrested Shah later that week during a traffic stop. He has been charged with capital murder and is being held without bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday.
A 51-year-old man is in custody and charged with capital murder in connection with the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Muna Pandey. https://t.co/SvHQPs5UKD pic.twitter.com/8QSpl2xg5K FOX26Houston (@FOX26Houston) August 30, 2024
The suspect, Bobby Singh Shah, 51, is charged with capital murder in the 262nd State District Court. A booking photo of Shah is attached to this news release, Hudson police said in a statement. Shah was located and arrested on Wednesday evening during a traffic stop in northwest Houston in a coordinated effort by HPD SWAT officers, the HPD Crime Reduction Unit and the Texas Department of Public Safety. He was subsequently booked into the Harris County Jail, it added.
Pandeys mother, who has been trying to contact her for days, is now seeking to travel to Houston from Nepal. Members of the Nepalese community in Houston are assisting her with travel arrangements. Friends described Pandey as a dedicated student and an only child, expressing their grief over her violent death.
We are reaching out to you, our community, to help bring Anita to the United States so she can say goodbye to her only child and give Muna the farewell she deserves. The funds raised will be used to cover the costs of Munas funeral and to bring her mother to Houston to be with her daughters body for the final rituals, a GoFundMe page read.
Pakistan reported its fourth case of monkeypox as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province reported its third case. A passenger returning from abroad was detected with the virus in Peshawar.
The provinces health authorities confirmed monkeypox in the patient who hails from Orakzai. He was shifted to Peshawars Services Hospital after displaying symptoms at the airport, broadcaster GeoNews reported.
Authorities said that the patients condition is stable and he is being treated at the Services Hospital.
Out of the four mpox cases reported in Pakistan, three have been reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The patients are from the cities of Mardan, Nowshera and Orakzai. None of these cases were domestic and were reported in passengers returning from abroad.
The Pakistani health ministry issued fresh guidelines which has directed airport authorities at all the Pakistani international airports to ramp up screening, isolation and other preventive measures, including thermal scanning to curb the spread of the monkeypox virus.
Earlier in August, the WHO declared an international health emergency after a surge in cases linked to a new mpox strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has since spread beyond its borders.
Mpox is an infectious disease caused by a virus transmitted to humans by infected animals that can also be passed from human to human through close physical contact.
It causes fever, muscle pains and skin lesions and in an increasing number of cases, death.
The diseases resurgence and the detection in the DRC of a new strain, dubbed Clade 1b, prompted the WHO to declare its highest international alert level on August 14.
It had previously declared an emergency over the international spread of the Clade 2b strain of mpox, which mostly affected men who have sex with men. That alarm was lifted in May 2023.
The mpox outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring countries can be controlled, and can be stopped, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is quoted as saying in the statement.
The virus continues to circulate at low levels globally, Tedros added, but the African Region has had an unprecedented increase and geographical expansion.
(with AFP inputs)
A Russian helicopter with three crew members and 19 passengers on board has gone missing in the far eastern peninsula of Kamchatka, the Interfax news agency reported on Saturday.
The Mi-8T helicopter took off from a base near the Vachkazhets volcano and the crew failed to report at the scheduled time. This report came as Ukrainian air defences shot down 24 out of 52 drones launched by Russia during overnight attacks on eight regions across Ukraine.
In a statement on Telegram, the Ukrainian air force said that 25 Shahed drones had fallen on their own and three others had flown towards Russia and Belarus. Ukraine uses electronic warfare as well as mobile hunting groups and aircraft defences to repel frequent Russian drone and missile strikes.
On the night of August 31, 2024, the enemy struck with an Iskander-M ballistic missile from the Voronezh region, four S-300 anti-aircraft guided missiles from the occupied Donetsk region, and 52 Shahed-131/136 attack UAVs from the Kursk region," the Ukrainian air force said in a statement posted on Facebook. As a result of the air battle, 24 Shahed-131/136 attack UAVs were shot down, 25 were lost (they fell on their own)," the statement added.
In the capital Kyiv, where alerts lasted for about four hours, it was the fourth drone attack this week, officials said. All drones targeting the city were downed and no major damage was reported, Kyiv city officials said. Ukrainian air defences also shot down Russian drones in the Poltava, Cherkasy, Kyrovohrad and Dnipropetrovsk regions in central Ukraine, in the Chernihiv and Sumy regions in the north and the Mykolayiv region in the south.
Meanwhile, in the southwestern Russian city of Belgorod, local Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported that five people were killed and 46 injured in a Ukrainian attack late on Friday. Gladkov said that 37 of the injured, including seven children, were taken to hospital.
A video from a car dashboard, posted on social media and purporting to show the attack, displayed another car being blown up while moving on the road. Seconds later, an explosion is seen on the other side of the road. Ukraine has staged frequent attacks on Belgorod and other Russian border regions in recent months, with the city being a focal point of these attacks.
(With agency inputs)
A staff member offers free ophthalmological checkup to a visitor at the Ningxia Senior Service Expo & Conference in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Aug. 30, 2024. The event is held here from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1. (Xinhua/Mao Zhu)
Visitors are pictured during the Ningxia Senior Service Expo & Conference in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, on Aug. 30, 2024. The event is held here from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1. (Xinhua/Mao Zhu)
Visitors taste sample wine products at the Ningxia Senior Service Expo & Conference in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Aug. 30, 2024. The event is held here from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1. (Xinhua/Mao Zhu)
An exhibitor promotes products via livestreaming at the Ningxia Senior Service Expo & Conference in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Aug. 30, 2024. The event is held here from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1. (Xinhua/Mao Zhu)
Members from a chorus of senior citizens perform during the Ningxia Senior Service Expo & Conference in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Aug. 30, 2024. The event is held here from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1. (Xinhua/Mao Zhu)
A staff member introduces medical products to a visitor at the Ningxia Senior Service Expo & Conference in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Aug. 30, 2024. The event is held here from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1. (Xinhua/Mao Zhu)
Staff members offer free diagnosis to visitors at the Ningxia Senior Service Expo & Conference in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Aug. 30, 2024. The event is held here from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1. (Xinhua/Mao Zhu)
MANILA, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' foreign investments yielded net inflows of 1.38 billion U.S. dollars in July, according to the data released by the Philippine central bank Friday night.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said the foreign investment transactions in July resulted from 2.43 billion dollars in gross inflows and 1.04 billion dollars in gross outflows for the month, a reversal from 27.26 million dollars in net outflows in June.
The central bank added that July's registered investments were 133.3 percent higher than in June 2024.
The majority of investments for the month originated from Britain, the United States, Singapore, Luxembourg, and Norway, collectively contributing 93.7 percent.
Year-on-year, registered investments in July 2024 are 54.3 percent higher than in July 2023, while gross outflows grew by 70.6 percent compared to last year.
It said the first seven months' transactions for foreign investments registered with the central bank yielded net inflows of 1.46 billion dollars, 830.7 percent higher than the net inflows in the same period in 2023.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fired the commander of the country's air force on Friday, four days after an F-16 warplane that Ukraine received from its Western partners crashed during a Russian bombardment and killed the pilot. The order to dismiss Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk was published on the presidential website, per the AP . "We need to protect people. Protect personnel. Take care of all our soldiers," Zelensky said in an address minutes after the order was published. He said Ukraine needs to strengthen its army on the command level. Lt. Gen. Anatolii Kryvonozhko was appointed acting air force commander, the army's general staff said.
The dismissal came on the same day that Oleshchuk directed scathing criticism at a lawmaker who's deputy head of the Ukrainian Parliament's defense committee for her claims that the F-16 was downed by a Patriot air-defense system. Ukraine has received an unspecified number of the US-made systems. Mariana Bezuhla cited unnamed sources for her claim and demanded punishment for those responsible for the error. Oleshchuk accused Bezuhla of defaming the air force and discrediting US arms manufacturers and said that he hoped she'd face legal consequences for her claims. "The truth will win," Bezuhla posted on X shortly after the dismissal order was published. The air force didn't directly deny that the F-16 was hit by a Patriot missile.
US experts have joined the Ukrainian investigation into the crash, the air force said. The crash was the first reported loss of an F-16 in Ukraine, where the warplanes arrived at the end of last month. At least six are believed to have been delivered by European countries. Military analysts say the planes won't be a game changer in the war, given Russia's massive air force and sophisticated air defense systems. But Ukrainian officials welcomed the supersonic jets, which can carry modern weapons used by NATO countries, for offering an opportunity to hit back at Russia's air superiority. More here.
(More Ukraine stories.)
The US military and Iraq launched a joint raid targeting suspected Islamic State group militants in the country's western desert that killed at least 15 people and saw seven American troops hurt, officials said Saturday. For years after dislodging the militants from their self-declared caliphate across Iraq and Syria, US forces have fought the Islamic State group, though the casualties from this raid were higher than in previous ones. The US military's Central Command alleged the militants were armed with "numerous weapons, grenades, and explosive 'suicide' belts" during the attack on Thursday, which Iraqi forces said happened in the country's Anbar Desert, per the AP .
"This operation targeted ISIS leaders to disrupt and degrade ISIS' ability to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against Iraqi civilians, as well as US citizens, allies, and partners throughout the region and beyond," Central Command said. "Iraqi Security Forces continue to further exploit the locations raided." It added: "There is no indication of civilian casualties." Meanwhile, an Iraqi military statement said that "airstrikes targeted the hideouts, followed by an airborne operation." "Among the dead were key ISIS leaders," Iraq's military said, without identifying them. "All hideouts, weapons, and logistical support were destroyed; explosive belts were safely detonated; and important documents, identification papers, and communication devices were seized."
A US defense official says five American troops were wounded in the raid, while two others suffered injuries from falls during the operation. One who suffered a fall was transported out of the region, while one of the wounded was evacuated for further treatment, the official said. "All personnel are in stable condition," the official said. It wasn't immediately clear why it took two days for the US to acknowledge it took part in the raid. Iraq didn't say the US took part in the operation when initially announcing it, as politicians debate the future of having American troops in the country. There are approximately 2,500 US troops in Iraq. More here. (More Iraq stories.)
Sweet Briar College in Virginia will exclude transgender women from admissions next school year, citing the legally binding will of founder Indiana Fletcher Williams. Williams died in 1900, and her will specifies that Sweet Briar "be a place of 'girls and young women.'" The phrase "must be interpreted as it was understood at the time the Will was written," per Sweet Briar President Mary Pope Hutson. The new policy requires each applicant to confirm her birth sex is female and "that she consistently lives and identifies as a woman."
The new policy has sparked backlash from some students and a large portion of the faculty, who fear it may drive away potential students and tarnish the college's reputation. Critics argue the originalist interpretation of Williams' will is outdated and flagged the fact that it also originally specified the school was to be for "white girls." The college had to seek permission from a federal judge to accept Black students after the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Student Government Association President Isabella Paul, who identifies as nonbinary, described the policy as "alienating" and reflecting "the rise of transphobia in our country." The faculty overwhelmingly voted to urge the board to overturn the policy. Challenges to the policy may arise legally, though as a private college, Sweet Briar is exempt from Title IX regulations banning sex discrimination in education. The school has about 460 students. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
A judge in Atlantic City, New Jersey, allowed smoking to continue in the city's casinos, handing a significant victory to the struggling industry. Superior Court Judge Patrick Bartels' ruling is a setback for casino workers who have been fighting for four years to ban smoking in their workplaces. Mark Giannantonio, president of Resorts Casino and the Casino Association of New Jersey, welcomed the decision, emphasizing the industry's steps to create healthier environments while retaining smoking sections.
Lamont White, a Borgata dealer leading the anti-smoking movement, stated, "This fight is far from over." Nancy Erika Smith, representing the workers, announced plans to appeal, criticizing New Jersey for "shaming itself" by allowing the casino industry to maintain smoking areas. The issue of smoking in casinos is contentious, not just in Atlantic City but in other states like Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Kansas, and Virginia. Currently, smoking is permitted on 25% of the casino floor in Atlantic City, though workers argue that secondhand smoke is pervasive. A previous smoking ban in 2008 was quickly repealed after revenue sank 20% in just two weeks. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
China and the Philippines accused each other of causing a collision between their two vessels Saturday in the latest flare-up of tensions over disputed waters and maritime features in the South China Sea. In a statement posted on social media, a Chinese coast guard spokesperson was quoted as saying that a Philippine ship maneuvered and "deliberately collided" with a Chinese coast guard ship "in an unprofessional and dangerous manner." Philippine officials in Manila, meanwhiile, said it was their coast guard ship, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, that was rammed thrice by the Chinese coast guard without any provocation, causing damage to the Philippine vessel, per the AP . Video released by the Philippine coast guard appeared to show the Magbanua being rammed by a Chinese coast guard ship.
It was the second confrontation in days near Sabina Shoal, about 85 miles west of the Philippine province of Palawan, in the internationally recognized exclusive economic zone of the Philippines. The Philippine ship, the Magbanua, has been anchored in Sabina since mid-April after Manila suspected that China may construct a structure to seize the uninhabited atoll. China harbored the same suspicions and recently filed a diplomatic protest against the Philippines due to the ship's prolonged presence at the shoal. China is rapidly expanding its military and has become increasingly assertive in pursuing its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, which is crucial to international trade.
The tensions have led to more frequent confrontations, primarily with the Philippines, and could drag in the United States, which is bound by a treaty to defend the Philippines. The longtime territorial disputes also involve other claimants, including Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei. China has rejected a ruling by a UN-backed arbitration panel that negated almost all of its historically based claims in the South China Sea. Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine coast guard said in a news briefing in Manila that the Magbanua had dropped its anchor again and wouldn't withdraw from Sabina Shoal, "despite the harassment, bullying activities, and escalatory action of the Chinese coast guard." "We stand with the Philippines in upholding international law," US Ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson said in a statement posted on X.
(More China stories.)
UPDATE
Sep 25, 2024 10:05 AM CDT
Hip-hop artist Fatman Scoop, who collapsed onstage while performing in Connecticut last month, died of heart disease, the state medical examiner's office has determined. The official cause of death for the 56-year-old performer, born Isaac Freeman III, was hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, a spokesperson for the Connecticut medical examiner's office said Wednesday, per the AP.
Aug 31, 2024 3:55 PM CDT
Isaac Freeman III, the rapper known professionally as Fatman Scoop and as the "undisputed voice of the club," died after collapsing onstage at a show Friday in Connecticut. He was 56. The cause of death wasn't released, but the town's mayor posted on Facebook that he had a medical emergency while performing at Hamden Town Center Park. Concertgoers and paramedics tried to aid the artist, who was taken to a hospital, Lauren Garrett wrote, per the AP. The cause of death wasn't immediately released. "The world lost a radiant soul, a beacon on stage and in life," his family posted on Instagram.
A campaign to inoculate children in Gaza against polio and prevent the spread of the virus has begun, the Health Ministry said Saturday, as Palestinians in the Hamas-governed enclave and the occupied West Bank reeled from Israel's military offensives. A small number of children in Gaza received doses a day before the large-scale vaccine rollout and planned pause in fighting agreed to by Israel and the UN World Health Organization, the AP reports. "There must be a ceasefire so that the teams can reach everyone targeted by this campaign," said Dr. Yousef Abu Al-Rish, Gaza's deputy health minister, describing scenes of sewage running through crowded tent camps. Polio is spread through fecal matter.
AP journalists saw about 10 children receiving doses at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis. The Washington Post described the inoculations as a symbolic start to the effort. "I was terrified and waiting for the vaccination to arrive and for everyone to receive it," said Amal Shaheen, whose daughter received a dose. In its first statement on the campaign, Israel said the vaccination program would continue through Sept. 9 and last eight hours a day. It is expected to pause some operations in Gaza to allow health workers to administer vaccines with the aim of reaching some 640,000 Palestinian children. Most people who contract the disease do not experience symptoms, and those who do usually recover in a week or so. But there is no cure.
(More Israel-Hamas war stories.)
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com
Email: editor@newsofbahrain.com
MP Bader Saleh Al Tamimi has expressed his sincere gratitude to Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, Ms Amina bint Ahmed Al Rumaihi, and Minister of Municipalities and Agriculture Affairs, Eng. Wael bin Nasser Al Mubarak, for issuing a decision to implement new building regulations in residential areas.
Al Tamimi, who proposed the amendment to the building regulations in the first session of the current legislative term, stated that his proposal was approved by the Council of Representatives in May 2023 and subsequently submitted to the government.
He emphasised that his proposal was based on a thorough feasibility study, taking into account the public interest and the well-being of citizens.
The implementation of these new regulations is expected to significantly reduce building violations, with Al Tamimi claiming a 90% decrease in violations and related legal cases filed by municipalities against homeowners.
Al Tamimi explained that these regulations are the result of extensive work and collaboration between past and present municipal councils. They aim to facilitate reconciliation between citizens and relevant authorities, streamlining procedures and easing the burden on homeowners.
The new regulations will also allow for the expansion of housing units, addressing the current widespread issue of building violations.
Al Tamimi commended the collaborative efforts between the legislative and executive branches, highlighting their effective coordination in implementing policies and legislation that benefit both the nation and its citizens.
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com
Email: editor@newsofbahrain.com
Bahrain is taking a proactive approach to regulating artificial intelligence (AI) with a new proposed law that aims to establish a comprehensive legal framework for the emerging technology. Ali Al Shahabi, a member of the Shura Council and Vice-President of its Human Rights Committee, highlighted the importance of this legislation in a recent interview with our sister newspaper Alayam.
Al Shahabi stressed the need for swift action in this rapidly evolving field, noting that many countries lack the necessary legal frameworks to govern AI effectively. He believes that countries that successfully implement comprehensive AI regulations, safeguarding all stakeholders from developers and programmers to companies and end-users will be at the forefront of attracting AI companies and talent. This is precisely the goal of the proposed law, which has been approved by the Shura Council and is now being sent to the executive branch for consideration.
The proposed law advocates for the establishment of a dedicated unit to oversee AI development, protect investors, and ensure the safety of individuals. It also outlines specific guidelines and requirements to minimize exploitation and offer comprehensive protection to all users.
Al Shahabi highlighted the Shura Council's commitment to enacting further legislation to safeguard children from technological exploitation. This includes utilising AI technologies to protect children through intelligent monitoring systems that can detect suspicious behavior.
Addressing Concerns about Job Displacement
The interview also addressed concerns about the potential impact of AI on the workforce. Al Shahabi acknowledged that many citizens and residents are apprehensive about the introduction of AI, fearing that it could eventually replace human workers in certain jobs. He reassured the public that AI will not eliminate human roles entirely but will instead transform the nature of jobs and work processes. He emphasised the importance of continuous skill development and improvement to adapt to the changing landscape and leverage AI to enhance services, efficiency, and productivity.
Moreover, The proposed law recognises the importance of human involvement in decision-making and prohibits AI from replacing humans in this critical area. Al Shahabi explained that the law safeguards the continued relevance of human workers by ensuring that AI remains a tool to enhance, rather than replace, human capabilities.
Ensuring Responsible AI Development
Furthermore, Al Shahabi also delved into the crucial aspect of monitoring AI developers and programmers to prevent the development of potentially harmful robots and technologies. The Shura Council member underscored that the proposed law addresses this concern by establishing a dedicated AI unit with specific responsibilities, including oversight of AI systems, collaboration with relevant authorities, and the requirement for developers and users to report any incidents, violations, or breaches.
The law empowers the AI unit with the authority to investigate, gather evidence, and take action against violations, ensuring a robust framework for responsible AI development. The proposed law also includes provisions for licensing AI development activities, prohibiting unlicensed operations and outlining clear procedures for obtaining licenses.
Protecting Children in the Digital Age
Additionally, the interview explored the potential of AI to protect children from online dangers. Al Shahabi highlighted the ability of AI to filter harmful content, including violence and hate speech, thus creating a safer online environment for children. He stressed the capability of AI to detect harmful behaviors through intelligent monitoring of online interactions, identifying potential bullying and sexual exploitation attempts.
He stressed the importance of clear legislation to minimize online risks for children and ensure a safe online environment for them. He pointed out that the proposed law will include provisions to address these concerns, utilizing AI to create a safer online experience for children.
Key Features of the Proposed Law:
* *Regulation of AI Technologies:* The law aims to regulate the use of AI, ensuring responsible development and deployment.
* *Protection of Privacy:* The law prioritises protecting individuals' privacy and safeguarding them from potential risks associated with AI.
* *Human Rights Preservation:* The law emphasises upholding fundamental human rights and personal security for all citizens and residents.
* *Encouraging Innovation:* The law aims to foster investment and innovation in the AI sector by creating a favorable environment for developers and companies.
* *Prohibition of Harmful AI Applications:* The law prohibits the use of AI for dangerous purposes that are difficult to control, including the deployment of uncontrolled robots and autonomous systems.
* *Safeguarding Human Roles:* The law recognises the importance of human involvement in decision-making and prohibits AI from replacing humans in this critical area.
* *Monitoring and Oversight:* The law establishes a dedicated AI unit with specific responsibilities for oversight, investigation, and enforcement, ensuring responsible development and deployment of AI.
* *Protecting Children:* The law includes provisions to use AI to protect children from online dangers, including filtering harmful content and detecting suspicious behavior.
AI's Potential Impact on Bahrain
Al Shahabi believes that Bahrain is well-positioned to leverage AI for significant advancements across various sectors. He anticipates transformative changes in finance, banking, logistics, transportation, healthcare, cybersecurity, tourism, and government services.
Juncao expert Chen Kehua (L) and a local technician check bags of mycelium at Central African Institute of Agronomic Research in Bangui, the Central African Republic, Feb. 6, 2024. Since the 1980s, Lin Zhanxi, a professor of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, has led a research team on Juncao technology in China's southeastern Fujian Province.
Juncao 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.
Since the 1990s, China has shared the technology with over 100 countries by opening training classes and conducting on-site demonstrations.
By now, Juncao technology has taken root in more than 40 African countries, helping African farmers combat poverty and promoting cooperation between China and Africa. (Xinhua/Han Xu)
Nyambo Obed checks mushroom tubes at his workshop in Muhanga District, Southern Province, Rwanda, on Aug. 14, 2024. Nyambo Obed has been to China twice for Juncao technology training. Since the 1980s, Lin Zhanxi, a professor of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, has led a research team on Juncao technology in China's southeastern Fujian Province.
Juncao 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.
Since the 1990s, China has shared the technology with over 100 countries by opening training classes and conducting on-site demonstrations.
By now, Juncao technology has taken root in more than 40 African countries, helping African farmers combat poverty and promoting cooperation between China and Africa. (Xinhua/Han Xu)
Lin Zhanxi lectures Juncao technology to participants of a training class at the China-Rwanda Agriculture Technology Demonstration Center in Huye District, Southern Province, Rwanda, on Aug. 4, 2024. Since the 1980s, Lin Zhanxi, a professor of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, has led a research team on Juncao technology in China's southeastern Fujian Province.
Juncao 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.
Since the 1990s, China has shared the technology with over 100 countries by opening training classes and conducting on-site demonstrations.
By now, Juncao technology has taken root in more than 40 African countries, helping African farmers combat poverty and promoting cooperation between China and Africa. (Photo by Huang Wanqing/Xinhua)
A drone photo shows Juncao grass field in Beidou Village of Yongtai County in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Aug. 21, 2024. Since the 1980s, Lin Zhanxi, a professor of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, has led a research team on Juncao technology in China's southeastern Fujian Province.
Juncao 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.
Since the 1990s, China has shared the technology with over 100 countries by opening training classes and conducting on-site demonstrations.
By now, Juncao technology has taken root in more than 40 African countries, helping African farmers combat poverty and promoting cooperation between China and Africa. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)
Fatime Abba Rekya checks bags of mycelium in Damara, the Central African Republic, Feb. 6, 2024. Fatime Abba Rekya learns Juncao technology on a training class in Bangui in 2022. Since the 1980s, Lin Zhanxi, a professor of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, has led a research team on Juncao technology in China's southeastern Fujian Province.
Juncao 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.
Since the 1990s, China has shared the technology with over 100 countries by opening training classes and conducting on-site demonstrations.
By now, Juncao technology has taken root in more than 40 African countries, helping African farmers combat poverty and promoting cooperation between China and Africa. (Xinhua/Han Xu)
A farmer carries freshly harvested mushrooms out of a mushroom shed in Huye District, Southern Province, Rwanda, on Aug. 14, 2024. Since the 1980s, Lin Zhanxi, a professor of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, has led a research team on Juncao technology in China's southeastern Fujian Province.
Juncao 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.
Since the 1990s, China has shared the technology with over 100 countries by opening training classes and conducting on-site demonstrations.
By now, Juncao technology has taken root in more than 40 African countries, helping African farmers combat poverty and promoting cooperation between China and Africa. (Xinhua/Han Xu)
Fatime Abba Rekya is pictured at an edible mushroom cultivation workshop she established in Damara, the Central African Republic, Feb. 6, 2024. Fatime Abba Rekya learns Juncao technology on a training class in Bangui in 2022. Since the 1980s, Lin Zhanxi, a professor of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, has led a research team on Juncao technology in China's southeastern Fujian Province.
Juncao 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.
Since the 1990s, China has shared the technology with over 100 countries by opening training classes and conducting on-site demonstrations.
By now, Juncao technology has taken root in more than 40 African countries, helping African farmers combat poverty and promoting cooperation between China and Africa. (Xinhua/Han Xu)
Lin Zhanxi (R) introduces Juncao technology to Rwandan students at Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Aug. 26, 2024. Since the 1980s, Lin Zhanxi, a professor of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, has led a research team on Juncao technology in China's southeastern Fujian Province.
Juncao 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.
Since the 1990s, China has shared the technology with over 100 countries by opening training classes and conducting on-site demonstrations.
By now, Juncao technology has taken root in more than 40 African countries, helping African farmers combat poverty and promoting cooperation between China and Africa. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)
This photo taken on Aug. 15, 2024 shows a view of Juncao grass field in Huye District, Southern Province, Rwanda. Since the 1980s, Lin Zhanxi, a professor of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, has led a research team on Juncao technology in China's southeastern Fujian Province.
Juncao 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.
Since the 1990s, China has shared the technology with over 100 countries by opening training classes and conducting on-site demonstrations.
By now, Juncao technology has taken root in more than 40 African countries, helping African farmers combat poverty and promoting cooperation between China and Africa. (Xinhua/Han Xu)
A worker cuts Juncao grass in Beidou Village of Yongtai County in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Aug. 21, 2024. Since the 1980s, Lin Zhanxi, a professor of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, has led a research team on Juncao technology in China's southeastern Fujian Province.
Juncao 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.
Since the 1990s, China has shared the technology with over 100 countries by opening training classes and conducting on-site demonstrations.
By now, Juncao technology has taken root in more than 40 African countries, helping African farmers combat poverty and promoting cooperation between China and Africa. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)
Sheep eat Juncao grass in Beidou Village of Yongtai County in Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, Aug. 21, 2024. Since the 1980s, Lin Zhanxi, a professor of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, has led a research team on Juncao technology in China's southeastern Fujian Province.
Juncao 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.
Since the 1990s, China has shared the technology with over 100 countries by opening training classes and conducting on-site demonstrations.
By now, Juncao technology has taken root in more than 40 African countries, helping African farmers combat poverty and promoting cooperation between China and Africa. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan)
TDT | Manama
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Email: editor@newsofbahrain.com
The RAK Art Foundation inaugurated its art exhibition at QGallery in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, showcasing the works of 20 Bahraini artists. The event drew a large number of Azerbaijani art enthusiasts and was attended by Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation; Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation; and Farkhad Khalilov, Chairman of the Union of Artists of Azerbaijan.
The exhibition, running until the end of September, features nearly 50 artworks from various generations and art schools within the Rashid Al Khalifa Art Foundations holdings. It is part of a broader initiative that includes educational programmes and an artistic exchange announced in May between the Foundation and the Azerbaijan State Academy of Art.
Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, President of the RAK Art Foundation, highlighted the significance of the exhibition in promoting Bahraini art and cultural relations between Bahrain and Azerbaijan. He expressed his gratitude to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for their continued support of Bahrain's cultural scene. He also noted that the exhibition serves to strengthen Bahrains position on the international art scene and fosters cultural communication through the universal language of art.
Shaikh Rashid announced plans for future cultural exchanges, including the possibility of hosting an exhibition of Azerbaijani artists in Bahrain next year and establishing art residency programmes to further develop cultural ties between the two countries.
Emin Mammadov, Founder of QGallery, praised the collaboration with Shaikh Rashid and the RAK Art Foundation, emphasising the role of art in fostering international friendships and cultural understanding. He expressed enthusiasm for continuing the partnership and exploring further opportunities for cultural exchange between Bahrain and Azerbaijan.
Participating Bahraini artists, including Abbas Al Mosawi, Ghada Khunji, and Hala Al Khalifa, among others, commended the RAK Art Foundations efforts to promote Bahraini visual art on the international stage and to facilitate cultural communication globally.
The RAK Art Foundation, a non-profit organisation, is dedicated to supporting artists worldwide and promoting international collaborations through exhibitions and other cultural initiatives. The Foundation aims to engage communities, educate the public, and foster critical thinking and social dialogue through the arts.
A Xiaomi SU7 car is on display during Chengdu Motor Show 2024 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. The Chengdu Motor Show 2024 kicked off here on Friday. Nearly 130 Chinese and foreign car companies made appearance during the motor show, with more than 1,600 vehicles on display. (Xinhua/Tang Wenhao)
A BYD Seal 06GT electric car is on display during Chengdu Motor Show 2024 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. The Chengdu Motor Show 2024 kicked off here on Friday. Nearly 130 Chinese and foreign car companies made appearance during the motor show, with more than 1,600 vehicles on display. (Xinhua/Tang Wenhao)
People visit Chengdu Motor Show 2024 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. The Chengdu Motor Show 2024 kicked off here on Friday. Nearly 130 Chinese and foreign car companies made appearance during the motor show, with more than 1,600 vehicles on display. (Xinhua/Tang Wenhao)
A visitor takes photos inside a Hongqi vehicle during Chengdu Motor Show 2024 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. The Chengdu Motor Show 2024 kicked off here on Friday. Nearly 130 Chinese and foreign car companies made appearance during the motor show, with more than 1,600 vehicles on display. (Xinhua/Tang Wenhao)
People visit Chengdu Motor Show 2024 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. The Chengdu Motor Show 2024 kicked off here on Friday. Nearly 130 Chinese and foreign car companies made appearance during the motor show, with more than 1,600 vehicles on display. (Xinhua/Tang Wenhao)
A Yangwang U8 SUV goes through emergency floating test during Chengdu Motor Show 2024 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. The Chengdu Motor Show 2024 kicked off here on Friday. Nearly 130 Chinese and foreign car companies made appearance during the motor show, with more than 1,600 vehicles on display. (Xinhua/Tang Wenhao)
An Xpeng X2 flying car is on display during Chengdu Motor Show 2024 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. The Chengdu Motor Show 2024 kicked off here on Friday. Nearly 130 Chinese and foreign car companies made appearance during the motor show, with more than 1,600 vehicles on display. (Xinhua/Tang Wenhao)
Chinese NEV manufacturer BYD presents MPV Xia during Chengdu Motor Show 2024 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. The Chengdu Motor Show 2024 kicked off here on Friday. Nearly 130 Chinese and foreign car companies made appearance during the motor show, with more than 1,600 vehicles on display. (Xinhua/Tang Wenhao)
A visitors tries a simulated driving device during Chengdu Motor Show 2024 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. The Chengdu Motor Show 2024 kicked off here on Friday. Nearly 130 Chinese and foreign car companies made appearance during the motor show, with more than 1,600 vehicles on display. (Xinhua/Tang Wenhao)
Qilin battery from Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) is on display during Chengdu Motor Show 2024 in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. The Chengdu Motor Show 2024 kicked off here on Friday. Nearly 130 Chinese and foreign car companies made appearance during the motor show, with more than 1,600 vehicles on display. (Xinhua/Tang Wenhao)
For the past few summers, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have entertained people on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, easing themselves on the shoulders and necks of passersby.
The Albino Burmese pythons, owned by Jason Wilson, are now banned from the boardwalk during the summer months after the City Council passed an ordinance banning reptiles from the iconic boardwalk.
Wilson, of Queens, New York, who regularly travels the country with his four snakes, told NJ Advance Media he is fighting the ban, arguing it is written based on uninformed public perception.
A man drowned Thursday afternoon in a lake in Monroe Township in Gloucester County the fourth time a person has drowned in the town his summer, police said.
Thursdays drowning happened at the Cedar Lake Wildlife Management area off Jackson Road, according to a statement from the Monroe Township Police Department.
Officers were called there at 2:10 p.m. and were told that a group of friends had been swimming in the lake. One of them, Rafael Martinez Pascual, a citizen of Mexico who was residing in Pitman, disappeared beneath the surface, the department said.
Rescue workers from numerous agencies responded with divers, a specially-equipped watercraft, a helicopter, and drones in an effort to locate Pascual, investigators said.
Around 5 p.m., his body was pulled from water and he was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.
The area was closed for public access and swimming is prohibited, per Wildlife Management Area regulations, police said.
Thursday marked the fourth drowning in town, with the first happening in the swimming pool of a Woods Road home on May 26, officials said. Two children, ages 11 and 14, were pulled from the water, rushed to the hospital and later died.
The third drowning happened two weeks after that incident in a different backyard swimming pool, police said. In that incident, a toddler drowned, authorities said.
The three children who died in those incidents have not been identified.
The latest drowning is under investigation by the police department and the Gloucester County Prosecutors Office.
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Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
BEIJING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- "The future of China-Africa relations lies in our young people," said Chinese President Xi Jinping while addressing the opening ceremony of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
The development of young people has been high on the agenda of China-Africa cooperation. Many of the initiatives Xi outlined at FOCAC summits were designed to assist them in exploring job opportunities and pursuing better personal development.
At the 2015 FOCAC Johannesburg Summit, he proposed the establishment of regional vocational education centers and capacity-building schools for Africa. Three years later, at the Beijing Summit, he introduced the idea of setting up Luban Workshops on the continent to provide vocational training for more youngsters.
Over the years, these measures have benefited many young African people. Among them is Jamlick Mwangi Kariuki, a 26-year-old Kenyan student pursuing a master's degree in a Beijing-based university.
Kariuki's connection with China started in 2017, when the Chinese-built Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) opened to traffic. The project not only cuts rail travel time between the two cities by half, but also has created about 50,000 jobs for locals, resulting in the training of more than 2,800 high-caliber railway professionals for the country.
Months before the modern railway's opening, Kariuki was enrolled in a China-funded program aimed at boosting the ranks of Kenyan talent for railway management, and moved to Beijing for undergraduate study in civil engineering at Beijing Jiaotong University.
After graduating in 2021, Kariuki went back home to work for the Kenya Railways Corporation as an assistant engineer, contributing to the operation of the SGR. Many of his fellow students in the same program are working for the Kenyan corporation. In his quest for more advanced knowledge, Kariuki returned to China in 2023 to further his studies at the same university in order to become a railway expert.
Feeling grateful for the opportunities they received, representatives of Kenyan students and alumni at the university, including Kariuki, wrote a letter to Xi at the end of 2023, expressing their great pleasure in coming to China to learn more about railway operation and management.
The year 2023 marked the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, as well as the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which was put forward by Xi.
In his reply letter in January this year, Xi said the BRI has turned the ideals of development and revitalization of China and Kenya into reality, and closely linked the well-being of the two peoples, calling the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR a flagship project and a successful example of China-Kenya Belt and Road cooperation.
"I am glad to see that you have bonded with China through this road to happiness. You have witnessed and benefited from China-Kenya and China-Africa friendship and cooperation, and you have helped build and spread the friendly cooperation between China and Kenya and between China and Africa," Xi said in the letter.
He went on to add that the blueprints of the BRI and the China-Kenya comprehensive strategic partnership demand the involvement of more ambitious and capable young individuals like them to ensure successful realization.
Inspired by Xi's words, Kariuki said he will continue working hard to contribute to the two countries' cooperation and common development.
Xi values both the inheritance of traditional China-Africa friendship and the cultural exchanges between Chinese and African youth. During his visit to South Africa in March 2013, he witnessed the signing of an agreement between China and South Africa on jointly establishing the Confucius Institute at Durban University of Technology. In ten years since its establishment, the institute trained about 10,000 students.
In 2023, 50 faculty members and students from the institute in Durban wrote a joint letter to Xi, sharing their experiences and thanking Xi and the Chinese government for providing more opportunities for African youth to pursue their dreams.
In his reply letter, Xi encouraged them to visit China more often, and develop a deeper understanding of China while having a good command of the Chinese language to contribute to promoting China-Africa friendship and cooperation.
When addressing the 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit, Xi expressed his confidence that the baton of China-Africa friendship would be passed from one generation to the next and that China and Africa, working together, would build an even more vibrant community with a shared future.
Sunday marks the first day where it will be illegal to slip a plastic fork or spoon into a takeout bag unless the customer specifically requests one.
The law, known widely as Skip the Stuff, is intended to decrease waste associated with single use plastics. The city council passed the ordinance in June, and it takes effect Sept. 1.
Im thrilled to see the Skip the Stuff ordinance, which I spearheaded alongside my council colleagues (Councilwomen Jen) Giattino and (Emily)Jabbour, finally come to life, said Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher. This initiative represents a win-win for our community, reducing plastic waste while also saving our local businesses money.
In May, when Fisher prepared to introduce the ordinance, she said that it was her own experience with takeout that got her thinking. She had ordered in Chinese food and found herself with a handful of plastic utensils despite having a drawer full of reusable ones in her kitchen.
Jersey City is in the process of passing a similar law specifically about plastic utensils, preventing businesses from giving them out unless customers ask for them. It also would remove plastic straws and stirrers from self-service stands at restaurants, though restaurants could still provide them upon request.
It is headed to a final reading in September.
Ibrahim Abbasi, the owner of the restaurant Ali Baba on Washington Street, said Hobokens new law wont change anything for him because his restaurant has already only been providing utensils to customers who request them.
He estimated that only 10% of customers say they want a fork.
A lot of people dont want to get caught up with too much trash in their drawers in their kitchen and too many utensils not being used, Abbasi said.
Still, he thinks the government should be focusing its energy on other reforms. For example, the fees associated with maintaining outdoor dining at his restaurant prompted him to end his outdoor dining season in August instead of November.
Theres more important things to do so that we can preserve the businesses, Abbasi said.
The Hoboken Business Alliance applauded the citys new law.
This ordinance is putting more sustainable practices in place that will ultimately save businesses unnecessary expenses, said Roxanne Earley, the alliances executive director. Hoboken is an example of how our community efforts to implement more eco-conscious policies can align with shared business and civic goals.
Mayor Ravi Bhalla called it a significant step towards reducing waste and supporting our climate goals.
Apparently, when J.D. Vance is applying his eyeliner every morning, he looks into the mirror and wonders, How can I insult women in a new way today?
The Republican vice presidential nominee who disparaged childless cat ladies and teachers without children, among other offensive comments toward women, has a new hit.
Vance, before Vice President Kamala Harris gave an interview to CNN on Thursday night with running mate Tim Walz, posted a meme of the Miss Teen USA beauty pageant in 2007, when contestant Caitlin Upton struggled answering a question.
Vance in his best impersonation of running mate and insulter-in-chief Donald Trump added the caption: I have gotten a hold of the full Kamala Harris CNN interview.
Upton was widely mocked on social media for her rambling answer under pressure to the extent that she admitted to New York Magazine that she contemplated suicide.
I definitely went through a period where I was very, very depressed, but I never let anybody see that stuff, except for people I could trust, she said. I had some very dark moments where I thought about committing suicide.
Vance, when confronted with those facts in a CNN interview with host John Berman on Friday, said that my heart goes out to her, and I hope that shes doing well, but he added, Im not going to apologize for posting a joke.
Vance one of the most unpopular vice presidential nominees in history, according to polls insisted that there are other things more important than the fragile mental health of a person he derided grocery prices, for instance.
Look, Ive said a lot of things on camera. Ive said a lot of stupid things on camera, he said. Sometimes when youre in the public eye, you make mistakes, and again, I think the best way to deal with it is to laugh at ourselves, laugh at this stuff, and try to have some fun.
I posted a meme from 20 years ago, and I think the fact that were talking about that, instead of the fact that American families cant afford groceries or health care. Young families cant afford to buy a home to raise their families in. Those are the real prices that we should focus on.
He added, And theres nothing that says that we cant tell some jokes along the way while we deal with the very serious business of bringing back our public policy. Politics has gotten way too lame ... way too boring. You can have some fun while making a good argument to the American people about how youre going to improve their lives.
Which begs the question: Has Vance improved Caitlin Uptons life?
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A man at Donald Trumps rally in Johnstown, Pa., stormed into the press area as the former president spoke on Friday but was surrounded by police and sheriffs deputies and eventually subdued with a Taser.
The altercation came moments after Trump criticized major media outlets for what he said was unfavorable coverage and dismissed CNN as fawning for its interview Thursday with his Democratic rival Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz.
The man made it over a bicycle rack ringing the media area, and began climbing the back side of a riser where television reporters and cameras were stationed, according to a video of the incident posted to social media by a reporter for CBS News.
People near him tried to pull him off the riser and were quickly joined by police officers.
CBS News campaign reporter Jake Rosen contradicted the news report: A note of color from in the press pen: our CBS security team today got to the man first to rip him off the riser near our live shot location. Not local police, USSS, or private security at the venue. Another security lapse at a Trump rally, he tweeted.
The crowd cheered as a pack of police led the man away, prompting Trump to declare, Is there anywhere thats more fun to be than a Trump rally?
Trump, who is now trailing in almost every poll, has been lashing out at the media, including the usually friendly Fox News, which has admitted in its recent polling that Trump is lagging behind Harris.
The conservative networks latest polling showed Harris leading in key states Nevada (+2), Arizona (+1) and Georgia (+2). Trump, meanwhile, has a 1-point lead in North Carolina, according to the survey. Trump had led in all of these states until Joe Biden dropped out.
Its that time of year again, Trumps campaign said in a statement. Fox is releasing atrocious polling.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Even though Labor Day is Monday and the end of summer is only about three weeks away, were still more than two months from the end of Daylight Saving Time and turning our clocks back one hour.
Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, when the clock will fall back one hour and, in theory, give us one extra hour of sleep.
The amount of daylight has continued to decrease slightly each day since summer began on June 20.
The amount of daylight continues to diminish each day until Dec. 21 when the winter solstice arrives at 4:19 a.m. Then, the length of days will begin to increase until the summer solstice on June 20, 2025.
The flip side is that the sun will rise approximately one hour earlier each morning after we return to standard time in early November. On Nov. 2, sunrise in New Jersey is at approximately 7:29 a.m. and sunset is at about 5:53 p.m. The next day the sun comes up at 6:30 a.m. but sets at 4:52 p.m..
So, while millions of people will travel home from work mostly or entirely in the dark in November, their morning commute will include more daylight.
Clocks officially fall back at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November to 1 a.m.
Daylight Saving Time 2024: When does Daylight Savings start and end this year?Canva for NJ.com
Daylight Saving Time started on Sunday, March 10, 2024, and will end on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024 a run of 238 days. It has lasted from the second Sunday in March until the first Sunday in November since 2007.
We next turn the clocks ahead on March 9, 2025 126 days after turning them back. Daylight Saving Time in 2025 will end on Nov. 2, 2025.
The concept dates back more than a century when English architect William Willett proposed the idea to change the clocks in 1907 in The Waste of Daylight. The suggestion of using daylight more efficiently can be traced to Benjamin Franklin.
While visiting in Paris in 1784, he wrote a letter to the editors of the Journal of Paris calling for a tax on every Parisian whose windows were shuttered after sunrise to encourage the economy of using sunshine instead of candles, according to Michael Downing, author of Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving Time.
Daylight Saving became widespread in the U.S. when the Uniform Time Act of 1966 was passed. Back then, Daylight Saving ran from the last Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October and states were allowed to opt out.
In 1986, Daylight Saving was changed to run from the first Sunday in April until the final Sunday in October. The most recent revision took effect in 2006 when Energy Policy Act of 2005 revised Daylight Saving from the second Sunday in March until the first Sunday in November.
Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe Daylight Saving Time. The time change is also not observed in U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands. All of Indiana didnt begin observing Daylight Saving until 2006.
Eighteen states have enacted legislation to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. Voters in California have voted to authorize year-round Daylight Saving Time. Those changes, however, require federal approval.
In March 2022, the U.S. Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which would end changing the clocks twice a year. The U.S. House of Representatives didnt take a vote on it, though.
A handful of provinces in Canada most of Saskatchewan and Yukon have adopted permanent daylight saving as have parts of British Columbia and two communities in northwest Ontario.
About 70 countries observe Daylight Saving Time. Most of North America, Europe and parts of South America and New Zealand adhere to it, while China, Japan, India and most other countries do not.
It starts on different dates elsewhere. In Europe, for example, Daylight Saving Time starts the last Sunday in March and ends the final Sunday in October.
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Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.
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New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams has been invited to address a state Senate committee on Sept. 5 to explain his policy of letting people convicted years ago get reduced sentences by pleading guilty to reduced charges. The DA has accepted the invitation.
If youve ever tried to picture Daniel walking into the lions den, tune in to the livestream of the Senate Judiciary C Committee hearing, or watch it later via the legislative archives. It promises to be quite a show, only this time no angel will shut the mouths of the lions. They fully intend to roar, and more.
Williams policy of revisiting old cases that he and others believe were not adjudicated fairly has caught the attention of conservative lawmakers and tough-on-crime state Attorney General Liz Murrill. They express concern about the frequency of Williams supporting defendants requests for post-conviction relief.
Many if not most district attorneys occasionally agree to take another look at past convictions when new evidence suggests that justice was not done. Post-conviction relief is not just legal, its often necessary.
Virtually all post-conviction relief efforts begin with motions by defense attorneys. Those that succeed rely upon established legal bases, and many are not opposed by district attorneys.
Most DAs, however, seldom enter into post-conviction plea deals. As a matter of policy and politics they prefer to burnish their tough-on-crime brands rather than risk looking weak by showing mercy, even when the law and the facts cry out for justice.
Williams, on the other hand, champions post-conviction relief efforts. When he ran for DA in 2020, he promised to establish a civil rights division with the express goal of reckoning with the sins of the past, particularly those dealing with people convicted by non-unanimous juries.
New Orleans voters gave Williams 58% of the vote based on that promise, which he kept. His office has acquiesced in hundreds of post-conviction relief motions that led to reduced sentences and some releases from prison.
Before he won the race for Orleans Parish DA in 2020, Williams had made quite a name for himself and quite a nice living as a criminal defense attorney. As an at-large New Orleans City Council member for seven years, he often sparred with then-DA Leon Cannizzaro over Cannizzaros lock-em-up-and-throw-away-the-key approach to criminal justice.
In the run-up to the DAs race, public opinion had turned so strongly against Cannizzaro for his heavy-handed approach to justice that the two-term DA declined to seek re-election rather than face humiliation at the hands of Williams.
A few months after his term as DA ended, Cannizzaro went to work for then-Attorney General Jeff Landry as Landrys new criminal division chief. He continues in that role under new AG Murrill.
No one can dispute Cannizzaros qualifications for that job. He previously served for years as a respected trial court and appellate judge, as DA for 12 years and as a public defender.
One can, however, speculate as to his, Murrills and now-Gov. Landrys motives for supporting a new law that restricts future post-conviction relief deals. Act 10 of the governors special session on crime imposes strict legal time limits on deals struck years after a conviction and authorizes Murrill to challenge such deals.
The new law took effect Aug. 1. Williams critics say he accelerated post-conviction deals before that date. They add that Williams is an out-of-step DA who needs to be reined in.
Williams responds that hes upholding justice, a legal and ethical mandate for all DAs.
I cannot turn a blind eye when evidence is presented in a court of law to an injustice or violation of the Constitution that must be dealt with, Williams said, adding that New Orleans for decades "had the highest imprisonment rate, the highest wrongful incarceration rate, the highest life-without-parole rate and the highest exoneration rate of any city in the country.
Moreover, theres political danger in treading on district attorneys turf. Most are valuable allies at election time.
State Sen. Jay Morris, chair of the Judiciary C Committee, acknowledged that DAs are concerned about how his committee hearing will play out particularly since many of them have endorsed post-conviction deals themselves, though far less frequently than Williams. That includes Cannizzaro when he was DA.
The general consensus Im getting from a lot of DAs is, Whatever you do, please dont punish us for what Jasons doing, Morris said.
Theres also an open question as to the constitutionality of the new law limiting DAs use of post-conviction relief. The Louisiana Constitution gives district attorneys total discretion in deciding whether, and how severely, to charge defendants.
The Louisiana Supreme Court reinforced that provision in a case involving post-conviction relief last year, stating that a district attorney has absolute discretion to support post-conviction relief when warranted, adding, This broad authority is necessary because a prosecutor's responsibility is as a minister of justice and not simply that of an advocate.
Well see soon enough how the legislative lions feel about that.
GAZA, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Every morning after waking up, Sama Tubail, an 8-year-old Palestinian girl in the Gaza Strip, would hold a broken mirror to check if her hair has grown back.
"It seems that my hair would never return to normal. I'm so sad that I've lost it and become bald," the little girl lamented.
Tubail still had her long hair five months ago. She used to style it out, making her the focus of attention among her friends.
At that time, she loved to play with her friends, which she told Xinhua could help her overcome fear amidst continuous Israeli attacks on the coastal enclave.
Then, out of the blue, her life was turned upside down one day, as the Israeli army attacked a house near her family's tent in Rafah in southern Gaza and forced her family to flee to the Indonesian Field Hospital in the city.
"I woke up over the terrifying sound of the huge explosion near us. Without taking my time to realize what was happening, my father carried me with my sister and ran into the streets, asking my mom to follow him," the girl recalled.
"I heard his racing heartbeats. I was terrified and felt that death was chasing us," she said, her voice cracking. "We arrived at the hospital to hide inside it. We thought that it was a safe place but the army attacked its roof and we spent our night under persistent Israeli attacks."
Luckily, Tubail and her family survived the attack and moved to Khan Younis, another city in southern Gaza, as they thought it would be safer. But explosions did not stop and the little girl feared she would die at any moment.
To not disturb her parents, the child decided not to cry and to keep her fear to herself. And a few days later, Tubail was shocked to witness excessive hair loss when combing her hair. She could bear it no longer and started crying for her mother.
"In three days only, my child lost about 80 percent of her hair. I took her to many doctors for help. All of them told me that her treatment is not available in Gaza," Om Mohammed, Tubail's mother, told Xinhua.
"What sin did my child commit to be punished like this? None of the children have to witness such a catastrophic situation," said the 39-year-old mother of three.
For Om Mohammed, the most difficult part was when her crying daughter came to her and asked her if she got cancer.
"I cannot stand the tears of my daughter. I told her that her hair would return soon. All the time, I tell her that she is the most beautiful girl in this world," the woman said.
Amidst a lack of medical supplies in Gaza due to Israel's ongoing siege on the enclave, there is no treatment available for Tubail locally. Therefore, Om Mohammed appealed for help and hoped her daughter could be sent abroad for treatment.
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.
According to a statement released by Gaza-based health authorities on Saturday, the Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on the enclave has risen to 40,691.
"Unfortunately, children are paying a high price for this war," Amjad Shawa, director of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network in the Gaza Strip, told Xinhua.
"All the children in Gaza have been suffering psychological trauma which negatively affected their health conditions and even their life," Shawa said.
"Some children were infected with various diseases as a result of their psychological trauma and some others, like Tubail, lost their hair, and this is a normal result of the dire conditions they are experiencing now," he said.
Tubail's birthday falls on Oct. 5. For the little girl, one of her biggest wishes is to regrow her hair before her birthday.
"Even if I will not be able to celebrate this year, I wish I can do it next year if the war ends and I can travel for treatment," the girl said.
BEIJING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Beijing, China's first megacity to achieve population reduction, has kept its permanent population below the 23 million cap for six consecutive years since 2017, according to a municipal conference held on Thursday.
According to a report by the research team of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, while Beijing's population remains stable, its distribution is becoming more balanced.
The capital's core functional areas and central urban districts have witnessed constant population declines, while the city's sub-center, new towns, and ecological conservation areas have experienced population growth, according to the report.
The report showed that this shift is creating a more distributed population structure, with the proportion of residents in the six central districts decreasing from 60 percent in 2015 to 50 percent by 2023, while the share of the ten outlying districts increased accordingly.
Beijing also stands out for its high concentration of talent, boasting the highest density of talent in China. Three-quarters of this talent pool are concentrated in the six central districts. Additionally, the city's life expectancy in 2020 reached 82.49 years, which is 4.56 years higher than the national average.
The research team emphasized that Beijing should continue its dual approach of relieving overburdened areas while supporting emerging ones. Coordination between central urban districts and new towns as well as integration within the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is crucial.
Gu Shuzhong, a researcher at the Development Research Center of the State Council, suggested that achieving a balanced distribution of work and residential areas across the city is essential, and the city should orderly relocate municipal universities and state-owned enterprises from central districts to outer areas.
Jenipher Asiimwe speaks at the main forum of the second Tsinghua Global Youth Dialogue held in Tsinghua University in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 29, 2024. (Photo by Bi Shanghong/Xinhua)
BEIJING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Amr Wahba, 31, loves the weather in southern China, calling it "warm and pleasant" compared to the climate in his hometown in Egypt.
Since arriving in Beijing to pursue doctoral study in pharmaceutical science at Tsinghua University last year, Wahba has traveled to various places in China, including Hangzhou city in the Yangtze Delta, where he celebrated the Spring Festival. His most recent trip to Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in August marked his first journey to a northern region outside the Chinese capital.
Wahba's travel opportunity came through the Tsinghua Global Youth Dialogue (TGYD), an intercultural initiative established by Tsinghua in 2023. TGYD invites young people from around the world to participate in tours and forums in China, fostering mutual understanding, promoting cooperation and encouraging engagement in addressing global challenges.
The main forum of the second TGYD took place on Aug. 29 and 30 at the Tsinghua campus, featuring two days of keynote speeches and discussions after the participants completed their tours to different parts of China earlier in the month.
Beginning their journey with a four-day visit to Shanghai on Aug. 19, 100 young participants, which include students, researchers and entrepreneurs from 35 countries, were later divided into three groups to explore southwestern province of Guizhou, eastern province of Zhejiang, and Inner Mongolia in the north.
In Inner Mongolia, Wahba was inspired by the solutions to desertification in Ordos, a city with approximately one-sixth of China's proven coal reserves, which, however, is shifting towards green economic development. He said it reminded him of similar efforts in Egypt, where over 90 percent of the land is desert.
"When they are changing the desert to become more green, they are thinking about adding more traditional medicine," he said, referring to the various herbs planted to combat sand encroachment, including some placed beneath solar panels in the desert.
Wahba, whose brother works in Egypt's new energy sector and is eager to explore potential collaboration with China, finally saw the widely used photovoltaic equipment he had heard about before.
According to statistics from the Ordos government, the value added in the city's wind and photovoltaic equipment manufacturing sectors experienced a 5.6-fold increase year on year in the first half of this year.
"Transferring the technology (related to new energy) will be very helpful for us," Wahba said, adding that the trip to Inner Mongolia served as a very useful experience for him.
According to Zhang Runzhou, deputy director of the Center for Global Competence Development at Tsinghua University, the TGYD tours have allowed young people to witness firsthand China's efforts in poverty alleviation, building a harmonious society and advancing green development.
Jenipher Asiimwe, a master's student majoring in film and television production at the Communication University of China, echoed Zhang's views. She said she was deeply impressed by her tour to Zhejiang, a province that was once part of ancient China's fertile Jiangnan region and is now a major innovation powerhouse.
Asiimwe, who hails from Uganda and has worked as a journalist in Africa for many years, highlighted the inclusiveness of innovation and the abundant opportunities for young people that she observed during her visits to science parks, technology companies, ancient towns, and a prosperous village known for its economic development success.
"Instead of looking for white-collar jobs, which is one of the norms of most African youth, what I've learned from here is that after graduating from university, you don't need to be employed by someone, you can create your own company and employ fellow youths in those companies," she said.
Asiimwe noted that she expects to see more cooperation between China and Africa, not just in infrastructure -- where Ugandans have already benefited from several projects -- but also in the digital economy, media and communication, and people-to-people exchanges.
"Let more young people come and experience what the real China is. I've already experienced it and now know the real China, not what we read on the internet," she said.
"Civilization flourishes through exchange and mutual learning," said Shi Zongkai, deputy chairperson of the University Council of Tsinghua University, at the opening ceremony of the TGYD main forum.
"We aim to create a global network for youth cooperation and communication, a community encouraging more profound interactions and collaborations and leading to a safer, more prosperous, and peaceful coexistence for humanity," he added.
For Hashim Amir Bashir, a 25-year-old Nigerian graduate of Beijing-based Beihang University, the significance of such an exchange opportunity is "huge" because it gives an opportunity to sit together, talk, and realize that people from across the world can work collaboratively.
This year, Bashir launched his business in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) with Chinese partners. During his visits to Shanghai and Zhejiang, the young entrepreneur felt "excited" and "motivated" by visiting technology companies, which deepened his understanding of entrepreneurship in China.
"It also proved to me that China is willing to help international people to come and start up their businesses, and also help them at the same time to connect with the rest of the world," he said.
Bashir plans to encourage more African youth to work and engage in entrepreneurship in China. He said he hopes that the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, scheduled for Sept. 4 to 6, will foster greater consensus on cooperation, including increased people-to-people exchanges.
He noted that Africa is one of China's key partners and vice versa, expressing optimism about achieving significant milestones and enhancing their relationship in the future.
Amr Wahba speaks at the main forum of the second Tsinghua Global Youth Dialogue held in Tsinghua University in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 29, 2024. (Photo by Bi Shanghong/Xinhua)
Participants of the second Tsinghua Global Youth Dialogue watch a robot performance in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, Aug. 25, 2024. (Tsinghua University/Handout via Xinhua)
United States Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, helped the Michigan City Police Department land a $180,000 federal grant for new technology, his office announced.
Mrvan requested Federal Community Project Funding for the Michigan City Police Department. The funding program was created when Congress approved the 2024 budget. The funding will go mainly toward license plate readers for the department.
"We appreciate Congressman Mrvans commitment to public health and safety in Michigan City. This grant will allow us to continue improving our use of technology and keeping our community and residents safe. Thank you so much," Michigan City Mayor Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch said in the news release announcing the funding.
The $180,000 is intended mainly for purchase of the license plate readers officers use when on patrol to scan for criminals, traffic violators and drivers with open warrants out for their arrest.
Congratulations to Mayor Nelson Deuitch and all of the leaders with the Michigan City Police Department on the success of this collaborative effort to ensure law enforcement officers have the technology and equipment they need to keep our communities safe,"
I would like to thank Congressman Mrvan for supporting the crime fighting efforts of the Michigan City Police Department. The federal funding from this grant will provide upgraded technology in the form of automated license plate readers, which will allow MCPD to continue to better serve and protect the community," Michigan City Police Chief Marty Corley said.
A south suburban Dolton man hit an Illinois State Police trooper who was investigating another crash on Interstate 94 in Chicago.
The crash took place on the South Side at around 2:20 a.m. Saturday. It was the 17th crash of the year violating the Move Over Law that requires motorists to move over for police and other vehicles on the side of the road, police said.
The trooper was parked in lane one on I-94 southbound near 111th Street in Chicago. The trooper was inside the squad car with the emergency lights activated after pulling over to investigate the traffic accident.
An Audi hit the rear of the squad car, which required the trooper to be taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Audi driver Samuel Oatis III, a 47-year-old Dolton resident and his passenger also were taken to a hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Police cited Oatis for failure to yield to stationary emergency vehicle, following too closely and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.
So far this year, eight Illinois State Troopers have been injured in Move Over Law-related crashes, the state police said.
Last year, 13 troopers were injured in 25 Move Over Law-related crashes in Illinois.
The Move Over Law, also known as Scott's Law, mandates that drivers pull over or slow does if that's not possible when emergency vehicles are on the side of the road.
Violations can result in fines of $250 to $10,000. In the case of injury, the driver's license will be suspended for between six months and two years.
NWI Business Ins and Outs: Zombie dodgeball, Public Bar & Rec, Tavern on the Lake, Sweat 219, PhysioPoint and another Crumbl Cookies opening; Munster Train Depot closes Coming soon Coming soon Closed End of line Coming soon Coming soon Grand opening Coming soon Coming soon Coming soon
Pennsylvanias two most populous counties cannot throw out otherwise timely and eligible mail-in ballots because they are undated or do not have the correct date on the outer envelope, a state court ruled on Friday.
The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, siding with voter advocacy groups, found that tossing ballots because they did not comport with a 2019 law requiring voters to date and sign the outer envelope would violate a State Constitution clause guaranteeing free and equal elections and pose a substantial threat of disenfranchisement.
The ruling could play a critical role in November in the battleground state, which polls now show to be a tossup between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald J. Trump. Election officials disqualified nearly 16,000 mail-in ballots for irregularities during Aprils primary election. Almost half were disqualified because of issues like missing signatures and wrong dates on outer envelopes.
The ruling applies only to Philadelphia and Allegheny Counties. Whether it will extend across the state will most likely depend on county officials and guidance from the office of the secretary of the commonwealth, who leads Pennsylvanias Department of State.
The Georgia election workers defamed by Rudolph W. Giuliani in the aftermath of the 2020 election filed a civil suit against him on Friday, accusing him of trying to keep his multimillion-dollar condominium in Florida out of their reach in debt collection.
Mr. Giuliani, the onetime personal lawyer to former President Donald J. Trump, filed for bankruptcy last year after a federal jury determined he should pay the two election workers, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, $148 million for spreading lies about them as part of his efforts to help Mr. Trump stay in office.
A New York bankruptcy judge dismissed Mr. Giulianis case last month because of his failure to comply with basic court requirements.
Mr. Giuliani signed an affidavit on July 13 stating that his Florida residence was his primary home, and therefore not eligible to be seized by his creditors under Florida law. But that is not enough under Florida law to establish primary residency.
Press Release
August 30, 2024 ZUBIRI: PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENTS IN TOURISM, POWER CAN BOOST PH COMPETITIVENESS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA The country's tourism sector will greatly benefit from private sector investments in the areas of infrastructure and public services that will enable the country to capture a larger market of foreign tourists that are all flocking to our Southeast Asian neighbors. This is according to former Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri, also the chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, during the panel's hearing on Senate Resolution No. 1121, or the inquiry into the economic impact of poor and inadequate infrastructure, frequent power outages, and insufficient water supply on the tourism sector. "Talo naman natin ang mga beach at ang mga tanawin ng mga kapitbahay natin dito sa Southeast Asia," Zubiri said. "Pero talong-talo nila tayo sa mga airport, sa power supply, sa public transport, at sa connectivity. Kaya napag-iiwanan pa rin tayo, kahit mas maganda naman talaga dito sa Pilipinas," he added. In 2023, Thailand had the best tourism economy in Southeast Asia, receiving 28 million foreign arrivals. This was followed by Malaysia with 20 million, Singapore with 13.6 million, Vietnam with 12.6 million, Indonesia with 11.7 million, and Cambodia 5.5 million. The Philippines, meanwhile, welcomed only 5.4 million foreign visitors. "Tourism is the low-lying fruit that can help us increase our GDP growth once we get our acts together," he pointed out. "The market is there, the natural resources are there. We just have to invest in our tourism infrastructure." Zubiri stressed that the government must partner with the private sector to build the necessary infrastructure for key and rising tourism areas, particularly in terms of developing energy generation, transmission and distribution facilities. "Walang papasok na investors sa mga tourist destinations natin kung napakataas ng presyo ng kuryente, o kung hindi kaya ng power supply ng mga electric cooperatives ang power demand nila," he added. "Kung makapasok man sila, sa mga turista at residente naman mismo babagsak ang napakataas na power costs, at ayaw rin natin 'yan," Zubiri continued. In his conversations with regional stakeholders, the cost and the supply of power emerged as a common deterrent to tourism development, especially for off-grid island destinations. "We were able to solve this power problem for Boracay, and we need to do it for other tourist areas as well," he said. "We can look at renewable energy as a more sustainable, more reliable, and more cost-effective solution." On top of inefficiencies in infrastructure and power supply, Zubiri pointed out that the lack of direct international flights to our tourist destinations inhibits potential visitors from traveling here, pushing them to go to more easily accessible destinations in our neighboring countries instead. In response to the web of problems plaguing the tourism sector, Zubiri is pushing for the formation of a tourism cabinet cluster that will oversee inter-agency efforts to improve infrastructure and public services in the sector.
China has made substantial strides in protecting the water ecology of key river basins, with national water-quality continuing to improve in the first half of this year, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) on Friday. #XinhuaNews
The last few months have felt like a political thriller, an epic co-written by Shakespeare and Clancy with a wash of the cacophonous political jostling captured so deftly by Richard Ben Cramer.
And since it is now the last day (observed) of our stranger-than-fiction summer, I want to linger for just a moment on the books you turn to to make sense of it all.
Earlier this week, I asked you to tell me about your favorite books about politics. I urged you to think broadly about fiction and nonfiction no need for lab-grown political memoir here and nearly 1,000 of you obliged before we closed our submissions. I read every single one. You came up with new reasons to read classics and drew out the politics in romance and fantasy books.
And, yes, some of you even submitted your own work for consideration.
The selection that follows is not supposed to be exhaustive. It does not include my recent favorite (Muriel Sparks The Abbess of Crewe, which is basically Watergate but with nuns), because no one suggested it. But it is a list of books youre turning to for clarity and perspective on how we got to our current political moment, and what it means.
Sagar Radia calls Rishi Ramdani, the take-no-prisoners market maker he plays on the HBO finance drama Industry, a walking red flag.
Hes an alpha male, he leads with his chest out, Radia said. And hes the epitome of bravado, which is so fascinating, because for someone like myself who comes from a British South Asian background as an actor, we dont get the chance to play those types of roles.
He added: Unless your name is Riz Ahmed or Dev Patel, everything in between is so limited.
So when Radia, 37, was told that he would be getting a stand-alone episode in Season 3, which started last month, he thought it was a lovely idea but didnt expect it to happen. And yet it did.
He recalled reading the script for the fourth episode, in which Rishis life spirals into chaos as he tries to extract himself from snowballing debt, and thinking, I need to do everything I can to make them feel like they made the right choice.
For decades, farmers across America have been encouraged by the federal government to spread municipal sewage on millions of acres of farmland as fertilizer. It was rich in nutrients, and it helped keep the sludge out of landfills.
But a growing body of research shows that this black sludge, made from the sewage that flows from homes and factories, can contain heavy concentrations of chemicals thought to increase the risk of certain types of cancer and to cause birth defects and developmental delays in children.
Known as forever chemicals because of their longevity, these toxic contaminants are now being detected, sometimes at high levels, on farmland across the country, including in Texas, Maine, Michigan, New York and Tennessee. In some cases the chemicals are suspected of sickening or killing livestock and are turning up in produce. Farmers are beginning to fear for their own health.
The national scale of farmland contamination by these chemicals which are used in everything from microwave popcorn bags and firefighting gear to nonstick pans and stain-resistant carpets is only now starting to become apparent. There are now lawsuits against providers of the fertilizer, as well as against the Environmental Protection Agency, alleging that the agency failed to regulate the chemicals, known as PFAS.
A judge dismissed a lawsuit on Friday that sought to ban smoking in Atlantic City, N.J., casinos, a blow to workers who argued that a loophole exempting the establishments from a statewide ban on indoor smoking forced them to work in a poisonous environment. The exemption, the judge said, did not keep workers from pursuing employment in smoke-free environments.
In his ruling, the judge, Patrick J. Bartels, said the exemption in the states Smoke-Free Air Act passed in 2006 by New Jersey legislators who cited health risks from secondhand smoke did not intrude upon a persons right to pursue safety under the states Constitution, because the exemption applied to only a few industries.
Mark Giannantonio, the president of the Casino Association of New Jersey, said on Saturday his organization was gratified by the courts decision.
We look forward to continuing to work with stakeholders towards a solution that addresses the health concerns of our employees, while also protecting the collective interest and well-being of the entire Atlantic City work force, he said.
This is death row. And this man doesnt have long to live. I havent seen him in more than 20 years. Good morning, Robert. Good morning to you, Brian. Brian or Mr. Wharton? Brians fine. OK. Let me just say, I am so sorry that youre here and so sorry that you are still here. Yes, sir. Its our failure. Yes, sir. It truly is. But hes never been far from my mind. Why? Because I helped put him here, and he didnt deserve it. In 2002, I was the chief detective in the police department in Palestine, Texas. A 2-year-old girl was fighting for her life. Her name was Nikki. She had been brought to the hospital by her father, Robert Roberson. Roberson told staff they were sleeping in their Palestine home when he woke up and saw Nikki unresponsive, having fallen off the bed. When I got to the hospital, Robert wasnt showing any emotion. His daughter is dying, but he doesnt seem to care. The medical staff were talking to me about shaken baby syndrome. Thats when an infant is killed or injured after being violently shaken. Nikki would die the following day. If she died of shaken baby syndrome, then there was only one person who could be responsible. So we arrested Robert. He was tried, convicted of murder and sent to death row. That was two decades ago. Since then, I have left police work and entered the ministry. But Ive never been able to forget Robert Roberson. This case has been a burden on my heart and my spirit. Let me just say that you have never been far from me. And Im convinced we did the wrong thing. I think if it would have been properly investigated more, we wouldnt be here sitting here now, probably. No other possibilities for her injury were considered. I regret deeply that we followed the easiest path. It was bad enough being losing her, right? Yes, sir. I would do anything, anything now to bring her back, I would occasionally check this website to track his status. When Id see his name, Im thinking to myself, Good. Somebodys still working with him through the appeals process. An appeal has got to straighten this out, find the truth. I tried to move on. I would comfort myself and say, Look, the system did what the system does. Hes got an attorney. He got his Miranda warnings. We went by the book. Hes where hes supposed to be. But several years ago, someone appeared at my door. It was Roberts attorney. And I told her, Ive been expecting you. Sadly, I guess it took her appearing at my front door for me to find my voice again. I now understand that Robert did, in fact, have autism. Its hard for me to express myself certain things and stuff. I had lots of things I was going to talk to you about. But sometimes, you get wordless wordless and stuff. I understand, yeah. Autism would explain Roberts flat affect and lack of emotion in the hospital. Its absolutely insane that this never came up in his trial. Ive now come to understand that Nikki was a very sick child and that some of those medical issues could have very easily played into the injuries that ultimately killed her. And shaken baby syndrome, its been substantially discredited by many in the medical community. Not only is there reasonable doubt that Robert did do it, there is unassailable doubt that Robert did do it. But for us at the time, we really felt like we were doing the right thing. Yes, sir. What do you want to say to me me and the folks that helped put you here? Id like to let you all know, Ill forgive yall and stuff. Forgive yall and stuff. And I just hope and pray that we can make things right together. Yeah, I hope so, too. And I appreciate your forgiveness. It means a lot to me. We as human beings are incapable of producing the kind of fairness and justice required to take someones life. We cant do it. And since we cant do it every time in the same way, justly and fairly, then we dont need to be doing it at all in the United States and certainly in the great state of Texas. We need to abolish the death penalty. And thank you, Brian. Im praying for you, brother. Im praying for you, too, brother. Humans are too fallible to do this fairly. We make mistakes. I made a big mistake. Its a weight I will carry for the rest of my life.
If the goal of the CNN interview with Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota was to relitigate the campaign controversies of the last month to get the candidates to talk about the major narratives of the election so far then it was a rousing success. Harris easily dispatched questions about her identity and gave a strong defense of President Bidens record. Walz, likewise, made short work of the charge that he had misled the public when he spoke about using one fertility treatment when it was actually another, similar treatment.
But if the goal was to learn something about a prospective President Harris to gain insight into how she might make decisions, order priorities and approach the job of chief executive then I think the interview was not a success. Not so much for Harris or the viewing public.
It might be interesting to journalists to know how Harris explains her changing views from 2019, when she ran for the Democratic nomination, to now, when she is the nominee. But it is not at all clear to me that it is interesting to viewers, who may be less concerned with how she deals with the question and more concerned with the actual substance of what she wants to do as president. A soft-focus question about a photograph, however iconic, seems less valuable than a question about Harriss view of the presidency now that shes spent almost four years in the passengers seat as vice president.
Speaking for myself, I am less interested in hearing candidates navigate controversies or speak to narratives than I am in hearing them talk, for lack of a better term, about their theory of the office. How does a candidate for president conceptualize the presidency? What would she prioritize in office and how would she handle an endless onslaught of crises and issues that may, or may not, demand her attention? How does she imagine her relationship with Congress and how would she try to achieve her goals in the face of an opposition legislature? How does she imagine her relationship with the public and what value does she place on communication and the bully pulpit? Are there presidents she most admires and why? Are there presidential accomplishments that stand out and how so? What are the worst mistakes a president can make? Why do you want this job in the first place?
When Kamala Harris took the stage in Chicago last week, she spoke of her trailblazer mother and her encouraging father Dont let anything stop you. She told of how the sexual abuse of her best friend led her to become a prosecutor. She encouraged people to imagine abortion rights being restored under a Harris presidency. What she did not do, as she described her unlikely journey, was state the obvious and that silence spoke volumes.
As the first Black woman and first South Asian to receive a major party nomination, she was all but expected to talk about her candidacy as a historic first. She could have easily tipped her hat to the galvanizing power of representation or referred to the highest, hardest glass ceiling that Hillary Clinton had tried so hard to shatter. Some enthusiastic delegates had dressed in suffragist white, but she was not among them. She wore a navy blue suit. That color, too, spoke volumes.
Were only beginning to grapple with the audacity of what Ms. Harris is doing: Shes trying to take identity politics out of presidential politics. Dont get me wrong, Ms. Harris is savvy enough to know how important identity is in America today. But if identity is in, gender and racial politics are out. As she put it on CNN on Thursday night, when asked during her first interview as the Democratic nominee to respond to Donald Trumps attacks on her identity: Same old tired playbook. Next question.
She aspires to be the first postgender POTUS. So many American voters loathe being asked to assess their candidates through the lens of gender and race, and they cringe at the performative nature of identity politics including, yes, Mrs. Clinton and that ever-present glass ceiling, as well as the argument that her supporters were voting with their vaginas if they dared to feel inspired by it.
Rachel Kushner had warned me that there might be snakes and one very mean turkey on the farm. There would also be mud; she recommended rubber boots. And, as far as she remembered, there was no cell service.
The property in Delaware County, N.Y., belonged to her cousin, who did not want to be named in this article but greeted me with a saxophone performance on the porch of a green cottage. Across the way was the house where Ms. Kushner, a novelist whose work often explores societys gritty margins, was staying for a few days early this summer.
I was weeding for hours and hours yesterday, she said.
Everyone who visits the farm must work. Over the years, even garage-rock band members recording music in the barns grain elevator have traversed rows of root vegetables in their jeans.
Ms. Kushner, 55, was used to it: In her 20s, shortly after her cousin purchased the land, she helped rescue the guesthouse from a state of total abandon and lived there on the weekends for a while. Years later, when her husband, a professor, received a fellowship at Cornell University, they would visit often with their young son, who learned from Ms. Kushners cousin how to ride a tractor and catch fish.
As the clock struck midnight in Brazil, the feed stopped refreshing.
The social network X, formerly Twitter, began to go dark Saturday across Latin Americas largest nation after a Brazilian Supreme Court justice ordered its blackout just hours earlier. It was the culmination of a monthslong battle between that justice, Alexandre de Moraes, and Xs owner, Elon Musk, over what can be said online in Brazil.
In recent weeks, Mr. Musk said X would stop complying with Justice Moraess court orders to suspend certain accounts. After Justice Moraes threatened arrests of X employees, Mr. Musk pulled Xs team from Brazil. Justice Moraes responded by blocking X on Friday.
Hours later, millions of Brazilians woke up on Saturday to a social network that would not load. Users on the app still saw a timeline, but the posts were frozen from Friday night. Those who tried to open the website were met with a blank screen, as if the site did not exist.
Some customers of the few internet providers that had not yet complied with the ban as of Saturday morning posted excitedly on X that they could still use the service, and the phrase it didnt go down began trending on X. (One of those providers was Starlink, the satellite internet service run by SpaceX, Mr. Musks space company.)
Arthur J. Gregg, the first African American Army officer to reach the rank of lieutenant general and the only person in modern history to have a military base named for him in his lifetime in his case a rechristening of a fort that had honored the Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee died on Aug. 22. He was 96.
The Army announced the death on its website but did not cite a cause or say where he died.
In April 2023, Fort Lee was renamed Fort Gregg-Adams in honor of General Gregg, who in 1977 became the Armys first Black three-star general, and Lt. Col. Charity Adams Earley, who was the highest-ranking Black woman to serve as an Army officer in World War II.
The new name was recommended by a congressional commission charged with rechristening nine military bases named for Confederate officers, as part of a national self-examination around race set off by the murder of George Floyd in 2020.
Fort Lee, about 30 miles south of Richmond, near the confluence of the James and Appomattox rivers, had originally been named for General Lee, one of eight Virginians who were West Point graduates and U.S. Army colonels at the outbreak of the Civil War. Among them, only Lee chose to take up arms against the United States, the commission noted.
HARARE, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwean government on Friday banned the sale of gasoline that has not been blended with ethanol in an effort to further save foreign currency needed to import the fuel.
A notice issued by the government said the new regulations would come into operation seven days from the date of publication, adding that the decision was arrived at after Minister of Energy and Power Development Edgar Moyo consulted the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority on the issue.
Zimbabwe introduced mandatory blending of gasoline in 2011 in a bid to reduce the amount of foreign currency required to import the fuel and to create a bigger market for sugarcane farmers and generate employment.
However, some service stations continued selling unblended gasoline and describing it as unleaded to cater to vehicles that run exclusively on the product and other motorists who prefer it to the blended one.
Some motor vehicles are marked on the fuel tank inlets that they should only use unleaded gasoline.
A police officer in Dallas was fatally shot on Thursday night in what officials described as a premeditated execution.
The officer, Darron Burks, 46, was parked in his patrol vehicle in the Oak Cliff section of the city, southwest of downtown, at around 10 p.m. during a break between assignments when a man approached him on the drivers side. The man, who officials said appeared to record the encounter on his cellphone, briefly spoke to Officer Burks, then pulled out a handgun and shot him dead.
Two other officers were shot by the suspect while they were checking on Officer Burks, who had not responded to a dispatchers attempt to contact him, officials said. Senior Corporal Jamie Farmer, who was shot in the leg, has been released from the hospital. Senior Corporal Karissa David, who was shot in the face, remains in critical but stable condition.
The suspect, identified by officials as Corey Cobb-Bey, 30, fled the scene. After officers pursued him onto an expressway, he got out of his vehicle with a gun, approached the officers and pointed his weapon, the police said. Six officers then fired, fatally shooting him. It was unclear on Saturday what might have motivated the attack.
The body of a hiker was found on a remote trail in Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona in what was the sixth death reported in the sprawling park this month, the authorities said.
The hiker, a 60-year-old man from North Carolina, was located by search-and-rescue personnel in a helicopter on Wednesday along a route connecting Lower Tapeats Camp and Deer Creek Camp, the National Park Service said on Thursday.
The unidentified hiker was on a multiday backpacking trip, officials said.
The Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center, which is the dispatcher for emergency operations in the area, learned of the missing hiker on Tuesday afternoon. It received a report of a solo backpacker who had failed to check in with a family member while attempting the Thunder River Trail-Deer Creek loop, the Park Service said.
The approximately 25-mile looping hike off the Grand Canyons North Rim, along a trail that the Grand Canyon Conservancy said was carved out by gold miners in the late 1800s, features booming streams of crystalline water but also a southern exposure that made the area infamously hot, according to a Park Service trail guide.
Seven people were killed after a passenger bus overturned east of Vicksburg, Miss., early on Saturday, the authorities said.
Two of the victims were siblings, an 8-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl, according to Doug Huskey, the Warren County coroner. He cited information from the childrens mother, who survived the crash and was in fair condition.
The girl and five others were pronounced dead at the scene. The boy was taken by ambulance to Merit Health River Region hospital in Vicksburg, where he died shortly after arrival, Mr. Huskey said.
All 36 others on board the 2018 Volvo commercial passenger bus were taken to hospitals with unknown injuries, according to the Mississippi Highway Patrol.
Vice President Kamala Harris excoriated former President Donald J. Trump on Saturday for his visit on Monday to Arlington National Cemetery, where his campaigns filming of him in a heavily restricted area caused a confrontation between one of his political aides and a cemetery official.
In her first public comments on the situation, Ms. Harris said that Mr. Trump had desecrated a solemn place that should be free of politics when he appeared there for a wreath-laying ceremony for 13 service members who were killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan during the withdrawal of U.S. troops three years ago.
Let me be clear: the former president disrespected sacred ground, all for the sake of a political stunt, Ms. Harris wrote on X.
Ms. Harris wrote that she had visited Arlington National Cemetery several times as vice president and that she would never attempt to use that setting for activities related to the campaign.
As President Donald J. Trump hunted for people inside the government who were divulging details of an investigation into whether his 2016 election campaign colluded with Russia, the Justice Department turned to a covert tactic.
Beginning in 2017, department officials secretly collected the phone and email records of roughly a dozen people connected to Congress, including lawmakers and aides who routinely deal with anonymous whistle-blowers, in an effort to see who might be coming forward with confidential information.
Some of the aides, from both political parties, learned only recently that their communications were collected, because the government for years hid the existence of the subpoenas with nondisclosure orders.
Now, whistle-blower advocacy groups are trying to pry more information out of the Justice Department, through court filings and public records requests, in the hopes of shaming the agency into ending the practice of secretly collecting congressional communications records.
This fall, as Democrats and Republicans vie for control of state legislatures across the country, much of the attention has focused on states like Michigan, Pennsylvania and Arizona, where one or two seats could tip the balance.
But in a handful of states, the legislature is dominated by one party, while the governors office is held by another. In those states, a high-stakes effort is underway to either preserve an existing supermajority which confers the ability to override a governors veto or to break it.
Nowhere has the battle been more magnified than in North Carolina, a heavily gerrymandered state where Republicans hold the 60 percent minimum required for an override in both chambers, even though registered Democratic voters outnumber Republicans.
Last year, after State Representative Tricia Cotham unexpectedly switched her party affiliation from Democrat to Republican, Republican leaders were able to enact a 12-week limit on most abortions, overriding Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat.
Singapores prosperity has long set it apart from many other former British colonies. There is another difference, too: Singapore has clung to honoring its former colonial ruler and it wants to keep doing so.
Special accolade has gone to Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, who is considered to have founded modern Singapore in the early 1800s. For decades, Singapores textbooks credited Raffles with transforming the island from a sleepy fishing village into a thriving seaport. He has been the central character in a larger official narrative that says imperial Britain had set up Singapore for success as an independent nation.
Dedications to Raffles dot the landscape of Singapore. A business district, schools and dozens of other buildings bear his name. Two eight-foot likenesses of the man loom large in downtown Singapore.
But a new statue of Raffles, installed in a park in May, has revived a debate about the legacy of colonialism in Singapore. On one side is the broader establishment, which has held up British colonial rule positively. On the other are those who want a closer inspection of the empire that Raffles represented and the racial inequity he left behind, even as Singapore became wealthy.
In March, Ms. Smiths government introduced a bill that would allow Alberta to set up a new police agency. But the government said it had no intention of dropping the Mounties, although details about what any new force might be and when it might appear were scarce. Now Ms. Smith has suggested that it will be an incremental move made through an existing law enforcement agency.
Weve also decided to create our own police force under the sheriffs, Ms. Smith told a United Conservative Party meeting earlier this month, according to reporting in The Edmonton Journal. She was responding, The Journal said this week, to a question about what politicians could do to to influence the criminal justice system.
This region used to power the former East Germany with its coal mines.
But as the economy collapsed, the far right rose.
In cities like Gorlitz, hard on the Polish border, change has disturbed old ways and touched off new insecurities.
As east Germans vote, a region in decline is searching for answers on the political extremes.
There was no castle, nor were there throngs of exuberant crowds to celebrate this royal wedding. Nonetheless, the nuptials on Saturday of a Norwegian princess and an American self-described shaman attracted public fascination at home and a Netflix deal abroad.
The royal involved Princess Martha Louise, daughter of King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway wed the American, Durek Verrett, after years of often mocking public scrutiny, largely because of Mr. Verretts alternative views on health and wellness. The ceremony, a private affair in the remote, picturesque Norwegian village of Geiranger, attracted a gaggle of reporters and a modest crowd of curious residents.
The couple sailed into Geiranger, nestled in the majestic Geirangerfjord, a world heritage site, on the royal yacht on Friday, along with members of the royal family, including King Harald and Queen Sonja, according to an official statement.
The celebrations on Saturday began with brunch, with the option of a spa treatment available for all guests, according to a copy of the program seen by The New York Times. The days schedule also included an afternoon tea, early evening cocktails and a gala dinner. At 10:50 p.m., the party begins, the program said, promising late night snacks at 1 a.m.
TAIYUAN, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- At a smart farm in Shanxi Province, northern China, parliamentary leaders and representatives from 32 developing countries have recently been warmly welcomed, and offered firsthand insight into the vibrancy of China's agricultural modernization.
The event was a part of the 2024 Inter-regional Seminar on the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Parliaments of Developing Countries, co-hosted by China's National People's Congress and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
At the Jinzhong National Agriculture High-tech Zone Smart Farm Demonstration Base, visitors listened attentively to the introduction of an array of agricultural products and asked about shelf life and exploring the disease-resistant qualities of various seeds.
Inside the greenhouses, visitors captured photos and videos of fruit and vegetables, such as rainbow watermelon and cherry tomato. They were particularly impressed by the intelligent water and fertilizer integration system, capable of allowing one person to manage 10,000 square meters.
"It ensures food security. The technology is one of the best. It utilizes space very effectively," said Nabwera Daraja Nabii, a member of the National Assembly of Kenya, noting this is an area that he would be recommending his country to partner with China in.
"Agricultural modernization ensures high-level productivity. It reduces the risk of disease. It lowers the cost of production. That's the way African countries should go," he added.
Lesotho's National Assembly Speaker Tlohang Sekhamane was equally impressed.
"These people are now using artificial intelligence to do agriculture. That is very advanced," said Sekhamane, adding that he hopes for more exchanges between agricultural experts from Lesotho and China.
Peter Katjavivi, the speaker of Namibia's National Assembly, told Xinhua the smart farm is attractive to those who are interested in agriculture.
"This is the kind of place for anyone interested in improving agricultural production from the point of view of promoting food security," said Katjavivi.
Katjavivi expressed a particular interest in applying the know-how in Namibia, focusing on encouraging the production of food and seeds suited to his country's arid environment to enhance food security.
"I'm most interested in seeing how agricultural centers here work with academic institutions in terms of skills development to empower ordinary farmers and the workforce," he said.
Later, at an on-site discussion session held at the smart farm demonstration base, Katjavivi got his answers. During the session, he tried to establish a cooperative relationship between the Namibian University of Science and Technology and Chinese agricultural research institutions.
Tulia Ackson, IPU president and speaker of Tanzania's National Assembly, who also attended the session, told Xinhua that she was deeply impressed by the openness and willingness of Chinese experts to cooperate with developing countries.
For more than two decades it has been standard practice in Russia: New conscripts doing mandatory military service have not been deployed on the front lines. It is codified in law and embraced by all parents hoping to keep their sons from the carnage of war.
But Ukraines lightning incursion into the southwestern Russia region of Kursk has upended that compact.
When Ukrainian troops poured into Russia on Aug. 6, Moscow was caught unawares. Suddenly, the war had come to the conscripts, who were manning lightly guarded positions near the border.
Hundreds of conscripts were captured, while scores are missing and potentially dead.
Military deployment has been a sensitive issue for President Vladimir V. Putin. Moscows decision to thrust young, untrained soldiers onto the battlefields of Afghanistan and Chechnya helped to cement domestic opposition that compelled the Kremlin to end those conflicts.
As hundreds of Russian missiles and drones streaked across Ukraine on Monday, the Ukrainian fighter pilot known as Moonfish was exactly where he had said he always wanted to be: in the cockpit of an F-16 giving chase.
The F-16 is a Swiss Army knife, the pilot, Lt. Col. Oleksiy Mes, told reporters while training on the warplane last fall. Its a very good weapon that can carry out any mission.
Colonel Mes helped lead Ukraines intense lobbying effort to secure the F-16 fighter jets, a half-dozen of which joined the fight against Russia earlier this month. And he was among the dozen or so pilots trained to fly the sophisticated warplane in combat.
After shooting down three Russian cruise missiles and one attack drone in Mondays assault, he was racing to intercept yet another target when ground control lost communication with his aircraft, Ukrainian Air Force officials said.
Residents of Tulkarm in the Israeli-occupied West Bank assessed the damage on Saturday from a raid by Israeli forces that has chewed up roads, brought sudden bouts of violence and left many Palestinians reeling. Israels military pressed on elsewhere in the territory amid signs that fighting with Palestinian militant groups could spread.
Hundreds of Israeli soldiers swept into cities in the northern West Bank this week with columns of armored vehicles and bulldozers, clashing with militants and leaving many people trapped in their homes without running water or internet. One family said that a relative with mental illness was shot dead during the raid, his body left untended for hours during the violence.
In the Nur Shams neighborhood a focus of the raid workers and residents cleared away dirt and rubble churned up by Israeli bulldozers searching for improvised explosive devices.
Cars cant move through the streets, everyone is making their way on foot, because the dirt is piled up in huge mounds, said Suleiman Zuhairi, a resident of Nur Shams and a retired official in the Palestinian Authority.
Israeli troops largely pulled back from Tulkarm on Friday, and were continuing their operation in the flashpoint city of Jenin in the northern West Bank, while two episodes farther south prompted fears that the violence was worsening.
At least 22 Palestinians have been killed since the raid started on Wednesday, according to the Palestinian Authoritys Health Ministry, many of whom militant groups have claimed to be members. Israel says that at last 20 militants have been killed.
The Israeli military said on Saturday that it had found a number of dead bodies during an operation in the Gaza Strip, asking the Israeli public to refrain from speculation about their identities.
The announcement was widely interpreted in Israel, however, as confirmation that more Israeli hostages had died in captivity, and it quickly amplified calls for an immediate cease-fire in order to free the roughly 100 captives still held, both dead and alive, in Gaza.
Roughly 250 people were captured by Hamas and its allies during their Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which started the war.
The military said in a statement on Saturday that the recently found bodies had yet to be identified and brought to Israel. It did not give further details about how many bodies had been found or where they were discovered, and it would not officially confirm that they were hostages.
Oasis fans have been warned tickets for the bands hotly anticipated comeback tour are now limited after some spent hours battling technical issues on booking sites.
Noel and Liam Gallagher announced on Tuesday that they had put their acrimonious split behind them, confirming the bands long-awaited reunion by saying: The great wait is over although for thousands of fans a fresh wait began as they tried to access tickets.
A message on the Ticketmaster website at 2.37pm told those still queuing online on Saturday that the inventory is now very limited, with some ticket types no longer available.
The companys Irish site said the shows in Dublins Croke Park had sold out so far, with more tickets likely to be released later.
At 1.23 pm, the website posted a message saying: UPDATE: There are currently no tickets available. Please check back later as more may be released.
People looking to secure coveted access to the Manchester bands reunion in Cardiff, Edinburgh, London, Dublin or their home city, had earlier reported problems on several booking websites before tickets had even gone on sale.
Manchester-based promoter SJM Concerts website Gigs and Tours, Ticketmaster and See Tickets all told website visitors that they would need to wait for the page to refresh to join a queue.
Gigs and Tours and See Tickets appeared to experience issues from 8.30am, and still did not appear to have come back online at around 3.30pm.
Ticketmasters page refreshed after a period to tell hopeful concertgoers that they were in queue, and when its your turn, you will automatically be able to browse events and shop for tickets.
A spokeswoman for Ticketmaster denied the website had crashed earlier, and advised customers to hold their place in line.
Some Oasis ticket hopefuls also reported being suspended by Ticketmaster UK and Ireland after it accused them of being bots.
Staff at the ticket-selling website replied on X, formerly Twitter, through its customer service account, saying: Please make sure you are only using one tab, clear your cookies, and ensure you arent using any VPN software on your device.
It also shared a link with its guide on how to improve your chances for getting popular tickets.
Scott McLean, 28, logged into his account on the ticket-selling website at 7.30am on Saturday ahead of Irish sales opening at 8am.
He was in a queue of 20,000 for around 30 minutes before selecting four tickets to see the bands show at Croke Park.
However, his browser began buffering for half an hour as he tried to make the purchase, prompting him to contact the Ticketmaster customer service account on X for advice.
I followed their advice, cleared my cookies and cache on my browser and then it kicked me out completely. It just came up to that error screen after I followed their guidance, the business analyst from Belfast told the PA news agency.
I had to rejoin the queue and I ended up about 700,000 places worse off after following their guidance.
Users on X, formerly Twitter, also reported the price for tickets nearly doubling from around 148 to around 355 on Ticketmaster after they waited for hours to secure their place at the Oasis Live 25 shows.
An explanation by the website about the on-demand standing ticket price says: The event organiser has priced these tickets according to their market value.
Tickets do not include VIP packages. Availability and pricing are subject to change.
When asked about this issue by PA, Ticketmaster said it does not set prices, and shared a link to its website where it says costs can be fixed or market-based.
It is believed that ticket prices are set by the promoters, not the artists.
Oasis will tour the UK & Ireland in summer 2025!Tickets go on sale this Saturday 31st August.IRE 8am ISTUK 9am BSTFull information https://t.co/EtNuE2Hx6b *These dates will be the bands exclusive European appearances. pic.twitter.com/C5I0NVWS68 Oasis (@oasis) August 27, 2024
Oasis told fans on Saturday to only buy tickets from the official websites amid reselling websites listing inflated prices for the Manchester rockers gigs.
The band said on X: Please note, Oasis Live 25 tickets can only be resold at face value via @Ticketmaster and @Twickets!
Tickets appearing on other secondary ticketing sites are either counterfeit or will be cancelled by the promoters.
Twickets attempted to reassure fans, who had missed out so far, by telling them not to panic or visit unofficial sites for resold passes.
It also wrote on X: Twickets will have tickets available soon. Register to receive our newsletter and well let you know.
Tickets are officially being sold via Ticketmaster, GigsAndTours, and See Tickets, however, the bands reunion concert tickets have also been relisted on ticket exchange and reselling websites, Viagogo and Stubhub, for thousands of pounds.
Chief executive of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers, Jonathan Brown, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Its a dreadful combination, I suppose, youve got that high level of emotion, a high level of excitement about Oasis reforming, and a limited supply of tickets and thats going to lead to problems, its going to lead to people trying to scam people.
UK Music chief executive Tom Kiehl also called inflated ticket prices of great concern on the show.
Mr Kiehl added: Obviously, its a natural tendency, if you cant get tickets, to find alternative sources but I very much urge music music fans today, if they dont get tickets, not to take that route.
Cris Miller, Viagogo global managing director, defended his websites practice of listing Oasis tickets for thousands of pounds, saying that resale is legal in the UK and fans are always protected by our guarantee that they will receive their tickets in time for the event or their money back.
There did not seem to be any listing for the bands Dublin dates on the ticket-reselling website. The Irish government introduced a law banning ticket touting in 2021.
Prices for a seat to watch the band at Londons Wembley Stadium begin at 74.25, with the most expensive ticket a 506.25 pre-show party, exhibition and seated package.
Cardiffs Principality Stadium shows, Edinburghs Murrayfield Stadium and Irelands Croke Park were all first listed at similar prices, while Manchesters Heaton Park tickets start from 148.50, with only standing available alongside a number of hospitality and luxury packages.
Fans have been urging the brothers to regroup since they disbanded 15 years ago, a split prompted by a backstage brawl at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris in 2009.
It has not been announced who will be performing with Liam and Noel as part of Oasis.
The guns have fallen silent.The stars have aligned.The great wait is over.Come see.It will not be televised. pic.twitter.com/u1Mge33poT Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) August 27, 2024
Noel, 57, quit the group on August 28 2009, saying he simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer, and the brothers have made negative comments about each other for more than a decade.
StubHub along with the official ticket sellers and promoters have been approached for comment.
A spokeswoman for Ticketmaster said: The queue is moving along as fans buy tickets. As anticipated, millions of fans are accessing our site so have been placed in a queue.
Fans are advised to hold their place in line, make sure theyre only using one tab, clear cookies, and ensure they arent using any VPN software on their device.
Thousands of protesters have heard calls for Ireland to introduce immediate sanctions on Israel as a major demonstration took place in Dublin.
Crowds of activists made their way across the city and assembled outside the Dail parliament on Saturday afternoon for the rally organised by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC).
The event, billed as a National Demonstration for Palestine, took place a day after Taoiseach Simon Harris revealed that he had sought legal advice around continued trade with Israel.
Look at the view from the stage at our huge National Demonstration for Palestine today. The streets are with Palestine! #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/4Yx3Ny17KE IPSC (@ipsc48) August 31, 2024
Mr Harris acknowledged that international trade policy is an EU competency, but he said wanted fresh legal advice from Attorney General Rossa Fanning in light of a recent ruling by the International Court of Justice.
In July, the UNs top court declared Israels presence in the occupied Palestinian territories unlawful and called for settlement construction to stop immediately.
Mr Harris said every lever must be pulled to maximise pressure on the Israeli government to stop the violence in Gaza.
The leaders of Irelands three coalition parties decided on Thursday that the state would not procure any further defence or military equipment and contracts from Israel.
Under EU treaties and common commercial policy, the European Commission represents Ireland and all other member states in international trade negotiations.
However, Mr Harris said the decision around suspending imports of defence equipment is legally possible under the context of the ICJ ruling.
He added that he was seeking advice from Mr Fanning on whether the rulings had any implications for other areas of trade with Israel.
Meanwhile, the Department of Transport continues to engage with an airline at the centre of reports that multiple flights carrying ammunition and explosives to Israel had passed through Irish air space.
It is prohibited to transport munitions of war on civil aircraft across Irish air space without an exemption from the Minister for Transport.
Saturdays rally in Dublin heard demands for more Government action against Israel.
IPSC chairwoman Zoe Lawlor spoke of the toll suffered by children in Gaza.
The horrific figure of 40,000 dead includes almost 17,000 children, 33% of all fatalities, meaning that 1.5% of all children in Gaza are now dead, she said.
Over 20,000 children are estimated to be lost, disappeared, detained, buried under rubble or in mass graves, 34,000 children have been wounded, 17,000 have been orphaned.
Eight hundred thousand traumatised and damaged children are in desperate need of psychological help, 620,000 children have been denied their right to education, while creches, schools, universities and hospitals have been obliterated.
Children are one of the most at-risk demographics when it comes to the dangers posed by disease, famine and thirst, all of which are rampant in Gaza.
With 7% of Gazas children now murdered, lost or wounded, its clear that children are deliberate targets of apartheid Israels genocidal onslaught.
The Israeli embassy in Ireland has criticised Mr Harriss comments about the EU trade agreement.
In a statement, the embassy said: We keep following statements and actions taken by the Irish Government which will achieve nothing but souring further the two countries bilateral relations.
We follow with dismay the continued rise in anti-Israeli rhetoric and actions bordering vilification of Israel.
This tragic war was launched by Hamas and is being perpetuated by Hamas, which still holds in captivity over a hundred Israelis while at the same time abusing its own population.
Israel is facing an enemy committed to its annihilation, its unfortunate that the Irish Government prefers to ignore basic realities.
In its fight against terror orchestrated by Iran, Israel is committed to international law and the rules of war, while fighting a genocidal enemy.
TEHRAN, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Iran is closely monitoring threats and activities by Israel, a top Iranian military commander said on Friday, according to the official news agency IRNA.
Iranian Air Defense Force Commander Alireza Sabahifard made the remarks in an address at the Friday prayers in the Iranian capital Tehran while commenting on the preparedness of his force.
He stated that the air force has enhanced its capabilities in response to the enemies' "aerospace threats," adding that "we are fully aware of other threats and are closely monitoring Israel."
Sabahifard emphasized that his force is at the highest level of self-sufficiency, combat readiness, and power. He added that Iran is fully self-reliant in designing and producing control systems, radars, sensors, drones, electronic warfare systems, cybersecurity systems, and advanced hybrid warfare systems.
He noted that his force could detect any kind of stealth aircraft from thousands of miles away.
Tension between Iran and Israel heightened following the assassination of Hamas Politburo Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. Iran has blamed Israel for the attack and vowed a strong response.
Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement in the attack, but has vowed to respond to any military attack.
TEHRAN, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi and Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi have called for promoting bilateral ties and cooperation.
In a phone call, both sides expressed willingness to improve bilateral relations and interaction and discussed ways to expand ties and cooperation between Iran and the GCC, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Friday.
Albudaiwi congratulated Araghchi on his appointment as Iran's foreign minister, stressing Iran's role in promoting peace and stability in the region.
He said the GCC member states are interested in consulting and interacting with Iran on major challenges in the West Asia region.
Araghchi, in response, expressed his appreciation for the GCC chief's congratulations, emphasizing that Iran is committed to enhancing "friendly and brotherly" relations with the GCC and its member states.
He added that Iran believes its ties with the council should advance into a new phase of mutual understanding and cooperation.
KAMPALA, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Uganda's Ministry of Health announced three more cases of mpox on Saturday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases of the highly contagious disease in the East African country to five.
The cases were respectively detected at Elegu town in the country's northern district of Amuru, bordering neighboring South Sudan, Mayuge, a district in eastern Uganda, and Kawaala, a neighborhood within Kampala, the country's capital, Daniel Kyabayinze, director of public health in the Ministry of Health, told Xinhua over the telephone.
He said the three patients are currently undergoing treatment at Entebbe National Isolation Center, about 40 km south of Kampala.
"We have five cases so far in Uganda. Two (have) recovered and did not have secondary infections," said Kyabayinze.
Health personnel earlier this month detected two cases of mpox imported from the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in Uganda's western district of Kasese.
The two positive cases were among six suspected infections in Mpondwe and Bwera, towns bordering the DRC, according to the Ministry of Health.
The World Health Organization (WHO) earlier this month declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern, sounding the alarm over its potential for further international transmission.
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus that is spread through close contact, including fever, swelling of the lymph nodes, sore throat, muscle aches, skin rash, and back pain.
by Li Xiang
The 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be held in Beijing on Sept. 4-6. Chinese and African leaders will gather in Beijing again after six years to discuss future development and cooperation and exchange governance experience. H.E. President Isaias Afwerki will lead the delegation of Eritrea to attend this summit, following his historic state visit to China in May 2023. Through this summit, China and Africa will enhance their long-standing friendship and deepen unity and collaboration to open up new vistas for faster common development and start a new chapter for a China-Africa community with a shared future.
The world today is undergoing major changes unseen in a century. The waves of anti-globalization, unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise. Global crises such as geopolitical conflicts and climate change occur frequently. Humankind is at a crucial crossroads, and China-Africa cooperation and development are facing more uncertainty. China's answer to the question of "where is human society headed and how can China-Africa cooperation develop" is to build a closer China-Africa community with a shared future. This is the trend of the times and the common voice of the people of China and Africa.
Politically, China and Africa share the same aspirations and vision. China and Africa have supported each other in fighting imperialism, colonialism and racism based on similar suffering in recent history. In the struggle for national independence, China and Africa, as members of the "Global South," have been united in their common goal, extending mutual assistance and having been the most distinctive, steadfast and major supporters of each other's anti-imperialist, anti-colonial and anti-hegemonic struggles.
Economically, both China and Africa face the task of modernization. China is the world's largest developing country and the largest economy in the "Global South," while Africa is the continent with the highest concentration of developing countries and the greatest wealth of resources. Advancing their respective modernization is the historic mission of China and Africa. China will always walk side by side with Africa on its path to modernization and join hands with Africa to inject strong impetus into the promotion of an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.
Culturally, China and Africa share similar values. Chinese culture is based on the concept of unity and harmony, and upholds the value of "paramount importance of peace" and "seeking harmony without uniformity," emphasizing "the whole world is one family." The philosophy of the traditional African value, Ubuntu, believes that "I am because we are," and emphasizes the interdependence and inseparability of people. There is also an Eritrean proverb that says, "Together, we can bring down the elephant." All of these reflect the importance that the people of China and Africa attach to solidarity and their shared future.
Looking back at the past and looking forward to the future at this critical juncture of history, the only way for China and Africa to tide over the difficulties and create a bright future is to sail in the same boat.
China and Africa must adhere to the principle of sovereign equality. Both China and Africa have had the tragic experience of being colonized, and we cherish the golden rule of sovereign equality, oppose the big abusing the small and the strong bullying the weak, advocate the equality of all countries, large and small, and oppose interference in the internal affairs of other countries.
China and Africa should realize the vision of peace and security. The security of one country cannot be built on the insecurity of others. China and Africa should support the Global Security Initiative, advocate the practice of a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable concept of security, promote development and security through cooperation, and build a more balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture.
China and Africa must pool their efforts to build prosperity together. To realize the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, no country should be left behind. China and Africa should actively implement the Global Development Initiative, advocate inclusive economic globalization and promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, so that the people of China and Africa can share the fruits of development.
China and Africa must uphold the concept of fairness and justice. The world is no longer a jungle world. Fairness and justice are our common pursuit. China and Africa should advocate the Global Civilization Initiative, practice true multilateralism, promote mutual understanding among peoples and promote tolerance and mutual appreciation among civilizations.
China and Africa must defend the common values of all humankind. Peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom are the common values of all humankind and the common pursuit of all peoples. We should respect the development paths and institutional models independently chosen by the people of all countries and refrain from imposing one's values and models on others or engaging in ideological confrontation.
China and Eritrea have established a strategic partnership, and are in a unique position to build a closer community with a shared future. The two countries share similar philosophies and their people maintain close contact. China has long been the largest trading partner of Eritrea, and the two countries have signed Memorandum of Understanding on Belt and Road cooperation. Both China and Eritrea advocate international fairness and justice, and have always supported each other on issues regarding each other's core interests and major concerns. In May last year, President Isaias paid a successful state visit to China, and the strategic partnership between China and Eritrea had been elevated to a new level.
As Chinese Ambassador to Eritrea, I will faithfully work with the Eritrean side to effectively implement the important consensus of the two heads of state. I am ready to be a sincere listener to the Eritrean government and people, a builder of friendship between China and Eritrea, and a promoter of bilateral practical cooperation to contribute to the building of a closer China-Africa and China-Eritrea community with a shared future.
Editor's note: Li Xiang is the Chinese ambassador to Eritrea.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Xinhua News Agency.
Windhoek: Namibia plans to cull 723 wild animals, including 83 elephants, and to distribute the meat to people struggling to feed themselves because of a severe drought across southern Africa, the environment ministry said.
The cull will take place in parks and communal areas where authorities believe animal numbers exceed available grazing land and water supplies, it said in a statement issued on Monday.
Southern Africa is facing its worst drought in decades, with Namibia having exhausted 84% of its food reserves last month, according to the United Nations. Nearly half of Namibia's population is expected to experience high levels of food insecurity in the coming months. With such a severe drought, human-wildlife conflicts are expected to increase if the authorities do not intervene, the environment ministry said.
"To this effect, 83 elephants from identified conflict areas will be culled, (and) meat will be allocated to the drought relief programme," it said. The country also plans to cull 30 hippos and 60 buffalo, as well as 50 impala, 100 blue wildebeest, 300 zebra and 100 eland. One hundred and fifty-seven animals have already been hunted by professional hunters and companies contracted by the government, yielding more than 56,800 kilograms of meat.
"This exercise in necessary and is in line with our constitutional mandate where our natural resources are used for the benefit of Namibian citizens," the environment ministry said. More than 200,000 elephants are estimated to live in a conservation area spread over five southern African countries - Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Angola and Namibia - making the region home to one of the largest elephant populations worldwide. Hundreds of elephants died in Botswana and Zimbabwe last year because of drought.
Labor Day is upon us once again, marking the unofficial end of summer and perhaps stirring a renewed sense of energy and purpose. It is a day set aside to honor the backbone of our society-- the workers. Throughout our national history, workers have played an essential role, and among them were immigrants, many of whom came in search of a better life. Others, in the darker chapters of our history, were slaves. Many workers were exploited, and many were abused, yet they persevered, ensuring that our society continued to function effectively and efficiently. We must also remember the sacrifices made by "essential workers" during the COVID-19 pandemic, who risked their lives to keep our communities running.
American workers are woven so deeply into the fabric of our society that their contributions often go unnoticed. We make sure to celebrate certain groups of citizens-- veterans, police officers, firefighters-- and while we do honor teachers and other public servants, it's not as frequent. But what about the countless nameless and faceless workers who keep our world running? Those who build, maintain, and provide the day-to-day services that often go unnoticed?
Labor Day should be a shining acknowledgment of these often-overlooked individuals who make up a significant portion of our society. It should be a time to reflect on the historical progress of workers in this nation and recognize how their efforts have shaped our lives. We should celebrate unions and confront the challenges that modern-day workers face as they struggle to survive in today's economy. And let us not forget to honor their families and the dreams that drive them forward.
Labor Day deserves to be a major U.S. holiday, dedicated to celebrating the contributions of workers, past and present.
Please share and act - it is globally relevant!!
After purging the labor party of good people like Jeremy Corbyn, the Zionist appointed Keith Starmer regime in the UK is going after supporters of human rights like Sara Wilkerson and Richard Barnard. Orwellian (London is now Israeli occupied territory).
Imagine if any free speech against Nazi and Nazism was claimed to be "hate speech" or "discriminatory". Well Orwell would never have thought of this to happen in the 21st century.
Can any defender of "Israel" explain to normal people in the west whose governments pay for and defend the apartheid regime why that regime is destroying streets and building and other infrastructure not just in Gaza but also in the west bank?
Group which spread lies about 7 October seeks EU funding!
UN OCHA: 50 Stories (of millions) of life under the occupation.
21,000 (kidnapped) Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
But all of this carnage and tantrums may not save the apartheid regime of Israel from collapse which maybe even sooner than we think (according to even an Israeli general).
And here is a message from Lebanon: Hello my enemies.
10 language do's and don'ts about decolonizing.
Relevant article I wrote a 2019 about the current state of world politics.
Whether Harris or Trump are declared presidential winner, the US will remain highly divided, in decline, and billions of US tax money will continue flowing to Israel . The deeper state ensures this. Most of the voters are convinced to vote for those they consider "lesser of two evils". Both parties are rigged and corrupt. Only if enough people wake-up and demand that the system is reformed to be really democratic, then we would see Green Party, Independents, and decent Republicans and Democrats given a chance to actually serve the American public in higher offices instead of serving moneyed interests. The hope in the massive people movements like those that gave us the women right to vote, civil rights, social security, ending the war on Vietnam, ending support for Apartheid in South Africa (and hopefully soon ending support for Israeli apartheid). Times to come will be interesting and our work for sustainable human and natural communities even more important.
"Settler colonialism, as an institution or system, requires violence or the threat of violence to attain its goals. People do not hand over their land, resources, children, and futures without a fight, and that fight is met with violence....Native nations and communities, while struggling to maintain fundamental values and collectivity have from the beginning resisted modern colonialism using both defensive and offensive techniques, including the modern forms of armed resistance of national liberation movements and what is now called terrorism. In every instance they have fought for survival as peoples." Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, An Indigenous People's History of the United States
Stay Human and keep Palestine alive
Mazin Qumsiyeh
A bedouin in cyberspace, a villager at home
Professor, Founder, and (volunteer) Director Palestine Museum of Natural History
Palestine Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability Bethlehem University Occupied Palestine
facebook pages Personal Institute
French
The approach of Labor Day provides an appropriate time to reflect upon how Donald Trump and his MAGA Republicans, if restored to power, will deal with the American labor movement.
Much of the evidence on this score is available in Project 2025, a 922-page public policy agenda, produced by the Heritage Foundation, for the first 180 days of a new Republican administration. Ever since 1981, this exceptionally wealthy, conservative, and powerful Washington think tank has been churning out blueprints for incoming Republican administrations. In fact, the Heritage Foundation performed the same service for the first Trump administration, bragging after only a year that the Trump White House had implemented nearly two-thirds of its proposals.
The Project 2025 policy agenda is far-ranging and includes many of the nostrums advanced by rightwing Republicans, including abolishing the U.S. Department of Education, slashing taxes for the wealthiest Americans and corporations, building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, further restricting abortion, increasing oil and gas production, maintaining a "biblically based" definition of marriage and family, and ending diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
But few of the project's recommendations are as extreme as those dealing with America's unions and the workers they represent.
For example, Project 2025 calls for banning public employee unions-- unions representing teachers, librarians, firefighters, postal workers, police, clerks, trash collectors, and other public sector workers. As 32.5 percent of public sector employees belong to unions, they constitute the most highly unionized portion of the American workforce. Thus, the abolition of their unions would eliminate nearly half the union membership in the United States.
Nor would the rest of the nation's union members, comprised of private sector workers (only 6 percent of whom belong to unions), fare much better under this Heritage Foundation scheme. Most notably, Project 2025 advocates empowering the states to ban labor unions. Even partway through existing contracts, unions could be terminated. Furthermore, it would become illegal for employers to voluntarily recognize unions, while businesses would be allowed to create their own sham company unions.
Stripped of their access to union representation and the benefits unions bring, American workers would face still further losses of long-standing rights. Project 2025 calls for allowing the states to ignore the federal minimum wage and overtime pay laws, as well as for eliminating child labor rules that protect children from working in mines, meatpacking plants, and other hazardous workplaces. In these and other ways, Project 2025 promotes a return to the distant past, before the advent of legislation to prevent the abuse and exploitation of American workers.
Moreover, to safeguard the implementation of the Heritage Foundation's rightwing agenda, Project 2025 champions firing as many as 50,000 federal government workers and replacing them with Trump loyalists.
Not surprisingly, once the extremist proposals in Project 2025 began to attract negative publicity, Donald Trump scrambled to distance himself from it. "I know nothing about Project 2025," the Republican presidential candidate declared. "I have no idea who is behind it."
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On April 19, 2023, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. launched his long-shot presidential bid as a Democrat.
On October 9, 2023, he declared himself an "independent" and began courting (and in some states, creating) "third parties" for their nominations. He received 19 votes for the Libertarian Party's nomination at its 2024 national convention over Labor Day weekend.
Three months later, on August 23, he "suspended" his campaign and called for a "unity party" with the Republicans candidate, former president Donald Trump.
I didn't see that last part coming, but color me un-surprised that his campaign struggled, grasped at various life preservers, and finally drowned.
All Kennedy ever really had going for him was his family's name. He knew that was his biggest asset -- he even ran a Super Bowl commercial reprising his uncle's 1960 television advertisements -- but nostalgia can only take one so far, especially when the family in question comes out hard against you.
Independent and third party presidential campaigns generally enjoy success (relatively speaking) in proportion to one or two factors.
The first, the one Kennedy leaned on, is identity.
Theodore Roosevelt didn't knock down 27.4% of the vote in 1912 because of his Progressive, AKA Bull Moose, party's platform. He did so well because everyone knew Theodore Roosevelt was and many remembered his previous terms fondly.
It was Ross Perot's personal legend -- up-by-his-bootstraps billionaire businessman who flew Christmas gifts into Hanoi for America POWs and orchestrated the rescue of his company's employees from post-revolution Iran -- more so than his hammering on the national debt and opposition to NAFTA -- that drove his vote totals of 18.91% in 1992 and 8.4% in 1996.
The Kennedy name was a big deal ... once upon a time. But the US median age is 38.9 years. Most people alive today weren't alive when Ted Kennedy unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination in 1980, let alone when RFK Jr.'s father and uncle were assassinated in, respectively, 1968 and 1963. Young people know the name, but they don't feel the vibe.
The second factor is the issues. Most third party campaigns are either "single issue" or more generally "ideological." They're about the candidates' platforms and policy positions. When voters go for a Libertarian, Green, or Constitution Party candidate, it's because they care deeply about an issue or set of issues that the "major" parties either get "wrong" or ignore completely.
Kennedy's policy suite was a dog's breakfast of contradictions (anti-war on Ukraine, "pro-Israel" on Gaza), flip-flops ("pro-choice" early the race then supporting a federal ban at the 2023 Iowa State Fair; calling for prosecution of "climate deniers" back when then supporting free speech as a candidate), and too-niche obsessions (he's more generally "anti-vaccine" than the significant voter bloc outraged by COVID-19 mandates).
As Stewart Lawrence puts it at CounterPunch, he's "a man with no enduring allegiance to an ideology, a party or even a platform who is willing to sell his campaign and his support to the highest bidder -- in exchange for his own personal and political advancement."
He saw, and seized, his opportunity to sell out.
Voters who thought he was the "real deal" got conned.
Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator
Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, has a shocking accusation against the US. On August 12, while in exile in India, she told the Economic Times, "I could have remained in power if I had surrendered the sovereignty of Saint Martin Island and allowed America to hold sway over the Bay of Bengal. I beseech to the people of my land, 'Please do not be manipulated by radicals.'"
Hasina resigned on August 5 after weeks of violent street protests by students angry at a law that awards government civil service jobs. The protests began in June 2024 after the Supreme Court reinstated a 30% quota for descendants of the freedom fighters who won the independence for the country in 1971 after fighting against Pakistan with the help of an Indian military intervention. The students felt they were facing an unfair system and would have limited opportunity for a job based on their educational qualifications, instead of ancestry.
On July 15, Dhaka University students were protesting and calling for quota reforms, when suddenly they were attacked by individuals with sticks and clubs. Similar attacks began elsewhere and rumors circulated that it was a group affiliated with the ruling Awami League.
Some believe the group who began the violence was paid mercenaries employed by a foreign country. Street protesters who were met by a brutal crackdown were the western media description of the March 2011 uprising in Syria. However, the media failed to report that the protesters were armed and even on the first day of violence 60 Syrian police were killed. The question is in cases like Bangladesh: was this a grass-roots uprising, or a carefully staged event by outside interests?
By July 18, 32 deaths were reported, and on July 19, there were 75 deaths. The internet was shut down, and more than 300 were killed in less than 10 days, with thousands injured.
Some call the Bangladeshi uprising the 'Gen Z revolution', while others dub it the 'Monsoon revolution'. But, experts are not yet united in a source of the initial violent attack on student protesters.
Hasina had won her fourth consecutive term in the January 7 elections, which the US State Department called 'not free or fair'. Regional powerhouses, India and China, rushed to congratulate the 76-year-old incumbent.
Hasina had held the peace in a country since 2009 while facing Radical Islamic threats. Targeting Bangladeshi Hindus was never the message or the intent of the student movement, according to some student activists.
The Jamaat-e-Islami has never won a parliamentary majority in Bangladesh's 53-year history, but it has periodically allied with the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Jamaat, as the party is widely known, was banned on August 1, when Hasina blamed the two opposition parties for the deaths during the anti-quota protests.
Muhammad Yunus, a respected economist and Nobel Laureate, accepted the post of chief adviser in a transitional government until elections are held. He said he will seek to restore order as his first concern.
The Saint Martin Island is a stretch of land spreading across merely three square kilometers in the northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal, and is the focus of the US military who seek to increase their presence in Southeast Asia as a balance against China.
On May 28, China praised Hasina for her decision to deny permission for a foreign military base, commending it as a reflection of the Bangladeshi people's strong national spirit and commitment to independence.
Without naming any country, Hasina had said that she was offered a hassle-free re-election in the January 7 polls if she allowed a foreign country to build an airbase inside Bangladeshi territory.
"If I allowed a certain country to build an airbase in Bangladesh, then I would have had no problem," Hasina told The Daily Star newspaper.
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Photo posted on Aug.29, 2024 shows Boeing's Starliner spacecraft docked to the Harmony module's forward port at the International Space Station. (Photo credit: NASA)
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will remain aboard the station and return home in February 2025 aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft with two other crew members assigned to NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 mission.
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is scheduled to leave the International Space Station (ISS) and return to Earth next week with no astronaut onboard, NASA announced on Friday.
The uncrewed spacecraft is scheduled to autonomously undock from the space station at approximately 6:04 p.m. Eastern Time (2204 GMT) Friday, Sept. 6, to begin the journey home.
NASA and Boeing are targeting approximately 12:03 a.m. Eastern Time (1603 GMT) Saturday, Sept. 7, for a landing at the White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, which marks the conclusion of the flight test.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft on June 5 for its first crewed flight, and arrived at ISS on June 6.
As Starliner approached the orbiting laboratory, NASA and Boeing identified helium leaks and experienced issues with the spacecraft reaction control thrusters.
For the safety of the astronauts, NASA announced last week that Starliner will return to Earth from the station without a crew. Wilmore and Williams will remain aboard the station and return home in February 2025 aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft with two other crew members assigned to NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 mission.
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Their family tree had been saturated by enough sorrow, so when Teonjenique Hudson Howard told her dad she was planning a party for her 24th birthday, he got nervous.
It had been two and a half years since her sister had been killed by her ex and just a year since her cousin was gunned down in a case that remains unsolved.
Dad, dont worry about it, Hudson Howard texted back, Samuel Howard recalled Friday in court. He said his daughter, who went by TiTi, told him it would be friends and family only.
But one of the invited guests at his daughters party, Ramond Lawrence, grew angry during a drunken disagreement over a flirty dance and shot Hudson Howard dead inside the rented hotel room in the early morning hours of March 15, 2023.
Lawrence, better known to friends as Groove Face, was sentenced Friday to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 30 years. A Multnomah County jury found him guilty of first-degree murder during a trial two months ago.
The near point-blank shooting touched off a bloodbath that left another man, 19-year-old Adarian Granville, dead during a gunbattle in the Embassy Suites hallway, which also seriously wounded a security guard and Lawrences date to the party.
No one has been charged in Granvilles killing or the injury shootings, as investigators say its still unclear who fired at whom during the fray.
Prosecutors say the shootout shattered the fragile peace between members of the Unthank Park and Hoover street gangs.
Howard, who broke down in tears remembering his daughter, told a packed courtroom gallery now was not the time for taking sides.
I still pray for peace, he said, because were all as one, thats what our community was built on.
Teonjenique "TiTi" Hudson Howard is shown here in an undated photo displayed in court.Zane Sparling/The Oregonian
Hudson Howards half sister, 18-year-old ShaiIndia Harris, was fatally shot by her ex-boyfriend in 2020. Her cousin, 19-year-old Keion Howard, was killed 18 months later.
Hudson Howards mother, Kendareen Hudson, spoke remotely from Las Vegas, telling the courtroom she had watched her daughter rack up milestones graduating from high school, getting a drivers license and had heard her talk about becoming a real estate agent.
Now all those dreams were in pieces.
Im left with a hole in my heart, she said.
At trial, Lawrence claimed self-defense and said he always carried a gun, despite being a felon who spent a decade behind bars for killing a man, Willy Butler, during a shootout in east Portland in 2008.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Brian Davidson argued that was all the more reason to impose a true life sentence, without chance of parole.
He will always engage in that gang lifestyle, Davidson said, no matter what efforts or resources are offered.
Circuit Judge Benjamin Souede declined to throw the book that far, saying that Lawrence should have a reason to work hard and improve himself while behind bars for at least three decades.
If he doesnt spend his time that way, then the key will remain out of reach, Souede said.
Zane Sparling covers breaking news and courts for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach him at 503-319-7083, zsparling@oregonian.com or @pdxzane.
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Mayor Ted Wheeler on Friday blasted a ruling by a federal judge that prevents him and the current City Council from appointing people to a nominating committee that will select members of a new civilian-run police oversight board.
Wheeler called U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simons ruling short-sighted and politically driven.
When Chimp Crazy, a four-part documentary series, debuted Aug. 18 on HBO, much of the attention around the show came from the fact that Eric Goode, the director, has been co-director of Tiger King, the documentary series that became a sensation in 2020 on Netflix.
While Chimp Crazy hasnt inspired the all-out pop culture mania that Tiger King created, its scoring impressive ratings for HBO. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Chimp Crazy is looking like it will be the outlets most watched documentary series in several years.
The second episode of Chimp Crazy on Aug. 25 drew 350,000 first-night viewers on HBO and Max, The Hollywood Reporter noted. The shows premiere episode, meanwhile, has grown to 2.3 million viewers across platforms over a week, putting it on pace to outdraw any HBO doc series in the past four-plus years.
Like Tiger King, which introduced viewers to Joe Exotic, Chimp Crazy focuses on a character who is bound to inspire strong reactions in viewers. Tonia Haddix, who calls herself the Dolly Parton of the chimpanzee world, makes a living as an exotic animal broker and has an obsessive attachment to chimpanzees, particularly one named Tonka.
Haddix talks about Tonka, who appeared in movies such as Babe: Pig in the City and Buddy, as if he was her child. Tonkas fate becomes a prime subject of Chimp Crazy, as the organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) engages in a legal battle with Haddix, in an effort to remove Tonka from Haddixs customery and relocate him to an accredited sanctuary.
In addition to following the Wheres Tonka? saga that unfolded after Haddix said he had died, Chimp Crazy also recounts examples of the folly of humans who expect wild animals to be pets. In one devastating sequence, featured in the episode that airs Sunday, Sept. 1, the documentary goes to Pendleton.
In the episode, titled Head Shot, Pendleton residents are interviewed about Buck, a chimpanzee owned by a local woman who took him around town, and who became something of a local celebrity, until events turned tragic.
Chimp Crazy Episode 3, Head Shot, airs at 10 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 1, on HBO, and streams on Max.
Kristi Turnquist covers features and entertainment. Reach her at 503-221-8227, kturnquist@oregonian.com or @Kristiturnquist
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For the fourth time, hundreds of endangered frogs were released into the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge with the intent to revitalize their population.
The nearly 400 northern leopard frogs were collected as eggs by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife and raised from tadpoles by Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and Oregon Zoo staff. The adult frogs were released mid-August.
Once abundant across all of North America, the northern leopard frog has been on the Washington endangered species list since 1999. Climate change and the arrival of the invasive American bullfrog from the East side of the country have decimated their populations, said Marc Heinzman, a conservation manager at Northwest Trek.
(Bullfrogs have) made their way westward over time because they are popular as pets, as well as the climate changes its been more hospitable to them, Heinzman said. Unfortunately, bullfrogs will eat just about anything that fits in their mouth, and that includes these frogs.
The arrival of the American bullfrog has been harmful to many native species, but Heinzman said that the northern leopard frogs populations are alarmingly low, with only one site in the State where they are still found naturally the Potholes Reservoir near Moses Lake. Leopard frogs remain abundant in other states across the country, but those native to Washington have unique coloration, reflecting their genetic distinctness.
Whether its northern leopard frogs or any other species that we work with to try to protect with our conservation efforts, the thing we always try to keep in mind is once theyre gone, theyre gone for good, Heinzman said. And we would hate to have them gone for good, especially when its caused by human activities.
The repopulation effort was funded by a competitive U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant of $228,000, which was matched by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife for a total of $456,000.
A new population of wild frogs could act as a safeguard for the species in the state.
Should something catastrophic happen to the one population that we know of now, we at least have other sites where these frogs can be found and hopefully, the species would not experience a catastrophic loss related to that, Heinzman said.
The Columbia National Wildlife Refuge was chosen for the new population because leopard frogs are native to the area but unable to physically return to on their own.
Furthermore, the land is owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, allowing for more control of what is done at the property, department herpetologist Patricia Valcarcel said.
Were just trying to assist them in getting back to their historic environments, Valcarcel said.
To combat their being preyed upon by the bullfrogs, Northwest Trek handlers raised the frogs from tadpoles to adults. By raising them under human supervision, a much larger proportion of tadpoles are able to reach maturity, and therefore have a boost, Heinzman said.
They have a better ability to escape, Heinzman said. Theyre just a lot bigger. Theyre more robust. Theyre more healthy.
A fence around the release site is meant to keep bullfrogs out of the area as well.
Although the reintroduction project has been ongoing since 2019 and involved three other releases of northern leopard frogs, the best methods of raising frogs for release remain unknown.
Experimentally, half of the northern leopard frog tadpoles were raised completely in captivity, while the other half were raised in pens at the Columbia refuge where they had to forage for their own food. This is part of ongoing research to determine the most effective rearing method, Valcarcel said.
Scientists at Washington State University have also been collaborating on this project, studying frog behaviors, physiology, predator responses and diseases.
Its a big open question about how that early environment can influence the way frogs respond adaptively to stressors after metamorphosis, WSU biology professor Erica Crespi said.
This research could lead to more effective reintroduction strategies.
Every frog released in this years batch has been marked with either nontoxic blue or orange dye under their skin depending on where they were raised in order to help researchers determine which group is more successful upon recapture.
We would just love to see thriving populations of frogs on their own that we can just observe from a respectful distance, Heinzman said, and be happy about the work that we did to help get them there.
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A Democratic congressional candidates first televised ad has drawn criticism from Republicans and a police group for featuring stock footage of a Ukrainian actor and touting a public safety message.
Rep. Janelle Bynum, a Clackamas County Democrat challenging first-term Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer in Oregons 5th Congressional District, released the 30-second ad last week. It features a voiceover from Bynum and footage of her family and the Legislature, as well as stock video of police officers, fentanyl and an officer walking a handcuffed prisoner down a hall.
In the Oregon state Legislature, I worked to pass bipartisan legislation to re-criminalize fentanyl and other dangerous drugs, she narrates. In Congress, I will work with local enforcement to keep us safe and fight to ensure our communities have the resources they need.
The clips of police officers are from a stock photo site, Shutterstock, and one was added to the site by a Ukrainian company, M_Agency. As Politico reported last year, campaigns have increasingly used stock images and videos filmed in foreign countries in political ads sometimes with embarrassing results. One example is a May 2023 ad supporting Virginias Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin that featured a scene of an Italian fighter jet.
Republican critics of Bynum cast the stock footage in her ad as proof she doesnt have support from local law enforcement.
Extreme Janelle Bynums fake ad perfectly captures her fraudulent attempts to pull the wool over voters eyes, said Ben Petersen, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee. Bynum has foreign actors posing as cops because real Oregon police officers say her radical agenda is too dangerous.
Dan Gottlieb, Petersens counterpart at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, characterized it as a desperate attack.
Ultimately, these desperate attacks from Lori and her allies just arent going to cut it especially as they fail to explain away her record of attacking reproductive freedom and her trail of broken promises on the issues that matter most to Oregonians, he said.
-- Julia Shumway, Oregon Capital Chronicle, jshumway@oregoncapitalchronicle.com
Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, the nations largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
"It's actually much more developed than I thought and I am really impressed by it." An 18-member media delegation from China's Macao visited Xiong'an New Area, known as China's "city of future," in Hebei Province on Friday.
Working Together with God / Human Striving & Merit / Tridentine Soteriology / Davids & Pauls Godly Boasting / Regenerate Sinners / Romans 7 & 8 & Sin / God is Pleased by Our Meritorious Acts / Colossians 1:28: Imputed Justification?
Philip Melanchthon (1497-1560) was the founder of Protestantism: Martin Luthers best friend, co-reformer, and successor as the leader of Lutheranism. Encyclopaedia Britannica ( Philipp Melanchthon ) states that Melanchthon . . . in 1521 published the Loci communes rerum theologicarum (Theological Commonplaces), the first systematic treatment of Reformation thought. Its considered the initiatory work in the Lutheran scholastic tradition . Modified editions appeared in 1535, 1543 and 1559. * Martin Luther wrote, No better book has been written after the Holy Scriptures than Philips. He expresses himself more concisely than I do when he argues and instructs. Im garrulous and more rhetorical (Table-Talk, 1543; in Luthers Works, Vol. 54, 439-440). Many think that this volume was the reason why Luther never wrote his own work of systematic theology. Melanchthon at length departed from Luther in some ways; most notably, in his denial of the Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist, by the time of the 1543 edition, and on the question of free will.
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Luther, who had some violent disagreements with him, never criticized him publicly and never really broke with him. In fact, the verdict of history is that Luther was kinder to Melanchthon than Melanchthon was to Luther. . . . Most Lutherans in America up to the present time have been critical of him, including Schmauck, Neve, Bente, Pelikan, and many others, although that attitude is changing somewhat. (p. 7) * Melanchthon was a prodigy. He entered Heidelberg University at twelve and received his bachelors degree at 14. He moved on to Tubingen, where he earned the masters degree at 17, . . . He never received the doctorate and was never ordained into the ministry. He never preached from the pulpit, although he had much to do with the development of the study of oratory and homiletics. He received an appointment to teach at the newly established University of Wittenberg in 1518. . . . He remained at Wittenberg the rest of his life . . . differences [with Luther] appear as early as 1530, . . . and become more evident as the years roll on. (p. 8)
blue . I use RSV for biblical citations. See also my introductory post for this series on Facebook, which highlights his historically brand-new position of imputed justification (sola fide). For other installments of this series, see my Lutheranism web page , second section: Replies to Philip Melanchthons Loci Communes. Melanchthons words will be in. I use RSV for biblical citations.
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I want to say clearly and plainly that our obedience, that is, the righteousness of a good conscience or of the good works which God has commanded us, must necessarily follow our reconciliation. (p. 97)
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Thats what everyone agrees on: the true regenerated Christian with authentic faith must do grace-enabled good works. The controversy comes over whether they are meritorious, and whether sanctification is an organic part of justification, rather than an abstractly separate category.
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Then there is comfort in the fact that he says that God has prepared before hand these good works in the church [Eph 2:10] , just as He prepared beforehand in Samuel, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others the marvelous works through which He both calls, governs, and preserves His church; and as He says in another place, Strengthen, O God, that which You have wrought in us, Ps. 68[:28]. (p. 97)
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Exactly. They are not exclusively our works. They are caused by Gods grace and in His will. But they are also ours at the same time. Its the paradoxical, biblical both/and rather than either/or:
1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me. * 1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are Gods fellow workers . . . * 2 Corinthians 6:1 Working together with him, . . . * Philippians 2:13 for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. * Colossians 1:29 . . . I toil, striving with all the energy which he mightily inspires within me. * Mark 16:20 And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them . . .
The adversaries want to appear to be treating the doctrine of works as something very important, although they actually are speaking only of external hypocrisy or human ceremonies. But they do not know the works of the First Table and they bury the real source of good works. They say nothing about faith which is trust in the mercy and the free reconciliation of God, nor of the necessity of praying to Him in all situations. And when this faith is taken away then doubt prevails which either despises God or flees His wrath and does not call upon Him. (p. 97)
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Now (after initial encouraging agreement) we see the usual inane caricatures of Catholicism. If one feels compelled to lie about ones theological opponents in order to set forth a supposedly superior, more biblical theology, something is surely awry. It bespeaks a lack of confidence in ones own beliefs. I, on the other hand, dont have to misrepresent and distort Melanchthons Lutheran beliefs. I have no need or desire whatsoever to do that: with him or anyone else.
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I want my readers to know exactly what others believe, and why they do. Towards that end, I present their good-faith, sincerely held positions in their own words and then proceed to show why I believe they are in error, based on Holy Scripture. But Melanchthon uses the age-old method of Protestant polemics against Catholicism (something Luther was a master at): present a straw man of what we supposedly believe in his words rather than actually citing a Catholic source and letting us speak for ourselves.
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I have often said that we must not indulge in the idle human notion that we can govern our outward behavior by human diligence and human powers . . . (p. 98)
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Really? We can and should do so after we are regenerated and justified initially (thus working with God, per the above passages):
Philippians 2:12 . . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; * 1 Timothy 5:22 . . . keep yourself pure. * 2 Timothy 2:15, 21 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, . . . [21] If any one purifies himself from what is ignoble, then he will be a vessel for noble use, consecrated and useful to the master of the house, ready for any good work. * 2 Peter 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall; * Jude 20-21 But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; [21] keep yourselves in the love of God;
It is evident that godly minds are tormented and also hopeful that their obedience may be pleasing to God, but in this terrible weakness of ours they see that our obedience is crippled, impeded, imperfect, corrupt, . . . (p. 99) Sometimes it is (we being fallen human beings who fail even after regeneration); most times it is not, if we are being obedient (the very act of which indicates a preceding grace). The seven representative passages above show not the slightest hint of the efforts and works done being crippled, impeded, imperfect, corrupt. Thats simply Protestant faith alone: being improperly superimposed onto the Bible. I submit that Melanchthons and Protestants prior presuppositions or worldview trump what the Bible actually teaches (which I think I am showing as I move along). The hypocrites think that they do satisfy the Law, that they are righteous, that is, that they have been accepted by God because of their own worthiness or their fulfillment of the Law, as the Pharisee says in Luke 18:9-12. (p. 99) Thats supposedly us dumb, deluded Catholics, of course! This is the old tired caricature of Catholicism as works-salvation (a thing we had roundly condemned 1100 years before Melanchthon): equating it with the Pharisees and Judaizers. The silliness and wrongheadedness of this charge in terms of what Catholics actually teach and believe and seek to practice is seen in the Decree on Justification from the Council of Trent, from its Sixth Session on 13 January 1547: less than four years after the third edition of Loci Communes that I am critiquing, was published, and thirteen years before Melanchthon died: CHAPTER I. On the Inability of Nature and of the Law to justify man. The holy Synod declares first, that, for the correct and sound understanding of the doctrine of Justification, it is necessary that each one recognise and confess, that, whereas all men had lost their innocence in the prevarication of Adam-having become unclean, and, as the apostle says, by nature children of wrath, as (this Synod) has set forth in the decree on original sin,-they were so far the servants of sin, and under the power of the devil and of death, that not the Gentiles only by the force of nature, but not even the Jews by the very letter itself of the law of Moses, were able to be liberated, or to arise, therefrom; although free will, attenuated as it was in its powers, and bent down, was by no means extinguished in them. Thus we see that actual magisterial Church teaching, reiterated and promulgated during Melanchthons lifetime, is the polar opposite of his ridiculous caricature (that is still widely used to this day). The first three canons on justification from the same document, are so in line with Protestant teaching, that John Calvin, in his work, Acts of the Council of Trent with the Antidote (21 November 1547) which I wrote about it in one article , completely agreed with them and offered no further comment (writing, To Canons 1, 2, and 3:, I say, Amen.): CANON I.-If any one saith, that man may be justified before God by his own works, whether done through the teaching of human nature, or that of the law, without the grace of God through Jesus Christ; let him be anathema. CANON II.-If any one saith, that the grace of God, through Jesus Christ, is given only for this, that man may be able more easily to live justly, and to merit eternal life, as if, by free will without grace, he were able to do both, though hardly indeed and with difficulty; let him be anathema. CANON III.-If any one saith, that without the prevenient inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and without his help, man can believe, hope, love, or be penitent as he ought, so as that the grace of Justification may be bestowed upon him; let him be anathema. Here are some more good ones that any Protestant ought to readily agree with: CANON X.-If any one saith, that men are just without the justice of Christ, whereby He merited for us to be justified; or that it is by that justice itself that they are formally just; let him be anathema. CHAPTER V. On the necessity, in adults, of preparation for Justification, and whence it proceeds. . . . the beginning of the said justification is to be derived from the prevenient grace of God through Jesus Christ . . . without any merits existing on their parts . . . yet is he not able, by his own free-will, without the grace of God, to move himself into justice in His sight . . . CHAPTER VIII. In what manner it is to be understood, that the impious is justified by faith, and gratuitously. . . . none of those things which precede justification whether faith or works merit the grace itself of justification. For if it be a grace, it is not now by works; otherwise, as the same Apostle says, grace is no more grace. There are always people like this who admire their own virtues, who give long tributes to their own wisdom and righteousness, especially in secondary matters which are showy, which they think they can govern by their own ideas and which they choose to accept as the divinely given fruits of their own virtues and diligence, . . . (p. 99) This is the picture which many hypocrites project, and there are not a few who are like this, self-confident, pleased with them selves because of their gifts, applauding their own wisdom, . . . (p. 100) I guess he is talking about David and Paul, too: 1 Samuel 26:23 [David] The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; . . . 2 Samuel 22:21-25 [David] The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me. [22] For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. Romans 15:17 . . . In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. 2 Timothy 4:6-8 For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. [7] I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. [8] Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, . . . *** Please Hit Subscribe! 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Thanks so much and happy reading! *** In fact, St. Paul was in several instances in his letters, given to long glowing descriptions of his own [God-enabled] righteous works and sanctity (I guess Melanchthon would consign him to the proud, arrogant, Pharisee-types, too, huh?): 2 Corinthians 11:5-30 I think that I am not in the least inferior to these superlative apostles. [6] Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not in knowledge; in every way we have made this plain to you in all things. [7] Did I commit a sin in abasing myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached Gods gospel without cost to you? [8] I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. [9] And when I was with you and was in want, I did not burden any one, for my needs were supplied by the brethren who came from Macedonia. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. [10] As the truth of Christ is in me, this boast of mine shall not be silenced in the regions of Achaia. [11] And why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! [12] And what I do I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. [13] For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. [14] And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. [15] So it is not strange if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. [16] I repeat, let no one think me foolish; but even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. [17] (What I am saying I say not with the Lords authority but as a fool, in this boastful confidence; [18] since many boast of worldly things, I too will boast.) [19] For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves! [20] For you bear it if a man makes slaves of you, or preys upon you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face. [21] To my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that! But whatever any one dares to boast of I am speaking as a fool I also dare to boast of that. [22] Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. [23] Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one I am talking like a madman with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. [24] Five times I have received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. [25] Three times I have been beaten with rods; once I was stoned. Three times I have been shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been adrift at sea; [26] on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brethren; [27] in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. [28] And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches. [29] Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? [30] If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 1 Corinthians 9:14-19 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. [15] But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing this to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have any one deprive me of my ground for boasting. [16] For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! [17] For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. [18] What then is my reward? Just this: that in my preaching I may make the gospel free of charge, not making full use of my right in the gospel. [19] For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. 2 Corinthians 1:5-14 For as we share abundantly in Christs sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. [6] If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. [7] Our hope for you is unshaken; for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. [8] For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of the affliction we experienced in Asia; for we were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself. [9] Why, we felt that we had received the sentence of death; but that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead; [10] he delivered us from so deadly a peril, and he will deliver us; on him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. [11] You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us in answer to many prayers. [12] For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience that we have behaved in the world, and still more toward you, with holiness and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God. [13] For we write you nothing but what you can read and understand; I hope you will understand fully, [14] as you have understood in part, that you can be proud of us as we can be of you, on the day of the Lord Jesus. Colossians 1:24-28 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christs afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, [25] of which I became a minister according to the divine office which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, [26] the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now made manifest to his saints. [27] To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. [28] Him we proclaim, . . . Yes, of course in 2 Corinthians 11, it is partly sarcastic (this boast of mine; I am talking like a madman etc.), but he goes on and on, and sarcasm (in Paul or Jesus or anyone else who uses it) always has an underlying serious point to make. If indeed, Paul could take no credit at all for any or all of this (the Protestant denial of merit), then the whole discourse is most improper and inappropriate. Moreover, he also uses boast in a totally non-sarcastic way in 1 Corinthians 9 and 2 Corinthians 1. Therefore they tout themselves above others because of their wisdom and righteousness, as Nebuchadnezzar did, . . . (p. 99) Paul certainly did so above. He had none of Luthers existential angst and cyclical insecurity about his standing before God. Melanchthon, a timid, nervous type to begin with, seems to have inherited that from Luther. Unfortunately, they both passed on their personal insecurities and struggles into mainstream Protestant soteriology (theology of salvation), so that they became institutionalized. Personally, I suspect that its more psychological stuff than theological or biblical . . . But even before psychology enters in, the root of it is arguably the Protestant leading trait of creating illogical either/or false dichotomies. Louis Bouyer, a Lutheran who became a Catholic, wrote an entire brilliant book about this, called The Spirit and Forms of Protestantism. I recommend it more highly than any other book, for Catholics desiring to understand the premises and presuppositions of Protestantism. Likewise Saul believed that the kingdom of Israel had been established by his power, although he should have known that both this power and the successes were blessings from God, and that he could not have accomplished or ruled over such things by himself, . . . (p. 100) Thats exactly my point: both as regards biblical teaching and the fact that Catholics agree with it in this respect and every other. Protestants arent the only ones who teach salvation by grace alone, Gods providence and sovereignty, predestination, election, the wrongness of works-salvation, etc. This may come as a shock to many, but so be it. Im here to educate and proclaim what I strongly believe to be the truth, not please (i.e., when the two differ from each other). But first of all we must establish this point: Although in the regenerate there must be a beginning of obedience and the righteousness of a good conscience, yet sins still remain in them, that is to say, the disease which is born in us, the doubts, the ignorance of many things; or in other words, that they do not fear God as they ought nor burn with love toward Him as the Law demands. (p. 100) Thats self-evident in the Bible, and the Catholic Church had always taught it, so I fail to see why Melanchthon thought he needed to establish it (with whom?: biblical illiterates or completely uncatechized folks?). Odd . . . : Psalm 130:3-4 If thou, O LORD, shouldst mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? [4] But there is forgiveness with thee, . . . (130:3 was cited by Melanchthon on p. 101; mistakenly identified as 103:3 by either him or translator Preuss) Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; [15] but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. John 8:7 . . . Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her. James 5:15-16 . . . if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. [16] Therefore confess your sins to one another, . . . 1 John 1:8-10 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1:8 was cited by Melanchthon later on the same page: 100). 1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing this to you so that you may not sin; but if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;
The monks even teach that these doubts concerning providence, the wrath of God, His mercy, our wicked desires, unless there is consent to them, are not sins; . . . (p. 100)
The key word there is consent. He is writing about concupiscence here. See my articles, Augsburg Confession Dialogues: God / Original Sin (Agreement Regarding Gods Nature, But Differences Concerning the Rule of Faith & Concupiscence) [5-2-24] and Calvinist Total Depravity vs. Catholic Concupiscence [1996].
. . . sin remains in this mortal nature of ours. (p. 100)
No one is disagreeing, so again, I dont know who it is that Melanchthon fancies would disagree with this. Catholics simply say that one can become holier and holier and more righteous over time, by Gods grace and our resolve, discipline, and free will choices. Theoretically, we could arrive at a sinless state of being, but as we all know, it virtually never happens. We all strive, or should at least desire to strive, with Gods help, to live as free from sin as we can. At the moment of baptism, we are at least momentarily sinless, since all of our old sins have been forgiven and we have been regenerated and born again.
Rom. 7:23, I see another law at work in my members waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner to the law of sin which is in my members. Now, although the sophists get around this passage and say that . . . here the word refers to . . . the tendency to sin which has come from the fall of our first parents [concupiscence], yet Paul himself refutes this sophistry in his definition of sin itself, when he says that it is an evil in our members which is at war with the law of God.
Furthermore, we have discussed in regard to this article whether the wickedness which remains in our nature is something which is in conflict with the law of God. Human judgment excuses this corruption, but Paul uses very graphic words to describe this terrible thing. He says that the corruption is at war in his members, that it is viciously contending against the law of his mind, confirming his carnal security or his righteous ness which is at odds with God, filling his mind with pride in his own virtues and arrogance, kindling lusts, hatred, desire for revenge, and urging him to seek for bidden help; and finally it takes him captive, because it overthrows the antagonisms of his mind by fears and brings him to the point of despair, so that he flees from God. aw at work in my members waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner to the law of sin which is in my members. Now, although the sophists get around this passage and say that there has been a shift in the word sin, and that here the word refers to the punishment of sin, the tendency to sin which has come from the fall of our first parents, yet Paul himself refutes this sophistry in his definition of sin itself, when he says that it is an evil in our members which is at war with the law of God. (p. 100)
Dom Bernard Orchard, in his Catholic Commentary (1953) writes about Romans 7:
It is characteristic of this and the following paragraph, 1325, that St Paul argues in the first person. The natural conclusion is that he relates his own experience. On the other hand, to argue from a purely individual experience is out of place in such a general discussion as is developed in Rom. This forces upon us the further conclusion that Paul regarded his own experience in this case as typical. And since he speaks in the past, obviously referring to the time before baptism, it can be further described as typical of the pre-Christian time. Then the question arises whether it is to be considered as a typical experience of Israelites and Gentiles alike or only of the former. The answers differ. All who limit the theme of Rom 7 to a discussion on the Mosaic Law must limit the typical value of Pauls experience accordingly because it is the basis of the whole argument. On the other hand, Rom is addressed to a Christian community consisting of former Israelites as well as of former Gentiles (cf. 1:183, 20) and there is no evidence that in our chapter Paul is speaking to the former Israelites only. In view of the addressees, therefore, it seems more natural to think that he looked upon his own experience in the matter as generally typical of the time before becoming a Christian without distinguishing between former Israelites and Gentiles. The law of which St Paul speaks here has been identified with the natural moral law, the Mosaic Law, and both together. The last is the most satisfactory answer. That he foremost had the Mosaic Law in mind follows from the fact that he speaks in the first person. At the same time he must have included the natural moral law because of the former Gentiles among his readers. The simplest solution therefore is to take the law here as the Mosaic Law but as typical of the natural moral law in the same sense as the first person in this description is meant to be typical of man in general, Israelite and Gentile alike. This wider interpretation of law is not contradicted by the commandment Thou shalt not covet, 7. No doubt this is a quotation from the Decalogue. But the quotation is so free (cf. Ex 20:17; Deut 5:21) that it fits the natural moral law as well. Nor can it be urged against this explanation that it entails the abrogation of the natural law which is clearly against Christian doctrine. The point of the whole chapter is not the abrogation of the law, but who is to be given first place, Christ or as it has been heretofore the law? . . . Modern commentators agree that both context and contents point decisively to the time before conversion. It is the characteristic experience of the soul before conversion to the Christian faith to be sold under sin, 14, and to be unable to carry out its higher aspirations, 15, 18, 23, 25b. To regard this experience as remaining after conversion is against the whole line of the argument, cf. 6:6, 9, 1214, 17, 22; 7:6; 8; and also against all the moral exhortations in St Pauls epistle. Nor is it necessary to understand the picture as a reflexion of the Apostles own state of soul when writing because he uses the present tense. There is no reason against taking this as an historic or graphic present to denote what is past, so that there is no real change of tense between 712 and 1325. (my italics)
Romans 8 is Pauls treatise on what the spiritual life is like after regeneration. Paul didnt have two personalities. Nor was he self-contradictory. The topic of Romans 7 is the pre-regenerate or pagan / carnal life, whereas Romans 8 is about the Christian life, which he was experiencing (and all of us can, too):
Romans 8:1-3, 6 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. [3] For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: . . . [6] To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:26-28 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. [27] And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. [28] We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. (8:28 is my favorite verse in the Bible). Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Melanchthon, on the other hand, wants to take Romans 7 as descriptive of the life of every Christian (even Pauls!): supposedly miserably and utterly unable to overcome sin, as if there were no Romans 8 to follow it and provide the solution to Pauls rhetorical spiritual dilemma, laid out in chapter 7. Its classic isolated proof-texting, which is sadly common in Protestant theology and apologetics, especially when deliberately trying to refute Catholicism. St. Paul in Romans 8 isnt arguing that we are beyond sin (as if it poses no difficulties at all), but rather, that we can always conquer it, provided we cooperate with God the Holy Spirit, Who lives within us (8:9-11; cf. John 14-16). Thats why its such a jubilant, triumphalistic, joyous, sunny chapter.
This gets to the heart of the Reformation debate over justification: does it actually change us for the better (Catholicism), or is it a mere declaration, with any actual righteousness neatly separated into a separate non-salvific box of sanctification (Protestantism)? As Protestant scholars like Alister McGrath and Norman Geisler tell us, the latter notion wasnt taught by the Church fathers (especially not by St. Augustine), and Melanchthon introduced it fifteen centuries after Christ; in effect making out that no one had ever understood this until he did. I also add that our view has the support of the Bible, as I think I have demonstrated here and in scores and scores of other articles collected on my Salvation, Justification, & Faith Alone web page (see especially the first section). I habitually provide much more biblical argumentation than my theological opponents do. Melanchthon is no exception.
Therefore, although sins are present with us and the godly to some degree recognize the wrath of God, yet they believe that they are pleasing to God because of His promised mercy, and they sustain themselves with this comfort, as Ps. 33:20 ff. says, My soul sustains itself in His Word my soul hopes in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy; Ps. 32:5-6, . . . (p. 101; he provides several more biblical examples of that)
Thats necessary, given our fallen nature prior to regeneration, but in the Bible there are also many examples of God being pleased because of what regenerate believers obediently do in His power and grace (which is precisely why He rewards us for same, which is Catholic merit: vigorously and categorically denied by Protestantism). Yet here it is massively in the Bible (ya pays yer money and ya makes yer choice):
Genesis 18:19 I have chosen him, that he may charge his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice; so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him. Genesis 22:16-17 By myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, [17] I will indeed bless you, and I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore. . . . 1 Samuel 26:23 The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; . . . 2 Samuel 22:21-25 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me. [22] For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. [23] For all his ordinances were before me, and from his statutes I did not turn aside. [24] I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt. [25] Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight. (cf. Ps 18:20-23) 1 Kings 3:9-14 Give thy servant therefore an understanding mind to govern thy people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to govern this thy great people? [10] It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. [11] And God said to him, Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, [12] behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. [13] I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. [14] And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days. Proverbs 15:26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD, the words of the pure are pleasing to him. Jeremiah 31:16 . . . your work shall be rewarded, says the LORD, . . . Jeremiah 32:19 great in counsel and mighty in deed; whose eyes are open to all the ways of men, rewarding every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings; Haggai 1:8 Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may appear in my glory, says the LORD. Matthew 6:3-4 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, [4] so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. . . . (cf. 6:6, 17-18, 20) Mark 10:29-30 Jesus said, Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, [30] who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, . . . Ephesians 5:10 and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. (cf. Phil 2:13) Ephesians 6:8 knowing that whatever good any one does, he will receive the same again from the Lord, . . . Philippians 4:18 I have received full payment, and more; I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. Colossians 1:10 to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, . . . Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 2:4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but to please God who tests our hearts. 1 Thessalonians 4:1 Finally, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God, just as you are doing, you do so more and more. Hebrews 13:16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. 1 John 3:22 and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
Photo credit: Philip Melanchthon (1497-1560): leader of Lutheranism after Luthers death; 1532 portrait by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) [public domain / (1472-1553) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons
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Summary: Topics covered incl. working with God, merit, Tridentine soteriology, Pauls boasting, Rom 7 & 8 & the Spiritual Life, Col 1:28 and imputed justification, and pleasing God.
Agricultural Minister and Member of Parliament for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong, has stated that the looming food insecurities which will be likely to be experienced throughout the country should be blamed on climate change and not lack of irrigation on farm lands.
According to the minister, the drastic change in climatic conditions is the core reason for the drought in about eight regions in Ghana.
Speaking to Joy News on Thursday, August 29, 2024, the Abetifi lawmaker maintained that, the Ghana Meteorological Agency had given government heads-up of the climate situation indicating a change in the planting season; an information that never reached Ghanaian farmers.
He told the host that, this shift in the planting season, which is a fundamental change caused by climate change, disrupted our agricultural planning.
We invested heavily in inputs, training, land development, seeds, and fertilizers, but with this change, all our efforts were compromised.
He further stated that, although the climate change cannot be controlled, however, there are measures the government is planning on implementing to mitigate the effect the drought will have on Ghanaians as far as food security is concerned adding that irrigation is one such measure, allowing for year-round farming independent of rainfall.
However, Mr Acheampong clarified that developing irrigation systems requires significant investment which is very different form the small earth dams built under the NPP governments "One District, One Dam" initiative.
The Minister highlighted government's efforts in expanding irrigation projects across the country, mentioning ongoing projects in areas like the Afram Plains, Tono, and Upper West regions, where 19 small irrigation projects are currently underway.
Bryan Acheampong also noted that there are 15 projects ongoing in the Northern Region, aimed at creating small earth dams or dugouts to capture rainwater for agricultural and livestock use.
He stressed that these dams, designed to hold rainwater during the rainy season, have largely been successful in serving their intended purposes over the years, such as providing water for household use, livestock, and small-scale farmers.
"We must always measure an initiative against its intended purpose," he said.
He assured Ghanaians of government commitment to expanding irrigation systems in the country in order to provide farmers the luxury of farming across the various seasons in the year.
Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com
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The SDGs Advisory Unit in the Office of the President, in partnership with the National Development Planning commission (NDPC) has organized a one-day non-residential workshop for Journalists on Ghanas Sustainable Ocean Plan (SOP) Process on the Transformations for a Sustainable Ocean Economy.
As a founding member of the Ocean Panel, President of Ghana, H. E. Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo has underscored Ghanas commitment to developing a Sustainable Ocean Plan (SOP) by 2025.
The Director, Development Coordination at National Development Planning commission(NDPC), Dr. Winfred F. A. Nelson in an interview with Peace FM News said Ghanas involvement with the Ocean Panel might be highlighted, showcasing how the countrys efforts align with global initiatives and commitments.
He said the planned transformations in the ocean economy, such as improving fisheries management, reducing marine pollution, and promoting blue economy sectors may emphasize the role of journalists in raising awareness, educating the public, and holding stakeholders accountable in the implementation of the Sustainable Ocean Plan (SOP).
According to him, Ghana is taking a proactive approach to ensuring that its commitments to sustainable ocean management are not only met but also communicated effectively to the public, fostering a culture of accountability and environmental stewardship.
The Focal Person For Ghana Sustainable Ocean Plan, Felix Addo Yobo said water played a crucial role in all aspects of human life, yet human activities such as sand winning, plastic waste, dynamite ,aquaculture and the inappropriate disposal of domestic and industrial solid and liquid waste was threatening the resource and called on stakeholders to create awareness of the need to properly manage water resources on sustainable basis by embracing conservation and preservation of water bodies and land resources.
The emphasis on journalists' involvement in the Sustainable Ocean Plan (SOP) process underscores the vital role of the media in driving public discourse and ensuring transparency in environmental initiatives. As Ghana works towards the 2025 deadline for its SOP, the media's ability to communicate the complexities of ocean sustainability to the public will be crucial.
Journalists are expected to highlight the interconnectedness of ocean health with various sectors of the economy, particularly those related to the blue economy, such as tourism, fisheries, and maritime transport. By doing so, they can help the public and policymakers understand the far-reaching impacts of ocean governance on the country's economic and social well-being.
The workshop likely provided journalists with insights into the current state of Ghana's oceans, the challenges they face, and the opportunities that sustainable management could bring. Topics such as marine pollution, overfishing, and climate change would have been key discussion points, as these are critical issues that need to be addressed to ensure a healthy and productive ocean ecosystem.
Moreover, the workshop likely aimed to equip journalists with practical skills for reporting on environmental issues. This could include training on data journalism, where journalists learn to analyze and present data on ocean health and sustainability in ways that are accessible to the general public. It might also include sessions on investigative journalism, helping reporters to uncover and report on issues like illegal fishing or pollution that threaten the sustainability of Ghana's oceans.
The one-day workshop is a strategic effort by the SDGs Advisory Unit and the NDPC to harness the power of the media in promoting and monitoring the implementation of the Sustainable Ocean Plan. By empowering journalists with the necessary knowledge and skills, Ghana is taking a proactive approach to ensuring that its commitments to sustainable ocean management are not only met but also communicated effectively to the public, fostering a culture of accountability and environmental stewardship.
Source: Prince Baffour Asamoah/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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Footbridges constructed along the Madina-Adentan highway in Accra to promote road safety are not being used by many pedestrians.
The bridges completed in 2019 have become white elephants as pedestrians continue to cross the busy highway directly, disregarding road safety regulations.
During a visit to the area last Friday, the Ghanaian Times observed that both young and old pedestrians were risking their lives while crossing the road.
Some sections of fencing installed to prevent direct road crossings had been cut through, allowing pedestrians to cross immediately after alighting from vehicles.
The bridges have also become havens for substance abusers while some pedestrians had turned the bridges into refuse dumps and a place of convenience.
The disregard for the footbridges comes about five years after they were completed following agitation from pedestrians who called on the government to build footbridges in order to reduce the number of persons who die from crossing the highway.
This was after a 22-year-old student of the West Africa Senior High School in Adentan was killed by a speeding taxi while crossing the highway in front of her school.
Residents interviewed by the Ghanaian Times assigned various reasons for not using the bridges.
Irene Dadzie, a trader, cited the length of the bridges as an excuse.
She said Using the roads takes less time. I also avoid the bridges at night due to fears of being attacked or robbed by the people hanging around there.
Akua Morrison, a student, said it was faster to cross the road directly especially when she is carrying load.
She said she was usually careful when crossing the road.
However, Ama Dansua, a plantain chips seller, said despite the length, she uses the bridges for my own protection.
Some drivers expressed serious concerns about the situation.
Mr Kweku Agyeman noted that We have to be extra careful to avoid hitting pedestrians crossing the roads. Its very dangerous.
The Adentan Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Ebenezer Doku, told the Ghanaian Times that the Assembly was aware of the situation and was embarking on public education towards attitudinal change.
He said the Assembly would get more taskforce personnel to boost the manpower to ensure safer roads and collaborate with the Police Service to prevent attacks from recalcitrant pedestrians on their men.
The Greater Accra Regional Director of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), Ms Catherine Hamilton, said the Authority was aware of the worrying trend at the area.
She said officials from the NRSA collaborated with the Police Service and the District Assembly to arrest recalcitrant pedestrians to deter others but the sustainability of that strategy is a problem.
She said despite public awareness campaigns some commuters have refused, while others verbally assault the personnel.
Ms Hamilton advised the pedestrians to use the footbridges to save lives.
Source: Ghanaian Times
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A Fifty (50) member businesses of the Ghana-Nebraska Agribusiness Growth and Trade Relations Chamber of Commerce - GNEBCHAM is set to experience the Husker Harvest Days and participate in key Trade and Investment Activity in Nebraska, from September 8 to 13, 2024, in Nebraska U.S.A.
The delegation, comprising decision-making officials in Government and diverse value chain players within the Livestock, crops, irrigation, fertilizer, grains, agro processing, education, finance, technology and input sectors, are expected to meet with their Nebraskan business counterparts, to explore and discuss matching opportunities, capacities, strengths of both parties and forge relationships that will ultimately strengthen the Agricultural Infrastructure, for the mutual benefit of the two regions.
The five (5) day trade facilitation event also aims at strategically bringing to the forefront, the agribusiness opportunity gaps of both regions and provide the desired tailor-made support and measurable solutions to bridge the gap, by negotiating and signing of short to long-term working agreements.
Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, the Co-Founder of Ghana-Nebraska Agribusiness Growth and Trade Relations Chamber of Commerce (GNEBCham), expressed the Chambers commitment to scale-up its trade and facilitation works, by ensuring that, the GNEBCHAM members, are efficiently able transact, negotiate, signed deals, export and import from the USA, by embodying and fully leveraging on the African Growth and Opportunity Act.
GNEBCHAM is currently working to ensure GNEBCHAM AGOA Desk is vibrant and operational, to support its members, in the expansion, growth and scale-up strategies.
Last year, about twenty-two of GNEBCHAM members, participated in the Husker Harvest Days and the Trade and Investment Activity. This year, we have fifty (50) of our members participating.
As of today, GNEBCHAM has over 100 pledged members, reflecting the strong interest and ambition to grow and transform our agricultural sector.
This commitment is a testament to the vision of stakeholders who have taken up the mantle to improve agriculture for generations to come.
Their dedication and collaborative efforts highlight both the Ghanaian and American shared goal of advancing the industry, ensuring sustainability and creating lasting positive impacts that will benefit future generations.
Senator Ken Schilz, Co-Founder of GNEBCHAM expressed his delight about the increase in the business delegation for this year. Our focus is to ensure that, we are able to successfully create relations that sustains and strengthens the Ag infrastructure.
I have personally met with most of our GNEBCHAM member companies, discussing and accessing their collective strengths and I remain confident, that we shall achieve our collective objectives.
We are committed to raising the profile of agriculture, both in Ghana and Nebraska and if we are able to correctly do this, the GNEBCHAM will become a preeminent voice for the advancement of agriculture and demonstrate what is possible through strategic partnerships, Senator Schilz said.
During the five (5) day Husker Harvest and the Trade and Investment Activity, GNEBCHAM Business delegates will be strategically positioned and engaged in focused business investment and negotiation dialogues, to sign business partnership and relationship deals.
Some of the Business delegates will be accessing the possibilities of having their agro products on the shelves of Nebraska stores or creating a mini-Ghana space within the Grocery shops in Nebraska.
Other delegates in the Educational sector will also be exploring the possibility of collaborating with Nebraska State Universities offering Agriculture, to introduce agribusiness educational modules and create partnerships for exchanges.
Additionally, other business delegates who are exploring investment partnerships for grains ( soybeans), irrigation, seeds, beef, poultry imports, have been pencilled and matched with Nebraskan businesses within shared goals and similar fields.
Delegates will be hosted to a welcome business and networking reception by state senators and businesses in Nebraska, have key meetings with the Nebraska State department of Agriculture and a reception with the Nebraska State Governor.
Throughout the five (5) day business trip, delegates, will get to attend the Husker Harvest days, which is by far, the largest irrigated farm show, to experience the latest in agribusiness technology and learn from industry experts.
The Ghana-Nebraska Agribusiness Growth and Trade Relations (GNEBCham) is the International representative arm of selected Nebraska Senators, Farmers, Agribusinesses and subsidiaries voluntarily working together with their Ghanaian partners to create an environment where Agribusiness and Trade can thrive between Ghanaians and Nebraskans and beyond.
GNEBCham aims to foster economic growth and strengthen trade ties by developing business markets among Ghanaian and Nebraskan value chain businesses.
With a growing membership base of over 100 companies, GNEBCham aims at developing agribusiness trade ties and relationships, build bridges that strengthens the Agricultural infrastructure and drive economic growth.
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 is withdrawing 100 of its paramilitary officers from Burkina Faso to help in the war in Ukraine.
They are part of about 300 soldiers from the Bear Brigade - a Russian private military company - who arrived in the West African nation in May to support the country's military junta.
On its Telegram channel, the group said its forces would return home to support Russias defence against Ukraines recent offensive in the Kursk region.
There are fears the pull-out could embolden Islamist insurgents in Burkina Faso, who recently killed up to 300 people in one of the biggest attacks in years.
Burkina Faso has since 2015 suffered regular jihadist attacks, with more than two million people displaced in what aid groups call the worlds most neglected crisis.
The junta under interim President Capt Ibrahim Traore, who came to power in a coup in September 2022, promised to end the attacks but has struggled, even after seeking new security partnerships with Russia.
With nearly half the country outside government control, jihadist groups are increasingly targeting civilians and military units.
Survivors say up to 300 people were killed on Saturday in the northern town of Barsalogho, in an attack which was claimed by an al-Qaeda-linked armed group, Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).
They were reportedly civilians helping to dig trenches to help protect the town against jihadist attacks.
The authorities have not said how many people were killed but Communication Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo called the attack barbaric.
The Bear Brigade is said to be responsible for guarding senior Burkinabe officials, including Capt Traore, whose leadership has been threatened before.
They arrived in the same month when gunshots were fired in the Burkinabe capital near the presidential palace, heightening speculation about growing opposition to the junta leader, who claimed to have thwarted a coup attempt last year.
Videos which circulated on social media and reportedly confirmed by the group showed the Burkinabe military leader being guarded by men in uniforms featuring Russian flags.
The group says it is guarding the Russian ambassador in Ouagadougou, the Burkina Faso capital.
About 100 members of this specialised unit are set to leave the West African country, only three months after arriving
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 National Chairman for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has called on Traditional rulers, the clergy and all stakeholders in Ghanas fight for peace, to admonish the President, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, to do a peaceful handing over after the December 7 general elctions.
According to the National Chairman, advising the President ahead of the eletions is very crucial in ensuring peace after the elections in December.
During a campaign tour in Nsawam in the Eastern region, the Chiefs and clergy called on the NDC to ensure there is a very peaceful elections.
In responding to the plea of the traditional rulers and the clergy, Mr. Asiedu Nketiah posited that the best person to be given the advice is President Akufo-Addo, who had earlier mentioned that he cannot hand over power to someone he has beaten twice in major elections.
Asiedu Nketiah accused President Nana Akufo-Addo for allegedly fueling electoral violence and not acting on recommendations from a committee investigating such incidents.
He stressed that preventing destabilization depends on Chiefs and Clergy holding the President accountable.
He stated, If our nations leaders truly desire peace, I urge you to counsel the President to hand over power peacefully as his tenure comes to an end. He inherited a peaceful nation; let him ensure the same tranquility prevails when he departs.
Respected traditional leaders (Nananom) and clergy, you possess significant influence. Speak the truth, and no politician will dare disobey you. Your words carry weight, and we implore you to use your authority to promote a peaceful transition, he added.
Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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The Vice President and flagbearer of the NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has stressed the significance of a digital address system in a modern economy.
Dr. Bawumia has championed a robust digital address system for Ghana in the past seven years but critics downplayed its significance and the Vice Presidents devotion to it.
Addressing community stakeholders at Dome-Kwabenya Constituency on Thursday, August 29, Dr. Bawumia emphasized that the digital address system and the national identity system is the catalyst for development, hence the backbone of developed countries which emerging economies like Ghana cannot avoid.
Dr. Bawumia reinforced his commitment to building strong foundations to make Ghana a modern economy.
"When we came into office, Ghana was not having an address system that was working throughout the country. But an address system is one of the most important elements for any economy."
"An address system is so important. Today, if you go to the United States and you collapse their address system; just erase it, if you could, that economy will collapse because you can't function. The businesses cannot function without an address system."
"I wrote this in my book, 14 years ago, that we need an address system so when we came in and I looked at the street address we were doing. I realized that it would take us such a long time to do it, so I said let's have a digital address system and now we have it."
"Ghana is the second country in the whole world to have a national digital address system. It is a very comprehensive system and every property in Ghana, whether in the village or in the city, has a property address system and that is very key."
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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A boy gives a "high five" to a volunteer during a hands-on experience session at the Angola pavilion of a permanent exhibition hall of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Promotion Innovation Demonstration Park in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. Various activities promoting youth communication between China and Africa were organized here during the summer vacation. With the help of African volunteers from local universities, Chinese students were able to feel the charm of African culture by learning traditional African dance, music, folk arts, and making immersive tours of African customs via VR devices. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)
A volunteer demonstrates African music during a hands-on experience session at the Angola pavilion of a permanent exhibition hall of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Promotion Innovation Demonstration Park in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. Various activities promoting youth communication between China and Africa were organized here during the summer vacation. With the help of African volunteers from local universities, Chinese students were able to feel the charm of African culture by learning traditional African dance, music, folk arts, and making immersive tours of African customs via VR devices. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)
A volunteer helps a kid to put on VR device during a hands-on experience session at the Mali pavilion of a permanent exhibition hall of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Promotion Innovation Demonstration Park in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. Various activities promoting youth communication between China and Africa were organized here during the summer vacation. With the help of African volunteers from local universities, Chinese students were able to feel the charm of African culture by learning traditional African dance, music, folk arts, and making immersive tours of African customs via VR devices. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)
Volunteers introduce stone painting to children during a hands-on experience session at the Malawi pavilion of a permanent exhibition hall of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Promotion Innovation Demonstration Park in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. Various activities promoting youth communication between China and Africa were organized here during the summer vacation. With the help of African volunteers from local universities, Chinese students were able to feel the charm of African culture by learning traditional African dance, music, folk arts, and making immersive tours of African customs via VR devices. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)
A volunteer plays African drum with children during a hands-on experience session at the Angola pavilion of a permanent exhibition hall of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Promotion Innovation Demonstration Park in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. Various activities promoting youth communication between China and Africa were organized here during the summer vacation. With the help of African volunteers from local universities, Chinese students were able to feel the charm of African culture by learning traditional African dance, music, folk arts, and making immersive tours of African customs via VR devices. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)
A volunteer grinds coffee beans with children during a hands-on experience session at the Ethiopia pavilion of a permanent exhibition hall of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Promotion Innovation Demonstration Park in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. Various activities promoting youth communication between China and Africa were organized here during the summer vacation. With the help of African volunteers from local universities, Chinese students were able to feel the charm of African culture by learning traditional African dance, music, folk arts, and making immersive tours of African customs via VR devices. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)
Volunteers introduce stone painting to children during a hands-on experience session at the Malawi pavilion of a permanent exhibition hall of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Promotion Innovation Demonstration Park in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. Various activities promoting youth communication between China and Africa were organized here during the summer vacation. With the help of African volunteers from local universities, Chinese students were able to feel the charm of African culture by learning traditional African dance, music, folk arts, and making immersive tours of African customs via VR devices. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)
A volunteer grinds coffee beans with children during a hands-on experience session at the Ethiopia pavilion of a permanent exhibition hall of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Promotion Innovation Demonstration Park in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. Various activities promoting youth communication between China and Africa were organized here during the summer vacation. With the help of African volunteers from local universities, Chinese students were able to feel the charm of African culture by learning traditional African dance, music, folk arts, and making immersive tours of African customs via VR devices. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)
A volunteer teaches children African dance during a hands-on experience session at the Angola pavilion of a permanent exhibition hall of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Promotion Innovation Demonstration Park in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Aug. 30, 2024. Various activities promoting youth communication between China and Africa were organized here during the summer vacation. With the help of African volunteers from local universities, Chinese students were able to feel the charm of African culture by learning traditional African dance, music, folk arts, and making immersive tours of African customs via VR devices. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)
Nana Barima Osei Hwedie II, the Chief of Ejura, has eulogized the Vice President and NPP presidential candidate, His Excellency Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for his trustworthy leadership and commitment to the development of Ejura and the country at large.
The Chief noted that Dr. Bawumia is a man of his words, therefore can be trusted to deliver on his promises.
He also commended Dr. Bawumias Running Mate, Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, for his frankness and outstanding achievements particularly in the education and energy sectors.
Nana Barima II was speaking at a durbar held on Thursday, August 29, 2024, within the Ejura Sekyidumase Constituency and attended by traditional rulers, Imams, opinion leaders, representatives of identifiable groups, market women, students and residents in the community, to welcome Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh and his entourage.
I know Dr. Bawumia personally and have worked with him. I can say on authority that he is a man that can be trusted to do what he says he will do. We can all attest to the fact that when he said he would tackle the Ejura water crisis, he delivered.
When he also promised to build a hospital for us, he delivered. I can go on and on. When we vote for him to be President, Ejura and Ghana will see massive transformation. Dr. Bawumia is also receptive. So, I can go to his office anytime to demand our share of the national cake, he said.
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh a.k.a NAPO took his tour to Anyinasu and Sekyedumase where he held community engagements with traditional authorities and other relevant stakeholders.
He solicited support for his boss, Dr. Bawumia, and the partys parliamentary candidate, Gifty Mboma, who is said to reclaim the Ejura-Sekyidumase seat for the governing NPP.
The NPP Running Mate proceeded to the Afigya-Sekyere East and Kwabre East constituencies, also holding community engagements with the Chiefs, religious leaders and other stakeholders in the Agona, Wiamoase, Abira and Kenyase communities.
While touting the unmatched record of the New Patriotic Party, NAPO rallied the people to support the vision of Dr. Bawumia and his bold solutions for Ghana.
He appealed to them to vote overwhelmingly for the partys parliamentary candidates, Mavis Nkansah Boadu for Afigya Sekyere East and Onyiwa Acheampong for Kwabre East.
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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National Youth Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP), Salam Mustapha, has disclosed that the popularity of the flagbearer of the party has skyrocketed than the popularity of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
According to him, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia exudes humility and that has endeared him to the heart of Ghanaians.
Speaking in an interview with Kwame Nkrumah Tikese on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' show, he explained that the flagbearer of the party also carries the message of the people and that his policies are one that will help accelerate the countrys development.
In all our engagements with Ghanaians, they have come to believe that the vice president who is also the flagbearer of the party understands the needs of Ghanaians and that his policies will address the needs of Ghanaians which will intend to alleviate the hardships in the county.
We understand that times are hard in the country but we will ensure that Ghanaians suffer no more when elected to steer the affairs of the country.
He added that over the period, the NPP government despite the world pandemic that crippled the countrys economy, has worked hard enough to put the economy back on track and Dr. Bawumia is committed to ensuring that the country will not experience such hardship again.
The Vice President and flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), H.E. Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has been campaigning across the country to be elected president of the country.
He has engaged with the various stakeholders which include traditional rulers, religious leaders, the youth, and the entire people on his vision and policies which are the bold steps that Ghana needs to take into the future.
The policies include the establishment of a Minerals Development Bank, provision of license for small-scale miners, free tertiary education for persons living with disability, tax amnesty, flat rate at the ports, training of 1,000,000 youth in IT, harnessing of solar and wind power to reduce the high demand on electric energy, zero duty on solar panels, repositioning of Ghanas education towards STEM and AI, one student one laptop for tertiary students, among others.
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Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]
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 Youth Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) Salam Mustapha has disclosed that the manifesto of the National Democratic Congress is a dubbed version of the New Patriotic Party.
According to him, most of the policies of the NDC were churn out of the manifesto of the NPP and it clearly showed that they copied.
Speaking in an interview with Kwame Nkrumah Tikese on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that the NDC has nothing to provide for the country and can only fall on the good policies of the ruling New Patriotic Party.
The New Patriotic Party has listened to Ghanaians and we know what they want. Their concerns were used in drafting the manifesto and we believe that it will help for the leadership and governance of Dr. Bawumia.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has swiftly responded to the claims by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) suggesting that the party has plagiarized their manifesto.
The NDC stated that following the launch of their manifesto which has generated a lot of excitement in the country, it has sent cold shivers down the spine of the NPP, as a result of which they are making all sorts of comments which were untruths.
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Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]
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 Kyidomhene of Gomoa Ajumako traditional area who doubles as the Benkumhene of Gomoa Dabenyin Nana Barima Owusu I, has expressed worry about how some chiefs openly partake in partisan politics in recent times.
According to him, this act disgraces the chieftaincy institution which is also a recipe for chaos.
In his words chiefs are fathers of their subjects and are supposed to be neutral. Engaging in partisan politics through your utterances or activities shows you have already chosen a side which will make it difficult for others to approach you. You will have some of your subjects belonging to NDC and NPP so how do you as a father declare your support for one side?
He further added that one of the key functions of chiefs is to adjudicate disputes and during the adjudication, you must be seen as a neutral chief politically biased one.
Nana Barima Owusu, I expressed these concerns during the celebration of the Eguantodo festival at Gomoa Dabenyin in the Gomoa East District of the Central region.
Nana Barima Owusu I further advised the youth to desist from acts of violence before, during and after this years election.
He concluded by advising the Ghanaian populace to guard the peace we are enjoying and not to jeopardise it during this years election.
The festival drew people from both far and near to thank God and their ancestors for their protection.
Nana Barima Owusu, I called on Ghanaians to come together and endeavour to keep the peace we have before, during and after the 2024 general elections.
Source: Pious Baidoo Banson, Peace FM
Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
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Prof. Smart Sarpong has backed President John Mahamas call for a reset of Ghanas economy.
The former President, delivering a speech at his manifesto launch, stressed the need for Ghana to be reset but his main opponent of the New Patriotic Party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia says the country rather needs an upgrade.
Tomorrow, we take the first step towards resetting our dear nation Ghana. We face challenges that have held us back for too long but now its time to build the Ghana we all want togetherTomorrow, we begin the journey together, Mr. Mahama, presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, told his party members and supporters.
Bawumia, in a media engagement, replied; What this country needs is an upgrade, not reset. And if given the mandate, I will roll out the measures outlined in our recently launched manifesto to revamp the economy, adding I represent the future, and Ghana needs an upgrade, not a reset.
Commenting on these two conflicting statements, the Senior Research Fellow and Lecturer at the Kumasi Technical University (KsTU), Prof. Smart Sarpong argued that Ghanas economy has over the years been destabilized, therefore he prefers the country to undergo a reset.
The Senior Researcher, on Peace FMs Kokrokoo show, said; Im sure when it comes to the economy, everyone will agree that it needs reset and its needed reset not today. Ghanas economy has never been stable.
He continued; In fact, were so volatile a country and it is not because of the dependence on foreign currency but weve become so volatile the little thing that shakes has effect on us.
Professor Smart Sarpong, however, highlighted some other key aspects of the economy which he believes needs an upgrade.
It is not everything that needs a rest, and it is not everything that needs an upgrade. So the debate going on should be defined clearly/ According to the former President and flag bearer of the NDC, JohnDramani mahama, the Agenda 111 project, an initiative of the NPP government is a good project, so he coming to continue such a project if he becomes President is an upgrade and not a reset.
There are things that are not going well in the country which does not need an upgrade but a reset. For instance, the way we do our trade in the country needs a reset. Ghana has become an import-dependent economy which is very bad, hence the need to reset that sector to make it an export-driven economy. We have a big problem as a people with sustainable agriculture. If as a people, we can reset the way we do our Agriculture, then it will be a very good thing for us. So we need to have a critical; look at that as well.
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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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.
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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By Nick Vadala, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS)
Former President Donald Trumps campaign appears to be taking a low-profile Labor Day weekend, while Vice President Kamala Harris and her campaign will hit several key swing states Monday.
Harris had no scheduled events Saturday or Sunday as of early Friday afternoon, but will return to Pennsylvania Monday for a rally with President Joe Biden following a solo visit to Detroit. The Pittsburgh stop will serve as Harris ninth trip to the Keystone State this year, while the Detroit visit will be her sixth to Michigan in 2024.
More details about the Pittsburgh visit had not been announced as of early Friday afternoon.
Also on Monday, second gentleman Doug Emhoff will head to Newport News, Va., and Harris running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will be in Milwaukee, CBS reports.
Emhoff led the charge for Harris this week, making stops in New York, Michigan, Idaho, Colorado and California. Harris and Walz also embarked on a bus tour of southern Georgia that culminated Thursday with a rally in Savannah.
Harris and Walz also spoke with CNN reporter Dana Bash for their first major interview Thursday.
Trumps campaign had no publicly announced Labor Day weekend events on the calendar early Friday afternoon.
Trump spoke at a rally in Johnstown Friday at the Cambria County War Memorial. His running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R., Ohio, spoke at a campaign event in Erie Wednesday.
Trump is scheduled to be in Harrisburg Wednesday for a town hall with Fox News host Sean Hannity.
Harris and Trump are to be in Pennsylvania together Sept. 10 for an ABC-hosted presidential debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
By Julia Terruso and Layla A. Jones, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS)
PHILADELPHIA Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will hold events in Pennsylvania next week, with stops across the state on Wednesday and Thursday, the Harris campaign said.
The visit will be Walzs first solo trip to the commonwealth since joining Vice President Kamala Harris on the presidential ticket. The campaign did not say where specifically Walz would be traveling but said additional details would be forthcoming.
Both Democrats and Republicans have dedicated time and campaign resources to bolstering support in what is considered a pivotal swing state. Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly said whichever candidate wins Pennsylvania will win the whole thing.
Trump visited Johnstown on Friday, speaking at the Cambria County War Memorial. The same day, the Harris-Walz campaign announced it was opening its 50th campaign office in Ephrata, a Lancaster County borough. Trumps running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, visited Erie for an event on Wednesday.
On Monday, Harris will join President Joe Biden for a rally in Pittsburgh, marking her ninth visit to the state this year and their first joint campaign appearance since she accepted the Democratic nomination for president.
Trump is holding a town hall in Harrisburg Wednesday with Fox News Sean Hannity.
According to a recent Franklin & Marshall poll of registered Pennsylvania voters, 3% of the states voters are undecided. Trump narrowly led in Pennsylvania but Harris has gained in what now appears a neck-and-neck race.
Walz and Harris made their first joint appearance together in Philadelphia last month, the same day she named him as her pick to be her running mate.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro had been in serious consideration for the job. After Harris chose Walz, Shapiro said he would stump for Harris in the state. He spoke at the Philadelphia rally last month and at the Democratic National Convention.
Shapiros greatest advantage was his popularity among the Pennsylvania electorate. The governor outperformed Sen. John Fetterman in the 2022 election, and data showed Shapiro secured support from people who voted for Trump in 2020.
The campaign has said it hopes Walz, who grew up in a rural community in western Nebraska, can appeal to working-class voters across the state.
Harris and Trump are scheduled to face off Sept. 10 in a debate organized by ABC at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
Fans of Va La Vineyards in Avondale, Chester County, are familiar with the drill: annual releases of Silk (a rosato), Cedar and Mahogany (red blends) and La Prima Donna (orange wine), and then one or two more depending on what owner/winemaker Anthony Vietri has aged to satisfaction.
Over the years, those releases have included everything from Zafferano (an orange wine made from Pinot Grigio grapes) to Nebbiolo to Seed (a crossing of the red varieties Carmine and Cabernet Franc).
This year, its a 2021 red field blend called Parchment that Vietri announced in a Friday email. Havent heard of Parchment? That might be because its last release was more than 20 years ago.
He described it in the email as a special small batch release is a rarely seen red-amber style wine, made from a field blend of the red varieties Corvina Veronese, Rondinella, Nebbiolo, Malvasia Nera, Barbera, Lagrein, Pignolo, etc., estate grown and bottled.
Va Las vineyard is unique on the East Coast for the variety of Italian varieties that grow there. North Carolinas Raffaldini and Virginias Barboursville are growing some. Joe Fiola, with Maryland Extension, has many growing at his experimental vineyards sites around the state. Jim Law, at Linden Vineyards in Virginia, has a trial vineyard with almost a dozen Italian varieties, including Aglianico, Fiano, Corvina, Rondinella and Schioppettino.
A look at the Va La Vineyards winery and tasting room from the 'back 40,' on a recent sunny day in Avondale, Chester County.Va La Vineyards
Vietri said in the email that Parchment is a unique and distinctly Old World-style wine made using the ancient methods of Appassimento. This involves taking the freshly harvested grapes and painstakingly arranging the clusters on racks to air dry for several weeks, concentrating their flavors. The grapes are then fermented, and the wine given an extended aging in barrel before release. This imbues the final wine with an elevated perfume and an unusually striking color of ruby red with amber highlights.
The flavors start out with tangy notes of brambly red fruits, strawberry preserves, and finishes with hints of orange peel, caramel, roasted nuts, and candied fruit. The wine opens up with decanting to reveal a creamy texture with light tasty tannins in the long, finish, and refreshing acidity that allows it to pair particularly well high fat dishes.
Its best served at 1-3 hours decanting time, occasionally longer if the weather is unsettled, the winemakers notes say, adding that rhe long finish and refreshing acidity allow it to pair particularly well with high-fat dishes.
Food pairings: Red sauces, barbecue, Indian cuisine, grilled vegetables, mushroom, polenta, and spicy dishes
He released 132 cases and is selling the wine for $45/bottle and $14/glass.
As for the Zafferano, always one of my favorites, Vietri told PennLive that the style and grapes involved in that have slowly evolved into becoming La Prima Donna.
All the grapes [and portions of the grapes] that were in Zaff are now in LPD, he wrote. So our Zaff lovers have really liked the latest versions of LPD for that reason. It is a lot like a wine that we used to make called Patina.
It was a trial of varieties that would eventually go into Mahogany, and once those were identified, those did exactly that and Patina evolved into Mahogany. Same idea with Zafferano.
In the same customer email, Va La noted that the 2023 Silk, his well-known rosato, has been released after several months without any to sell.
Va La has built a devoted following through the years, operating at 8822 Gap Newport Pike in Avondale, a short ride from Route 1 in southern Chester County.
It opens at noon Fridays through Sundays and closes at 5:30 (and a tick before 6 p.m. on Saturdays).
Afternoon jazz concerts on Saturday and Sunday this weekend will run from 2 to 5 p.m.
With the new academic year beginning, I got a surprise email from Megabus.com stating that all of my forthcoming trips to State College have been canceled because Fullington Trailways is taking over Megabus operations.
I was heartbroken. To my surprise, thats going to be the end of Megabus itself. Gone are the days of $1 bus fares and sitting on the double-decker bus; thats why one driver of the Megabus calls it Big Blue. I have been riding Megabus for years, going from Pittsburgh to State College at least three times a month during the academic year. I visited Penn State and explored the campus and downtown State College. Often I visited the Pattee and Paterno Library. Occasionally, I used the Megabus to travel to New York to see my father and go to the only Bass Pro Shops in Pennsylvania (Harrisburg).
Now with it being taken over by Fullington, a round trip from Pittsburgh to State College costs $60 round trip. Thats almost $200 for three trips. If I want to go to New York, it will cost me $115 round trip. All together: $1500 worth of bus trips. Ridiculous! $1 bus fares were helpful for Penn State students commuting from Pittsburgh to State College for classes once or twice a week and to go on special assignments. Now they would have to pay upwards of nearly $1700 per year.
An event was held on the occasion of the Victory Day of the Republic of Turkey and the Day of the Turkish Armed Forces, Azernews reports, citing AZERTAG.
Fuad Najafli, the authorized representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Asip Kaya, the Consul General of Turkiye in Nakhchivan, and state and government representatives took part in the event.
First, the dear memory of the martyrs of our fraternal nations was commemorated with a minute of silence, and the national anthems of the Republics of Azerbaijan and Turkiye were played.
Then a video was shown about the history of the victory of the Turkish people.
At the event, the Consul General of Turkiye in Nakhchivan, Asip Kaya, expressed his satisfaction to celebrate the holiday together in Nakhchivan, which the great leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk called the "Gate of the Turks", and read the congratulatory letter of the President of the Republic of Turkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, sent to the Turkish diplomatic missions in foreign countries on the occasion of the Victory Day.
The Consul General said that Azerbaijan-Turkiye brotherhood and friendship is an example to the world, and noted that our union, joint cooperation, and strategic alliance are progressing along the line of continuous development based on the goals set by the heads of state. Conveying his congratulations on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Asip Kaya valued the righteous struggle of Nakhchivan throughout history as one of the glorious pages of common Turkish history. Emphasizing that they welcomed the glorious victory of Azerbaijan in the 44-day Patriotic War and the full restoration of its sovereignty as a result of anti-terrorist operations, the consul general wished success in the parliamentary elections to be held on September 1.
Azerbaijani President's authorized representative to Nakhchivan Fuad Najafli said that it was a great pleasure to celebrate the glorious victory of the Turkish people together, and congratulated the brotherly Turkish people.
He emphasized that this glorious victory was a fundamental turning point on the path to independence of the great Turkish state, and declared the indomitable will, invincibility, struggle, and determination of the brotherly people to the whole world. Honoring the memory of Azerbaijani and Turkish martyrs, the authorized representative emphasized that our brotherly and friendly relations were continued by Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan and reached high heights.
He noted that Azerbaijan-Turkiye relations not only express the unity and equality of our peoples but also guarantee peace and tranquility in the region. The Bridge of Hope embodies not only our geographical unity but also our one-nation, two-state relations. The Zangazur corridor, which will be realized in the future, will play an important role in the wider and efficient use of energy and transport-transit opportunities of Nakhchivan by strengthening these connections. The construction of the Igdir-Nakhchivan gas pipeline, which was laid in Nakhchivan with the participation of our heads of state, is also of great importance in this sense.
At the end, a video about the glorious military history of Turkiye prepared by the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Turkey was shown.
A girl participates in a painting activity during a Knowledge Day event in Vladivostok, Russia, Aug. 31, 2024. The Knowledge Day event was held on Saturday in Vladivostok to celebrate the beginning of the new school year. The event, featuring sports, art, and games, attracted many children. (Photo by Guo Feizhou/Xinhua)
First graders participate in a run called "First Race" during a Knowledge Day event in Vladivostok, Russia, Aug. 31, 2024. The Knowledge Day event was held on Saturday in Vladivostok to celebrate the beginning of the new school year. The event, featuring sports, art, and games, attracted many children. (Photo by Guo Feizhou/Xinhua)
A girl plays a board game during a Knowledge Day event in Vladivostok, Russia, Aug. 31, 2024. The Knowledge Day event was held on Saturday in Vladivostok to celebrate the beginning of the new school year. The event, featuring sports, art, and games, attracted many children. (Photo by Guo Feizhou/Xinhua)
Children play a board game during a Knowledge Day event in Vladivostok, Russia, Aug. 31, 2024. The Knowledge Day event was held on Saturday in Vladivostok to celebrate the beginning of the new school year. The event, featuring sports, art, and games, attracted many children. (Photo by Guo Feizhou/Xinhua)
A boy demonstrates his skills on the horizontal bar during a Knowledge Day event in Vladivostok, Russia, Aug. 31, 2024. The Knowledge Day event was held on Saturday in Vladivostok to celebrate the beginning of the new school year. The event, featuring sports, art, and games, attracted many children. (Photo by Guo Feizhou/Xinhua)
A boy attends a kettlebell fitness test during a Knowledge Day event in Vladivostok, Russia, Aug. 31, 2024. The Knowledge Day event was held on Saturday in Vladivostok to celebrate the beginning of the new school year. The event, featuring sports, art, and games, attracted many children. (Photo by Guo Feizhou/Xinhua)
A girl tests standing long jump during a Knowledge Day event in Vladivostok, Russia, Aug. 31, 2024. The Knowledge Day event was held on Saturday in Vladivostok to celebrate the beginning of the new school year. The event, featuring sports, art, and games, attracted many children. (Photo by Guo Feizhou/Xinhua)
A boy plays a jigsaw puzzle during a Knowledge Day event in Vladivostok, Russia, Aug. 31, 2024. The Knowledge Day event was held on Saturday in Vladivostok to celebrate the beginning of the new school year. The event, featuring sports, art, and games, attracted many children. (Photo by Guo Feizhou/Xinhua)
Children participate in a painting activity during a Knowledge Day event in Vladivostok, Russia, Aug. 31, 2024. The Knowledge Day event was held on Saturday in Vladivostok to celebrate the beginning of the new school year. The event, featuring sports, art, and games, attracted many children. (Photo by Guo Feizhou/Xinhua)
Brightspeed, one of the nations leading fiber broadband builders, marked a significant milestone in its efforts to close the digital divide in Pennsylvania with the launch of its high-speed fiber internet service in Perry County. The event, celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 21 in New Bloomfield, had key dignitaries including U.S. Congressman John Joyce, state Sen. Greg Rothman and state Rep. Perry Stambaugh in attendance.
Brightspeeds state-of-the-art fiber internet service will be available soon to nearly 50,000 homes and businesses across Adams, Cumberland and Perry counties. The project is a crucial step toward bridging the connectivity gap in rural areas, where access to reliable high-speed internet has historically lagged behind urban centers.
One of my top priorities in Congress is closing the digital divide and ensuring that every family and business across our district has fast, affordable and reliable internet access, said Joyce. Right now, more than 318,000 Pennsylvanians do not have access to fast and reliable internet. Its time to work together through public-private partnerships that can deliver results for families and communities.
The launch in Perry County is part of a broader initiative by Brightspeed to deploy next-generation fiber-optic technology across Pennsylvania, which ranks 12th in the nation for internet coverage, speed and availability, according to BroadbandNow.
BANDING TOGETHER Public officials and Brightspeed representatives gathered Aug. 21 in New Bloomfield for the announcement of expanded high-speed internet service.Perry County Times
The expansion is bolstered by more than $780,000 in grant funding from the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA), which will augment Brightspeeds planned fiber network by reaching an additional 340 locations in Perry County. The support is vital in a county where more than 50 percent of tested broadband connections were found to be unserved, with speeds below the Federal Communications Commissions minimum standard of 25/3 Mbps.
In todays world, Pennsylvania residents cannot run a business without reliable internet. Strong internet is no longer a luxury it is a necessity, crucial to successfully participating in our digital economy, emphasized John Mizerak, Brightspeeds director of government affairs. Roughly five in ten Pennsylvania residents cannot purchase a fiber internet plan, and Brightspeed is committed to changing that by increasing availability, accessibility and affordability of high-speed, high-quality fiber broadband.
Mizeraks sentiment was echoed by other speakers, who highlighted the transformative potential of expanded internet access for education, healthcare, agriculture and business in rural communities.
Rothman, an advocate for rural development, reflected on the impact internet access has had on his own life and the lives of his children. You think how different my life would have been had we had access to the internet. The internet is community and the internet is progress. It is the connectivity that keeps us together as a community.
Rothman also praised the collaborative efforts of local leaders and the seamless cooperation between different political parties to bring the project to fruition. As our commissioners, you can see they sit together, they were sworn in together, they go to events together, and they work so well together despite being from different parties.
Commissioner Brenda Watson, who played a pivotal role in driving the initiative, stated, We knew bringing Brightspeed Fiber to Perry County wasnt just about faster internet, it was about future-proofing our community and providing the infrastructure needed for growth and opportunity.
Stambaugh has been a vocal critic of Pennsylvanias local telephone companies, particularly regarding their sluggish progress in deploying broadband in rural areas. He acknowledged the frustrations felt by residents in his district, which includes all of Perry and most of Juniata counties.
In October 2022, after Brightspeed formally acquired the Eastern U.S. service territory from CenturyLink, I and pretty much everyone else here began pressing Brightspeed officials to upgrade their landline and high-speed internet service. His persistence, along with the concerted efforts of other local leaders, helped to ensure that the broadband expansion became a reality.
Brightspeed underscored its commitment to not only expanding its network but supporting the communities it serves. The company presented a $2,500 donation to Communities in Schools of Pennsylvania, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing educational success for students across Pennsylvania.
Looking ahead, Brightspeed plans to continue its aggressive rollout of fiber broadband across Central Pennsylvania. Communities like New Oxford, Gettysburg, Carlisle and Shippensburg are set to benefit from the companys cutting-edge network, which promises to bring unparalleled internet speeds and reliability to the region.
Residents and businesses eager to connect can check for service availability and sign up for alerts at www.brightspeed.com.
Were proud to be a part of the solution and provide citizens with the most future-proof, state-of-the-art, high-speed internet network available so they can thrive in todays hyper-connected world, Mizerak concluded. At Brightspeed, we believe everybody deserves access to the best internet services available, no matter where they call home.
Seth Davies Ready to Ride Momentum at EPT Barcelona Fresh Off SHRB Win
Jon Sofen Senior Editor U.S. Copy link
Is momentum a real thing in poker (or any game/sport)? Seth Davies is sure hoping so coming off a $3.2 million score for winning the Super High Roller Bowl Cyprus on Aug. 25.
The high-stakes grinder had little time to celebrate the big win. He's already back in action at the PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona 100,000 EPT Super High Roller, which kicked off on Saturday at Casino Barcelona.
"With this one having Barcelona just right behind it, it was kind of a more back to the grind thing," Davies told PokerNews on a Day 1 break when asked if he spent time celebrating or straight back into poker following the SHRB win. "But I did take a couple of days to reflect on things, and that's like when you have a score like that it doesn't get much better. So, it was nice to have those couple of days."
"I think after Barcelona I'll do a little more relaxing."
Can Davies Ride the Momentum to Another Huge Win?
Seth Davies
Davies enters EPT Barcelona with just over $29 million in live tournament cashes, according to The Hendon Mob. That puts him tops on Oregon's all-time list, ahead of fellow high roller star Chris Brewer ($24.2 million). But Davies had never cashed in a tournament for near as much as he did in the SHRB. His previous biggest score was for $1.8 million.
The recent major tournament champion would love for momentum to carry him to another high-stakes win. That is assuming he finds momentum to even be a thing.
"I think momentum's definitely real," Davies said. "What it does to people is it kind of frees them up to, it makes them confident and gives them freedom, you know. If you're on a downswing, it's a lot easier to second guess what you're doing and kind of play tense, and maybe not go for a bluff you would have gone for had you been playing with confidence. So, yeah, it's definitely a real thing and it's nice to be on the upper of that right now because I can feel really free and confident."
Riding the momentum wave to Barcelona is never an easy task against the tough competition in European high rollers. Davies is an American poker player who often travels around the world to compete in the highest stakes events. If there's a tournament with a six-figure buy-in, he'll be there. But does he find the European high rollers to be tougher tournaments than is his homeland?
"The high roller scene in Europe, especially at the EPT, is quite good because there's a handful of recreational's that you get that always show up, and you don't really get that in the US anymore where the high-stakes have kind of died down a little bit. You don't really see 100k's in the US anymore, so it's a lot more lively in Europe. So, yeah, there's a bunch of incredible good European players too, but the stakes are just higher here and you don't really see it as much as, say, Aria anymore. It's more like 10k's and 25k's."
The momentum continues to be on Davies' side as he bagged the biggest stack out of the 18 players who bagged on Day 1 of the Super High Roller. He'll return to action on Sunday with a sizable chip advantage over Kayhan Mokri, his nearest competitor.
Follow PokerNews Live Coverage of the Super High Roller
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TOKYO, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Ministry of Defense has submitted a record-breaking defense budget request of 8.54 trillion yen (about 59 billion U.S. dollars) for the fiscal year of 2025.
The request on Friday marked the first time the country's defense budget request has surpassed the 8-trillion-yen mark, reflecting the government's intensified focus on enhancing its military capabilities.
Local media reports showed that the defense budget for the fiscal period that begins in April places significant emphasis on boosting Japan's so-called "counterattack capabilities."
The defense ministry plans to allocate 970 billion yen to enhance Japan's long-range defense capabilities, which include the deployment and mass production of various long-range missiles.
An additional 323.2 billion yen would be set aside for the development of a satellite constellation system that aims to deploy multiple small satellites capable of detecting and tracking warships, vessels, and missiles.
Furthermore, 3 billion yen would be invested in deploying self-destruct drones for Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force.
The proposed expansion of Japan's military capabilities has raised concerns domestically and internationally. Japan's push to develop the capability to strike enemy bases marks a departure from its post-war pacifist constitution, which adheres to an "exclusively defense-oriented policy," according to Japanese newspaper Tokyo Shimbun.
Such a shift is seen as potentially sparking an arms race in the region, which could destabilize the regional security landscape, the report added.
At the end of 2022, the Fumio Kishida government, despite widespread opposition, forcefully updated three security and defense-related documents, including the National Security Strategy.
The government also plans to allot about 43 trillion yen to defense outlays from fiscal 2023 through 2027, nearly 1.6 times the amount over the previous five-year period. (1 U.S. dollar equals 146.21 Japanese yen)
Sheila Vanderwoude Faces It All to win Event #10: $300 Ladies Event
Alek Gillies Live Reporter Copy link
The curtain has fallen after 10 hours of play in Event #10: $300 Ladies Event at the 2024 World Series of Poker Circuit Playground. The newly crowned victor was Sheila Vanderwoude who bested Brigitte Korak heads-up to take home her first World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) ring and the top prize of $6,555.
Vanderwoude entered the final table as a middling stack. Her path to victory was a rollercoaster as she moved from chip leader to at-risk small stack throughout the final table. She was able to consistently battle back and hit the right cards to close out the victory over her fellow ladies.
Final Table Results
Place Player City Prize (in CAD) 1 Sheila Vanderwoude Valleyfield $6,555 2 Brigitte Korak Lemoyne $4,030 3 Khaly Dang Mississauga $2,420 4 Linda Huard Longueuil $1,580 5 Lucy Corbin Kemptville $1,220 6 Yuxin Liu Toronto $1,000 7 Kelly Van Haren Chicago $850 8 Josie Sferlazza Montreal $740 9 Eun Park Thornhill $650
Action of the Day
The tenth of 15 Circuit events attracted a field of 89 entrants to generate a prize pool of $21,805, smashing the $15,000 guarantee. Early chip leader Kelly Van Haren seemed on fire early in the day as she maintained the chip lead heading into the three and two table redraw. Eliminations were rapid as play went hand for hand with two tables waiting for the bubble to burst. Andrea Martin was the unfortunate lady as she fell just out of the money with her suited ace.
From this point all remaining players were guaranteed at least a min-cash of $510 CAD. The eliminations were rapid-fire from that point, Vanderwoude scored an elimination as well as some pots to maintain a middling stack heading into the final table. Yuxin Liu, Khaly Dang, and Linda Huard all sat in close proximity for the chip lead entering the final table.
Final Table
The Final Table
Vanderwoude couldn't find any eliminations but was able to chip up to third with seven players remaining. Early chip leader Van Haren was next eliminated as multiple short stacks were fighting for payout jumps. Vanderwoude quickly found a double when she got it all in with pocket eights. There was almost no sweat when she hit an eight on the turn having her opponent drawing dead.
Yuxin Liu
She continued her rise eliminating Yuxin Liu to be the first player with over 1,000,000 chips in the tournament. Places six through four all fell to Vanderwoude as she seemed unstoppable. At this point she had over half the chips in play accumulated. However, Korak would double through her to take the chip lead and leave Vanderwoude vulnerable.
Vanderwoude battled back first eliminating Dang to even out the chip stacks between her and Korak. They both agreed on an even money chop playing for the ring as the sole prize for first. Vanderwoude continued winning small pots as this important detail set her up to win the event. She narrowly held the chip lead as her and Korak got it all in preflop. She made a pair of kings on the flop and held to close the tournament out. Both players were super friendly with each other as they laughed and took pictures together.
That concludes our coverage for this event but stay tuned to PokerNews for our continuing coverage of the 2024 World Series of Poker Playground.
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There's perhaps no player in the world that could win a trophy as casually as Jean-Noel Thorel. He strolled to a first-place finish in the 30,000 Super High Roller Warm-Up event at the Casino Barcelona, running as part of the PokerStars European Poker Tour.
Thorel came out on top against a field of 54 entries to take home the lion's share of the 1,577,070 prize pool. The veteran French player came onto the final table among the chip leaders and only went up from there. Following a heads-up battle with US high roller Justin Saliba, Thorel took 512,370 for first place, along with a PokerStars Spade for his trophy cabinet.
30,000 Super High Roller Warm-Up Results
Place Player Country Prize 1 Jean-Noel Thorel France 512,370 2 Justin Saliba USA 339,100 3 Maher Nouira Tunisia 228,700 4 Brock Wilson USA 173,500 5 Ottomar Ladva Estonia 134,100 6 Patrik Antonius Finland 106,500 7 Boris Angelov Bulgaria 82,800
Justin Saliba
The field was full of well known faces, many of them who had been playing the previous days high roller tourneys at the EPT. Nacho Barbero, Niklas Astedt, and Sam Greenwood were among those to fall before the final table, while Teun Mulder and Nick Petrangelo made the final table but missed out on the money.
Boris Angelov of Bulgaria was the first to bust in the money after he lost out to Thorels straight for most of his chips. Antonius was involved in the pot and Thorel had all but wiped him out in the same hand. Moments later, Antonius ran his queens into Thorels kings and was sent to the exit.
Ottomar Ladva was next to go when he lost a flip to Saliba, and it was at this point that Saliba also started to establish himself as one of the likely players to make it all the way.
Brock Wilson and Maher Nouira both played valiantly but were ultimately up against the odds as the shorter stacks. Nouira won two all-ins in a row against Wilson, the first giving him the double-up and the second sending Wilson to the rail in fourth place.
By this point, Thorel was running away with it and Saliba had dropped down a position. Still, he doubled up before Thorel eliminated Nouira to take the competition heads-up, Thorel with a substantial chip lead.
After a little back and forth, Saliba managed to double up, but it wasnt enough for him to gain momentum in the end. Saliba got his king-queen in against Thorels ace-five suited, and Thorel held to win the event, the top prize, and the PokerStars trophy.
That concludes the PokerNews coverage of the 30,000 Super High Roller Warm-Up event. Stay tuned to the EPT Barcelona coverage hub for much more.
GRANITEVILLE When the United Way of Aiken County kicked off its 2024 fundraising campaign Aug. 30, Aiken County Council member P.K. Hightower pitched in to help.
She was dressed as the Scarecrow because the theme for the lunchtime celebration at the Aiken County Family YMCA was The Wizard of Oz.
I ordered my outfit from Amazon, but there was a little hiccup, so I had to improvise, Hightower said.
She bought orange plaid fabric and made a tunic, got a hat and found some straw.
I did what I had to do to make it work, said Hightower, who is on the United Ways Board of Directors and also is a committee chair.
Danielle Elliott, who played the role of Dorothy Gale, is the 2024 campaign chair.
I feel like we have a lot of good people involved this year, she said of the fundraising effort, which has a goal of $2,115,385.
The 2023 goal was $2,201,759.
Ever since COVID, there has been a decline in workplace giving simply because people are working remotely and theres not that sense of community that there was before, said United Way President and Chief Professional Officer Ellen Luton, explaining why the target amount this year had been reduced.
Its still a tremendous goal, she added.
Luton expressed optimism that the 2024 campaign would be successful.
Im excited today about all the energy in the room, Luton said. It feels like were already off to a good start. Everybody is energetic and ready to go out there and raise money to make a difference for the people in our community. We have 30 partner agencies, and we support 45 critical need programs.
The campaign kickoff celebration included lunch for attendees and a performance of Ease on Down the Road from the Broadway musical The Wiz by East Aiken School of the Arts students.
United Way Board Chair Keyatta Priester, who was the celebrations emcee, wore a shiny pink Glinda costume.
The Savannah River Site Museum, 224 Laurens St. S.W., is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. The museum features exhibits and resources related to the Savannah River Site and the Cold War. Admission is free. For more information, call 803-648-1437 or visit srsheritagemuseum.org. Read moreToday's events for Oct. 9
NORTH CHARLESTON Inside the artist studio at the city's new Park Circle Community building, Shayn Green picks up a glob of yellow paint with her paintbrush and creates alternating strokes on the canvas.
One of Green's largest pieces, the portraiture she was focused on the morning of Aug. 23 features a woman holding a phone to her ear, wearing a pleated skirt and T-shirt as thick pieces of hair create a design in the background. A distinctive feature of the piece: her large nose.
This piece is one of several "Big Nose Baddies," as Green calls the series. She uses vibrant colors and exaggerated features to highlight Black beauty and experiences.
The pieces represent a lighthearted approach to the Black experience, like chatting on a corded phone during a sleepover with friends instead of art centered on Black pain or hardship, Green said.
Green, a North Charleston native, is the city's first artist in residence of the revamped program after it phased out during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the new community building that opened last year in the heart of Park Circle, more space can be dedicated to the residency program, said Camille Singh, the city's visual arts coordinator.
Green's residency runs through October. When the program comes to a close, she will host a reception at the community building to showcase her artwork, including the new projects she will finish between now and then.
One piece that Green is working on is a family portrait in her style that includes four generations of women herself, her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Green said she was raised by her mom and Granny who both always encouraged her to do what she loves.
Art has played a significant role in Green's life since she was young. As a child, she would draw the cartoons she saw on TV or cereal boxes. Green said she has always been drawn to vibrant colors and exaggerated features as depicted in animated movies. She was obsessed with Bratz dolls, she said, and practiced drawing cartoon versions of the characters.
People check a destroyed house attacked by Israeli forces in the north of the West Bank city of Hebron, on Aug. 31, 2024. Two Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in the north of the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday night, the Palestinian Health Ministry said on Saturday. (Photo by Mamoun Wazwaz/Xinhua)
RAMALLAH, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Two Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in the north of the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday night, the Palestinian Health Ministry said on Saturday.
In a brief statement, the Ramallah-based ministry identified the victims as Muhammad Ihsan Yaqin Marqa and Zahdi Nidal Abu Afifa, without providing further details.
Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that the two men were killed near the Israeli settlements of Karmei Tzur and Gush Etzion, north of Hebron, adding that Israeli forces have raided their homes and conducted field investigations with their families.
Also on Saturday, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said in a press statement that "a burning car exploded at a gas station near the Gush Etzion Junction. The forces opened fire and killed the terrorist who got out of the car and tried to attack them."
In another incident, "terrorists tried to run over a security guard at the entrance to the town of Karmei Tzur and enter the town," Adraee said, adding that Israeli forces then killed one of the terrorists who opened fire.
Meanwhile, Hamas said in a press statement that these operations convey a message that "the resistance will extend as long as the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people continues."
Since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023, the West Bank has witnessed an escalation of tension, with more than 660 Palestinians killed so far by Israeli fire across the Israeli-occupied territory, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
People check a destroyed house attacked by Israeli forces in the north of the West Bank city of Hebron, on Aug. 31, 2024. Two Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in the north of the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday night, the Palestinian Health Ministry said on Saturday. (Photo by Mamoun Wazwaz/Xinhua)
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
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 31, 2024 / Leading securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces that a lawsuit has been filed against Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ABR) and certain of the Company's senior executives.If you invested in ABR, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/arbor-realty-trust-inc Investors have until September 30, 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 ABR securities. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and is captioned Lois Martin v. Arbor Realty Trust, Inc., et al., No. 24-cv-05347.What is the Lawsuit About?ABR is a nationwide real estate investment trust ("REIT") and direct lender, providing loan origination and servicing for commercial real estate assets. The complaint alleges that during the relevant period, ABR misrepresented the health of the Company's loan book. In truth, ABR used fake holding companies to help conceal that its loan book was distressed, and the underlying collateral was overstated.On March 14, 2023, NINGI Research published a report which claimed, among other things, that "Arbor has been hiding a toxic real estate portfolio of mobile homes with a complex web of real and fake holding companies for more than a decade." This news caused the price of ABR stock to decline by $0.87 per share, or almost 7%, to close at $12.12 per share on March 14, 2023.Then, on December 5, 2023, Viceroy Research published an in-depth study of ABR's Jacksonville, Florida properties. Viceroy found that the Company's entire loan book is distressed and the underlying collateral is vastly overstated. This news caused the price of ABR stock to decline by $0.19 per share, or over 1%, to close at $13.67 per share on December 5, 2023.Finally, on July 12, 2024, Bloomberg reported that ABR was "being probed by federal prosecutors and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New York." According to the news report, "[t]he investigators are inquiring about lending practices and the company's claims about the performance of their loan book." This news caused the price of ABR stock to decline by $2.64 per share, or almost 17%, to close at $12.89 per share on July 12, 2024.Click here if you suffered losses: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases-investigations/arbor-realty-trust-inc What Can You Do?If you invested in ABR, 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 Shikowitzross@ 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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LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 31, 2024 / The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. ("Arbor" or "the Company") (NYSE:ABR) for violations of the securities laws.The investigation focuses on whether the Company issued false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors. Arbor is the subject of a report issued by Viceroy Research November 17, 2023, titled, "Arbor Realty Trust - Slumlord Millionaires." According to the report, "Arbor's high-risk multifamily bridge loans, which comprise substantially all of its asset book, are going bad fast The end is near." Viceroy Research then issued a follow up report on December 5, 2023, titled "Arbor - Jacksonville Case Study." In the second report, Viceroy Research claims that the Company's "entire loan book is distressed and underlying collateral is vastly overstated." Based on this news, shares of Arbor fell by more than 5% over the next two trading sessions.If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss,click here to participate.We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website atwww.schallfirm.com , or by email atbschall@ schallfirm.com The class in this case has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member.The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation.This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.CONTACT: The Schall Law FirmBrian Schall, Esq. www.schallfirm.com Office: 310-301-3335 info@ schallfirm.com SOURCE: The Schall Law Firm
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 31, 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 Shikowitzross@ 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
NAIROBI, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Ministry of Health on Saturday confirmed a fourth case of mpox in the country as the incidence of the disease rises.
Mary Muthoni, principal secretary in the Ministry of Health, said in a statement that the case was detected in Gilgil, about 120 km northwest of Nairobi, Kenya's capital.
Muthoni said the case involved a truck driver traveling from Kenya's port city of Mombasa to neighboring Rwanda. "He felt unwell on Aug. 28 while passing through Gilgil and was unable to continue his journey."
She added that the government dispatched the region's Rapid Response Team immediately to assess the case. The patient was, thereafter, evacuated to an isolation center, where he was admitted and is in stable condition.
On Friday, Kenya announced a third case detected in the country involving a 30-year-old woman in Nairobi, who had traveled to neighboring Uganda.
"She is in stable condition undergoing management in an isolation unit in Nairobi," Patrick Amoth, director-general for health in the Ministry of Health, said in a statement.
Two other cases of mpox had been detected earlier in the coastal county of Taita Taveta on the Kenya-Tanzania border and in Busia County on the Kenya-Uganda border.
Muthoni said the government has stepped up surveillance for suspected cases countrywide in a bid to halt further transmission of the disease, whose symptoms include skin rashes, fever, sore throat, headaches, and swollen lymph nodes.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, a key trading partner of Kenya, remains the epicenter of the disease that has spread to several countries in Africa and across the globe.
The World Health Organization earlier this month declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern, sounding the alarm over its potential for further international transmission.
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / August 31, 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 Shikowitzross@ 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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Campo de Batalla: An Exhibition Highlighting Murillo's Exploration of the Human FormSAN JOSE, COSTA RICA / ACCESSWIRE / August 31, 2024 / San Jose's Museo Calderon Guardia will host an exhibition of 35 works by Costa Rican figurative artist Roberto Murillo from September 5th to September 28th. Titled Campo de Batalla (translated as "Battlefield"), this show celebrates Murillo's bold exploration of the human form through monochromatic charcoal and mixed media. Marking a significant breakthrough in his career, the exhibition will open with a reception at 7 p.m. on September 5th - everyone is welcome to attend.Roberto Murillo, Inauguracion Campo De BatallaPromoting Costa Rica's cultural heritage, MIRAME Fine Art connects artists with art lovers worldwide and is proud to support Roberto Murillo.A Major Moment for MurilloThe exhibition represents Murillo's largest and most ambitious show to date, consolidating pieces that represent the evolution of his style. The exhibition features mostly large-scale works that amplify his vision. Murillo describes: "The show brings together works that I've reserved for four years, a compilation of the last years that have been incredibly prolific." Exploring the Symbolic NudeThe exhibition centers on Murillo's exploration of the symbolic nude body, rich in metaphor and narrative. It also emphasizes his approach to the body, delving into psychological, philosophical, and social dimensions. This thematic focus reflects his broader artistic philosophy. He says: "My art represents a way to fill the void of existence and to find happiness in the process; it is intellectual and spiritual development." Charcoal as a Medium of ExpressionMurillo's figures are dynamic, captured as intertwined in a perpetual fluid dance. Influenced by artists like Lucian Freud, as well as literature, dance, and cinema, he uses charcoal to express the raw authenticity of the human figure, revealing deeper emotional themes of human existence. By embracing imperfections, Murillo challenges conventional beauty standards and invites viewers to engage with the emotional and intellectual layers of his work.Dynamic Technique and Artistic ImpactThe exhibition showcases Murillo's use of chiaroscuro-contrasts between light and dark-to create a visually captivating experience. The interplay between illuminated and shadowed parts of the nude body adds depth and intrigue while enhancing the works' monumental presence.The Museo Calderon Guardia: A Cultural IconThe Museo Calderon Guardia is a cornerstone of Costa Rican culture and history, renowned for its dedication to the nation's artistic heritage. By hosting Murillo's exhibition, the museum underscores its role in preserving traditional cultural values while encouraging bold contemporary expression.Supporting Murillo's Vision with MIRAME Fine ArtMIRAME Fine Art offers innovative ways to experience Murillo's work for those unable to attend the exhibition in person. Their augmented reality feature allows global audiences to explore his vigorous figures virtually, appreciating his art from anywhere in the world.Exhibition DetailsDates: 5th - 28th September 2024Opening Reception: 5th September, 7 p.m.Location: Museo Calderon Guardia, Barrio Escalante, Calle 27, San JoseContact InformationBelinda SeppingsCo-Founderbelinda@ miramefineart.com +447821591397SOURCE: MIRAME Fine ArtView the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-08-31 03:58:36
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SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 30, 2024 / Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLPannounces that purchasers or acquirers of Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA) securities between February 15, 2024 and July 24, 2024, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), have until October 15, 2024 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the Stellantis class action lawsuit. Captioned Long v. Stellantis N.V., No. 24-cv-06196 (S.D.N.Y.), the Stellantis class action lawsuit charges Stellantis as well as certain of Stellantis' 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 Stellantis 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 CASE ALLEGATIONS: Stellantis designs, engineers, manufactures, distributes, and sells vehicles.The Stellantis class action lawsuit alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose material adverse facts concerning inventory levels, pricing, and market share stabilizations.The Stellantis class action lawsuit further alleges that on July 25, 2024, Stellantis announced first half 2024 financial results and disappointing near-term revenue outlook. On this news, the price of Stellantis stock fell nearly 10% over two trading sessions, according to the complaint.THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased or acquired Stellantis securities during the Class Period to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the Stellantis 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 Stellantis class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the Stellantis class action lawsuit. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff of the Stellantis 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
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has tentatively set 8 October 2024 as the beginning of Mpox vaccination.
According to Remi Adeleke, the head of the public relations unit at the NPHCDA, who spoke with Punch, the vaccine deployment will begin from 3 to 6 October.
Mr Adeleke explained that this timeline is to allow the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to conclude regulatory procedures of sampling, traceability and lab analysis.
He noted that due to the limited availability of the Jynneos MPox vaccine (9,980 doses), the quantities will be split evenly across five states, with 1,996 doses allocated to each state for implementation.
He did not mention the states. However, he said the states are being evaluated based on the current trend of cases in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
Mr Adeleke further explained that the vaccination drive aims to reach 4,750 individuals across the five states. Each person will receive two doses of the vaccine administered 28 days apart.
The targeted groups include close contact of Mpox cases, healthcare workers, and individuals with low immune systems.
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US donates to Nigeria
On 27 August, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, handed over 10,000 doses of the Jynneos vaccine donated by the US government to the NPHCDAs Executive Director, Muyi Aina.
Jynneos is a vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration for preventing smallpox and Mpox in adults aged 18 years and older at risk of Mpox infection.
This made Nigeria the first African country to obtain vaccines to combat the spread of the new strain of Mpox virus.
The NPHCDA director-general had clarified that the distribution plan for the vaccine doses received from the US government would prioritise high-risk individuals, including frontline health workers and residents of states with the highest number of cases, primarily in the southern region.
We believe our frontline health workers are at particular risk. We are also going to prioritise states that have had the highest number of cases. Many of them are in the south.
But of course, we are going to have to work with the states to develop state-specific plans, you know, to make sure that the vaccine is appropriately deployed, Mr Aina said.
Deployment strategy
On the deployment strategy, Mr Adeleke said two sites per state will be identified for vaccination.
Fixed posts and special teams, fixed posts at sites within identified infectious diseases referral centres, and special teams to target communities where necessary for close contacts or identified risk groups vaccination.
Two sites per state to be identified for vaccination. Only clients aged 18 and above will receive the vaccines based on the current strategy, he said.
Mpox in Nigeria
The latest data from the NCDC shows that Nigeria has recorded 48 confirmed cases of Mpox out of 868 suspected cases across 35 local government areas in 20 states and the FCT.
Ogun, Lagos, Bayelsa, Ekiti and Osun topped the list of states with the most suspected cases. At the same time, Enugu, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Benue are the first five states with the most confirmed cases.
On 13 August, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention declared Mpox a public health emergency of continental security, acting under its mandate to address significant public health threats.
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A Nigerian man has accused police operatives in Bayelsa State of extorting N3 million from him at gunpoint.
The victim, Kelechi Isaac, disclosed this on Friday while speaking to reporters in Owerri, Imo State capital.
A video clip showing him narrating the incident was also uploaded on Facebook.
Mr Isaac hails from Nguru Nworie, a community in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo state, Nigerias South-east.
The victim is based in Ghana, a West African country. According to him, he returned to Nigeria to attend a friends traditional marriage ceremony in Bayelsa State when the incident happened.
In the video clip, he told reporters that the incident happened Monday at Odi Axis in the south-southern state.
How it happened
Mr Isaac said he was driving back from the marriage ceremony with two of his friends when five police operatives flagged down their vehicle.
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He said the operatives identified themselves as the IGPs Special Squad and that their white pickup truck was not branded.
The operatives uniform did not have name tags, he said.
The victim said the operatives searched their vehicle and subsequently forced him to unlock his phone.
He said the armed operatives, on seeing a N10 million bank alert in his phone, allegedly began to beat him and threatened to shoot him unless he transferred N6 million to them.
They handcuffed me and drove us away and continued beating me. Before we knew it, they started shooting guns and threatened to kill the three of us. I asked them to take me to a police station but they refused.
They said that if I didnt give them N6 million from the N10 million, they would kill all of us. When the beating became too much, I started negotiating with them, and at the end of the day, I transferred N3 million to them in two bank accounts they provided and drove with us and stopped us at Ahoada in Rivers State and drove off, he narrated in the clip.
I want my money returned
Mr Isaac said the operatives gave him two different bank accounts where he transferred N2 million and N1 millon separately.
He said the N2 million was transferred to the Monie Point Microfinance Bank account number belonging to Yusuf Mustafa, while the N1 million was transferred to another Monie Point Microfinance Bank account number belonging to Jerry Ventures.
He appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun (IGP), to intervene and compel the operatives to return the money.
All I need is my money to be returned to me and for the IGP to fish out the policemen giving the Nigeria Police Force a bad image. I believe with these account details, they can be fished out.
I want Justice. I want my money returned because it is for my brothers project. Let the policemen who did this to me be identified so that other Nigerians wont become their victims, Mr Isaac stated.
I dont do any illicit business. I am a law-abiding citizen of this country.
The victim said his lawyer wrote to the police in Bayelsa State to notify them of the incident.
Police speak
When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, the police spokesperson, Musa Mohammed, said he was unaware of the incident.
Mr Mohammed, a superintendent of police, said there was no squad known as IGP Special Squad in Bayelsa State.
He said the victim phoned him on Friday evening and informed him that his lawyer would submit an official complaint on 2 September.
But for now, no formal complaint on the issue is on my table or before the state commissioner of police, the spokesperson said.
He said those who allegedly extorted the victim might not have been personnel of the Police Command in Bayelsa.
They might be from elsewhere, Mr Mohammed said.
Not the first time
Cases of police extortion in Nigeria have continued despite punishment by police authorities, such as dismissal from service.
The latest extortion allegations two months after police operatives in Anambra State allegedly extorted N810,000 from a resident of the state.
The incident happened in late June.
Following pressure from various quarters, the operatives returned the money to the victim some hours later.
Earlier in June, an operative was dismissed in Abia State for allegedly shooting dead an entrepreneur over his refusal to bribe him.
In March, another operative was dismissed while two others were suspended for allegedly extorting $3,000 from two Nigerians in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
A Divisional Crimes Officer of Abraka Division in Delta State was also removed from office for allegedly extorting over N2 million.
This newspaper reported the detention of some operatives at the police headquarters in Abuja for allegedly extorting N30.3 million.
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The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has expressed sadness over the death of the Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, Waheed Ayilara.
Mr Ayilara died on Thursday at the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, hours after undergoing prostate cancer surgery.
He was buried on Thursday.
In a statement on Thursday, the Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi said Mr Egbetokun is deeply saddened over the loss and has commiserated with the family of the deceased commissioner of police.
He also commiserated with the family of Philip Maku, a retired assistant inspector-general of police, who also passed on recently.
The late Ayilara had served as a deputy commissioner of police, State Criminal Investigation Department, in Lagos State, before he was posted to Akwa Ibom State in February as the commissioner of police.
The dedication of both senior police officers to service and integrity can never be forgotten. Their passing is a great loss, not only to their families but to the entire Nigeria Police Force.
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Their loss has left an indelible mark on all who knew them and every single life they have impacted in their respective careers.
On behalf of the entire officers of the Nigeria Police Force, the IGP extends his sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of late Rtd. AIG Philip Sule Maku and CP Abdulwaheed Ayilara, praying for solace during this difficult time. May their souls rest in peace, Mr Adejobi, an assistant commissioner of police said.
Governor Umo Eno mourns Ayilara
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has expressed the condolences of the people of the state over Mr Ayilaras passing.
The governor in a statement released by his spokesperson, Ekerete Udoh, described the late police commissioner as a one of the finest operational officers, a genial and fine gentleman who epitomised the finest ideal of the Nigeria Police Force.
According to the statement, Mr Ayilara served his one-year mandatory National Youth Service Corps in the state, and later returned as Unit Commander of the Police Mobile Unit 26.
READ ALSO: IGP orders deployment of more policemen to rescue 20 medical students abducted in Benue
He served our state as the police commissioner until his sad passing, where he distinguished himself as a crime-buster of no mean repute, Mr Eno said.
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A group, Concerned Parents and Educators (CPE), has called on the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, to reconsider the age restrictions placed on candidates taking the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Mamman, a professor, said on a live television programme that students under 17 years of age woul no longer be allowed to sit the examinations.
Students seeking admission into universities, polytechnics, and many higher institutions of learning are required to secure enough credits in the SSCE organised by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Examinations Council (NECO), or the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB).
The minister also recently directed tertiary institutions to only admit students from the age of 18 from next year. He maintained that under Nigerian laws, pupils are expected to spend five years in early childhood education, six years in primary schools, three years in junior secondary school, and another three years in senior secondary school.
According to him, a student is expected to complete secondary school and sit the examinations at the minimum age of 17.
Since Mr Mammans first pronouncement on age-restriction during JAMB policy meeting in April, it has continued to stir up debate in the public space, with some lauding and others criticising the policy.
The minister explained that the policy was meant to tackle some of the challenges underage students face, ensuring that only mature and prepared students were admitted into tertiary institutions.
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Groups call
But the group of parents under CPE cautioned Mr Mamman against the implementation of such a policy, warning of certain consequences on the youths and society.
The CPE statement, signed by its coordinator, Yinka Ogunde, explained that the immediate implementation of the policy would mean that some students would likely remain idle as a result.
The government should realise that hundreds of thousands of students may find themselves idling on the streets for an extended period of two to three years, merely awaiting the chance to sit for an examination that could shape their futures, parts of the statement reads.
Instead of such a restriction, the group asked the government to consider enforcing compliance with the six years minimum age for entrance into primary school and 12 years at secondary school.
Implementing a structured system that considers age from the onset of a students academic journey would foster a more effective and fair educational environment. Such a system would prevent abrupt and disruptive changes at crucial academic stages, thereby supporting a smoother transition through the educational system, , the statement said.
This decision highlights, once again, the arbitrary processes often employed in governmental decision-making, especially in matters that critically affect the future of our youth.
READ ALSO: Nigerian information minister seeks improved relations with BBC
The group, therefore, asked the minister to reconsider the current approach, urging a thoughtful and comprehensive review of the potential impacts, and to engage in dialogue with stakeholders to devise a more balanced solution.
We must ponder the societal impact of having a significant number of young individuals, potentially left without constructive activities, wandering the streets across the nation. This is not merely an educational concern but a social one that could have lasting repercussions, the statement added.
Meanwhile, the group would not be the first to call on the minister to review the policy.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the National Coordinator, Education Rights Campaign, Hassan Soweto, also called on Mr Mamman to reassess the policy.
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A media group, Ikenga Media and Cultural Awareness Initiative has organised an investigative reporting training workshop for journalists in the South-east.
Ikenga Media and Cultural Awareness Initiative is the publisher of South-east-focused online newspaper, Ikengaonline.
The training for the over 20 journalists was held in Umuahia, Abia State and Owerri, Imo State on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.
The training, supported by the MacArthur Foundation through the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, aimed to improve the quality of journalism in the South-east for good governance.
The training
One of the resource persons at the training, Chinagorom Ugwu, a journalist with PREMIUM TIMES, spoke on how investigative reporting helps to engender good governance.
Mr Ugwu urged journalists to go beyond serving as information disseminators and begin holding government accountable to engender good governance and strengthen democracy in Nigeria.
Another resource person and a journalist with the Guardian Newspaper, Charles Ogugbuaja, took the participants on the topic: Ethical Journalism in an Era of Technology.
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Mr Ogugbuaja stressed that there was a need for journalists to abstain from violating the ethics of the media profession, especially in the face of technological advancement.
Why the training
Speaking at the training sessions, a Co-Publisher of Ikengaonline, Chido Onumah, said the exercise was part of the groups efforts to promote accountability and good governance through quality investigative reporting.
Mr Onumah said the training, which was in its third year for journalists in the South-east, had recorded tremendous success in the region.
He added that at least 55 journalists in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states had been trained on fundamentals of investigative journalism, media and information literacy, among others.
Some of the feedbacks we got after previous training include the need for continued reinforcement of the message of how the media can impact positively on the governance process, he said.
The media expert expressed concern about information gaps and unethical behaviours in journalism in the South-east, explaining that Ikengaonline was established to help bridge the gaps.
In essence, Ikengaonline, which is intentionally focused on the South-east is a bold attempt to give the people of the zone a voice in the media, which has been brazenly lacking in the past, he said.
Participants speak
A participant, Chidi Nkwopara, a journalist with the Vanguard newspaper, described the training as a beautiful exercise.
I am hopeful that all the people who participated in this training will put what we learned into practice, Mr Nkwopara said.
Another participant, Angela Nkwo-Akpolu, said the training would help her improve her journalism practice.
The most important thing for me was that it helped me to remember some of the things that I have forgotten. So, it was more like a refresher course for me, said Mrs Nkwo-Akpolu, a journalist with the Leadership newspaper.
It was also an opportunity to listen to fresh minds that you havent related with before to get new perspectives on journalism practice, she stated.
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The Police Command in Lagos State says it has detained a man for allegedly pushing his 47-year-old younger brother to death.
The Commands spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday.
Mr Hundeyin said that the case was reported to the police on 24 August, at about 6.40 a.m. by a fellow whose name was not mentioned.
He said the fellow reported that on 23 August, at about 11.00 p.m., one Ayodeji Busari of Iba area in Lagos, allegedly pushed his younger brother, 47, whose name was not also mentioned.
The image maker said that the victim was said to have come from Port Harcourt to visit his friend at an address not mentioned in Lagos.
Mr Hundeyin said the suspect allegedly pushed his younger brother down and he hit his head on a pavement during a fight.
The victim became unconscious and was rushed to Igando General Hospital for treatment, but was later confirmed dead by doctor on duty.
The detectives visited the scene of incident and take (took) photographs, the corpse removed and deposited at Mainland General Hospital Mortuary, Yaba for autopsy.
The case file and suspect to be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department Panti-Yaba for investigation, he said.
(NAN)
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The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) says it is seeking private companies to operate and maintain two of its refineries.
The NNPC Ltd in an invitation for Expressions of Interest posted on its X handle on Thursday said it is seeking to engage reputable and credible operations & maintenance companies to operate and maintain the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) and Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC).
The state-oil firm said this is to ensure reliability and sustainability to meet the nations fuel supply and energy security obligations.
It explained that the operations and maintenance tender for WRPC and KRPC will be treated as a single tender through a three stage tender process (EOI, Technical and Commercial) leveraging on all the possible opportunity cost associated with procurement of consumables, personnel/manpower management, utilisation of Computerised Maintenance Management Software (CMMS), Warehousing Management System (WMS) etc.
NNPC Ltd in its circular stipulates certain statutory requirements for companies seeking to bid.
The 125,000 barrels per day (bpd)-capacity Warri Refinery and 110,000 barrels per day capacity Kaduna Refining are among Nigerias four dysfunctional refineries that have produced no fuel for years leaving the country to rely on imported petroleum products.
In August 2021, the Federal Executive Council approved the award of the contract for the rehabilitation of Warri and Kaduna Refineries at the combined total sum of $1.5 billion.
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The Nigerian government had in August 2023 assured that the Warri refinery will come on stream by the end of the first quarter of 2024, and Kaduna will also come on board towards the end of 2024.
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ABIDJAN, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Rising from Cote d'Ivoire's Sassandra River basin, the Soubre hydroelectric power plant stands as the nation's largest hydropower facility.
Built by the Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina) and officially commissioned in November 2017, the landmark project has provided the region with clean, reliable power for nearly seven years, boosting economic growth and improving the lives of local communities.
With an installed capacity of 275 megawatts, the plant has already generated around 9.5 billion kWh of electricity, increasing Cote d'Ivoire's national power generation capacity by nearly 14 percent.
Kone Messamba, then-governor of the Soubre province, highlighted the plant's role in addressing power shortages and contributing to Cote d'Ivoire's aim of achieving emerging economy status by 2020. The station has also enabled the export of electricity to neighboring countries, benefiting the wider West African region.
Beyond energy production, the Soubre project has been a catalyst for social and economic empowerment.
Wazi Goffry, 20, an electrical engineering graduate and operator at the station, credits the project with providing invaluable job opportunities and skills training.
Deng Yue, PowerChina's deputy representative in Cote d'Ivoire, said during the construction phase, the project created over 3,000 direct jobs and 5,000 indirect posts.
The success of the Soubre station has led the Ivorian government to entrust PowerChina with downstream projects, including the Gribo-Popoli, Boutoubre, and Louga hydropower plants.
Many local workers who contributed to the Soubre's construction have since stepped into leadership roles at the new Gribo-Popoli hydropower station, showcasing the long-term benefits of the project.
Yao Michel N'guessan is one of the workers who rose from an electrician to a team leader through dedication and hard work. This achievement not only fulfilled his professional aspirations but also enabled him to support his two children and help his younger brothers pursue better education.
Deng further emphasized that the project has brought stable power to the residents of the Soubre region, greatly contributing to the growth of local industries, including food service, handicrafts, agro-processing and tourism.
Before construction, the project teams worked to minimize the disruption to local communities, reducing the number of affected villages from 38 to three.
Esther Siagbe, who moved to a resettlement village built by the Chinese company, now enjoys improved living conditions.
"Thanks to the Soubre station, we've moved into a new, bright, and spacious house with stable electricity," Siagbe said.
The project's design also integrated environmental considerations. The Soubre plant maintains an ecological flow to protect the Nawa Falls and downstream ecosystems, safeguarding local tourism and culture.
"The Soubre Hydroelectric Power Plant is our pride," said Bonaventure Tiegbe, former secretary-general of the Soubre provincial government, adding that the station has become a regional landmark, attracting tourists and uplifting the spirits of the local people.
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the promotion of eight Commissioners of Police (CP) to the rank of Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and 676 other senior officers to their new ranks.
The Head of Press and Public Relations of PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
He said the eight promoted CPs were Benneth Igwe, Suleiman Abdul, Augustina Ogbodo, Stephen Olanrewaju, Kenechukwu Onwuemelie, Fayoade Mustapha, Adegboyega Adegboye and Mohammed Labbo.
Mr Ani said 15 Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) were promoted to the rank of CP while 52 Chief Superintendents of Police were promoted to Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP).
According to him, 525 Superintendents of Police (SP) were promoted to the rank of Chief Superintendents of Police (CSP) while 84 Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSP) were promoted to SP.
The PSC spokesman said the eight CPs and 15 DCP were subjected to some form of assessment and examination, a condition now precedent for their promotion to the new ranks.
He said the decisions were reached at the first Plenary Meeting of the new board of the commission, presided over by the chairman, Hashimu Argungu.
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Mr Ani said the PSC boss had enjoined the newly promoted officers to engage in deliberate self-development through constant knowledge acquisition to be better equipped to face the challenges of 21st century policing.
Mr Argungu said police officers would henceforth be subjected to formal examination before consideration for the promotion, adding that it was a requirement for promotion in civil service as stipulated in the civil service rule.
READ ALSO: Nurse arrested as woman dies after failed bum enlargement surgery in Lagos
The PSC chairman said police officers would not be exempt, adding that promotion in the police would continue to be merit-based and predictable.
He assured that the commission would not, for any reason, delay the promotion of deserving officers but insisted that it must be earned.
Mr Argungu congratulated the newly promoted officers, adding that the promotion was a call for greater dedication to the service of their fatherland.
He urged the officers to be deliberate, committed and focused in the fight against insurgency and banditry in the country.
(NAN)
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Five days after catastrophic floods swept through Kogin Mata in Chikaji, a Zaria, Kaduna State community, residents are counting their losses as the emergency response agency assesses the disaster to determine how to help the victims.
The disaster occurred on Monday during a torrential downpour in the area from 5 a.m. to about 1 p.m.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday in Zaria, Auwal Sani-Dambaba, the village head of Chikaji, said the flood affected over 200 houses.
Currently, the victims have taken shelter in the neighbourhood. No life was lost, however, many graves were left open, the village head said.
A local official said the flood also washed away more than 2000 graves in the communitys main cemetery.
Waterway
Chikaji is a predominantly agrarian community. Residents take advantage of its water bodies to engage in year-round farming. However, the communitys water resource makes it a high-risk area for flooding in the rainy season.
Visit to Chikaji
PREMIUM TIMES visited the community to assess the damage caused by the floods and how the residents were coping.
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The survivors told harrowing tales of narrow escapes and devastating losses, how people climbed to their rooftops as the water level rose before their homes succumbed to the deluge.
Hajiya Babba described how her rescuers tore down the wall of her house to help her to safety.
The flood washed away my kitchen utensils, clothes and even the floors of my room, she said at a temporary camp for the survivors.
Hajara Rabiu and her infant child were also rescued from the ceiling of her house where they hid from the rising floodwater.
Thank God the roof did not fall, but part of the building crumbled under the flood, and all my belongings were destroyed, she said.
Samaila Yakubu also lost his home and is now squatting with his family at the makeshift shelter set up at the Sabon Gari Local Government secretariat.
Other residents who lost properties to the disaster pleaded with the government to provide them with urgent assistance.
Cry for help
Mrs Rabiu said the victims had been registered by the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency KADSEMA but they were yet to receive any assistance.
The Emir of Zazzau (Ahmed Bamalli) visited us and advised us to leave the area for safer places to live in, she said.
KADSEMA and the Red Cross also visited and sympathised with us but none of them offered any assistance to us in Kogin Mata, only at the camps in the local government.
We want the government to build waterways for us so that such natural disasters can stop.
Samaila Yakubu is also registered with KADSEMA. He said local politicians, including the local government chairman, Mohammed Usman, the member of the House of Representatives from the area, and well-meaning Nigerians visited them and offered assistance.
They gave some of us camping at the LG Secretariat food and money, he said.
Cemetery
Aliyu Usman-Goza, a worker and a representative of the Muchia/Chikaji/hayin Ojo/ Dogarawa cemetery communities, spoke about the damage to the communitys main cemetery.
Mr Usman-Goza said the local government had tried to repair the cemetery until the flood caused worse damages.
He said because of a lack of drainage, rainwater from houses makes its way through the cemetery.
This cemetery is one of the biggest in this area. More than 2,000 graves were washed away in the flood.
Building on waterways
Shiaibu Mohammed, the District Head of Chikaji. said many years ago Kogi Mata was a farm land used by smallholder farmers to cultivate sugarcane. He said even then, the farmers faced the issue of floods washing away their crops.
Mr Mohammed said people should not have built homes on the land because it is a waterway. Living there means gambling with ones life, the traditional ruler said.
He said the traditional authorities would continue to create awareness on the danger of living in the area, even though people had not listened to them over the years.
Government Response
The zonal coordinator of KADSEMA, Mubarak Zakari-Muhammed, told PREMIUM TIMES that about 200 houses were affected by the flood in Kogin Mata.
Mr Zakari-Mohammed said about 60 houses were submerged and about 50 others were washed away by the flood.
20 people got injured and have received medical attention at the local government health department, he said.
Mr Zakari-Mohammed said KADSEMA was housing and feeding 100 flood victims at the local government secretariat.
The official said the agency had done a preliminary assessment of the flood disaster but was yet to conclude the overall assessment.
He said the local government, NEMA, and the Kaduna State Government were waiting for the final assessment to can plan how to assist the victims.
The coordinator said the agency was providing food, mosquito nets, blankets, and medical assistance at the victims camp .
We have set up these camps so as to protect the victims from vector attacks in their homes, prevent outbreak of diseases like malaria, cholera and so on.
We have also tried to make sure that the victims keep their environment clean and have also provided clean drinking water and toilets so as to avoid any outbreak of diseases.
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The University of Ibadan (UI), Oyo State, has asked students to vacate their hostels and proceed on a three-week break, a day after they protested the university councils approval of a school fees increment.
According to a circular by the registrar, Ganiyu Saliu, the three-week break was to give students ample time to complete their online registration.
On Friday, the students protested against the campus fee hike, disrupting academic activities including scheduled tests.
The institutions management increased school fees from an average of N20,000 to N30,000 to about N200,000 to N400,000 in April, months before the councils appointment and inauguration. The announcement of the new fee regime sparked protests at the time.
The protests forced the university management to suspend the August deadline for payments and registration.
Council approve increments
The university governing council, chaired by Bisi Akande, approved the fee increment at its meeting on Thursday. The university spokesperson, Joke Akinpelu, confirmed this to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday.
Mrs Akinpelu also shared the statement containing the council decision.
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According to the statement signed by the university registrar, Mr Saliu, who also serves as secretary to the council, the meeting approved 4 September as the payment deadline to enable departments to download lists of registered students in preparation of the first semester examination.
The council directed indigent students to take advantage of the federal government students loans and other scholarships by the university and other well-meaning philanthropists.
It was added that the portal would not be opened after the deadline.
Council, while sympathising with students, however, noted that the review was necessary in view of the current economic realities and the universitys commitment to ensuring quality teaching and research, the statement said.
Renewed protests
The councils decision sparked a protest on the campus on Friday, disrupting academic activities.
A campus-based publication, UCJ UI, reported that the protest also disrupted a scheduled test at the Abo Desalu Lecture Theatre.
The lecturer was escorted out of the theatre, and students who had gathered to write a test were told to leave, with protesters making it clear that the boycott was to be strictly enforced, the report stated.
Meanwhile, the General Secretary of the Students Union, Olaniyi Dolapo, told PREMIUM TIMES on Friday that the institutions management had invited the unions leadership to a meeting to address the situation.
We are still in the protest, and we have negotiation with the representative of the university management by 3 p.m., he told our reporter over the phone on Friday.
University responds with three-week break
Following the meeting, the university management decided to shut down the school for three weeks.
The circular announcing the break, signed by Mr Saliu, asked the students to vacate their hostels by 2 p.m. on Saturday.
He said the break begins on Saturday, 31 August, and lasts until Friday, 20 September.
He said the 2023/2024 first semester examinations will start on Monday, 23 September.
READ ALSO: Nigerian university suspends campus news publication over critical report
He said the registration portal will be closed on Friday, 20 September, and will not reopen for fee payment or course registration after that deadline.
The three weeks is to give students ample time to complete their online registration, part of the circular reads.
He stressed that students who do not register appropriately will not be allowed to write examinations.
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The Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Ibadan, Bisi Akande, has asked the university to channel his allowances and entitlements into an endowment fund for undergraduate students in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
Mr Akande made the request in a 21 August letter addressed to the university registrar and secretary to the council, Ganiyu Saliu.
The university spokesperson, Joke Akinpelu, confirmed the genuineness of the letter to PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday.
Mr Akande, a former Governor of Osun State, and other members of his five-member team were inaugurated alongside the governing councils of other federal tertiary institutions in July.
During their inauguration, the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, cautioned them against extravagant expenses while performing their duties. Mr Mamman, a professor, also reminded them that their appointments are part-time, stressing that their entitlements are not the same as those of full-time employees or managers of the institutions.
My appointment, a call to national service
In the letter titled Utilisation of allowance of the pro-chancellor, Mr Akande said he does not intend to earn any remuneration for his role as the institutions pro-chancellor.
Therefore, he asked the university to use his entitlements and allowances to benefit deserving undergraduate students taking science courses, namely in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology only.
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I consider my appointment as the Pro-Chancellor and as the Chairman of Council for the University of Ibadan as a national call to service from which I do not intend to earn any remuneration, he wrote in the letter seen by this newspaper.
He asked that the benefit should be in the form of an endowment like annual scholarships to cover the cost of accommodation and other officially approved fees the university charges selected students.
He suggested that the universitys Dean of Students Affairs or the academic office coordinate the selection of eligible students. He did not state specific selection criteria.
Sustainability
To ensure the funds sustainability, Mr Akande noted that his not-for-profit, Adebisi Akande Foundation, would continue funding the endowment. He added that the foundations Board of Trustees chairperson has been copied and notified of the development.
In the possible event that any such anticipated allowances to me from this University appointment become terminated by whatever circumstances, to prevent any student beneficiaries of this endowment arrangement from becoming stranded, there is an already incorporated Adebisi Akande Foundation for similar purposes which would augment any shortfall arising from any such commitments incurred from the awards, the former governor wrote.
University increased fees
The Mr Akande-led council recently approved a school fee increment by the university management. The university announced the increments in April, months before the councils appointment and inauguration.
However, the council met on Thursday and approved the increments. It also approved a 4 September deadline for payments and registration.
Since the increments were first announced, the development has sparked protests by the students. On Friday, a campus-based publication, UCJUI, reported that the protests affected academic activities, including scheduled tests.
The university has reacted by giving the students a three-week break, asking them to vacate the campus on Saturday.
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The National Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Basiru Ajibola, has said the planned National Caucus and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings of the party are not intended for the removal of its National Chairman, Umar Ganduje.
Mr Ajibola said this on Friday following a closed-door meeting between the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC and Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, who also serves as the Chairman of the North-central Governors Forum, at the partys secretariat in Abuja.
He explained that the planned meetings are being convened in line with Article 11 of the partys Constitution.
People like to twist events. Immediately we put up notice when the president told us about his availability, we read in the papers that the meetings are about changing the leadership of our party.
None of these meetings is being scheduled for regime change in the party. They are being held to provide a stewardship report of what has been done by the leadership of Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, including presenting our audit report to show what we have been doing, as well as the way forward, Mr Basiru said.
Mr Ganduje, who hails from the North-west zone of the country, replaced former Chairman Abdulahi Adamu in 2023, but continues to face uncertainty over his position due to pressure from the North-central to which the position was zoned.
Party members from the region have canvassed the return of the chairmanship slot to the North-Central after the exit of Mr Adamu.
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Meanwhile, under Mr Gandujes leadership, the party has been facing crises in some of its state chapters, including Rivers, Benue, and Enugu.
Besides, the national chairman is in court over allegations of corruption committed while he was governor of Kano State.
Mr Gandujes fate may, however, depend on the decision of President Bola Tinubu, who endorsed him for the position. He became the chairman of thevruling party on 3 August, 2023.
Dont distract Ganduje, NWCGov Sule
In his remarks after Fridays meeting, Mr Sule warned against any form of distraction to the NWC, noting that the party should be focused on winning the upcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States.
In the next couple of weeks, we have an election in Edo. So the man (Ganduje) does not need to be distracted in any other way, so that we can go and win our election in Edo, and that is one of the reasons why I came to encourage him to be focused, Mr Sule said.
On the lingering crisis in Benue State, Mr Sule said the party needs to strengthen its hold on the region, adding that Mr Ganduje has what it takes to guide the party through it.
I am the Chairman of the North Central Governors Forum. And in the North-Central, we have a state where there are issues, and we had lengthy discussions on that. We want him, as well as the National Working Committee, to intervene and make sure that we resolve those issues.
North-Central has five out of six APC governors. So, for that reason, we need to strengthen our zone. We cannot afford any kind of disagreement in our zone.
And I have no doubt that if there is any gentleman who can work to resolve that matter, its a man who has held several positions: a deputy governor, a governor, a chairman; in fact, so many other positions that he has held, he said.
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The Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), has said that 2,517 houses and shops were either completely or partially destroyed by flood which ravaged 33 communities in the state.
Ibrahim Nalado, the Deputy Director, Relief and Rehabilitation of the agency, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Gombe.
Mr Nalado said that the communities affected were in Dukku, Funakaye and Billiri Local Government Areas (LGAs), of the state.
According to him, these areas were flooded due to the heavy downpour that occured between 12 August and 22 August.
He said, In Dukku LGA, 10 communities were affected. In Funakaye LGA, 20 communities were affected and in Billiri LGA, three communities were affected.
Mr Nalado said that the flooding and windstorm affected mostly houses and few farmlands in the communities.
He said that there was no loss of life but two children were injured in Dukku, including seven animals which were washed away.
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On the impact of flooding on farmlands, the deputy director said Hina community in Yamaltu/Deba LGA of the state was the worst-hit.
He said that not less than 1000 hectares of rice, maize, sorghum and millet farmlands were submerged in water.
The deputy director stated that his team visited Hina community on Friday, to assess the level of damage.
He described the impact of the flooding as huge and devastating in view of the vast area affected.
Farmers were getting ready to harvest their crops.
The farmers were so worried but because it was a natural phenomenon, they accepted it in good fate, he said.
The deputy director stated that data on the number of farmers affected by the flood were being collated at Hina.
Mr Nalado stated that his agency had assessed the level of damage and were compiling the reports to forward to the state government and other relevant agencies.
He, however, said that the level of damage on farmlands at Hina would take collective efforts of both the state and the Federal Government to address.
READ ALSO: Zaria flood victims cry for help as authorities assess damages
He appealed to the North East Development Commission and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to support the state government in this regard.
The deputy director also appealed to the farmers and other persons affected to be patient.
He assured them that government and other government agencies would come to their aid.
(NAN)
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The Joint Association of Medical and Health Workers Union in Yobe has suspended the strike it started on Friday morning.
The workers went on strike demanding the payment of their hazard allowances approved by the state government in 2019.
The unions Chairman in the state, Satomi Hikama, disclosed this to journalists in Damaturu on Friday.
He said the strike was called off after the unions leadership reached an agreement with the state government.
We embarked on strike action this morning to demand the implementation of our hazard allowances, which a circular was issued during the COVID-19 outbreak to be implemented across the country.
READ ALSO: UNESCO pledges support for Nollywood
In Yobe, only a few individuals are currently enjoying theseowances and other demands.
After meeting with the Deputy Governor, Idi Barde-Gubana, the strike action has now been suspended as the government pledged to implement the allowances by September ending 2024, Mr Hikama said.
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Members of the union include the Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors, the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, and the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwifery.
(NAN)
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The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, on Friday elevated four kings and two high chiefs in the Balogun royal line.
The elevation was a result of the vacuum created following the demise of Lateef Adebimpe who was the Osi Balogun of Ibadanland.
Oba Olakulehin performed the elevation ceremony at his palace in Oke-Aremo in Ibadan, followed by traditional chieftaincy rites presided over by the Oluwo of Ibadanland, Popoola Labosinde.
The Oluwo later decorated them with the traditional akoko leaves.
Mr Olakulehin charged the elevated kings and chiefs to use their new positions to advance Ibadanland, Oyo State, and Nigeria as a whole.
You must dedicate your lives to the service of humanity, because of the need for you to serve the people, he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the elevated kings include Tajudeen Ajibola who moved from Otun Balogun to Balogun of Ibadanland.
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There is also Kolawole Adegbola who was promoted from Asipa Balogun to Otun Balogun of Ibadanland.
Also, Olubunmi Isioye-Dada was elevated from Ekerin Balogun to Osi Balogun of Ibadanland, while Dauda Azeez rose from Ekarun Balogun to Asipa Balogun of Ibadanland.
READ ALSO: Ibadan council staff convicted for sale of govt property
The elevated chiefs are Bolaji Adewoyin who climbed the ladder from Abese Balogun to Ekerin Balogun of Ibadanland, while Sharafadeen Alli advanced from Maye Balogun to Ekarun Balogun of Ibadanland.
Mr Ajibola, one of the elevated chiefs, described the development as a good omen for Ibadanland and thanked the Olubadan for his quality leadership.
He urged the people of Ibadanland to cooperate with Oba Olakulehin in his quest to bring more development to Ibadan.
(NAN)
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The police command in Lagos State says it has arrested two men for allegedly robbing three commercial sex workers.
The commands spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the arrest to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday.
Mr Hundeyin said that the three sex workers reported the case to the police on Wednesday at about 2.20 a.m.
He disclosed that the victims reported that they sighted two robbery suspects at an undisclosed place, who allegedly robbed them of their valuables on 23 August, at about 4.30 a.m.
They stated they were picked up being commercial sex workers at Adeniran Ogunsanya Street, Bode Thomas, Surulere by the two suspects.
They were taken to where they claimed the (suspects) lodged. Suddenly, the suspects parked and ordered them to surrender their valuables.
In the process, two Iphone valued at N1.05 million, one REDMI Note 12 valued at N140,000, Iphone SR valued at N240,000 were collected from them.
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The suspects also compelled the victims to transfer 25,OOO to an Opay Account and N8,000 to same account, he said.
The police spokesperson said that during the investigation, the suspects confessed to the crime.
He disclosed that the suspects operational vehicle, a Toyota Camry with Reg. No. APP335 JA, and two other blank number plates they were using for their operation were recovered.
Mr Hundeyin said that one of the victims cell phone, a REDMI NOTE 12, was also recovered from the suspects, while investigation was ongoing.
(NAN)
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A man stays at his house which has been submerged by the floodwater in Noakhali, Bangladesh, Aug. 31, 2024. Devastating floods of weeks this month in Bangladesh have killed at least 59 people, according to the National Disaster Response Coordination Center (NDRCC) under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. (Xinhua)
DHAKA, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Devastating floods of weeks this month in Bangladesh have killed at least 59 people, according to the National Disaster Response Coordination Center (NDRCC) under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.
The center said in its latest update on Saturday that 59 people, including 41 men, six women and 12 children, died in the ongoing floods till Saturday. Most of the serious flooding has been in the country's southeastern Greater Noakhali region so far.
Also, most of the deaths were in the southeastern Noakhali, Cumilla and Feni districts although the flood situation in parts of the northeastern Sylhet region has been deteriorating fast with the rivers inundating vast tracts of land and upending the lives of millions.
More than 5 million people have been affected by the floodwaters that hit 11 of the country's 64 districts and caused colossal damage to life, property and standing crops.
Flood situations in several southeastern districts are now reportedly improving as flood water started to recede from the affected areas. There are still 696,995 people in the districts who are stranded by the floodwaters, according to reports.
Bangladeshi interim government's Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus urged all concerned to continue their efforts in rescuing stranded people, providing emergency healthcare and extending cooperation for the victims.
The authorities have sent teams of disaster response forces to carry out rescue operations, distribute relief materials and supervise centers where the flood-affected people have taken shelter.
A woman checks her sheep in the floodwater in Noakhali, Bangladesh, Aug. 31, 2024. Devastating floods of weeks this month in Bangladesh have killed at least 59 people, according to the National Disaster Response Coordination Center (NDRCC) under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. (Xinhua)
A woman stays at her house which has been submerged by the floodwater in Noakhali, Bangladesh, Aug. 31, 2024. Devastating floods of weeks this month in Bangladesh have killed at least 59 people, according to the National Disaster Response Coordination Center (NDRCC) under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. (Xinhua)
A woman dries clothes in the floodwater in Noakhali, Bangladesh, Aug. 31, 2024. Devastating floods of weeks this month in Bangladesh have killed at least 59 people, according to the National Disaster Response Coordination Center (NDRCC) under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. (Xinhua)
A woman washes dishes in Noakhali, Bangladesh, Aug. 31, 2024. Devastating floods of weeks this month in Bangladesh have killed at least 59 people, according to the National Disaster Response Coordination Center (NDRCC) under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. (Xinhua)
A child takes a shower in the floodwater in Noakhali, Bangladesh, Aug. 31, 2024. Devastating floods of weeks this month in Bangladesh have killed at least 59 people, according to the National Disaster Response Coordination Center (NDRCC) under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. (Xinhua)
A woman stays at her house which has been submerged by the floodwater in Noakhali, Bangladesh, Aug. 31, 2024. Devastating floods of weeks this month in Bangladesh have killed at least 59 people, according to the National Disaster Response Coordination Center (NDRCC) under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. (Xinhua)
An elder wades through floodwater in Noakhali, Bangladesh, Aug. 31, 2024. Devastating floods of weeks this month in Bangladesh have killed at least 59 people, according to the National Disaster Response Coordination Center (NDRCC) under the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. (Xinhua)
BEIJING, Aug. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On August 29th, the Second Tsinghua Global Youth Dialogue was held at Tsinghua University. The theme "Harmony and Unity for the Greater Common Good" brought together over 100 youth representatives from 35 countries and regions worldwide. This gathering serves as a crucible for ideas where dynamic young minds collaborate to forge pathways toward world peace and sustainable development, working together to build a promising future for all.
International youth representatives Noah Shenoy, Akhomsanh Chanmany, and Liu Jiaxin shared their insights on the practice of Chinese-style modernization in Zhejiang, Guizhou, and Inner Mongolia provinces, respectively
Liu Kai, Deputy Secretary-General of the All-China Youth Federation, noted that intercultural dialogues among youth from various nations, discussing issues of shared concern, and proposing innovative solutions are crucial to increasing mutual understanding and friendship.
Siddharth Chatterjee, UN Resident Coordinator in China, stated that, in recent years, engagement and cooperation among young people have been significantly enhanced through the joint efforts of multiple parties. He hoped that more young people would come together to build a better future for all.
Zhang Zhixiang, a member of the Strategic Advisory Committee of the International Cooperation Center Joint Council, called on international youth to unite and work together to participate in global governance and address global challenges.
Li Tingting, Director of the Development Planning Division at the China Center for International People-to-People Exchange at the Ministry of Education of China, expressed her hope that, in the future, all those present at the forum would build more bridges for communication among students from different countries, fostering greater youth collaboration.
The Second Tsinghua Global Youth Dialogue also conducted a comprehensive survey, drawing from 1,362 participants from 78 countries and regions. This initiative successfully identified the ten most critical issues facing today's global youth, which include artificial general intelligence, renewable energy, peace and security, poverty, unemployment and social welfare, globalization, economic growth, digital revolution, climate action, bio-medicine and human enhancement, and cultural diversity and inclusion. Guo Yong, Vice Chairperson of University Council at Tsinghua, disclosed Top 10 Issues of Youth Global Concern, highlighting the dialogue's proactive role in fostering an informed and responsive global youth agenda.
"We hope that this dialogue will serve as a platform to establish a regular network for global youth exchange and cooperation, thereby continuously cultivating and expanding a stable international youth community," said Shi Zongkai, Vice Chairperson of the University Council at Tsinghua University.
Thematic sub-forums on "Civilizational Innovation," "Civilizational Development," and "Civilizational Exchange" were held in succession on August 29th. Keynote speeches were delivered by Bai Chong-En, Professor and Dean at the School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University; Anoop Singh, Former Asia-Pacific Director of the International Monetary Fund; Zhu Xufeng, Professor and Dean at the School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University; Janos Paszto, Former Assistant Secretary-General for Climate Change Affairs at the United Nations; Wang Hui, Distinguished Professor of Literature and History, Tsinghua University; Irina Bokova, Former Director General of UNESCO; and Getachew Engida, Co-President of China-Africa Leadership Development Institute, Tsinghua University. The youth representatives also launched a roundtable discussion and dialogue exchange following the keynote speeches.
SOURCE Tsinghua University
SINGAPORE, Aug. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- AMIGO LNG SA de CV (Amigo LNG) of Mexico, a subsidiary of LNG Alliance Pte Ltd, Singapore, announced today that it entered into a binding Heads of Agreement (HOA) with OQ Trading (OQT), the trading arm of the national energy company of the Sultanate of Oman, to supply LNG from its liquefaction facility in Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico. This key milestone paves the way for the long term supply of LNG targeting the rapidly growing Asian market.
Muthu Chezhian, CEO of LNG Alliance Pte Ltd said, "Securing the offtake agreement with a leading NOC partner like OQT strengthens our position as a reliable and responsible global energy provider. We are advancing rapidly in delivering the strategically located Amigo LNG project, expanding our portfolio of lower-carbon energy solutions to drive the energy transition, and we remain committed to supporting our customers and partners every step of the way."
Wail Al Jamali, CEO of OQT, added: "We are pleased to enter into this HOA with a trusted project developer in Amigo LNG. The offtake represents a significant step in the growth of our LNG portfolio, allowing us to deliver LNG to our customers within the Asia Pacific region.
Amigo LNG is a large-scale 7.8 MTPA liquefaction and export facility on Mexico's west coast, developed in close partnership with the State of Sonora and the Port of Guaymas in Sonora, Mexico.
About LNG Alliance
LNG Alliance, established in 2013, is a project development, operations, and asset platform focused on LNG export and import terminal infrastructure. LNG Alliance leverages partnerships with key energy sector players, technology developers, and investment partners to structure and deliver reliable, affordable, and secure energy solutions to core operational markets in Mexico, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Europe.
About OQT
Incorporated in Dubai in 2006, OQT has successfully established a global presence as one of the world's major participants in the commodities trading industry trading more than 40 million tonnes of energy products each year. OQT is wholly owned by the Government of Oman, held through the OQ Group and the Oman Investment Authority. OQT has a global network of trading offices, ideally located in all the major energy trading regions, and operates out of the following locations: Muscat, Dubai, Houston, London, Rotterdam, Shanghai and Singapore.
SOURCE LNG Alliance Pte Ltd
Envisioning More Campaign Launches in Response to Calls for
Respect, Understanding and Kindness for All People
CHICAGO, Aug. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- An anonymous donor has stepped forward with a $25,000 contribution matching 1:1 all contributions to a GoFundMe campaign launched for Envision Unlimited by three board members. Envision Unlimited provides a full spectrum of care for people with intellectual, developmental and psychiatric disabilities in Illinois. The Envisioning More for People with Disabilities campaign to raise $100,000 was prompted by recent insensitive and insulting comments about the very people and families that Envision Unlimited serves. When the organization took a stand this past weekend and parted ways with a major contributor whose words and actions were inconsistent with the organization's mission and values, it came with much positive feedback from people across the country.
To make up for a large gap in fundraising the departure created and to continue to support services and care for the thousands of Envision Unlimited members (how clients prefer to be known) and their caregivers, a group of board members with family ties to Envision Unlimited initiated a GoFundMe campaign that has brought in nearly $11,000 in the last 48 hours. When the campaign reaches its $100,000 goal, it will be met with a matching donation of $100,000 from another anonymous donor.
Proceeds are to support the opening of new homes in the community so more people with disabilities can live to their fullest potential. This includes a completely accessible home for people with physical disabilities allowing older members to age in place, and many other people transitioning out of state-run institutions to find a safe, fully supportive home in a real community. Donations will go towards furnishing six homes, including appliances and furniture, housewares, bedding and curtains, as well as nightstands, wall hangings, picture frames and all the touches that make a place truly a home.
Support at any level is welcome to the Envisioning More for People with Disabilities campaign at https://www.gofundme.com/f/envisioning-more-for-people-with-disabilities. Donations are also accepted at www.envisionunlimited.org.
Learn more about the Envision Unlimited commitment to respect, understanding and kindness at https://www.envisionunlimited.org/treating-people-respect-understanding-and-kindness.
About Envision Unlimited
Envision Unlimited is a full spectrum of care organization serving people with disabilities from infants to 80+ years old regardless of race, gender, religion, or ability to pay. Founded in Chicago in 1948, Envision Unlimited has a legacy of evolving care delivered with empathy, every time and everywhere. Innovative services offered across Chicagoland and Central Illinois include novel day programs; community living options; employment programs, respite for families, behavioral health services, and foster care for children with disabilities. For more information, visit www.envisionunlimited.org.
Media Contact:
Suzanne Ross, Chief External Affairs Officer
[email protected]
312-953-6987
SOURCE Envision Unlimited
NEW YORK, Aug. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Sprinklr, Inc. (NYSE: CXM) between March 29, 2023 and June 5, 2024, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important October 15, 2024 lead plaintiff deadline.
So What: If you purchased Sprinklr securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
What to do Next: To join the Sprinklr class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=27960 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected]. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than October 15, 2024. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
Details of the Case: According to the lawsuit, statements made throughout the Class Period were false and/or materially misleading because defendants created the false impression that they possessed reliable information pertaining to Sprinklr's projected revenue outlook and anticipated growth while also minimizing risk from seasonality and macroeconomic fluctuations. In truth, Sprinklr had significantly shifted its focus away from proven growth areas to focus aggressively on scaling a new business venture with Contact Center as a Service ("CCaaS"), resulting in artificially inflated short-term growth. Defendants misled investors by continually providing projections which failed to account for the difficulties in the implementation of scaling their new product and/or otherwise failed to adequately disclose the fact that Sprinklr at the current time did not have adequate forecasting processes. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the Sprinklr class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=27960 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Contact Information:
Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
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[email protected]
www.rosenlegal.com
SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.
Three-Day Mega Event Concludes, Attracting 300 exhibitors from across the world, 100000 Footfalls, 1000 Speakers
MUMBAI, India, Aug. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- India's Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Mr. Piyush Goyal said on Friday that the Indian fintech ecosystem had turned into a hotbed for innovation. Addressing the Global Fintech Fest 2024 in Mumbai, he said, "As our country is poised to become the third largest economy, the success story of a developed India rests on the wonderful work being done by fintech sector."
The Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2024 was presented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Ministry of External Affairs, Department of Financial Services (DFS), Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA). The conference was jointly organised by the Payments Council of India (PCI), the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), and the Fintech Convergence Council (FCC).
GFF 2024 featured over 1000 speakers from 70 countries, more than 350 sessions, over 60 product launches, more than 300 exhibitors, and attracted 100,000 footfalls over the three days.
The Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2024, one of the world's largest fintech gatherings, concluded here on Friday, August 30, showcasing emerging opportunities and issues in the sector. The three-day event, in its fifth edition, brought together global policymakers, regulators, central bankers, industry leaders, and academicians to explore the future of financial technology, aligned with this year's theme- 'Blueprint for the Next Decade of Finance: Responsible AI | Inclusive | Resilient'.
In his keynote at the conference, Mr. Shaktikanta Das, Governor, Reserve Bank of India, said, "India is now a fast-growing economy, economic powerhouse with an increasingly tech savvy population. India's financial sector has witnessed a remarkable transformation, driven, among other factors, by the FinTech sector."
Mr. Das further emphasized India's engagement in international fora and bilateral agreements to foster economic cooperation with many countries and said, "Going forward, strengthening financial infrastructure, including cross-border payment systems, will be our key focus areas. India, with its tech talent and evolved financial fintech ecosystem, holds potential to serve as a global hub for digital innovation and fintech startups."
Mr. Christopher Waller, Member, Federal Reserve Board of Governors of the United States in his address, highlighted the potential role of public and private sectors in advancing cross-border payments. Commenting on the practical aspects of interlinking fast payment systems, Mr Waller said, "Domestic networks need to be developed first. If this condition is not in place, interlinked networks could end up being a road to nowhere."
Highlighting Federal Reserve's efforts, Mr Waller added, "We will continue our engagement with international fora to improve the speed and efficiency of cross-border payments and to investigate the issues critical to interlinking payment systems. Our chief focus in the near-to mid-term, however, is continuing to build the FedNow network domestically and increasing participation in the service."
In a special address on emerging trends in sustainable finance, Mr. Allen Forlemu, Regional Industry Director, Financial Institutions Group, Asia and Pacific, International Finance Corporation (IFC) discussed the critical role of fintech in driving sustainable finance, emphasizing its importance for a greener and more equitable future. "Looking ahead, it is clear that collaboration will be essential and fintech companies, traditional financial institutions, governments and regulators must work together to scale sustainable finance solutions and amplify positive impact on sustainability", remarked Mr Forlemu.
He further said, "At IFC, we are optimistic, and we believe that by investing in innovation and fostering collaboration across sectors, we can build a financial system that is inclusive, resilient and sustainable for everyone."
Discussing 'Recent Developments in Digital Finance - Experiences from German and EU Regulation,' Dr. Florian Toncar, Parliamentary State Secretary, German Federal Ministry of Finance, commented, "India has shown immense capacity to innovate and spread new technologies at an impressive speed, with UPI being popular far beyond Indian borders."
Highlighting the importance of cooperation between security agencies and anti-money laundering agencies, Dr Toncar added, "Appropriate resourcing of prosecutors or police, specialized financial investigators, and information exchange across borders and countries is key."
In his special address, Mr. Harjinder Kang, His Majesty's Trade Commissioner for South Asia and the British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India, UK Department for Business and Trade, said, "UK finds India as a very important partner, and it's not just in fintech, but across different sides of the business."
During a panel on 'Innovation in Fintech Regulation: Balancing Innovation and Regulation in Global Financial Services,' Mr. Ryosuke Ushida, Chief Fintech Officer, Financial Services Agency of Japan provided insights into the country's regulatory landscape and said, "In Japan, our regulatory scope covers a wide range of financial institutions, including banks, insurance companies, investments, and currency exchange. A key focus has been on blockchain technology, in response to past challenges, particularly incidents involving exchanges in Tokyo. Japan has established a comprehensive regulatory framework for the crypto industry."
Mr. Ushida further emphasized that these regulations are designed not only to protect the industry but also to create a stable environment that encourages innovation. "The goal is to support the growth of international tech companies and ensure that Japan continues to lead in this field, in line with global counterparts", he added.
Addressing the session on 'The Role of Technology in Shaping the Future of Global Finance,' Mr. Sopnendu Mohanty, Chief Fintech Officer, Monetary Authority of Singapore, said, "The challenges of integrating DPIs across bordersfrom pricing to technical standardsare significant. Initiatives like Project Nexus are underway to tackle these issues, but achieving seamless connectivity across different markets will take time."
Mr. Mohanty added, "Fintech must expand beyond payments and lending to include other asset classes such as wealth advisory and capital market infrastructure."
GFF 2024 also featured a significant global presence, with numerous international leaders contributing to the dialogue on the future of fintech. Among the notable speakers were Mr. Camilo Tellez-Merchan, Deputy Managing Director, UN based Better Than Cash Alliance, United Nations; Mr. Alan Lim, Director, FinTech Infrastructure Office, Monetary Authority of Singapore; Mr. Paul van Sint Fiet, Head of APAC cross-currency solutions, J.P. Morgan Payments; Mr. Edward Bass, Inward Investment Manager, UK Department for Business and Trade; Mr. David Finch, Global Managing Director Fintech, TransUnion CIBIL, and Mr. Jan Pilbauer, Chief Executive Officer, Al Etihad Payments.
The event also saw eminent leaders from the Indian fintech ecosystem. For more information about the conference, visit: Global Fintech Fest 2024.
For further information, please reach out to:
Vipin Chanddra, APCO: +91-9582 731432
Kuldeep Singh, APCO: +91- 97113 06379
SHANGHAI, Aug. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- United Imaging Healthcare (SSE: 688271), a global leader in advanced medical imaging and radiotherapy equipment, has released its 2024 half-year report, showcasing robust financial performance. The company achieved revenue of 5.33 billion CNY for H1 2024, marking a stable increase of 1.18%. Net income attributable to shareholders reached 0.95 billion CNY, reflecting a year-over-year (YoY) growth of 1.33%.
A significant contributor to this growth was MR, which generated 1.69 billion CNY in H1 2024. This underscores the company's strategic focus on its core business and the continued market leadership of its primary product lines. Led by Sean Wu, analysts at Morgan Stanley have expressed optimism about United Imaging's high sales visibility in equipment replacement, further reinforcing its strong market position.
In the first half of 2024, United Imaging Healthcare maintained its commitment to innovation, with R&D investments totaling 1.02 billion CNYa YoY increase of 11.11%. These investments have led to the introduction of new products, including the uMR Jupiter 5T, the industry's first whole-body clinical ultra-high-field magnetic resonance system. This groundbreaking technology, cleared by the FDA under the 510(k) process, has set a new benchmark by surpassing the performance of 3T uMR, which has been the standard in whole-body clinical use for the past two decades.
The company also celebrated this year's SNMMI Image of the Year, awarded for a study conducted using the uNeuroExplorer or NX, an ultra-high-performance brain PET scanner developed in collaboration with Yale University and the University of California, Davis. As of June 30, 2024, the company had established research collaboration projects with over 50 institutions in more than 35 countries, resulting in the publication of over 1,700 research papers globally. Research findings have been published in top academic journals such as Nature and Radiology.
By June 30, 2024, United Imaging Healthcare's products had been deployed in more than 70 countries and regions, serving 13,700 medical institutions globally. The company's international business saw strong momentum, with overseas revenue reaching 0.93 billion CNY and a growth rate of 29.94%.
The world's first total-body PET/CT, uEXPLORER, was successfully installed at the prestigious St. Orsola University Hospital and Ospedale San Pietro Hospital in Italy. This marks the introduction of uEXPLORER to top-tier European hospitals. Additionally, France welcomed its first advanced digital PET/CT system from United Imaging Healthcare at the renowned EVESIO Nuclear Medical Center, signifying a significant breakthrough in the French market. As the company continues to expand its European presence, it is accelerating the development of a localized team in Western Europe to strengthen business capabilities in operations, service, and logistics.
In Latin America, the National Institute of Pediatrics in Mexico become the first in the region to utilize advanced PET/CT technology from United Imaging Healthcare for pediatric precision medicine. This partnership represents an important advancement in pediatric cancer research and demonstrates the company's commitment to Equal Healthcare for All.
Looking ahead, United Imaging Healthcare's management is committed to sustaining this positive trajectory. The company will remain focused on driving innovation, expanding its global footprint, and delivering outstanding value to its customers and stakeholders.
About United Imaging Healthcare
At United Imaging Healthcare, we develop and produce advanced medical products, digital healthcare solutions, and intelligent solutions that cover the entire process of imaging diagnosis and treatment. Founded in 2011, our company has subsidiaries and R&D centers across China, the United States, Poland, Dubai, and other parts of the world. With a cutting-edge digital portfolio and a mission of Equal Healthcare for All, we help drive industry progress and bold change.
To learn more, visit https://www.united-imaging.com
SOURCE United Imaging Healthcare Co., Ltd.
ISLAMABAD, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- At least 37 terrorists were killed and 14 others injured in 10 days during the ongoing military operations in Khyber district of Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said the military on Friday evening.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan army, said in a statement that the security forces have been conducting extensive intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in the Tirah area of Khyber on the reported presence of terrorists since Aug. 20.
The ISPR gave details of the latest operations conducted on Wednesday and Thursday saying that the troops effectively engaged the terrorists' locations and killed 12 militants.
The military added that the ongoing operations had resulted in major setbacks to terrorist groups and their affiliates.
"The IBOs will continue till peace in the area is restored and terrorists are eliminated, as the security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country," said the ISPR.
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Kyiv, Aug 31 : At least six people were killed and 59 others injured in a Russian strike on Ukraine's eastern city of Kharkiv, Ukrainian officials have said.
Russia launched an attack with guided bombs from the Belgorod region, striking five locations, including a 12-story apartment building, Kharkiv regional governor Oleg Synegubov wrote on Telegram on Friday.
Among the victims was a 14-year-old girl, he noted.
The governor added that 20 of those injured are in either serious or critical condition.
"Occupiers killed a child right on the playground," Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov said in a statement on Telegram.
Rescuers and emergency personnel are working at the scenes of the attacks, said the State Service for Emergencies.
A purported video from the site shared by Andriy Yermak, head of the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, showed flames and thick black smoke coming from the upper part of the building.
"Russians hit civilians again," Yermak said on Telegram.
Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, is around 35 km from the Russian border.
Cairo, Aug 31 : Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Greek counterpart, George Gerapetritis, have stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to avoid the escalation of violence and instability in the Middle East.
During a phone conversation on Friday, the two ministers discussed the seriousness of the "rapid" developments in the region, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Abdelatty informed his Greek counterpart about the contacts Egypt is conducting with several countries in the region, the US and a number of European countries, in order to contain the current state of regional tension and escalation, Xinhua news agency reported.
For his part, the Greek foreign minister expressed his willingness to continue strengthening the strategic relations between Egypt and Greece at both bilateral and regional levels.
The two ministers agreed to maintain consultation and coordination in the interest of the peoples of the region, said the statement.
New Delhi, Aug 31 : Doctors at the nation's premier medical institute AIIMS-Delhi will hold a protest in the national Capital on Saturday afternoon to seek justice for the rape and murder victim at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in West Bengal.
Vice president of the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA) and a senior resident doctor at AIIMS-New Delhi, Dr Suvrankar Datta told the media that they were planning a peaceful protest.
"We are organising a large peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar on August 31 to seek justice for our colleague at RG Kar Medical College in West Bengal," Dr Suvrankar Datta was quoted as saying by media reports.
In the wake of repeated physical and sexual assaults on medical professionals, particularly women while on duty, the medical fraternity in the country is demanding that the Union government implement a nationwide protection Act for healthcare professionals to prevent violence against them.
Dr Suvrankar Datta said, "We call on the Central Government to implement a nationwide protection Act for healthcare professionals to prevent violence."
The doctors are planning to gather at Jantar Mantar for the protest and have appealed to others from the medical community to join them in drawing the government's attention to their plight and to seek justice for the RG Kar victim.
Dr Suvrankar Datta said, "Ahead of the Supreme Court hearing on September 5, I urge doctors to join us at Jantar Mantar from 3 P.M. to 5 P.M. on Saturday. We want to demonstrate our unity and demand increased security in hospitals across the country."
In the weeks after the heinous rape and murder in Kolkata, there were nationwide strikes and protests by doctors across the country and medical facilities were hit.
The striking doctors went back to work following an intervention by the Supreme Court of India on August 22 wherein the apex court asked them to join their duties while also assuring them that it would prevail upon authorities not to take adverse action against the striking doctors, who had been protesting over the Kolkata doctor's rape and murder case.
Tel Aviv, Aug 31 : Hezbollah military structures and launchers in the Tayr Harfa area in south Lebanon were attacked after the forces detected several militants entering the region, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
The Israel Air Forces attacked the military structures and launchers, allegedly, belonging to Hezbollah, late on Friday, Hebrew media reported.
It may be recalled that the air forces have also launched attacks on Hezbollah rockets, launching strikes at Maryamine and Yaroun in southern Lebanon during Friday daytime.
Arab media has also reported that IDF soldiers attacked the Tayr Harfa area after several Hezbollah militants were identified at the compound which was the military compound of the Iran-backed militant organisation.
Local media reports suggest that the IDF have struck Hezbollah targets in the Chebba town of southern Lebanon. There are also reports that Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel and landed in the Upper Galilee. Around 40 rockets were launched in the area.
However, no injuries or casualties were reported in the region.
Last month, the military commander of Hezbollah, Fuad Shukr was assassinated by the Israeli army in Beirut. The military commander was the closest associate of Hezbollah chief, Hassan Nasarullah.
The Hezbollah chief then made a public statement announcing that it would retaliate the murder of Fuad Shukr.
After the assassination of Fuad Shukr on July 31, the head of the Hamas political bureau and most popular face of the organisation, Ismail Haniyeh was also assassinated in Tehran, Iran.
Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border escalated on October 8, 2023, following a barrage of rockets launched by Hezbollah toward Israel in solidarity with Hamas' attack on Israel the day before. Israel then retaliated by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.
KIEV, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Russia conducted another major aerial strike on Ukraine overnight, using an Iskander-M ballistic missile, four S-300 guided missiles and 52 combat drones, the Ukrainian Air Force said Saturday in a statement.
No casualties were reported in the air strike, and the air defense forces shot down 24 Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 drones, according to the statement.
The air defense was active in eight regions in central, southern and northern Ukraine, including the Kiev region.
The strike marked the fourth attack on the capital this week, said the Kiev City Military Administration.
Tehran, Aug 31 : Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani rejected the claim of Iranian military presence in Ukraine to train Russian forces as baseless.
The Spokesperson reiterated Iran's principled stance of opposing the war and emphasised the need to halt the conflict and resolve disputes between Russia and Ukraine peacefully, Iran's Foreign Ministry announced in a statement.
He further stated that such baseless claims were made with specific political motives and objectives, adding that these accusations contradict the Islamic Republic of Iran's principled approach to the conflict in Ukraine.
Earlier on August 25 Andriy Kostin, Ukraine's Prosecutor General, announced on X that an Iranian brigadier general was notified of suspicion of abetting Russia in waging an aggressive war and committing war crimes.
"We are prosecuting not only the Russian military and officials but also the aggressor's accomplices from other countries", he added.
The Prosecutor General informed that according to the investigation, in July-August 2022, representatives of the Russian Armed Forces agreed with representatives of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to purchase Shahed-136 and Mohajer-6 attack UAVs and components for them.
Iranian experts also trained the Russian military to use these UAVs in combat operations against Ukraine.
Kostin added that between September and October 2022, a group of military instructors from the Islamic Republic launched at least 20 attack drones in Ukraine's Dnipro and Mykolaiv regions, leading to the destruction and damage of civilian infrastructure protected under international humanitarian law.
The Ukrainian Prosecutor General emphasised that this IRGC brigadier general is charged under Ukraine's criminal laws with "aiding in an aggressive war as part of a premeditated plan against Ukraine, violating the laws and customs of war, and committing war crimes."
According to the Security Service of Ukraine, in 2022, Mollasaraei led a team of Iranian drone instructors who travelled to the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula, as reported by Iranian media.
The Ukrainian Prosecutor General emphasised that this IRGC Brigadier General is charged under Ukraine's criminal laws with "aiding in an aggressive war as part of a premeditated plan against Ukraine, violating the laws and customs of war, and committing war crimes."
Kolkata, Aug 31 : A civic volunteer attached to Kolkata Police was arrested on Saturday for allegedly hitting a protesting student with his motorcycle in an inebriated state on Friday evening.
The incident took place when a group of students were protesting against the rape and murder of a junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital and the motorcycle hit one of them.
The civic volunteer has been identified as Gangasagar Golde.
Incidentally, the sole arrested accused in the RG Kar rape and murder case Sanjay Roy was also a civic volunteer attached with the city police.
A complaint has also been registered against one traffic sergeant Tarakeswar Puri, who was spotted getting engaged in a verbal spat with the protesting students after the latter surrounded the motorcycle-borne civic volunteer after he allegedly hit one of the protesters.
A video of the entire event had gone viral, IANS, however, could not cross check the authenticity of the video.
On late Friday evening a group of former students of Rabindra Bharati University were protesting against the rape and murder incident at BT Road in the northern outskirts of Kolkata, when the motorcycle-borne civic volunteer allegedly hit one of them.
The other protesters immediately surrounded him and started protesting.
Although initially the civic volunteer tried to argue with the protesters, at a later stage he was seen apologising to them, in the viral video. However, the protesters refused to let him go.
"We have been pardoning for a long time and that exactly has resulted in the current situation," one of the protesters was heard saying in the video.
Later, when the traffic sergeant came to intervene and tried to bring out the civic volunteer, the protestors engaged in a verbal spat with him.
Thereafter, since early Saturday morning the students blocked the busy BT Road and started protesting.
The protests continued till about 9.30 A.M. on Saturday and were withdrawn only after information surfaced that the accused civic volunteer had been arrested.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose has issued a statement claiming that he is in fast track mode in handling requests by parents of the victim of the RG Kar tragedy.
"On the receipt of a heart wrenching letter from the parents of the victim of the RG Kar horror, Governor rushed to Delhi and presented their grievances before the Home Minister. The Governor apprised the Home Minister of the gravity of the situation and the public protest against the ghastly incident," the statement read.
Lisbon, Aug 31 : A helicopter crash near the Douro River in the Samodaes region in northern Portugal has claimed the lives of four soldiers, with one still missing, according to local media reports.
The helicopter, which was carrying six people, including a pilot and a team of five soldiers, crashed while returning from firefighting operations in northern Portugal on Friday, reported Xinhua news agency, quoting Lusa News Agency.
The accident occurred at approximately 12:50 p.m. when the helicopter plunged into the Douro River.
The pilot was rescued by a passing boat and is currently reported to be in a stable condition under medical observation at a hospital, with no apparent risk to his life.
However, search and rescue operations continue for the remaining missing soldier.
Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro addressed the nation after the tragedy, expressing profound sorrow for the loss of lives.
"Today is a very sad day for Portugal," said Montenegro. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, and we extend our deepest condolences to the National Republican Guard (GNR) for this tragic loss."
He also announced that the government, in agreement with President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, has declared Saturday, August 31, a national day of mourning.
The Portuguese President cancelled his plans and immediately travelled to the site of the accident to oversee the ongoing search and rescue efforts.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation by the Office for the Prevention and Investigation of Aircraft and Railway Accidents (GPIAAF).
Washington, Aug 31 : US presidential candidate Donald Trump said that "getting along" with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is a "good thing," after his Democratic rival Kamala Harris vowed not to "cosy up to" dictators like Kim.
During a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Friday, a key battleground state, former President Trump again boasted about his personal ties with the North Korean leader, Yonhap news agency reported.
He and the Vice President are in a tight race with the presidential election just a little over two months away.
"I got along with Kim Jong-un of North Korea. Remember I walked over ... the first person to ever walk over from this country," he said.
This is in reference to his visit to the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom in June 2019, where he briefly crossed the Military Demarcation Line into the North.
"We also looked at his nuclear capability. It's very substantial ... You know, getting along is a good thing. It's not a bad thing," Republican candidate Trump added. In her nomination acceptance speech in Chicago last Thursday, Harris took aim at Trump who has long touted his personal relations with Kim, saying that she will not "cosy up to tyrants and dictators like Kim Jong-un who are rooting for Trump."
She claimed that dictators know Trump is "easy to manipulate with flattery and favours." The two candidates' remarks suggested their different visions for diplomacy toward North Korea. Trump's boast of ties with Kim has raised the likelihood that he if reelected, could revive his personal diplomacy toward Pyongyang to address the North Korean nuclear quandary.
Harris is seen as favouring an approach focusing on cooperation with allies and partners to address evolving North Korean threats.
Chandigarh, Aug 31 : The National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute in Punjab's Mohali will be making a big contribution to the production of smart proteins, said its Executive Director Ashwini Pareek on Saturday.
"These new initiatives will contribute to 'Viksit Bharat-Samridh Bharat' through the use of green technologies in a sustainable manner," he said.
The NABI is all set to embrace this transformative advancement in smart agriculture and bioprocessing.
"With support from the Department of Biotechnology, the NABI is going to contribute immensely to ensure climate-smart agriculture and set up the technologies for smart protein production. This will contribute to the Prime Minister's vision of India becoming a five trillion-dollar economy," Pareek said in a statement.
The National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, an autonomous institute of the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, has hailed the BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) Policy for fostering high-performance biomanufacturing approved by the Union Cabinet last week.
In the statement, the NABI said the BioE3 policy will help the large-scale manufacturing of smart proteins, which is one of the strategic sectors on which the BioE3 Policy focuses.
Smart or alternative proteins are proteins from sources other than meat, eggs, and dairy. Many international and Indian companies have already ventured into the smart protein market.
Cultured smart proteins that use less than one per cent of land and five per cent water as compared to red meat, are disease-free and are free from health-hazardous components.
The NABI says with India's bio-economy projected to reach $300 billion by 2030, bridging the gap between laboratory-scale productions and commercial-scale manufacturing of smart proteins could pave the way to the nation achieving nutritional security, with minimum footprints on the environment.
The nascent smart protein industry, in collaboration with institutes such as the NABI, hopes to accelerate advanced research on different categories of smart proteins such as plant-based meat alternatives, in vitro cultured meat and protein fermentationa.
The plant-based meat alternative is the most popular category of alternate proteins. They are of high quality, that too with the most efficient use of resources and minimal impact on the environment.
Jamnagar, Aug 31 : Heavy rains across Gujarat have led to widespread flooding, affecting several areas in Jamnagar. Amidst this turmoil, a young man named Vipul Bhambi, frustrated by the lack of basic facilities and inaction of local officials, ended up consuming phenyl.
Bhambi lodged a complaint against the District Development Officer (DDO) during a presentation at the Jamnagar Zilla Panchayat. He later consumed phenyl in front of the officials and is now hospitalised in Jamnagar.
In his complaint, he questioned the purpose of officials if basic issues remain unresolved. His frustration peaked when he consumed phenyl in front of the officers, highlighting the failure of the authorities to address the community's needs.
Sources reveal that "residents of Gokul Dham, Pranami, and Dwarkesh societies in Chela 2 village suffer due to inadequate infrastructure." During the rains, these residents were trapped indoors for three to five days, with no proper bridges to facilitate movement.
"Repeated representations have been made to the district panchayat about these issues, but little action has been taken. The village sarpanch also alleges that there has been no progress in improving the conditions in these societies, particularly during the monsoon. Despite the young man's drastic action, which led to the delay in his hospitalisation, the problems persist," sources from Jamnagar added.
Jamnagar Collector Bhavin Pandya said: "District administration's priority is to provide immediate relief and ensure the safety of the people. Over the past 3-4 days, heavy rains have caused various dams to overflow, leading to widespread flooding and waterlogging in several areas."
Pandya reported that the district administration, with the support of the Army, NDRF, and SDRF, has rescued 15,000 to 20,000 individuals trapped by the floods. These people have been relocated to relief camps where food and medical care are arranged. With additional support from NGOs, over 30,000 food packets have been distributed over the last two days.
Floods have damaged infrastructure, including blocking the road connecting Padana Patiya to Changa Patiya and washing away a portion of a bridge over Sir PN Road. The Indian Army and additional sanitation workers from Surat have been deployed to assist with rescue and cleanup operations.
As the rain subsides, a damage assessment has begun. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has reviewed the situation. The India Meteorological Department has predicted light to moderate rains in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, with a heavy rainfall warning issued for Jamnagar and surrounding districts.
The Chief Minister has confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi contacted him to discuss the flood situation and the ongoing relief efforts.
Bengaluru, Aug 31 : The Karnataka High Court on Saturday resumed hearing the writ petition filed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah against the decision of Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot to give consent for his prosecution in the alleged irregularities in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
The Bench, headed by Justice M Nagaprasanna, is hearing the matter, with Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta presenting submissions on behalf of the Governor.
Senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi had already presented his arguments on behalf of CM Siddaramaiah, seeking to quash the Governoras order.
Defending the Governor, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that the decision was made lawfully and followed due process.
The Governor took cognisance of a 91-page Cabinet decision to withdraw the show cause notice to CM Siddaramaiah and reject the petition against him.
Mehta emphasised that since Cabinet ministers are selected by the Chief Minister himself, it is not imperative for the Governor to consider the Cabinetas decision when a complaint is against the CM.
He added that it is unlikely for the Cabinet to take a decision against the CM.
Mehta further submitted that the relief package ratio was changed from 40:60 to 50:50, and that CM Siddaramaiahas son, former MLA Yathindra Siddaramaiah, had attended the General Body Meeting of MUDA in this regard.
Alternative sites were allotted in a reputed locality.
Despite all this, the state Cabinet took a biased decision in support of CM Siddaramaiah, he argued.
In this context, the Governor made an independent decision in the matter using his discretion.
The Governor took into account the Cabinet's advice, CM Siddaramaiahas clarification, and the petitioneras complaint.
Referring to a Supreme Court judgment, Tushar Mehta submitted that those in power often believe they will not face punishment.
The Bench observed that under Section 17(A) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the police are not supposed to take up an investigation without prior permission.
However, it is not necessary for the police to obtain permission themselves; anyone can approach the appropriate authorities to obtain such permission.
Tushar Mehta further submitted that no investigation is required to grant permission for prosecution for administrative matters.
Under Section 17(A) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, it is decided whether an investigation is required or not needed.
He argued that the Governor is not obliged to respond to every clarification provided by the Cabinet and CM Siddaramaiah in this case.
The Governor's order clearly states his position, and not everything can be explained at this stage due to the potential for destruction of evidence.
Mehta also pointed out that the charges in all three complaints against CM Siddaramaiah were the same, and there was no need to issue a show cause notice in connection with the other two complaints.
The Karnataka High Court on Thursday had adjourned the hearing of the writ petition filed by CM Siddaramaiah challenging Governor Gehlot's decision to give his nod to launch a probe against the veteran Congress leader, to Saturday (August 31).
Singhvi had argued that the Governor did not follow the principles of natural justice when granting consent for prosecution against CM Siddaramaiah. He also mentioned that the Governor did not consider the advice given by the Cabinet in this matter.
At this point, the Bench had questioned Singhvi whether the Governor is required to take the advice of the Cabinet in matters involving complaints against the CM.
Singhvi responded that the Governor has to take such advice, maintaining that there are limitations to the Governor's powers.
Represented by senior counsel Singhvi, the CM has sought interim relief as well as quashing of the Governor's order, calling it unconstitutional.
Chennai, Aug 31 : Tamil Nadu Health Minister Subramanian.Ma on Saturday informed that the government will make cancer screening mandatory for citizens above 18 years of age.
"Based on a survey, the government has found that the number of cancer cases is on the rise in Erode, Tirupattur, Ranipet and Nagercoil districts. This screening would increase cancer awareness in the state," said Health Minister Subramanian.Ma while addressing a public programme in Salem on Saturday.
He said that the government had decided to make cancer screening mandatory last year in certain areas. "However, following the survey, the government has decided to make cancer screening mandatory for all above 18 years of age in the state," the Health Minister said.
He added that detecting cancer at an early stage would help to treat the disease effectively.
Around 82,000 cancer cases have been reported in Tamil Nadu in 2023. Tamil Nadu follows Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Bihar.
In 2023, Uttar Pradesh had 2.10 lakh new cases, Maharashtra 1.21 lakh, West Bengal 1.18 lakh while Bihar has an estimated 1 lakh cases.
The Health Minister added that the lack of awareness among people is the main reason for the increase in cancer cases as also the late diagnosis of the disease makes it fatal.
Laos, Aug 31 : The Indian Embassy in Laos announced on Saturday that it has successfully rescued 47 Indian nationals who were trapped in cyber-scam centres located in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Bokeo province.
The Embassy reported that 29 individuals were handed over by Laos authorities following a crackdown on illegal activities in the SEZ. The remaining 18 approached the Embassy directly, seeking assistance.
In a post on X, the Embassy explained that its officials travelled from the capital, Vientiane, to Bokeo, where they coordinated with local authorities to facilitate the rescue. The rescued individuals were then transported back to Vientiane, where they were provided with accommodation.
Indian Ambassador to Laos, Prashant Agrawal, met with the rescued group upon their arrival in Vientiane to discuss the challenges they faced and to outline the next steps.
The Embassy has completed all necessary procedural requirements with the Laos authorities for the repatriation of these individuals. So far, 30 individuals have either returned to India or are on their way back home, while the remaining 17 are awaiting final travel arrangements.
Ambassador Agrawal reiterated that ensuring the safety and well-being of Indian citizens is a top priority for the Embassy, stating that all requests for assistance are promptly addressed.
The Embassy also expressed its gratitude to Laos authorities for their cooperation and urged them to take action against the unscrupulous elements responsible for luring Indian nationals into such scams.
To date, 635 Indians have been rescued from similar situations in Laos and have safely returned to India. The Embassy has issued multiple warnings advising Indians considering job offers in Laos to exercise extreme caution and conduct thorough due diligence to avoid falling victim to fraudulent schemes.
Earlier this month, the Embassy rescued 14 Indian nationals from similar cyber-scam centres in Laos. In May, 13 Indians, including seven workers from Odisha, were also rescued and repatriated.
The Embassy has highlighted that many of these fake job offers involve positions such as "Digital Sales and Marketing Executives" or "Customer Support Service" roles, which are fronts for call-centre scams and cryptocurrency frauds. These offers are often facilitated by agents based in Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore, and India, who recruit Indian nationals with promises of high salaries, hotel bookings, return air tickets, and visa facilitation.
New Delhi, Aug 31 : Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) chief Udai Bhan on Saturday exuded confidence that the poll-bound state was 'yearning' for change and the recent shift in vote share (during Lok Sabha elections) gives enough hints on the grand old party's likely victory in the forthcoming Assembly elections.
New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) chief Udai Bhan on Saturday exuded confidence that the poll-bound state was ayearninga for change and the recent shift in vote share (during Lok Sabha elections) gives enough hints on the grand old partyas likely victory in the forthcoming Assembly elections.
In an exclusive conversation with IANS, the four-time MLA gave a break down of the polling percentage of the 2024 LS polls and also elucidated how the Congress, with a 1.5 per cent vote share aleada was in the driveras seat, as against the ruling BJP.
Q: BJP claims that the Congress is a divided house and it is unable to finalise candidates for Assembly elections. Your take on this?
A: The Congress is united and ready to take on the BJP in the Assembly elections. Our party leaders and workers are focussed on one goal. It is the BJP which is divided and facing internal fighting. You can spot their adifferencesa from statements of Anil Vij, Rao Inderjit Singh and others. They are nervous and not able to present a clear ideology.
The Chief Minister himself is finding it hard to get support in his constituency. Faced with fears of a looming defeat, he has given up the Karnal constituency and opted for the Ladwa seat. He is not even confident of a sure-shot win from there and thus is searching for more options. The Chief Minister hasnat found a safe seat to contest while the BJPas state chief has developed cold feet and withdrawn from polls. This itself shows the state of affairs in the BJP.
The Congress is geared up to contest elections. Out of 90, the party will win 70 seats and will give BJP a crushing defeat.
Q: Is it your over-confidence, arising from the party's performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections?
A: The Congress is a party of the masses with strong ground connections. Lok Sabha election results are indeed a morale booster for the party and cadre. In the previous elections, our vote share had fallen to 28 per cent but that is no longer the case. The BJP, which amassed 58 per cent vote share, has been reduced to 30 per cent.
In the Lok Sabha elections, our vote share soared from 28 per cent to 47 per cent while that of the BJP dropped from 58 per cent to 46 per cent, which means we are 1.5 per cent ahead of them.
The Congress party, having revived the peopleas confidence is all set to dislodge the BJP government in the upcoming election. The ruling party will struggle to win 20 seats.
Q: What happened in the screening committee?
A: A lot of issues are being discussed and deliberated upon in the Screening Committee. There are about 2,500 applications, pertaining to 90 Assembly constituencies. All matters are being discussed.
Q: Whatas your assessment about the upcoming Assembly elections?
A: Congress is fully confident of a landslide victory in the upcoming elections. We will get a thumping majority in the Assembly by winning more than 70 seats, this time.
MOSCOW, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Five people were killed and 37 others injured after Ukrainian forces attacked Russia's Belgorod region, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on his Telegram channel Friday evening.
Gladkov said Ukrainian armed forces used cluster munitions from a Vampire multiple rocket launcher system to shell the city of Belgorod and its surrounding areas, causing significant casualties and damage.
"One woman and four men died on the spot from their injuries before the ambulance arrived," the governor said.
A total of 37 civilians, including six children, were injured in the attack, Gladkov said. All of the wounded have been transported to medical facilities in Belgorod for treatment, among whom seven adults and three children were in critical condition, he added.
According to Gladkov, the assault caused extensive property damage in Belgorod, shattering roofs and windows in two apartment buildings and damaging the glazing and facades of social facilities and commercial properties. A fire ignited by the strike on the outskirts of the city has been extinguished.
The attack also damaged 13 vehicles near a shopping center in the village of Dubovoye, located just to the south of the city of Belgorod, and set two houses, a car and a garage on fire, he said.
Tehran, Aug 31 : Iran is closely monitoring threats and activities by Israel, a top Iranian military commander said, according to the state media.
Iranian Air Defense Force Commander Alireza Sabahifard made the remarks in an address at the Friday prayers in the Iranian capital, Tehran, while commenting on the preparedness of his force, reports Xinhua news agency, quoting official state media IRNA.
He stated that the Air Force has enhanced its capabilities in response to the enemies' "aerospace threats," adding that "we are fully aware of other threats and are closely monitoring Israel."
Sabahifard emphasised that his force is at the highest level of self-sufficiency, combat readiness, and power.
He added that Iran is fully self-reliant in designing and producing control systems, radars, sensors, drones, electronic warfare systems, cybersecurity systems, and advanced hybrid warfare systems.
He noted that his force could detect any kind of stealth aircraft from thousands of miles away.
Tension between Iran and Israel heightened following the assassination of Hamas Politburo Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. Iran has blamed Israel for the attack and vowed a strong response.
Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement in the attack but has vowed to respond to any military attack.
Bengaluru, Aug 31 : The Karnataka High Court on Saturday resumed hearing the writ petition filed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah against Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot's decision to give consent for his prosecution in the alleged irregularities in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
The Bench, headed by Justice M Nagaprasanna, is hearing the matter. Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta concluded submissions on Saturday on behalf of the Governor.
Senior Counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for CM Siddaramaiah, had already presented his arguments, seeking to quash the Governor's order.
Defending the Governor, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that the decision was made lawfully and followed due process.
Mehta submitted that there is no necessity to even look at the cabinet advice to the Governor. The minister selected by the Chief Minister will have loyalty towards him. When there is an allegation against the CM, their advice will not be considered. In spite of this, the Governor had considered the report by the cabinet.
"The Chief Minister might not have attended the cabinet meeting in which the decision was taken to advise the Governor. However, the person, named by the CM, conducted the meeting. The Chief Minister has nominated Dy CM D.K. Shivakumar under Rule 28 to conduct the meeting in his place. It is mentioned in the cover letter. The decision of the cabinet, which can't go against the CM, cannot be considered," Mehta submitted.
He further noted that the Supreme Court judgments referred by CM Siddaramaiah's counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi are in favour of the Governor. These judgments have recognised the discretionary powers of the Governor.
The Governor took cognisance of a 91-page Cabinet decision to withdraw the show-cause notice to CM Siddaramaiah and reject the petition against him.
Mehta emphasised that since Cabinet ministers are selected by the Chief Minister himself, it is not imperative for the Governor to consider the Cabinet's decision when a complaint is against the CM.
He added that it is unlikely for the Cabinet to take a decision against the CM.
Mehta further submitted that the relief package ratio was changed from 40:60 to 50:50 and that CM Siddaramaiah's son, former MLA Yathindra Siddaramaiah, had attended the General Body Meeting of MUDA in this regard. Alternative sites were allotted in a reputed locality.
Despite all this, the state Cabinet took a biased decision in support of CM Siddaramaiah, he argued.
In this context, the Governor made an independent decision in the matter using his discretion.
The Governor took into account the Cabinet's advice, CM Siddaramaiah's clarification, and the petitioner's complaint.
Referring to a Supreme Court judgment, Tushar Mehta submitted that those in power often believe they will not face punishment.
The Bench observed that under Section 17(A) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the police are not supposed to take up an investigation without prior permission.
However, it is not necessary for the police to obtain permission themselves; anyone can approach the appropriate authorities to obtain such permission.
Tushar Mehta further submitted that no investigation is required to grant permission for prosecution for administrative matters.
Under Section 17(A) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, it is decided whether an investigation is required or not needed.
He argued that the Governor is not obliged to respond to every clarification provided by the Cabinet and CM Siddaramaiah in this case.
The Governor's order clearly states his position, and not everything can be explained at this stage due to the potential for destruction of evidence.
Mehta also pointed out that the charges in all three complaints against CM Siddaramaiah were the same, and there was no need to issue a show-cause notice in connection with the other two complaints.
Senior counsel Manindar Singh making submissions for one of the petitioners Snehamayi Krishna, pleaded with the court to note the three figures "Rs 3.24 lakh", "Rs 5.98 lakh" and "Rs 55 crore". When the land was acquired, the price of the disputed land was Rs 3.24 lakh. It was sold for Rs 5.98 lakh and now the value of the land is claimed to be Rs 55 crore. In this background, there is a need for an investigation into the case by an independent agency.
There is Rs 55 crore profit out of de-notification in the case. The common man will have to run pillar to post to get de-notification done. The de-notification is not possible even if there is a school in the acquired land. Even as the land is developed by the MUDA, it is denotified. Once the land is acquired, it can't be taken back. The land owner is only eligible to get 9 per cent of interest, Manindar Singh submitted quoting the Indore Development case.
The whole government is standing before the Chief Minister. How can the land in the name of MUDA get denotified? This is a planned illegality, he maintained.
Singh further stated that proceedings are different for acquired land and the land which is not acquired. In 1998, the land was acquired by the MUDA and an order fixing the compensation was also issued later. Between 2001 and 2004, the sites were distributed from the acquired land. No one has gone to court questioning the land acquisition. The decision which is not officially published as a notification by the government is used. The de-notification is done to take away the land, Singh submitted to the court demanding investigation be needed in the case.
On Thursday, the Karnataka High Court adjourned the hearing of the writ petition filed by CM Siddaramaiah challenging Governor Gehlot's decision to give his nod to launch a probe against the veteran Congress leader, to Saturday.
Singhvi argued that the Governor did not follow the principles of natural justice when granting consent for prosecution against CM Siddaramaiah. He also mentioned that the Governor did not consider the advice given by the Cabinet in this matter.
At this point, the Bench had questioned Singhvi whether the Governor is required to take the advice of the Cabinet in matters involving complaints against the CM.
Singhvi responded that the Governor has to take such advice, maintaining that there are limitations to the Governor's powers.
Represented by senior counsel Singhvi, the CM has sought interim relief as well as quashing of the Governor's order, calling it unconstitutional.
London, Aug 31 : Closure of motorways due to frequent accidents, major roadworks and bridge repairs have resulted in intense traffic congestion and traffic misery for commuters in and around London.
On Saturday, Hampshire Police announced that a major motorway was closed as it is investigating a collision.
"Please be aware that the northbound M3 between junctions 9 and 8 is currently closed while we deal with a collision. Please avoid the area and take alternative routes," the Hampshire Roads Policing Unit posted on X.
On Friday, the Hampshire Police, which manages policing across a significant transport network including the M27 and M3, had announced the closure of the northbound carriageway between junctions 12 and 11 on M3 following a "serious collision".
"We are appealing for witnesses and dash cam footage following what is believed to be a serious collision on the M3. Police were called at 2.21pm today (Friday, August 30) to a report of man found seriously injured in the northbound carriageway between junctions 12 and 11. At this early stage of the investigation it is believed he may have been involved in a collision with a vehicle which did not stop at the scene," it said in a statement.
Earlier this week, National Highways - the wholly government-owned company responsible for modernising, maintaining and operating Englandas motorways and major A roads - had announced two weekend closures in September as a railway bridge is being replaced over the M62 between junction 19 at Heywood and junction 20 at Rochdale.
The replacement work to be carried out from September 6-9 and between September 20-23, will affect cross-Pennine travel plans with the motorway linking Liverpool and Hull as well as the cities of Manchester and Leeds in between.
"It is the first time in recent memory that the M62, which carries around 1,20,000 vehicles a day, has been closed for a whole weekend or other extended period for planned work," National Highways said in a statement.
The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has reported some major serious traffic collisions in the region recently.
On August 25, a man in his 60s from Emsworth was pronounced dead following a serious single-vehicle road traffic collision on the A27, close to the junction for Hilsea.
On August 13, a 16-year-old cyclist from Portsmouth lost his life after being hit by a car at the junction of Portsdown Hill Road, Portchester Lane and Skew Road.
According to provisional statistics released by the UK Department for Transport (DfT) in May, there were an estimated 1,645 fatalities in reported road collisions in Great Britain in 2023.
Moscow, Aug 31 : A helicopter carrying 22 people has gone missing near the Vachkazhets volcano in the Russian Far East's Kamchatka region, the local media reported on Saturday.
The Mi-8T helicopter, operated by Vityaz-Aero airline, lost communication shortly after takeoff on Saturday morning, the state-owned TASS news agency reported.
The Federal Air Transport Agency stated that the helicopter, which took off from a site near the Vachkazhets volcano, failed to respond to a scheduled call at around 7:15 am, Moscow time. The communication with the helicopter, however, was lost shortly after it picked up the tourists.
According to the emergency services, the Mi-8T helicopter disappeared from radar almost immediately after takeoff, though the crew did not report any issues prior to the loss of contact. The helicopter was carrying 19 passengers and three crew members.
Local media reports also suggest that low visibility was registered by the Kamchatka Hydrometeorological Centre in the area of Nikolaevka airport, close to where contact with the helicopter was lost.
In response, another flight has been launched to search for the missing helicopter with a second Mi-8 helicopter, along with a ground rescue team, prepared to follow the search route.
Additionally, a criminal case has been opened concerning the violation of traffic safety rules and the operation of air transport.
The Kamchatka Investigative Department for Transport of the Eastern MCUT Investigative Committee of Russia has opened an investigation into the incident under Article 263 of the Russian Federation's Criminal Code, which pertains to violations of traffic safety rules and the operation of air transport.
A ground rescue team has also been deployed, setting out from two locations - the Vachkazhets volcano and the settlement of Nikolaevka - to help the search efforts.
Patna, Aug 31 : President of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) unit in Bihar, Jagadanand Singh, has said that the party's struggle for a national caste census and the inclusion of a 65 per cent reservation limit in the Ninth Schedule of the Indian Constitution will continue until their demands are met.
The RJD has already announced a day-long dharna (protest) on September 1 in Bihar to push for these demands.
"The dharna on September 1 has two main objectives: conducting a caste census across the country and including the 65 per cent reservation -- achieved during Tejashwi Yadav's 17-month tenure as the Leader of the Opposition -- into the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. This inclusion would shield the increased reservation limit from judicial review," Singh stated.
To ensure extensive participation in the protest, Jagadanand Singh has coordinated with senior party members and divisional in-charge general secretaries, reviewing preparations and issuing guidelines to make the protest a significant event.
He emphasised that RJD National President Lalu Prasad Yadav has been advocating for a caste census since the Mandal Commission's recommendations were implemented in 1990. He noted that a caste census was conducted during the UPA government following demands from Lalu Prasad Yadav and other socialist leaders. However, before the final report could be released, the BJP came to power and chose not to publish the data, effectively freezing it.
Singh also highlighted that under Tejashwi Yadav's leadership, an all-party delegation, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, met with the Prime Minister to demand a national caste census. Despite their efforts, the central government did not agree. During Tejashwi Yadav's 17-month tenure in government, a caste census was conducted in Bihar. Based on its findings, the reservation for Dalits, backward classes, and extremely backward classes in Bihar was increased to 65 per cent, with an additional 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker sections from the general category.
However, this expanded reservation policy was challenged in court, allegedly at the instigation of the BJP. The court has stayed the implementation of this reservation, citing the state government's alleged failure to present the case effectively.
"As a result, RJD members will stage a sit-in protest at all district headquarters on September 1, advocating for these two demands. The protest will continue under the direction of Lalu Prasad Yadav and the leadership of Tejashwi Yadav until demands are met, extending from street demonstrations to actions within the legislative assembly," Singh asserted.
RJD spokesperson, Chitranjan Gagan, said that Tejashwi Yadav and State President Jagdanand Singh would join the dharna at the party's state office in Patna, while other party leaders would participate in protests at their respective district headquarters.
"During the protest, a memorandum addressed to the President of India will be submitted to the District Magistrates of all districts," Gagan added.
New Delhi, Aug 31 : Former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, on Saturday, rebuked West Bengal government's method of seeking justice for the doctor, whose rape and murder at a state-run hospital there left the nation enraged.
New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) Former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, on Saturday, rebuked West Bengal governmentas method of seeking justice for the doctor, whose rape and murder at a state-run hospital there left the nation enraged.
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, in conversation with IANS, said that Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee should focus more on healing the wounds of the people rather than writing letters or holding protest marches. He also came down heavily on the Congress-National Conference (NC) alliance for the upcoming elections in Jammu & Kashmir.
IANS: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has written a letter to the Central government asking for justice in the rape and murder case at R.G. Kar Medical College. What is your opinion on this?
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi: It would be better for Mamata Ji to address the wounds and anger of the people there rather than writing letters or holding protest marches. Your letters, protests, or attempts to cover things up will not succeed in quelling the anger and distress caused by such a heinous crime. If she thinks that these superficial measures will absolve her of responsibility, she is mistaken.
IANS: The Congress and NC are once again allying. What are your thoughts on this?
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi: The Congress is once again entering the electoral field in J&K with an alliance. Those who have formed this alliance have, for decades, claimed to be the guardians of the Muslim community, especially in Kashmir, without taking responsibility for their development. These people, who have monopolised Muslim votes, have failed to contribute to development. They misused Article 370 and secularism as distractions, leaving J&K, particularly the people of Kashmir, in a dire state. Now is the time for the people to give their mandate, which will be for development and trust.
IANS: What is your stance on the proposal to include non-Muslims in Waqf Board?
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi: The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is currently discussing matters related to the Waqf Board. I am confident that this discussion will result in positive outcomes for all stakeholders. It's important to note that not only Muslims but a large number of Hindus are also stakeholders. During the Partition, many Hindus who left their homes in Pakistan and came to India were given houses, shops, or land by the administration of that time. However, they are still not the legal owners of these properties and are treated as illegal occupants. The JPC will make the right decision to protect and secure the interests of all stakeholders.
IANS: BJP MP Kangana Ranaut's controversial statement has sparked anger, and even BJP has distanced itself from it.
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi- Kangana is an excellent speaker. She doesn't need a spokesperson; someone as great a speaker as Kangana doesn't need anyone to speak for her.
IANS: Yesterday, the Assam Chief Minister said in the Assembly that the two-hour break previously given for Namaz will no longer be allowed. What is your opinion on this?
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi: Our country is a secular nation, and it operates on Constitutional values. In our country, no government institution or system grants breaks for religious practices, including Namaz. So those who are questioning this are contradicting themselves. On one hand, they claim to protect secularism and the Constitution, but on the other, they want to uphold something that goes against these principles. This is not right.
Jaipur, Aug 31 : Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa on Saturday instructed the Transport Department to install the High Security Registration Plate (HSRP) number plates in the next five days.
"Get the number plates of those vehicles installed in five days who have made payments and got the booking slots. And return the payment of those whose slots have not been issued as of now," the Deputy Chief Minister wrote to the Additional Chief Secretary of the Transport Department.
The Deputy Chief Minister further instructed to restart the process of installing HSRP number plates following a new method, which can enhance the speed of the process.
"Action will be taken against the officials for not following these orders," the Deputy Chief Minister said.
Former Transport Commissioner Kanhaiya Lal Swami ordered the installation of HSRP number plates on September 23, 2023, and the work to install the number plates started in December last year.
However, in the last seven months, HSRP number plates were installed by 4.44 lakh vehicles while 16 lakh vehicle owners had applied for the plates.
The Deputy Chief Minister also informed that the Transport Department is doing online registration for HSRP number plates via an online portal.
Vehicle companies have been installing HSRP number plates through the application received from the portal but then the vehicle owners have to wait for months.
Also, a high amount is being charged in the process which causes trouble to the common people.
However, the Deputy Chief Minister has now instructed to start the process at the department level.
Manila, Aug 31 : The Philippines has expressed "serious concerns" over a Chinese Coast Guard vessel "deliberately" ramming and colliding with the BRP Teresa Magbanua - the Philippine Coast Guard's largest and most modern vessel - deployed to Escoda Shoal in the South China Sea on Saturday.
"Well, the position of the government, especially the National Maritime Council, we take this with serious concern," Alexander Lopez, spokesperson for the Philippines' National Maritime Council (NMC), said during a media briefing.
State-owned Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported that a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 5205 on Saturday repeatedly rammed into BRP-Teresa Magbanua, the biggest ship of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) deployed in April to Escoda Shoal, which is about 75 nautical miles from Palawan.
It mentioned that due to the collision, BRP Teresa Magbanua sustained damage in its bridge wing and freeboard though no injuries to the crew were reported and the ship remained anchored inside the Sabina Shoal.
PNA quoted Commodore Jay Tarriela, the Philippine Coast Guard's spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, as saying that the Chinese Coast Guard vessel carried out "dangerous manoeuver resulting to its direct ramming" into the port bow of BRP Teresa Magbanua.
"The Chinese ship turned around, then rammed the PCG vessel anew, hitting the starboard quarter. After this, it went around and then did another ramming to the PCG vessel. On the port beam of MRRV-9701, the CCG vessel 5205 once again directly and intentionally rammed the PCG vessel," said Tarriela.
The PCG spokesperson also presented a drone shot before the media, showing that BRP Teresa Magbanua was originally surrounded by People's Liberation Army Navy tugboats, vessels and "Chinese maritime militias".
The latest incident has drawn sharp criticism from various countries.
"The US condemns the multiple dangerous violations of international law by the PRC, including today's intentional ramming of the BRP Teresa Magbanua while it was conducting lawful operations within the Philippine EEZ. We stand with the Philippines in upholding international law," US Ambassador MaryKay Loss Carlson posted on X.
Meanwhile, Beijing also accused the Philippine coast guard vessel "illegally anchoring in Xianbin Jiao" of "intentionally" ramming the "Chinese law-enforcement ship".
Liu Dejun, a spokesperson of the China Coast Guard, said the "unprofessional and dangerous manoeuvre resulted in scrapes, with all responsibility lying with the Philippine side", Xinhua news agency reported.
China said that it had warned the Philippine side to "face up to reality and abandon illusions", stating that immediate withdrawal from the area is "the only correct course of action".
New Delhi, Aug 31 : BJP leader Gourav Vallabh on Saturday took strong objection to Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal's 'disgraceful' remarks on the rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata's R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, and asked him to "have some shame".
New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) BJP leader Gourav Vallabh on Saturday took strong objection to Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibalas adisgracefula remarks on the rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata's R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, and asked him to "have some shame".
On behalf of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Sibal purportedly issued a resolution that described R.G. Kar incident as 'symptomatic malaise', and suggested that such incidents are commonplace.
Notably, Sibal is representing the West Bengal government in the Supreme Court which took up the R.G. Kar case suo-motu.
"Today, every person in the country is ashamed of the incident that took place in Kolkata earlier this month. But you are calling it a common incident. Is this Mamata Banerjee's statement? Mamata Banerjee writes letters to the Centre everyday. She should tell whether Kapil Sibal is saying the right thing, or she who is writing daily," Vallabh told IANS.
He added, "Is this common for the party you are representing in the Rajya Sabha or the leader of the alliance you are with? I did not expect this from you. Your statement has hurt the country and you should be ashamed that you have made such a ridiculous and cheap remark to hurt the soul of the country."
Urging the INDIA Bloc leaders to look into the matter, the BJP leader said, "I would like to ask Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, and other leaders of the INDIA Bloc and Congress whether it is their opinion too that such incidents are commonplace? If so, the true face of Mamata Banerjee has come out through Kapil Sibal's statement."
Notably, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar on Friday lashed out at Kapil Sibal over his remarks.
"I am appalled and pained that someone holding a position in the Supreme Court Bar Association, a Member of Parliament, can term such acts of violence against women as a symptomatic malaise. How can one suggest that such incidents are commonplace? What a shame," the Vice President said at an event in Delhi.
Bengaluru, Aug 31 : Lashing out at Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over his alleged involvement in the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land scam case, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Saturday asked the senior Congress leader to "stop drama and face the investigation" for which Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot already gave a nod.
Speaking to the media in Hubballi on Saturday, the Union Minister said: "CM Siddaramaiah should stop this high drama and face an investigation. The judiciary exists. Whether CM is innocent or not will be decided by the court, and everyone should abide by its decision. Hence, Siddaramaiah should face the investigation first.
"Why does Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, and other Congress members want to do a 'Raj Bhavan Chalo'? They should do a 'MUDA Chalo' and apologise for their mistakes. They should go to the MUDA office, apologise for acquiring land there, and distributing it among their close associates. Let them fold their hands, apologise in MUDA, and return."
"Didn't former CM B.S. Yediyurappa heading BJP government resign and face the investigation?" the Union Minister questioned. "There is no difference between the cases involving Yediyurappa and CM Siddaramaiah. Let the CM face the investigation first," he insisted.
He also condemned the Congress' actions of "threatening and intimidating" the Governor with the 'Raj Bhavan Chalo' campaign for giving approval to the investigation against CM Siddaramaiah.
"If the CM claims he is not involved in any corruption and has done nothing wrong in the MUDA scam, why does this drama of 'Raj Bhavan Chalo' threaten the Governor?" Pralhad Joshi questioned.
Further criticising Siddaramaiah and his deputy, D.K. Shivakumar, the Union Minister said: "You have promoted an officer who colluded in the MUDA scam, as a Registrar, while you transferred a senior official who wrote a letter stating there was wrongdoing. Now, you are intimidating the Governor for allowing an investigation.
"CM Siddaramaiah says there is a conspiracy against him because he belongs to a backward class and has been CM twice. However, the Governor is also from a Dalit family. Earlier, the Chief Minister praised him but now, as soon as an investigation has been allowed against him, he is threatening the Governor. Why? No one will bow down to such things."
"Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar are not showing any commitment to public welfare, public interest, or development but are busy playing political drama to save their chairs," Pralhad Joshi said.
He also accused the Congress government of showing no concern for the damage caused due to rain to the crops.
"The Central government quickly gave permission to buy groundnut, sunflower, urad dal, and soyabean at support prices, but the state has not made any proper preparation.
"Officials from the state government had called and sought permission to buy at support prices. I had advised them to submit a proposal. Two days after receiving the proposal, the Central government granted permission. But the state government has still not made any preparations," Pralhad Joshi said.
"Considering the lower prices of groundnut, sunflower, urad dal, and soyabean in the market, the Central government has immediately approved opening procurement centres for the benefit of the farmers. But the Karnataka government has not yet made suitable preparations to open these centres," he said.
He accused the state government of not working on the development of roads, saying: "The roads in the state are in bad condition. Rahul Gandhi should see the situation in Karnataka where his own party is in power. What has happened to governance and development here?"
WARSAW, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Poland captivated audiences with a drone light show on Friday evening commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising.
In a mesmerizing display over the Vistula River in Warsaw, hundreds of drones illuminated the night sky, weaving together intricate patterns and symbols that eloquently narrated the heroic tale of the Warsaw Uprising.
This historic event, which commenced on Aug. 1, 1944 as a pivotal World War II operation to free Warsaw from Nazi German occupation, was artistically showcased through the drone show, accentuating its significant milestones.
Residents and visitors flocked together to bear witness to this remarkable occasion, where the fusion of modern technology and profound historical remembrance unfolded. The commemorative event received widespread acclaim for its ingenious creativity and profound emotional resonance, breathing new life into the narrative of the Warsaw Uprising with an innovative twist.
Patna, Aug 31 : The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will contest the 2025 Assembly election in Bihar under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, claimed president of the state BJP unit, Dilip Jaiswal.
He also predicted that the coalition would secure a victory with more than a two-thirds majority.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has provided a special package to Bihar, emphasising the state's development prospects. He will develop Bihar before the country," Jaiswal said.
The statement of Dilip Jaiswal came during the BJP's District Working Committee meeting, along with an Abhinandan Samaroh, in Bettiah, Bihar, on Saturday. Dilip Jaiswal attended the event as the chief guest.
In the last few weeks, there has been speculation in political circles about Chirag Paswan, the leader of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), being upset with the BJP.
Addressing this issue, Jaiswal referred to Chirag Paswan as the "Hanuman" of the BJP, likening him to the loyal devotee of Lord Ram who played a pivotal role in the epic Ramayana.
"Chirag Paswan is a committed worker for the NDA and a staunch supporter of Prime Minister Modi. Chirag Paswan himself has often described himself as Modi's Hanuman," Jaiswal added.
During the meeting, he also emphasised the BJP's position as the world's largest political party, with about 18 crore (180 million) members. He announced a membership campaign scheduled for September 2, where BJP President JP Nadda will kick-start the campaign by enrolling Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the first member. The campaign will utilise a missed call system, allowing people across the country to join the BJP by calling a designated number.
The meeting saw the participation of several prominent leaders, including Union Minister Satish Chandra Dubey, Bihar Minister Renu Devi, and Bettiah MP Sanjay Jaiswal.
--IAND
ajk/uk
Vientiane, Aug 31 : Laos has been keeping a close eye on the Mekong River and its main tributaries as water levels have risen after continuous rainfall, with people living near them preparing for flooding.
The water level in the Mekong River in Lao capital Vientiane was recorded at 11.80 metres on Friday, exceeding the warning level of 11.50 metres, and nearing the danger level of 12.50 metres, according to the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology under the Lao Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Xinhua news agency reported.
The river has been rising rapidly since August 23, reaching alarming levels on August 28. If the level rises to 12 metres, more riverbank communities will face the prospect of flooding.
Local authorities were working to prevent flooding, with sandbags being laid along the riverbank where flooding is most likely to occur.
Kannika Phathanou, a 20-year-old student, told Xinhua on Friday that it was important to keep track of forecasts, so everyone can prepare to cope with storms and prevent the impacts of floods promptly.
"I really enjoy the glowing sunset on the Mekong River, so I usually come here twice a week with friends," said Kannika.
"I have to say that the rising water in the river makes the view of sunset here more beautiful but terrifying at the same time. During the rainy season, we need to be alert at the time, especially for people living in low-lying areas near the river."
The weather bureau has warned of possible floods as heavy and light rains with occasional wind gusts will continue across the country, and many areas have experienced flooding because of prolonged heavy rainfall.
From July 18 to August 21, a tropical depression and Prapiroon storm brought heavy rainfall to many parts of Laos, affecting more than 36,200 people across the Southeast Asian country.
Chintana Noymeuang, a 38-year-old woman living in Vientiane, expressed sympathy to business owners along riverbanks, adding that they have to keep a close eye on the river level every day.
"The Mekong riverside is the most scenic part of Vientiane, and people love to walk along the riverbank in the morning and evening. There is a good business opportunity there, but business people have to deal with the prospect of flooding in the rainy season," Chintana told Xinhua.
Namwan, a woman who comes to the riverside four days a week for jogging, said that everyone should stay informed about local weather conditions.
She said relevant sectors should work urgently to provide accurate information to people living in risk areas to ensure they can take precautionary measures.
During the government's monthly meeting for August, Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone said the government plans to address the impacts of natural disasters caused by heavy rains through more rapid and efficient distribution of relief supplies for affected people.
The Ministry of Energy and Mines has issued a notice to mining companies in Laos, advising them to monitor the level of chemical residues and sediment that collects in the rainy season.
The notice also urged companies to effectively deal with any flooding and landslides that occur and may affect their operations.
The ministry asked mining companies to carry out thorough checks of chemical deposits to ensure that the items would not cause any damage or flow into surrounding areas.
Gandhinagar, Aug 31 : The government of Gujarat has announced an increase in stipends for medical interns and resident doctors across government and GMERS (Gujarat Medical Education & Research Society) medical colleges.
There are over 3,000 medical interns and resident doctors across 19 state-run colleges.
This decision will impact medical, dental, physiotherapy, Homoeopathy, and Ayurveda students and professionals in the state. This move follows the recent increase in salaries for contract-based specialist doctors at CHCs, sub-district, and district hospitals.
"The stipend hike will take effect from April 1, 2024, and covers interns and resident doctors in six government medical colleges and 13 GMERS colleges. The revised stipends are designed to provide better financial support to these healthcare professionals during their training period." officials shared.
"Under the new structure, medical interns in government medical colleges will receive a monthly stipend of Rs 21,840, dental interns Rs 20,160, physiotherapy interns Rs 13,440, and Ayurveda and Homoeopathy interns Rs 15,120. For resident doctors, the stipends have been structured as follows: first-year medical residents will receive Rs 1,00,800, second-year residents Rs 1,02,480, third-year residents Rs 1,05,000, and senior residents and clinical assistants in the fourth year will receive Rs 1,10,880," officials added.
Super speciality residents will see their stipends increase to Rs 1,20,960 in the first year, Rs 1,26,000 in the second year, and Rs 1,34,400 in the third year. The new stipends for dental residents are Rs 78,960 for the first year, Rs 81,480 for the second year, and Rs 83,496 for the third year. Physiotherapy residents will receive Rs 35,280 in the first year and Rs 43,680 in the second year.
Postgraduate residents in Ayurveda will also be at benefit with stipends set at Rs 50,400 for the first year, Rs 53,760 for the second year, and Rs 57,120 for the third year.
Interns at GMERS medical colleges will now receive Rs 21,840, with junior residents receiving Rs 1,00,800 and senior residents Rs 1,10,880. The stipend structure for GMERS postgraduate residents mirrors that of government medical colleges.
Srinagar, Aug 31 : Former J&K Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) President Farooq Abdullah on Saturday slammed the Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for scrapping the two-hour namaz break in Assembly on Fridays.
"India is known for unity in diversity and governments must protect every religion," the NC Patron told media persons after paying obeisance at the shrine of Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom in the old city area of Srinagar atop the Hari Parbat hillock.
On Friday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the state Assembly would discontinue the two-hour break provided on Fridays to facilitate Muslim legislators to offer Namaz.
"The rule will be implemented from the next session," the Assam Chief Minister said.
Farooq Abdullah said India has every religion and every language be it Tamil Nadu, Kashmir, Bengal or Maharashtra.
"Every state has a different culture and that is why India is a federal structure. We have to protect every religion," the senior Abdullah said.
He added nothing is permanent and everything changes with time. "Good things will prevail again. We will tell them, let our government come, not to indulge in such activities," he added.
He said the people of Jammu and Kashmir must also respect and protect the people of every religion.
"We have to take care of people from every religion. When our approach towards them is good then it will be good across the country," he said.
When asked about PDP President Mehbooba Mufti's statement where she described NC Vice President Omar Abdullah's remarks as 'regrettable' regarding the banned outfit Jamaat-e-Islami once considered elections 'Haram' (forbidden), but now that has become 'Halal' (permissible) as they decided to participate in the election, the senior Abdullah said nothing will be achieved by pointing fingers at each other.
"I will not say anything about her (Mehbooba Mufti). May God bless her. May she tread her path but think about protecting the country. Nothing will come out of pointing fingers at each other. She must shun this attitude," he said.
He also congratulated the former members of the banned Jamaat for contesting the Assembly elections.
--IANS
sq/dan
New Delhi, Aug 31 : : Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition (LoP), is all set to visit the US for a three-day tour starting from September 8, informed the Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) chief Sam Pitroda on Saturday.
Sharing details of Rahul's US itinerary via a video message, Sam Pitroda said that he will be visiting Dallas, Texas on September 8 and Washington DC on September 9-10.
He said that the Indian diaspora including NRI residents, technocrats, business leaders, students, media fraternity and even political leaders are eager to welcome the Congress MP and are looking forward to have an interaction with him.
Breaking down the details of Congress MP's daily schedule, Pitroda informed: "Rahul Gandhi will be in Dallas on September 8 and will be in Washington DC on September 9 and 10th. In Dallas, he will have interactions with University of Texas students, academicians, and community people. He will have a very large community gathering, will meet some technocrats and then have a dinner with the leaders from the Dallas area. The next day, he will go to Washington DC a similar interaction with a variety of people, including a think tank, the National Press Club and others are planned.
"There are lots of events planned with a variety of people because they also have interest in the states where Congress party runs governments, particularly the tech cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune. We see great interest in conversation with business and technological community," he further informed.
"We look forward to a very successful visit and look forward to welcoming Rahul Gandhi to the US," Pitroda said on a concluding note.
He also said that he was 'bombarded' with questions about Rahul Gandhi's US visit from various quarters and this video message was apparently to inform them about the Congress leader's short but highly anticipated trip to the US.
"Since Rahul Gandhi has become the leader of the opposition, I as chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, with a presence in 32 countries have been bombarded with requests from Indian diaspora diplomats, academicians, businessmen, leaders, international media and many others for interactions with Rahul Gandhi. He is coming to the US for a very brief visit," he said before giving out details of Rahul's proposed US visit.
Notably, Rahul Gandhi after the 2024 Lok Sabha results has been creating good momentum and garnering people's support with his views on many issues of public interest. Political watchers anticipate his US visit to be more newsworthy and stir bigger controversy back home, this time.
Notably, Rahul won elections from two Lok Sabha constituencies Rae Bareli and Wayanad, however, he chose to retain the former and leave the latter for his sister Priyanka Gandhi.
In June this year, he was appointed the Leader of Opposition (LoP) after getting a nod from the Congress Working Committee (CWC).
New Delhi, Aug 31 : Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition (LoP), is all set to visit the US for a three-day tour starting from September 8, informed the Indian Overseas Congress (IOC) chief Sam Pitroda on Saturday.
Sharing details of Rahul's US itinerary via a video message, Sam Pitroda said that he will be visiting Dallas, Texas on September 8 and Washington DC on September 9-10.
He said that the Indian diaspora including NRI residents, technocrats, business leaders, students, media fraternity and even political leaders are eager to welcome the Congress MP and are looking forward to have an interaction with him.
Breaking down the details of Congress MP's daily schedule, Pitroda informed: "Rahul Gandhi will be in Dallas on September 8 and will be in Washington DC on September 9 and 10th. In Dallas, he will have interactions with University of Texas students, academicians, and community people. He will have a very large community gathering, will meet some technocrats and then have a dinner with the leaders from the Dallas area. The next day, he will go to Washington DC a similar interaction with a variety of people, including a think tank, the National Press Club and others are planned.
"There are lots of events planned with a variety of people because they also have interest in the states where Congress party runs governments, particularly the tech cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Pune. We see great interest in conversation with business and technological community," he further informed.
"We look forward to a very successful visit and look forward to welcoming Rahul Gandhi to the US," Pitroda said on a concluding note.
He also said that he was 'bombarded' with questions about Rahul Gandhi's US visit from various quarters and this video message was apparently to inform them about the Congress leader's short but highly anticipated trip to the US.
"Since Rahul Gandhi has become the leader of the opposition, I as chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, with a presence in 32 countries have been bombarded with requests from Indian diaspora diplomats, academicians, businessmen, leaders, international media and many others for interactions with Rahul Gandhi. He is coming to the US for a very brief visit," he said before giving out details of Rahul's proposed US visit.
Notably, Rahul Gandhi after the 2024 Lok Sabha results has been creating good momentum and garnering people's support with his views on many issues of public interest. Political watchers anticipate his US visit to be more newsworthy and stir bigger controversy back home, this time.
Notably, Rahul won elections from two Lok Sabha constituencies Rae Bareli and Wayanad, however, he chose to retain the former and leave the latter for his sister Priyanka Gandhi.
In June this year, he was appointed the Leader of Opposition (LoP) after getting a nod from the Congress Working Committee (CWC).
Moscow, Aug 31 : Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin receives reports from the military several times a day - both during the day and at night.
"Several times a day, or as needed, day and night, the president receives reports from the military. This is his role as Supreme Commander-in-Chief," Peskov said during 'Moscow. Kremlin. Putin' programme, as per the state-owned TASS news agency.
The Russian presidential press secretary also told state TV reporter Pavel Zarubin that Putin keeps all social issues "in areas where the situation is difficult under personal control".
He mentioned that the head of State communicates with regional leaders and department heads on these issues on a daily and sometimes hourly basis.
"In areas where the situation is acute, the president keeps all issues related to social security under his personal control. These are daily or hourly contacts with regional leaders, with heads of social departments, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, law enforcement agencies, and construction workers," Peskov said.
He added that among the president's areas of focus is "concern for people - how the work of temporary accommodation centres is organised, where exactly people have arrived, where they are being housed, where children will go to study..."
Such intense work, said Peskov, along with the continuous receipt of reports from the military, "occurs throughout the day, and this all happens daily".
"And in addition to this, there is also work with documents. We are talking about substantive documents - which need to be thoughtfully read before signing," he added.
The documents include the decrees and lists of instructions from the head of State.
"If you imagine the entire volume, then sometimes even a day [for work] is not enough. And, then there are regional trips and everything else," stated the Kremlin spokesperson.
On Friday, Putin received reports from the heads of three regions, including the acting governors of Khabarovsk Krai, Vologda and Samara Oblasts.
New Delhi, Aug 31 : The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) on Saturday asked the Union government to implement the Healthcare Central Protection Act in the wake of 'repeated' physical and sexual assaults on medical professionals, particularly female doctors while on duty.
"Violence against healthcare workers is increasing day by day. The Union government must implement the Healthcare Central Protection Act to protect healthcare workers," said FAIMA President Dr Rohan Krishna during the protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar.
He said that although the act was in force during the COVID-19 crisis, however, it was not tabled in the Parliament and could not be implemented.
"Our colleague was brutally raped and murdered in RG Kar Medical College in West Bengal. We demand a speedy inquiry into the case. The culprits must be hanged," Dr Rohan said.
He said that the violence against doctors is on the rise across the country and doctors are not safe, adding that the doctors are at Jantar Mantar to press for the demands.
"Our basic demand is for the implementation of the Central Healthcare Protection Act. Doctors are always there to save patients but sometimes even we are unable to save a patient. In such scenarios, the relatives often become violent and attack us. Doctors too need protection," said Dr. Neelam, who was also part of the protest.
Doctors across the country went on nationwide strikes and protests after a female doctor was raped and murdered in West Bengal earlier this month, severely hitting the medical services.
The doctors returned to work after the Supreme Court intervened on August 22, urging them to resume their duties while assuring them that the authorities would not take adverse action against the protesting doctors.
Shillong, Aug 31 : The body of Awami League leader Ishaque Ali Khan Panna, whose body was found in Meghalaya village along the Bangladesh border earlier this week, was handed over to Bangladeshi authorities by the Meghalaya government on Saturday, officials said.
A senior Meghalaya government official said that the Bangladesh government has sent an official to take back the body of Panna from the Khliehriat Civil Hospital in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district.
After identification and required paperwork, the body of the Awami League leader was handed over to the Bangladeshi authorities, in the presence of Bangladesh Police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel.
The body was taken to the Dawki border post in Meghalaya before being taken to Bangladesh via Tamabil for its onward journey for the last rites.
The decomposed body of Panna was found by the villagers on August 26 at a betel nut plantation bordering Dona Bhoi village in East Jaintia Hills district.
The slain Awami League leader was identified through his Bangladesh passport.
Meghalaya government or the police are yet to disclose the post-mortem report of Panna, the local media quoting police had reported the death was due to asphyxia or "throttled to death".
After the recovery of the body of the Awami League leader, the Meghalaya government informed both Indian and Bangladeshi authorities.
Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who also holds the Home portfolio, had told the media on Friday that the relatives of Panna identified the body.
Even though the death of the Bangladesh leader and recovery of his body in the border village is 'mysterious', Tynsong said that the exact cause of death would be known in the forensic test report, which has not yet been received by the local authorities.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the law enforcement agencies are conducting a probe into this incident.
After the Awami League government in Bangladesh headed by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina quit on August 5 following the massive student protests across the country, many leaders of the erstwhile ruling party tried to flee the country or come to India, the law enforcing agencies of the country arrested few of them and the government put up restrictions to their movement outside the country.
Bengaluru, Aug 31 : Bengaluru Police on Saturday submitted a 1,205-page charge sheet to the court in connection with the sensational murder case of a 24-year-old woman reported from Bengaluru in a PG hostel in the upscale Koramangala locality.
DCP (South East) Saarah Fathima said that the chargesheet has been filed in the Kriti Kumari murder case which was reported from Kormangala PG hostel against the accused 23-year-old Abhishekh Ghosi, a native of Begum Ganj from Madhya Pradesh.
The charge sheet contains a total of 1,205 pages and mentions 85 witnesses. The FIR in the case was registered on July 24. The accused was arrested on July 26 from Madhya Pradesh. The accused has been charged under Section 103 (1) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).
Abhishek, who had stabbed the deceased Kriti Kumari to death with a knife on the night of July 23, had fled to Madhya Pradesh and was hiding in Madhya Pradesh.
He was arrested by the special teams of police, which had launched a hunt for him.
The deceased Kriti Kumari, a native of Bihar, was working at a private company. The preliminary probe has revealed that Abhishek was in a relationship with Kriti Kumarias friend and colleague. Abhishekas girlfriend hails from Maharashtra.
Abhishek used to visit the PG hostel and often travelled to Bengaluru from Bhopal to date his girlfriend. The relationship soured between them, and the victimas friend avoided him. Following this, Abhishek came to the PG hostel and created a ruckus. Kriti Kumari had helped her friend shift to a new PG hostel, and both stopped taking his calls.
Enraged by this, Abhishek came to the PG hostel where Kriti was staying and committed the crime.
The horrifying CCTV footage of the brutal murder of the woman emerged later and raised concerns in the IT city about the safety of lakhs of women.
--IANS
mka/dan
An exhibition of works by artists of the RAK Art Foundation operating in Bahrain was opened in Baku.
Azernews reports that Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation took part in the event.
Speaking at the opening of the exhibition, the founder of the RAK Art Foundation, prominent Bahraini artist and collector Rashid Al Khalifa expressed his satisfaction that Bahraini artists shared their inexhaustible talents with art lovers in Azerbaijan. He noted that the RAK Art Foundation promotes international partnership and mutual understanding.
Rashid Al Khalifa said that the purpose of cooperation is to present the rich tapestries of Bahraini artists to the vibrant and colorful art scene of Baku.
Emin Mammadov, the chairman of "Azerkhalcha" OJSC, said that cooperation with the artist Rashid Al Khalifa and the RAK Art Foundation reflects the wider formation of art, international friendship and cultural understanding.
"I am pleased that the general picture of contemporary art examples of Bahrain has been revived in Baku. I believe that this will lead to further expansion of partnership opportunities between our countries."
It should be noted that before this, several exhibitions of Rashid Al Khalifa were organized at the Heydar Aliyev Center.
MOSCOW, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Russia's regional emergency authorities said on Saturday that an An-2 aircraft made a hard landing in the North Ossetia region, carrying 12 people on board.
Amritsar, Aug 31 : Within 24 hours of being declaring a 'sinner' for 'damaging Sikh interests' both as the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief and as the former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday appeared before the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of Sikhs, and requested to call an early meeting of five Sikh head priests to give him an opportunity to rectify his mistakes.
Sukhbir Badal along with four former Cabinet ministers appeared before the Akal Takht as common men, and said in a written clarification that they "are ready to accept all pronouncements".
Later, he also offered prayers at the Golden Temple.
Akal Takht is the Sikh community's apex religious institution where Sikhs can seek an apology for any religious or ethical misconduct.
Sukhbir Badal appeared before the Akal Takht Secretariat and handed over the apology and clarification to the staff present there in the absence of Giani Raghbir Singh, the Jathedar of Akal Takht.
Besides Sukhbir Badal, former Akali ministers Daljeet Singh Cheema, Gulzar Singh Ranike, Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, and Sharanjit Singh Dhillon submitted their explanations in writing at the Akal Takht Secretariat. They also apologised for the mistakes committed knowingly or unknowingly when the Shiromani Akali Dal was in power in Punjab from 2007 to 2017.
Cheema later told mediapersons that after the order of the Akal Takht, they have submitted a written explanation to the Jathedar.
He also said that Sukhbir Badal has appealed to the Jathedar to call a meeting of the five Sikh head priests as soon as possible and announce their decision.
After a meeting of the five Sikh head priests on Friday, Giani Raghbir Singh declared Sukhbir Badal 'Tankhiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) and asked him to appear before the Akal Takht Sahib within 15 days as a common Sikh.
The entire SAD Cabinet from 2007-2017, which was led by late Parkash Singh Badal, was asked to appear before the Akal Takht to explain its actions which caused harm to the Sikh 'Panth'. At that time, Sukhbir Badal was the Deputy Chief Minister and SAD President.
The Akal Takht asked the ministers during the tenure of the SAD-BJP government to provide an explanation for their role in the mistakes committed during two consecutive terms, from 2007-12, and 2012-2017.
"Being the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and the President of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Sukhbir Singh Badal took some decisions that deeply harmed the image of the Panth and greatly weakened SAD. They damaged Sikh interests too," Giani Raghbir Singh had said while pronouncing the verdict from the Takht in the Golden Temple complex here.
Soon after the Akal Takht pronounced its verdict, SAD announced that it accepts the directives with all humility.
On Thursday, Sukhbir Badal, who has been facing disenchantment within the party, appointed his long-time family loyalist and former Rajya Sabha member Balwinder Singh Bhunder as the party's Working President.
SAD rebels and several Sikh organisations have been asking Sukhbir Badal to step down from the post of President in view of the sacrilege incidents during the Akali Dal's 10-year stint from 2007-17.
The incidents comprise hurting religious sentiments of the Sikh community by self-styled godman and Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, who allegedly performed an imitation of Guru Gobind Singh at the sect's dera in 2007, and sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib in 2015.
The rebels, including former MP Prem Singh Chandumajra, ex-Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Bibi Jagir Kaur, and former minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, on July 1 conveyed to Giani Raghbir Singh that they "are ready to face any punishment that the Akal Takht may deem appropriate".
In a letter to the Akal Takht Jathedar, they "admitted guilt" over the "mistakes committed" by the party leadership that had "hurt" the Sikh Panth.
The letter also claimed that Sukhbir Badal allegedly used his influence to pardon the Dera Sacha Sauda chief in the blasphemy case.
After the rebels sought an apology from Sukhbir Badal, the Akal Takht Secretariat on August 5 released a letter written by the SAD chief to the Jathedar, seeking "unconditional forgiveness".
"I take responsibility for all mistakes, whether made by the party or during the regime of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal)," the letter read.
Sukhbir Badal had also said that he was ready to face whatever punishment is given to him by the Akal Takht Sahib.
In Punjab, blasphemy has been an emotive issue in every election ever since the 2015 Kotkapura firing case.
Bengaluru, Aug 31 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a key terror suspect from the KempeGowda International Airport in Bengaluru in Hizb-ut-Tahrir on Saturday.
The suspected terrorist is identified as Aziz Ahamad aka Aziz Ahmed aka Jaleel Aziz from Tamil Nadu, is a key accused in the Tamil Nadu Hizb-ut-Tahrir case involving attempts to radicalise youth and establish the Islamic caliphate in India.
The suspected terrorist was apprehended at the Bengaluru International Airport while trying to flee abroad.
"The case in this regard was registered by the NIA against six accused, influenced by the extremist, radical and fundamental ideology of Hizb-ut-Tahrir, an international pan-Islamist and fundamental organisation which has been fighting to establish an Islamic caliphate and enforce the constitution written by Hizb-ut-Tharir's founder Taqi al-Din al-Nabhani," NIA stated.
As per NIA's investigations, the accused had conducted secret oaths where many participants, particularly gullible youth, who were radicalised and sought military assistance called Nusra from forces inimical to India to achieve its nefarious goal.
"Aziz Ahamed was found to be one of the chief initiators in conducting secret oath-taking ceremonies for the gullible youth," the NIA said.
So far, six people have been arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in connection with the case. The suspected terrorists are identified as Hameed Hussain, Ahamed Mansoor, Abdul Rahman, H Mohamed Maurice, Kadar Nawaz Sherif, and Ahmed Ali Umari. The authorities have also taken custody of others, sources confirmed.
NIA said that Hameed, a resident of Royapettah in Chennai, is suspected of being the kingpin and Chief Coordinator of the organisation and had allegedly been holding secret meetings to spread its ideology at a hall in the city.
"This acts against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country," the NIA added.
Chennai Police has also handed over crucial documents to the agency on August 5.
NIA said that the investigation in the case is underway.
Agartala, Aug 31 : In a major breakthrough, the Assam Rifles in a joint operation with the Customs department seized 30,000 Methamphetamine tablets worth Rs 4.8 crore and arrested two drug peddlers from the outskirts of Agartala, officials said on Saturday.
Sources in the Assam Rifles said that acting on a tip-off, the paramilitary troopers along with Customs officials intercepted a Maruti car on Friday night and arrested two drug peddlers from Jogendra Nagar on the outskirts of Agartala in West Tripura district.
The subsequent search of the vehicle led to the seizure of 30,000 Methamphetamine tablets valued at Rs 4.8 crore.
An Assam Rifles spokesperson said that the seized contraband, the two accused, and the vehicle have been handed over to Tripura Police for further investigation and legal proceedings.
A police officers quoting the accused said that the drugs were smuggled in from Myanmar and were meant to be sent to Bangladesh and other states of India.
The highly-addictive Methamphetamine tablets, also known as Yaba pills or party tablets, contain a mix of methamphetamine and caffeine and are largely misused as high-dosage drugs in Bangladesh and its neighbouring countries, besides India.
Tripura shares 856 km border with Bangladesh and 510 km unfenced border with Myanmar.
In July, Tripura Police had intercepted a vehicle coming from neighbouring Assam and recovered 408 grams of heroin valued at Rs 4 crore.
According to the police, the drugs, which were coming from Myanmar via neighbouring Mizoram, were being taken to Sonamura in Tripura's Sipahijala district for transportation to Bangladesh.
Two drug peddlers -- identified as Sohel Miah and Dilwar Hussain, both residents of Sonamura -- who were travelling in the vehicle were arrested.
Chennai, Aug 31 : Coimbatore City Cyber Crime Police on Saturday said that they have received 5,319 cyber fraud complaints and registered at least 217 FIRs regarding these cases.
"Fraudsters looted Rs 73 crores from January to August this year. We have received 5,319 complaints for fraud while we have also registered 217 FIRs," an official of the Coimbatore City Cyber Crime Police told IANS.
He informed that phishing and scamming are on the rise in the state and asked people not to share banking details with anyone.
"No government agency will call and ask for the bank details. People should immediately inform the police if they receive such fraudulent calls," he said.
He also informed that the police have recovered Rs 8 crore and also froze several accounts of cyber fraudsters.
He shared that an 80-year-old woman was cheated of Rs 2.30 crores by online fraudsters posing as CBI officers from Mumbai.
"In her complaint, the octogenarian said that the fraudsters informed her through an online Whats App video call that there was a parcel that was sent in her name was seized after it was found to contain contraband substances, counterfeit passports and international SIM cards," the City Cyber Crime Police shared with IANS.
He said that the person posing as the CBI officer informed the woman that her account needs to be verified and she passed on her bank account details.
"After she shared her bank account and other details, the scamsters immediately withdrew Rs 2.3 crores from her account," the official said.
Cyber Crime Police said that in 2023, 6396 complaints amounting to Rs 48.23 crore losses were received while 206 FIRs were registered.
Police said that 44 scamsters were arrested while six accused were arrested under the Goondas Act.
Moscow, Aug 31 : Russia has launched military investigations following an An-2 plane with 12 people on board made a hard landing near the village of Koban in the Caucasian region of North Ossetia, on Saturday.
"The Military Prosecutor's Office of the Vladikavkaz Garrison of the Southern Military District, in cooperation with the Southern Transport Prosecutor's Office, has organised an inspection of the implementation of legislation in the field of flight safety in connection with the emergency landing of the light transport aircraft An-2 of DOSAAF of Russia in the Prigorodny District of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania that occurred today," the press service of the Southern Military District stated.
According to the local emergency authorities, the aircraft pilot contacted the rescue services on his own to report the incident. The plane was located between the villages of Mayramadag and Koban in mountainous terrain.
"Seven people, including three children, were injured as a result of the hard landing of the An-2 aircraft. There were also parachutists on board the aircraft when it took off. Eight parachutists made the planned jumps. After that, an abnormal situation occurred during the flight, due to which the pilots made an emergency landing in a mountainous and wooded area near the village of Koban," reported Russian state-owned news agency TASS.
The plane, which was on a training flight, had 12 people on board, including children.
Meanwhile, in another major incident, a helicopter carrying 22 people has gone missing near the Vachkazhets volcano in the Russian Far East's Kamchatka region, the local media reported on Saturday.
The Mi-8T helicopter, operated by Vityaz-Aero airline, lost communication shortly after takeoff on Saturday morning.
The Federal Air Transport Agency stated that the helicopter, which took off from a site near the Vachkazhets volcano, failed to respond to a scheduled call at around 7:15 am, Moscow time. The communication with the helicopter, however, was lost shortly after it picked up the tourists.
According to the emergency services, the Mi-8T helicopter disappeared from radar almost immediately after takeoff, though the crew did not report any issues prior to the loss of contact. The helicopter was carrying 19 passengers and three crew members.
Local media reports also suggest that low visibility was registered by the Kamchatka Hydrometeorological Centre in the area of Nikolaevka airport, close to where contact with the helicopter was lost.
Jammu, Aug 31 : Union Minister and BJP incharge of J&K elections, G. Kishan Reddy appealed to voters on Saturday that they should vote against dynastic politics which has allegedly "destroyed" J&K for decades.
Jammu, Aug 31 (IANS) Union Minister and BJP incharge of J&K elections, G. Kishan Reddy appealed to voters on Saturday that they should vote against dynastic politics which has allegedly "destroyed" J&K for decades.
Addressing a public rally in the Jammu West Assembly constituency to seek support for BP candidate, Arvind Gupta, Reddy said that the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi-led government has "isolated" Pakistan globally and the "rogue nation" no longer has "support" from the international community due to its role in "sponsoring terrorism".
"While Pakistan struggles, India's vision for J&K is moving forward with peace and progress. Militancy is on its last legs. Congress is supporting NC's regressive agenda aimed at pushing J&K back into the dark era of militancy," he claimed.
He criticised NC's recent announcements, including its promise to ensure restoration of Article 370 saying that it is a "dangerous" design to revert to dual flags and return power to militants.
"The people of J&K deserve a government that will strengthen Panchayati Raj institutions and local bodies like municipal committees and corporations. You (voters) should vote for change and prosperity over dynastic politics," the Union Minister said.
He added that this election is a "movement" aimed at ensuring that no party such as NC, Congress, or PDP ever snatch back the rights of the common people in J&K.
"J&K remains the heartbeat of India. BJP's vision for its people reflects the legacy of Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who established the party intending to protect J&K from dynastic rule and divisive politics," he said.
He claimed that under BJP's leadership, militancy in J&K is on its last legs and the region is entering an era of peace and prosperity.
"The tables have turned and we now see peace, prosperity, and development across the region," he said.
He added that the Assembly election is a movement for the people and the BJP has been continuing its efforts to redefine the future of J&K.
"This is the first election after the abrogation of Article 370, signalling a new era for the people. This is not just an election but a movement for the restoration of dignity for women, West Pakistani refugees, SCs, STs, Paharis and Valmiki Samaj, alongside all the people of J&K," he claimed.
He also claimed that the eyes of the World are now focused on J&K as India demonstrates how peace, development, and democracy are taking root in the region.
"You (voters) should not see this election as a mere political contest, but as a crucial step in securing the rights and future of all the people in the region," he claimed.
New Delhi, Aug 31 : Senior politician Shyam Rajak, who recently quit the primary membership of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and stepped down as its General Secretary, is all set to make a return to Bihar's ruling party Janata Dal (United) on Sunday.
Ahead of his fresh innings with the JD(U), Rajak spoke to IANS and attributed the reason behind his switch to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's focus and vision.
Speaking to IANS, he said his purpose in politics matches with Nitish Kumar's objectives and if he aligns himself with the JD(U), he would be better equipped to not just fulfil his commitment to the people, but also contribute to the CM's mission.
He also told IANS about his political teachings and learnings from former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar and how they have remained the 'guiding force' in his political life.
"I remember Chandra Shekhar Ji's words. He always advocated for keeping the last person in the row as the focal point in any decision-making. Such approach will never fail you and will always guide you in the right direction," Rajak said, recalling the time he spent with the prominent socialist leader.
A prominent Dalit leader, Rajak had served as a minister in the RJD government in the past before leaving the party to join the JD(U) in 2009. He returned to the RJD fold just before the Assembly elections in 2020 and served as its General Secretary before resigning from the post as well as the party on August 22.
In a letter to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, he claimed that he was 'cheated' and hence was leaving the party.
Speaking to IANS, Rajak also boasted about his character and integrity, saying that he has always been a man of principles and no amount of political perks will sway him away from them.
"While making my next move after quitting RJD, I was taking feedback from the people of my constituency. My focus is to work for the most backward strata of the society. And that can only be achieved when I work with a party that works for social justice and empowerment of downtrodden classes," he said.
The senior politician is likely to join the JD(U) at around noon on Sunday in the presence of the party's top leadership, including its Executive Chairman Sanjay Jha, state President Umesh Singh Kushwaha, and other leaders.
Amritsar, Aug 31 : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Saturday paid obeisance at Sri Harmandir Sahib and Sri Durgiana Mandir here to pray for the progress of the state and the prosperity of its people.
The duo offered prayer at both places and prayed that Punjab should continue to be front-runner state in every field.
They sought the blessings of Almighty to render their respective duties well for the welfare of the people and prayed that the ethos of communal harmony, brotherhood and amity should be further cemented in the state.
The prayed Punjab should emerge as an epitome of peace, progress and prosperity. Both the leaders also paid homage to the great martyrs at the Jallianwala Bagh memorial and said "this place will always inspire the younger generations for selfless service of nation".
Interacting with the media, the Governor said he is blessed to have got an opportunity to bow down his head on this pious land.
He said the life and philosophy of great Sikh Gurus has since ages inspired the humanity for selfless service.
Kataria said he too had prayed before the Almighty to give him strength for discharging his duty well for the development of Punjab and Chandigarh.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister welcomed the new Governor to the state and expressed hope that the state will be immensely benefitted from his rich administrative experience.
He envisioned that both of them will work within their own jurisdictions and ensure that Punjab scripts a new success story in every field.
Mann said together they will ensure that Punjab witnesses overall growth and progress in every field.
Gulab Chand Kataria was a Rajasthan Cabinet minister from 2013 till 2018, 2003 to 2008 and from 1993 to 1998.
He served as the Home Minister of Rajasthan from 2004 to 2008 and again from 2014 to 2018.
Kataria also served as Education Minister between 1993 and 1998.
Kolkata, Aug 31 : The West Bengal government on Saturday approached the Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court's order directing the Kolkata Police to release Sayan Lahiri, one of the convenors of the Nabanna Abhijan (March to Secretariat) call given on August 27 to condemn the rape and murder of a junior doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata earlier this month.
Passing the order on Friday, the single-judge bench of Justice Amrita Sinha of the Calcutta High Court also made it clear that no coercive action can be taken against Lahiri, not just in connection with the Nabanna Abhijan, but also in relation to any other police case against him.
Sources said that although Lahiri was released on Saturday afternoon honouring the Calcutta High Court's order, the state government has now approached the apex court seeking to reverse the high court ruling so that Lahiri can be again taken into custody.
In the petition filed before the Calcutta High Court on Friday, Lahiri's counsel had accused the city police of arresting his client on false charges. The petition was admitted and heard on an emergency basis.
After his release on Saturday, Lahiri said that despite all the hurdles that came his way, he will continue to protest till justice is delivered in the R.G. Kar case and all the others who were arrested in connection with the Nabanna Abhijan are released.
Lahiri was arrested earlier this week from outside the office of a vernacular news channel where he came for a panel discussion on the R.G. Kar issue and the Nabanna Abhijan.
However, on Friday the high court directed the police to release him by 2 p.m. on Saturday.
The court also rejected the argument of the state government's counsel that Lahiri was a 'highly influential' person.
Parts of Kolkata and Howrah turned into virtual battlefields on the afternoon of August 27 following clashes between the police and the protesters.
At many places, the police had to resort to lathi-charge, firing of teargas shells, and use of water cannons to disperse the protesters moving towards the state Secretariat located in the Mandirtala area of Howrah district, which is adjacent to Kolkata.
A total of 220 arrests were made in this connection in addition to 25 preventive arrests that were made before the march.
New Delhi/Imphal, Aug 31 : Thousands of tribal men and women belonging to the Kuki-Zo community on Saturday took out rallies in three tribal-dominated Manipur districts and at the Jantar Mantar in Delhi in support of their demand for a separate Union Territory.
The participants in the rallies raised slogans against Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh's alleged objectionable remarks against people belonging to the Kuki-Zo community.
The rallies, organised by the Zomi Students' Federation (ZSF) and the Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO), were held in Manipur's Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, and Tengnoupal districts, and at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital.
Responding to the call given by the ZSF and KSO, all markets, business establishments, schools and other institutions in the three Manipur districts remained closed on Saturday.
The KSO, ZSF and their associate organisations have also submitted a memorandum to the respective Deputy Commissioners of the three districts highlighting their demands.
A KSO statement said: "For a permanent solution to the Manipur ethnic crisis, the Kuki-Zo people urges the Central government to create a Union Territory with a legislative Assembly as it is critical for our survival. The Kuki-Zo people have the constitutional right to self-governance and to advance their community without any fear of repression or violence."
Ten Kuki-Zo tribal MLAs, including seven from the BJP, along with the leading organisations of the community have been demanding a separate administration or a Union Territory for the tribals in Manipur.
The Manipur government on Friday urged the people not to respond to the tribal student bodies' call for shutting down all business establishments, government offices, and private institutions and join their rallies on Saturday.
The government also warned the tribal student bodies that if anybody creates any law and order problem, appropriate action will be taken against them.
Manipur government's Home Commissioner N. Ashok Kumar had said that the state government has issued necessary instructions to take up appropriate preventive and precautionary measures, along with a robust response mechanism, to avoid any untoward incident and maintain law and order in the state.
"Any act of issuing public notice for organising a mass rally and urging to shut down institutions, which can pose a grave impact on the prevailing law and order situation and which is likely to pose serious repercussions in the context of the ongoing law and order crisis in the state, is viewed very seriously by the state government with the utmost sensitivity," the Home Commissioner had said.
SACRAMENTO, the United States, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A new study showed that minority adolescents and young adults ages 15 to 39 in the United States had worse cancer diagnoses and survival rates compared to the general population.
The research, published Friday in the Journal of American Medical Association Network, analyzed data from over 290,000 adolescents and young adult (AYA) cancer patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2017, providing a detailed look at outcomes across all five federally defined racial categories.
The study found that Black, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) patients were more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage cancer compared to White patients.
Black patients, in particular, had higher odds of late-stage diagnosis for seven out of 10 cancer types examined, including breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, lymphoma, melanoma, and testicular cancers.
Survival rates also varied significantly by race, with American Indian or Alaska Native patients showing the lowest 10-year overall survival rates for cancers of the central nervous system, lung, ovary, and testis. Meanwhile, NHOPI patients fared worst in terms of surviving cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, sarcoma, and melanoma.
The biggest differences are seen in skin cancer, colon cancer, and cancers of soft tissues and bones. Young individuals from NHOPI backgrounds often experience poorer outcomes across multiple cancer types, with a higher likelihood of dying sooner after diagnosis.
Notably, the study's inclusion of previously overlooked data from NHOPI groups revealed previously unnoticed differences in cancer outcomes.
"This is likely the most inclusive and comprehensive study to evaluate cancer disparities in stage at diagnosis and survival among AYA patients across all five federally defined racial categories," the researchers stated.
The study emphasized the critical importance of including and disaggregating data for indigenous populations, which are often overlooked or merged with other groups in health research.
New Delhi, Aug 31 : A day after the second meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, a delegation comprising Muslim scholars and religious leaders on Saturday met Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and JPC Chairperson Jagdambika Pal to extend their support to the proposals made in the Bill.
The delegation, comprising Muslim intellectuals, scholars and religious leaders, was led by Syed Naseeruddin Chishti, the Chairman of the All India Sufi Sajjadanshin Council and successor to the spiritual head of Ajmer Dargah.
The discussions centered around issues related to Muslims and the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
They first met Union Minister Kiren Rijiju at the latter's residence here and discussed the Waqf Bill presented recently in the Lok Sabha.
After meeting the Minority Affairs Minister, the delegation called on Jagdambika Pal at his residence.
Jagdambika Pal, a senior BJP leader, is the chairman of the JPC constituted to discuss the proposed amendments in the Waqf Bill.
The JPC comprises 31 MPs -- 21 from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha.
During the deliberations with both Kiren Rijiju and Jagdambika Pal, the delegation led by Chisti submitted that the Waqf Board had been creating problems for Muslims across the country.
Reposing its "complete faith" in the JPC, the delegation exuded confidence that the committee will give an ear to the problems mosques across the country have been facing due to the Waqf Board and welcome the necessary suggestions.
Backing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, the delegation emphasised better management, transparency and accountability in the functioning of the Waqf Board. It also said that this would ensure an end to corrupt practices and land grabbing while making the Waqf Board beneficial for the underprivileged Muslims.
The delegation also demanded the setting up of a separate 'Dargah Board' for better management of matters related to mosques while urging the government to intervene in the "excesses" of the Waqf Board.
A proposal to establish Help Desks in places of worship for Muslims to disseminate information on the government's schemes for the minorities was also submitted by the delegation.
On Friday, the JPC held its second round of meeting, which was also attended by some Muslim bodies who opposed the amendments proposed in the Waqf Bill.
Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM), one of the members of the JPC, was involved in a heated exchange of words with a BJP MP during the debate on the Bill, and was among the MPs from the opposition camp to stage a walkout from the meeting at one point.
During the meeting, the All India Sunni Jamiat-e-Ulama opposed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill while submitting that the government should not interfere in the subject of Waqf which pertains to Muslims.
The Indian Muslim for Civil Rights, headed by former MP Mohammad Adeeb, described the Bill as "illegal".
The first JPC meeting on the Waqf Amendment Bill was held on August 22.
Kiev, Aug 31 : Russia conducted another major aerial strike on Ukraine overnight, using an Iskander-M ballistic missile, four S-300 guided missiles, and 52 combat drones, the Ukrainian Air Force said in a statement on Saturday.
No casualties were reported in the air strike, as the air defence forces shot down 24 Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 drones, according to the statement.
The air defense was active in eight regions in central, southern and northern Ukraine, including the Kiev region, Xinhua news agency reported.
The strike marked the fourth attack on the Ukraine capital this week, said the Kiev City Military Administration.
Earlier on Saturday, five people were reportedly killed and 37 others injured after Ukrainian forces attacked Russia's Belgorod region.
Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on his Telegram channel that Ukrainian armed forces used cluster munitions from a Vampire multiple rocket launcher system to shell the city of Belgorod and its surrounding areas, causing significant casualties and damage, Xinhua news agency reported.
"One woman and four men died on the spot from their injuries before the ambulance arrived," the Governor said.
A total of 37 civilians, including six children, were injured in the attack, Gladkov said, adding that all the wounded persons have been transported to medical facilities in Belgorod for treatment, among whom seven adults and three children were in critical condition.
Last Sunday, at least five people were killed and 12 others injured in an attack by Ukrainian armed forces on the village of Rakitnoye in Belgorod. The attack also caused severe damage to local infrastructure, destroying 10 private homes, two commercial buildings, and four passenger vehicles, the Governor informed.
Russia's Defence Ministry had said that the Russian forces continue to repel the attacks by the Ukrainian armed forces in its territory.
Jaipur, Aug 31 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Saturday gave a call to those who migrated from the state to join the 'Rising Rajasthan' Global Investment Summit 2024 to be held in Jaipur from December 9-11.
Addressing a build-up event for the summit in Mumbai, CM Sharma said, "There are tremendous investment opportunities in Rajasthan. The state government is also committed to provide all possible facilities to the investors keen to invest in the state. So migrants from Rajasthan should participate in the upcoming investment summit in large numbers."
Sharma also said that Rajasthanis who migrated to different parts of the country and the world have brought name, fame and glory to the state wth their achievements in different fields.
"They also have an important role to play in realising the resolution of a developed Rajasthan. Being a responsible citizen, it is the duty of all of us to make every possible effort to provide relief to the needy and make them avail the benefits of the schemes of the Central and state governments," said Sharma, who is in Mumbai since Friday.
The government of Rajasthan on Friday officially launched the first of a series of domestic and international roadshows in Mumbai as part of the preparations for the aRising Rajasthana Global Investment Summit.
The summit slated to be held from December 9-11 in Jaipur aims at attracting significant investment to the state by showcasing Rajasthan as a premier destination for global investors.
As part of the initiative, a roadshow was held in Mumbai on Friday which was led by CM Sharma and Industries Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.
The event saw the signing of numerous MoUs valued at Rs 4.5 lakh crore in total, showcasing a strong investor interest in the desert state.
Agartala, Aug 31 : The Border Security Force (BSF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) have arrested seven Bangladeshi nationals and two Rohingyas for illegally entering Tripura, officials said on Saturday.
A BSF spokesperson said that the border guarding troops apprehended three Bangladesh nationals, including a woman and a girl child, from the Rangichera Border Out Post (BOP) in Tripuraas Khowai district while they were crossing the border fence.
During on the spot interrogation, they revealed that two of their associates had already crossed the border fence and moved towards Bagicherra village.
Thereafter, an operation in collaboration with the state police was launched in Bagicherra village in which two more Bangladesh nationals and a tout from the neighbouring country were apprehended.
All the apprehended Bangladeshi nationals are residents of Moulvibazar in Sylhet district and they belong to the same family.
It was also revealed that the tout, who worked as a carpenter in Tripuraas Halahalli, is also a Bangladeshi national and a resident of Moulvibazar.
On Friday night, the BSF apprehended a Bangladesh smuggler with imported cigarettes worth Rs 33 lakh from the BOP in Kalkalia in West Tripura district.
In another related incident, the GRP personnel arrested two Rohingyas, including a woman, from the Agartala railway station on Friday night.
The Rohingyas illegally entered India after fleeing their camps in Bangladeshas Cox's Bazar where more than one million displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar have been living since 2017.
Over the last three months, more than 310 Bangladeshi nationals and 34 Rohingyas have been held by the GRP, Border Security Force, and Tripura Police from the Agartala railway station and other places in the state for illegally entering the Indian territory.
TikTok landed in the U.S. in 2018, and two years later, as the pandemic took hold and people found themselves spending more time in their kitchens, food content on the platform took off.
Page Street Publishing editorial director Marissa Giambelluca, for one, began posting home cooking videos in 2021. Shes also discovered potential authors via TikTok: Giambelluca reached out to Alessandra Fontana, a home baker in Milan, Italy, after Fontana, who has 2.6 million followers, popped up in her feed in March 2023.
Artisan Italian Baking at Home (Nov.), Fontanas collection of classic Italian bakes including ciabatta, pizza, and biscotti, is one of many TikTok-derived cookbooks hitting shelves this fall. PW spoke with the editors of five of them about the tricky path from influencer to author.
They ate
While social media can generate leads for editors, theyre mindful that not every influencer, no matter their star power, will shine in cookbook form.
I look at TikTokkers all day long, says Dan Rosenberg, editorial director at Harvard Common Press. A lot of food people on TikTok are consumers of food; the number of people who are on TikTok to cook food is a minority. When assessing whether a content creator would make a good cookbook author, Rosenberg considers, Do this persons followers expect him or her to cook as opposed to eat?
In the case of Septembers Insanely Good Ramen Meals by Ivan McCombs, a former social media manager who lives in Los Angeles, the answer is yes: Ramen King Ivan, as his 10.8 million followers know him, doctors packaged ramen with inexpensive, easy-to-find ingredients, or uses the instant noodles in atypical waysin corn dog batter, in place of lasagna noodles, or as the base for a sandwich. Its global food with a heavy Asian influence, which is extremely popular now, Rosenberg says.
The brevity of in-app recorded videos means that McCombs, like many other creators, doesnt reveal full recipes online. Thats one element the cookbook offers his fans, whom Rosebenberg describes as budget-conscious zoomers whove been watching food videos on Tasty since they were 12 and are used to cooking on an induction cooktop and doing hacks of packaged products.
Larry Canam, a home bartender in Fredericton, New Brunswick, has amassed 6.7 million TikTok followers with a vibe that Brandon Buechley, associate editor at DK, calls very Grandpa-coded. He brings comfort. Commenter requests for nonalcoholic drinks led to the weekly series that lends its name to his forthcoming book: Milkshake Monday (Oct.), written with David Canam, Larrys son, who helped him get his start on the platform. Buechley, who says he typically acquires books more traditionally, via agent submissions, reached out to the Canams based on a tip from one of his coworkers.
Its important to find someone who has dedicated followers who are hungry for specific content, Buechley says. Milkshake Monday is Larrys most popular series, and theres a lot of interactivity between him and his followers. The books 80-plus recipeschurro milkshake and pina colada happy hour milkshake, to name twoall include QR codes to the corresponding TikToks to showcase Larrys personality even more, Buechley says.
Gallery Books senior editor Molly Gregory says that figuring out why a TikTok cook resonates with followers is the key to a successful transition to the page. Why, precisely, has a content creator found an audience? Is their brand substantive enough to be turned into a 200-page book? Do they have a personal story that fans find interesting and compelling? Her author Nadia Caterina Munno has 3.7 million followers and an alluring backstory: she was born in Rome and comes from a long line of professional pasta-makers. Now living in South Florida, she turned to full-time influencing in 2020 after her takedown of what she called a blasphemous lasagna went viral.
Munno made the leap to print with 2022s The Pasta Queen: A Just Gorgeous Cookbook, which PWs starred review called infectiously jubilant, and extends her fashion-forward, high-energy brand with Novembers The Pasta Queen: The Art of Italian Cooking, written with Anna Francese Gass. Where her first book focused on pasta, her second ranges over a variety of courses and dishes: stuffed baked potatoes with cheese and guanciale, baked salt cod filets with tomato sauce and olives, and sauteed dandelion greens.
Trend set
As cookbook editors trawl TikTok for the Next Big Thing, sky-high metrics will almost always impress. At a certain level, you dont need anybody from outside the fan base to buy a book, Rosenberg says. His example: if only 1% of McCombss nearly 11 million followers bought his book, that would be a very good number of books sold. That said, our approach is always to address all potential audiences. Originally, Rosenberg wanted to title the book The Ramen King Ivan Cookbook, but thats going to be completely opaque to people who havent seen the channel before. So, we flipped it and made it the subtitle.
Editors are there to help TikTokkers think through these issues. When people are passionate about something, it comes through pretty organically, Giambelluca says. I ask questions as their editor, but also as a consumer: for instance, how do you make focaccia approachable without dulling down the flavor? My job is to make the book digestible and interesting to people who dont know who Alessandra [Fontana] is. My responsibility is to stay true to what she does, but also serve the reader.
Harvest executive editor Sarah Pelz points out that the culinary influencer-to-cookbook author pipeline isnt that novel. Back in the day, when it was blog-to-book, publishers asked, Theres all this content online; whats going to bring readers to the book? she says. That conversation has evolved, and yet its the same.
Harvest author Owen Hans 4.3 million followers tune in for his inventive takes on sandwiches. In his forthcoming debut, Stacked (Oct.), he shares some fan favorites but mostly new recipes, like bacon and egg biscuits with sriracha honey, and bao with hoisin pork burnt ends. The book leads with Hans personal history. He learned to cook in his grandmothers small village in Italy, Pelz says. His fathers side is of Chinese origin, and he grew up seeing his father making these beautiful Chinese meals for him and his friends. He started posting on TikTok on a whim during Covid; hed lost his father fairly recently, and his whole life changed during a time when so many people were suffering. You can get a sense of someone through social media, but the book is a deeper dive.
Its this promise of connection that makes a book appeal to a wide range of readers, Pelz says. All of this, going back to blogs and other forms of social media, has always been about an author having a relationship with their fans.
Pooja Makhijani is a writer and editor in New Jersey.
Read more from our cookbooks feature:
Taste, Memory: PW Talks with Ashleigh Shanti
In Our South, the James Beard nominee compiles more than 125 recipes that showcase the ways in which Black cooks have shaped Southern foodways and cultures.
Five New Vietnamese Cookbooks by Diaspora Authors
Personal understandings of culture and cuisine inform these recipe collections.
New Cookbooks for Children
Mark Bittman, Gabrielle Langholtz, Joan Nathan, and others are teaching confidence and connection in the kitchen.
Top Chef alum and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Tu David Phu dedicated his debut cookbook, The Memory of Taste (4 Color, Sept.), to his parents, refugees from Phu Quoc, Vietnam, who settled in the Bay Area.
We were poor, Phu says. They were paid under the table. They werent literate except in their own languages. What they taught me about food was fucking valuable. This book is my attempt to celebrate them and their generational knowledgethat wealth that isnt always appreciated or cherished.
In Madame Vo (Abrams, Oct.), Jimmy Ly and Yen Vo, the married duo behind the New York City noodle spot of the same name, honor their southern Vietnamese ancestors and also consider the next generation. Growing up, I tried to assimilate, tried not to be Vietnamese, Vo says. I now have children who are so excited to be Asianso confident and proud of their nationalities.
Ly adds, It was really important to do this for the culture.
These books are two among several forthcoming titles by Vietnamese diaspora authors, all deeply rooted in personal understandings of culture and cuisine.
ac Biet Nini Nguyen, with Sarah Zorn. Knopf, out now Chef, cooking instructor, and two-time Top Chef alum Nguyen, with food writer Zorn, fuses Vietnamese and New Orleans cooking to exemplify the culinary concept of dac biet, or something special, distinctive, or fancy. Amid the recipes, which include a Viet Cajun seafood boil and pho with everything, are guides to entertaininge.g., how to throw a make-your-own goi cuon (spring roll) partyand stories of the Vietnamese community in New Orleans.
i An Tue Nguyen. Simon Element, Sept. Nguyen, aka TwayDaBae (674K followers on TikTok), owner and chef at ii in West Hollywood, encourages her Gen-Z audience to integrate Vietnamese dishes into their repertoire, beginning with primers on Vietnamese pantry staples and recommended kitchen tools. One chapter, Internet Famous, details Nguyens viral recipes, including lemongrass chicken and fish sauce wings.
Healthy, My Way My Nguyen. Rodale, Oct. The creator behind the My Healthy Dish social media accounts (4.7 million followers on TikTok) follows her 2016 cookbook of the same name with a collection that leans more heavily into her second-generation Vietnamese American identity. The more than 100 recipes include Asian-influenced dishes such as vermicelli bowls with grilled shrimp and pickled vegetables, Vietnamese pork tenderloin, and chicken-veggie pan fry with glass noodles.
Madame Vo Jimmy Ly and Yen Vo with Dan Q Dao. Abrams, Oct. Married duo Ly and Vo, with culture writer Dao, adapt their restaurants double-fried chicken wingsdrive-straight-from-the-airport good, according to veteran New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wellsand southern Vietnamese pho, as well as their familys favorites, like Te.t noodles and banh kep la dua (pandan waffles).
The Memory of Taste Tu David Phu and Soleil Ho. 4 Color, Sept. Phu, writing with San Francisco Chronicle cultural critic Ho, offers 85-plus recipes inspired by his coastal Vietnamese roots and his Oakland upbringing, including banh canh cha ca (fish cake and tapioca noodle soup), a Phu Quoc island specialty, and mi xao toi nam cuc (truffled garlic noodles), a San Franciscan/Viet American dish. Interspersed are guides to seafood and fish sauce, and explainers of Phus no-waste, fin-to-gill cooking style.
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This Calypso Cay Vacation Villas Timeshare in Kissimmee, FL is a great opportunity for those looking for a vacation home. With two bedrooms and two bathrooms, it can accommodate a small family or group of friends. The property address is 4951 Calypso Cay Way and the zip/postal code is 34746. The timeshare is maintained by Calypso Cay Resort and the maintenance fees are $801. It is a great attraction for those who love to visit Kissimmee and Florida. The week of the year is 23 and it falls under ...
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LAOS: The Indian Embassy in Laos has successfully rescued 47 Indian nationals trapped in cyber scam centers in the Bokeo province. This operation marks a significant effort by the embassy to combat illegal activities in the region.
The rescue mission, announced on Saturday, involved freeing 29 individuals who were handed over by Lao authorities after a crackdown on the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The remaining 18 individuals had approached the embassy directly, seeking urgent assistance.
Embassy officials traveled from Vientiane to Bokeo to coordinate with local authorities and facilitate the rescue. Upon their arrival, Indian Ambassador to Laos, Prashant Agrawal, met with the rescued individuals to discuss their experiences and provide guidance on their next steps.
The embassy has completed all necessary procedures with Lao authorities for the repatriation of these individuals. So far, 30 of the 47 have either returned to India or are en route, while the remaining 17 are awaiting final travel arrangements.
Ambassador Agrawal emphasized the embassy's commitment to the safety and well-being of Indian nationals, stating that it is a top priority.
Last month, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar addressed the issue of trafficking with Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone during his visit. The Indian Embassy had previously rescued 13 Indians from similar cyber scam centers.
The embassy has urged the Lao government to take stronger measures against fraudulent activities affecting foreign nationals.
What is Digital Arrest?
Autopsy of Indian Pilgrims Killed in Nepal Bus Crash Underway
The government is planning to introduce legislative changes to the Foreign Exchange Management Act (Fema) regulations, with a focus on easing the pathway for inflows from a foreign portfolio investor to transition seamlessly into foreign direct investments (FDI) once the FPI surpasses the 10 per cent ownership threshold in a company.
Photograph: Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters
This move stems from multiple requests by foreign investors seeking to streamline the reporting requirements that arise when their stakes in Indian firms cross the 10 per cent mark.
Currently, Fema has watertight regulations that restrict an FPI from buying more than 10 per cent as a strategic investor in a single company, a senior government official told Business Standard.
At the same time, FDI rules allow for up to 100 per cent investment in many sectors.
The official noted that the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) is working on resolving key concerns to address the challenges faced by such foreign investors.
Among the issues flagged are ambiguities surrounding the shift from FPI to FDI.
Custodians, for example, are currently required to open separate security and depository accounts when an investment is reclassified, the official said, leading to reporting complexities and potential mismatches.
Further, tax treatment upon conversion to FDI remains unclear, creating uncertainty for investors.
Corporate actions during the conversion process from FPI to FDI pose their own set of hurdles, too, necessitating a relook at the existing framework.
Uncertainty also surrounds the designation of the designated depository participant (DDP) under the multiple investment manager (MIM) structure, especially in cases where more than one DDP is involved.
These issues underscore the need for clarity and guidance to facilitate a smooth transition from FPI to FDI, the official said.
Discussions are already underway on simplifying procedures and aligning FPI regulations more closely with FDI norms, he said.
Current rules stipulate that FPIs breaching the 10 per cent limit have the option to divest their excess holdings within five trading days from the date of settlement.
Should they choose not to divest, the entire investment by the FPI and its investor group is classified as a foreign direct investment, effectively prohibiting further portfolio investment in the company in question.
In such cases, the FPIs designated custodian must notify depositories and the company involved, so the necessary changes can be reflected in their records within seven trading days from the date of settlement of the trades causing the breach.
Reclassification of an FPIs holdings as FDI, as well as divestment of excess shares, shall be subject to additional conditions as specified by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Notably, any breach of the aggregate or sectoral investment limit during the interim period between the acquisition and subsequent sale or reclassification to FDI will not be deemed a violation of rules.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her latest Budget speech, underscored the governments intent to simplify FDI and overseas investment rules.
Earlier this month, the DEA introduced a series of changes to Fema regulations, including the relaxation of cross-border share swap rules.
The move aims to support the global expansion of Indian businesses by enabling smoother mergers, acquisitions, and strategic alliances with international partners.
Nationalist Congress Party leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday didn't join his cabinet colleagues Devendra Fadnavis and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in visiting the Nagpur-based memorial of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh founder.
IMAGE: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar interacts with Union minister Nitin Gadkari during the launch of the second phase of Mukhyamantri Mazi Ladki Bahin Scheme, at Reshimbagh ground in Mumbai on Saturday, August 31, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo
Taking a swipe, Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar leader and MLA Jitendra Awhad said people will not be fooled by Ajit Pawar's optics given that he shares power with the Bharatiya Janata Party, backed by the Sangh.
Shinde and Fadnavis visited Hedgewar's memorial in Nagpur ahead of a 'Mazi Ladki Bahin' scheme function in Nagpur.
"Ajit Pawar is playing a game at a different level. He is politically sharing power with the BJP but has also been trying to project himself as a leader who will not visit the memorial (of the RSS founder). He (Ajit Pawar) acts differently in public as a politician and practices different politics behind curtains," Awhad alleged.
He rejected PM Narendra Modi's apology over the collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue in Sindhudurg district.
"Why did Modi raise the Veer Savarkar issue and demand an apology (for those who insulted) Savarkar while speaking about the statue incident? The Savarkar issue was over before the Lok Sabha elections. It means he (Modi) did not want to apologise. Why bring up an issue nobody was discussing?" Awhad stated.
He alleged the government's laxity in arresting the accused sculptor of the Shivaji Maharaj statue that crashed; suspects involved in Vishalgad fort vandalism, and the principal of the Badlapur school where two girls were allegedly sexually assaulted by an attendant.
The MLA from Mumbra-Kalwa in Thane district also alleged that the state government had promised to increase the monthly wages of ASHA workers by Rs 5,000 last December, but the payment has not been revised yet.
"Additionally, the portion of their payment that used to come from local governing bodies has now been completely stopped. As a result, the approximately 72,000 ASHA workers in the state are being exploited by the state government," the former minister claimed.
Awhad alleged that Shiv Sena leader and state health minister Tanaji Sawant's 'nausea' remarks on the association with NCP was a fallout of Pawar -- who holds the finance ministry -- objecting to clearing Sawant's file.
"Sawant intended to purchase a vehicle for Rs 30 lakh despite its actual price being only Rs 3 lakh. This caused a stormy discussion at the last Cabinet meeting where Ajit Pawar objected to the inflated price. It was revealed that Sawant had already taken a 50 per cent commission, but, the file regarding the purchase is now stuck." he alleged.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that it's crucial to start a new chapter in the Indo-Bangla ties, which should begin with the extradition of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, as her continued presence in India could further damage bilateral relations.
IMAGE: Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Photograph: ANI Photo
The veteran leader, the second-in-command of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, emphasised his party's desire for strong relations with India, stating they are prepared to "move past previous differences and collaborate".
He also assured that the BNP would never permit any activities on Bangladeshi soil that could threaten India's security.
In an interview with PTI at his residence in Dhaka, Alamgir said if the BNP is voted to power, it will review and re-evaluate the 'questionable' Adani electricity deal signed during the Awami League regime, as it is putting 'tremendous pressure' on the people of Bangladesh.
Claiming that it was a diplomatic failure on the part of New Delhi for failing to understand the psyche of the people of Bangladesh, Alamgir said that even after the fall of the Hasina government following a people's uprising, the 'Indian establishment is yet to reach out to BNP, even though China, the US, the UK, and Pakistan have already done so.'
Alamgir asserted that the safety of minorities in Bangladesh is an "internal matter," contending that reports of attacks on Hindus are "not accurate" since most incidents are politically motivated rather than communal.
Sheikh Hasina has to face the law of Bangladesh for all the crimes and corruption committed by her and her regime. To enable this and respect the sentiments of the people of Bangladesh, India should ensure her return to Bangladesh," he said.
After unprecedented anti-government protests that peaked on August 5, Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled to India. Hasina's presence in India for over three weeks has given rise to speculation in Bangladesh.
"We want to start a new chapter in India-Bangladesh relations, and ensuring the return of Hasina to Bangladesh will be a new leaf in the bilateral ties," he said
"Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League are both condemned here and standing by them will only worsen the perception of India in Bangladesh," he told PTI.
Alamgir said if India doesn't ensure the return of Hasina to Bangladesh, bilateral ties between the two nations will worsen.
"There is already anger against India, as it is seen as a supporter of the authoritarian Sheikh Hasina regime. If you ask anyone in Bangladesh, they will say that India did not do the right thing by giving shelter to Sheikh Hasina.
"Now, if India doesn't ensure the extradition of Hasina to Bangladesh, the relationship between the two countries will further decline," he said.
On Friday, the spokesperson for the External Affairs Ministry, Randhir Jaiswal, during a press briefing was asked if a formal request had been made from Bangladesh's interim government for the extradition of Hasina, but he did not give a clear answer.
"The former prime minister of Bangladesh came to India at very short notice for safety reasons. We have nothing further to add on that matter. What you asked lies in the realm of hypothetical issues," Jaiswal had said.
When asked about the ongoing 'India out' campaign in Bangladesh, Alamgir said there is 'palpable' anger against India, as it never bothered to establish a relationship with the people of the country but was content with its relationship with the Awami League only.
"India's diplomacy regarding Bangladesh was not pragmatic. It did not establish a relationship with the people of Bangladesh and other stakeholders but put all its eggs in one basket. India has to understand the pulse of the people of Bangladesh," he said.
Alamgir said if voted to power, the BNP would try to strengthen the relationship with India and resolve misunderstandings and past differences.
"If we are voted to power, we will engage more with India, as we want a strong relationship with India. We will try to resolve the misunderstandings and past differences.
"We have to talk, as that will be pragmatic diplomacy to resolve the issues. Even after such a major political upheaval in Bangladesh, India has not started any dialogue with us," he said.
The 76-year-old leader said the high commissioners and ambassadors of Pakistan, China, the US, and the UK "had reached out and spoken to us, but there has been no communication from India."
Alamgir said questionable bilateral treaties that went against the interests of Bangladesh during the Awami League regime will be re-examined and, if needed, reviewed.
"We have no issues with bilateral treaties and agreements with India done during the Awami League regime, which are in the interest of Bangladesh. But there are some questionable bilateral treaties and agreements that are not in the interest of Bangladesh and need to be re-looked and reviewed," he said.
Listing out bilateral projects that need to be re-examined, Alamgir said the Adani electricity deal tops the list, as "there are a lot of questions regarding it" and it is putting "a lot of pressure on the people of Bangladesh."
Speaking on the issue of attacks on Hindu minorities following the fall of the Awami League government earlier this month, Alamgir called the reports 'factually incorrect and misleading.'
"The reports that attacks on Hindu minorities are taking place are factually incorrect. There may be some instances, but those are more political in nature and not communal," he said.
"The attacks might have occurred because of political reasons, as the victims were activists of the Awami League, irrespective of religion, caste, or creed. We have taken precautions and asked our leaders to protect Hindu families," he said.
Alamgir asserted that the 'issue of minority safety' is an internal matter of the country.
"The question of minorities is an internal matter of Bangladesh. When India makes it an issue, Bangladesh needs to address it at an international forum. We never complain about what happens to Indian minorities, so no one should comment on the issue of minorities here," he said.
When asked about concerns that anti-India elements might gain ground on Bangladeshi soil in the absence of the Awami League government, the former minister in the BNP cabinet said, "The BNP government would never allow anti-India forces to gain ground in the country."
"Terrorism or such activities in Bangladesh are very minimal in nature, and the situation is under control. We can assure India that BNP will never allow any anti-India forces or security threats to gain ground in the country," he said.
Alamgir hoped that fresh elections would be held in the country within a year.
"We hope the reforms undertaken by the interim government in the election commission, judiciary, bureaucracy, and police will be completed in a year, and then fresh elections can be held," he said.
When asked whether the BNP led by former premier Khaleda Zia would go for an alliance with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami just like early 2000, Alamgir said the party presently is not in alliance with Jamaat.
"The alliance we had with the Jamaat ceased to exist long ago. But at times we had carried out joint programmes against the Awami League regime during the recent people;'s uprising. But at the moment we are not in any alliance with Jamaat," he said.
A snag-hit helicopter being towed to Gauchar for repairs by an MI-17 chopper of the Indian Air Force crashed in the hills near Kedarnath on Saturday morning.
IMAGE: Indian Air Force's Mi-17 V5 helicopter. Image used only for representation. Photograph: ANI Photo
There were no casualties as the helicopter that crashed was unoccupied, Rudraprayag's District Tourism Officer Rahul Chaubey said.
The helicopter belonged to Crystal Aviation Pvt Ltd and had been lying in disuse since its emergency landing in Kedarnath on May 24 after developing a technical snag, he said.
In the May 24 emergency landing by the helicopter, all seven people on board, including pilgrims, escaped unhurt.
It was being taken to Gauchar for repairs on Saturday morning by an MI-17 helicopter which began to go off balance over Lincholi.
Sensing trouble, the pilot of the MI-17 dropped the snag-hit chopper at a vacant spot so that there was no human casualty, Chaubey said.
There was no passenger or luggage in the crashed helicopter.
A rescue team reached the spot as soon as information was received. The team is inspecting the situation, the official said.
Authorities have appealed to people not to spread any rumours about the helicopter crash.
The Indian Air Force said that the chopper airlifting the damaged Kestrel civil helicopter had to 'jettison the load' due to flight safety reasons.
It said an inquiry has been ordered into the matter.
'An #IAF Mi-17 V5, while airlifting damaged Kestrel civil helicopter in Uttarakhand today, had to jettison the load due to flight safety reasons.
'The crew safely released the load over an unpopulated area, ensuring no damage to life or property. An enquiry has been ordered, #AviationSafety,' the IAF said in a post on X.
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People belonging to the Kuki-Zo community on Saturday took out three rallies in parts of Manipur to press their demand for a separate administration and protested against the viral audio clips allegedly of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, in which certain objectionable comments were made.
IMAGE: Unau Tribal Forum members stage a protest demanding justice for the Kuki-Zo tribals of Manipur, at Freedom Park, in Bengaluru on August 1, 2023. The image is used only for representation. Photograph: ANI Photo
They organised the rallies at Leishang in Churachandpur district, Keithelmanbi in Kangpokpi and Moreh in Tengnoupal.
In Churachandpur, the protest rally started from the Anglo Kuki war gate at Leishang and culminated at Peace ground in Tuiboung, covering a distance of 6 km.
All markets and schools in the district remained closed in view of the rally organised by students belonging to the Kuki-Zo community.
Commissioner (Home) N Ashok Kumar urged people to keep business establishments and private institutions open in view of the rallies.
Hundreds of protesters participated in the rally which commenced from Keithelmanbi Military colony in Kangpokpi and they marched to Thomas ground in the district headquarters covering a distance of 8 km.
G Kipgen, a protestor in the Kangpokpi rally, said, "The demonstration is being held to press our demand for a union territory for the Kuki Zo people."
"We also protest against the viral audio clips in which objectionable comments were made," another protester said.
The Manipur government had said that the audio clips, falsely claiming to be the voice of the chief minister, were released on social media in an attempt to derail peace initiatives in the ethnic violence-affected state.
The government had claimed that the audio tapes were 'doctored' and the state police were conducting an investigation into the matter.
Another protest march was also held in the India-Myanmar border town of Moreh, demanding a separate administration.
In an interview with PTI, the chief minister emphatically rejected the demand by Kuki groups for a separate administration, presenting himself as a champion of the state's interest and one who will not allow its identity to be diluted.
This was the first unequivocal rejection of the demand by Kukis.
At a press conference on Thursday in New Delhi, some representatives of Kuki-Zo communities demanded the creation of a union territory with a legislature along the lines of Puducherry, arguing that it is the only way out of strife.
Singh, a Meitei accused by Kukis of siding with his community in the ethnic violence which erupted in May last year and polarised Manipur society like never before, has, however, expressed his support for a special development package for the state's hilly region where Kukis live.
The clashes between the Kuki-Zo and Meiti ethnic groups since May 2023 have left 226 dead, according to an official count.
Throwing its weight behind actor-cum-MLA M Mukesh, the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist in Kerala on Saturday said that he need not resign from his post as legislator merely because a rape case has been registered against him.
IMAGE: Mahila Congress workers hold a protest against Malayalam actor and Communist Party of India-Marxist MLA M Mukesh following a female actor's allegation that he sexually assaulted her years ago, in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday. Photograph: ANI Photo
The CPI-M state secretary M V Govindan justified the party decision by pointing out that according to the National Election Watch Report, 16 MPs and 135 MLAs from parties across the country, including from the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Congress, the Telugu Desam Party and the Aam Aadmi Party, were accused of crimes against women but had not resigned as legislators.
"Therefore, there is no need for him to resign from his post as MLA," he said at a press conference here following the party's state committee meeting in Thiruvananthapuram during the day.
The Marxist veteran said that even Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said a day ago that every person should be given the opportunity to prove their innocence.
"Mukesh is an accused right now. He has not been found guilty. The two are different. If he is found guilty, then appropriate action would be taken against him. We are not protecting him," Govindan said.
The CPI-M state secretary asked that if the MLA resigns on moral grounds, then can he be brought back on the same condition if he is proved innocent?
"He can come back as MLA only after being elected and not on moral grounds," he said.
Govindan, however, said the party also decided that Mukesh should not be part of the film-making policy committee and be removed from that in view of the allegations against him.
He said that it was also decided that no special treatment or exemption should be shown to Mukesh during the investigation because he is an MLA of the ruling party.
Govindan further said that by lodging an FIR against a sitting MLA of the government, the Left administration in Kerala has set an example for the country as a whole to follow.
He also said that the Justice Hema Committee, the first of its kind initiative by a state in the country, was constituted as a defence against sexual harassment and exploitation of women in the film industry.
Govindan also said that the government has no need to hurriedly hold a conclave to discuss the issues being faced by women in the film industry.
He said that it will be held after the deliberations by the film policy making committee and receipt of its report.
There have been protests in various parts of the state by the Congress and the BJP and their respective youth and women wings demanding the actor's resignation as MLA.
A first information report (FIR) under Indian Penal Code 376 (rape) was registered against the actor at Maradu police station in Kochi city on Wednesday night on the complaint by a woman who has appeared in a handful of movies.
She had alleged that Mukesh sexually assaulted her years ago.
Multiple FIRs have been registered against many high profile Malayalam film personalities following allegations of sexual harassment against various directors and actors in the wake of revelations in the Justice K Hema Committee report.
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.
Following the 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.
Top actor Mohanlal on Saturday broke his silence over the shocking revelations in the Justice Hema Committee report which has shaken the Malayalam film industry, and said the entire industry is answerable to the questions raised but the actors' association is targeted and blamed for everything.
IMAGE: Actor Mohanlal speaks on the sexual abuse allegations in the Malayalam film industry, on Saturday. Photograph: ANI Photo
He said Malayalam cinema is a huge industry where thousands of people work and the actors' association AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) could not address every issue that cropped up there.
Cinema is part of the society and what happens everywhere else is happening in the industry also, the Kireedam actor told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.
It was for the first time that Mohanlal, who recently resigned as the president of AMMA, was addressing the media following the release of the Hema panel report which shed light on the alleged harassment and exploitation of women professionals in the Malayalam film industry.
Speaking on the sidelines of a programme, the actor said the executive panel of the Association headed by him resigned recently in the wake of 'unnecessary allegations' being raised against it after the release of the report.
Justifying his alleged delayed response over the findings in the report, Mohanlal said he never ran away from his responsibilities but could not appear before the media in the past few days as he was away from the state due to his personal and professional commitments.
He said he had been part of the film industry for the past 47 years and it was 'painful' to answer the questions with regard to the unfortunate issues in the film industry.
He said as a movie professional, he had deposed before the Hema Committee twice and he had no knowledge about its content other than what has appeared on the media.
However, he said he was unaware about the report's revelations on the alleged presence of a power group in the film industry.
"I am not part of any power group in Malayalam cinema and not aware of the existence of any such group. I have heard about it for the first time," the actor said.
The national award winning actor also justified the actions of AMMA, whose executive panel helmed by him was resigned recently.
"AMMA is not an outfit with trade union nature. It was launched for the welfare of its members....The entire film industry is answerable to the questions regarding the Hema panel," he further said.
There are several associations and outfits in the Malayalam cinema but AMMA is targeted and blamed for everything in view of the revelations in the report, he alleged.
"It is not right to crucify an outfit alone for all these issues," Mohanlal said.
Most of the questions were directed at the actors' Association and himself which resulted in the recent resignation of its executive panel, the top actor said.
Claiming that their resignation was not a failure or running away from responsibilities of the outfit, he said it was taken as several unnecessary allegations had come up against them.
Let new people come and lead AMMA, he said.
"Wrongdoers should be punished if there is evidence against them," Mohanlal said while referring to the allegations of sexual misconduct and assaults that surfaced against some of the members of the Association.
Stating that the release of the Hema Committee report was a good decision of the government, the senior actor said it has given several suggestions to guide the industry in the right direction.
He also wanted to ensure equal justice in the film industry and urged the support of the media to rebuild the film sector which is facing an unprecedented crisis now.
Mohanlal also appealed to everyone not to destroy the film industry, which has been the source of bread and butter of thousands of people, over the recent developments.
The actor, however, did not directly reply to many of the questions asked by the reporters regarding the revelations in the Hema panel saying that it is a matter under the consideration of the court.
A migrant worker from West Bengal was allegedly beaten to death in Haryana's Charkhi Dadri district over suspicion that he had eaten beef, police said on Saturday, adding they have arrested five members of a cow vigilante group for the attack.
IMAGE: Haryana Police arrest seven people, including two minors, in connection with the murder of a migrant labourer in Charkhi Dadri on Saturday. Photograph: ANI Photo
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini dubbed the August 27 incident 'unfortunate' but said it is 'not right to say things like mob lynching'.
A senior police officer said the accused attacked Sabir Malik, who wad in his mid-20s, on the suspicion that he consumed beef.
Police identified the five accused as Abhishek, Mohit, Ravinder, Kamaljit and Sahil.
When asked about the incident, Chief Minister Saini told a press conference in Chandigarh, "It is not right to say things like mob lynching. We have enacted a strict law in the state assembly for the protection of cows and there is no compromise on it."
"Gaon ke andar itni sharddha gau mata ke prati hai ki unko agar pata chal jaye ki iss parkar ke yeh halaat kar rahe hain to gaon ke log hain, kaun rokta hai ke phir uske andar kya hua, kya nahi hua. (In villages, the cow is revered so much, and if they (villagers) come to know that they are creating such a situation, then who can prevent what happens there). But, I want to say that such incidents should not take place. These things are unfortunate," he said.
The senior police officer quoted above said that on the day of the incident the accused allegedly called Malik to a shop under the pretence of selling empty plastic bottles and thrashed him there, according to the police officer said.
After some people intervened, the accused took Malik to another location and beat him again, leading to his death, the officer added.
Malik lived in a shanty near Bandhra village in Charkhi Dadri district and collected waste and rag for a living, the police said.
All the five accused have been arrested, they said, adding that two juveniles have also been apprehended in the matter.
A case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered against the accused, the police said.
Police have sent food sample testing in a lab in Faridabad, the officer said.
Elderly man assaulted inside train in Maharashtra
An elderly man was allegedly assaulted by his co-passengers in an express train near Igatpuri in Maharashtra's Nashik district on suspicion that he was carrying beef, the Government Railway Police (GRP) said on Saturday.
The GRP has initiated a probe after a video of the alleged incident, which took place earlier this week, surfaced on social media, an official said.
The video shows a dozen people assaulting a man and verbally abusing him inside a train.
According to the GRP, the victim, Haji Ashraf Munyar, a resident of Jalgaon district, was travelling to his daughter's house in Kalyan when he was allegedly beaten up by his co-passengers near Igatpuri on suspicion that he was carrying beef.
"We have taken cognisance of the video and identified the victim. Some of the people involved in the attack have also been identified, and a probe is on," the official said, adding that no case has been registered so far.
Facing social stigma over the birth of her fourth girl child, a 28-year-old woman killed her six-day-old daughter and threw her body on the roof of an adjacent house in west Delhi's Khayala area, police said on Saturday.
Image used only for representation. Photograph: Christian Abella/Pixabay.com
"A PCR call was received around 5.30 am on Friday, reporting that a six-day-old baby girl was missing. Given the sensitivity of the case, officers from the local police station immediately reached the spot," Deputy Commissioner of Police (west) Vichitra Veer.
During initial questioning, the girl's mother, Shivani, claimed that she was discharged from the hospital the previous night and had returned to her parental home.
She told police that after feeding the baby around 2 am, she slept with the child beside her but when she woke up at 4.30 am, the baby was gone, DCP Veer said.
The police officer said a team was constituted to check CCTV footage from the neighbouring area and search nearby houses.
"While the search was on, Shivani said she needs to go the hospital to get her stitches removed. This raised some suspicion but due to her medical condition, the police allowed her to go," the DCP said.
Meanwhile, during the search, a bag was found on the roof of an adjacent house. Upon opening it, the police found the baby, who was immediately taken to the hospital, where the doctors declared her brought dead, Veer said.
The DCP said a police team was subsequently sent to a hospital, bus stations and Shivani's residence in Shahdara to trace her, who on being questioned broke down and confessed to the crime.
Shivani revealed during initial interrogation that the deceased was her fourth daughter, two of whom had already died. The accused cited social stigma as the reason for her actions, he said.
Overwhelmed by these thoughts while feeding the baby, Shivani smothered her daughter and then disposed of the body on the neighbouring roof. She later claimed the baby was missing as she was uncertain about what to tell her family, the DCP said.
Shivani has been arrested and a case of murder has been registered, Veer said.
The police are awaiting the results of the postmortem to verify the account of the accused and determine the exact cause of death, he added.
India on Friday said the recent high-level visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kyiv will pave the way for "stronger bilateral ties" apart from facilitating more forward-looking discussions on the possibility of a peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
IMAGE: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend a meeting, in Kyiv, on August 23, 2024. Photograph: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters
During his weekly media briefing in New Delhi, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in response to a query, said, "As friends and partners, we will support any feasible and mutually acceptable solution or format that could restore peace."
Asked about Indians stuck in the Russian army, he said, as of today, "15 Indians who have been released, returned to India. There are others, who are awaiting discharge".
"Our mission, our embassy is in touch with the Russian authorities, both on the foreign office side and the defence side, and we hope that those who want to return to India will be released soon," he said.
He also responded to multiple queries on Modi's recent visit to Ukraine and the statement issued by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on it.
"Our view is that the Ukranian side has their perspective on various issues and matters, and they are sharing them with the media," Jaiswal said.
"As far as we are concerned, we will be guided by the bilateral discussion that we had with them, including the high-level visit that just concluded, which we believe will pave the way for stronger bilateral ties apart from facilitating more forward-looking discussions on the possibility of peaceful resolution of the conflict," he added.
The spokesperson said India has "always advocated constructive, solution-oriented, and practical engagement with all stakeholders to achieve a negotiated settlement to this conflict".
"This is evident in our approach, in our outreach to both Russia and Ukraine, at the highest level. The PM has already indicated India's willingness to play a constructive role in the interest of peace. However, it is too early to comment on specific modalities and pathways at this stage," he added.
The decision as to when and how to commence peace talks is the prerogative of the two parties to the conflict, he said.
"As friends and partners, we will support any feasible and mutually acceptable solution or format that could restore peace," Jaiswal said.
On reports about a group of Indians being stranded at Sao Paulo airport in Brazil, he said, "As far as the issue of Indians stranded at Sao Paulo airport is concerned, yes, we are aware".
"There are several Indians. We also have a consulate in Sao Paulo, which is in touch with the foreign office representatives in the city. They also sought a meeting with local authorities. Contrary to what was reported in some media, Indians at the airport are being taken care of, in terms of food," he added.
On a query on the India-Germany bilateral ties, he said the mobility partnership signed between the two sides earlier will "facilitate our people-to-people ties."
Asked when will the India-Africa Summit be held, Jaiswal said, "We are in talks with the African Union to see when can the India-Africa summit be scheduled."
Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) and Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) are big pharma peers. They're also each other's biggest rivals, especially in the all-important market for weight-loss drugs, in which both are currently highly successful.
Right now, there are a few reasons to believe that Eli Lilly has the upper hand in this competitive clash. Those reasons support buying its stock, assuming you don't want to invest in both companies. Here are three things that are giving Lilly an edge.
1. The supply constraints blocking Lilly's revenue growth are easing
It's well-known that sales of new weight-loss drugs are powering earnings growth and share-price appreciation for both companies. Demand for those medicines, like Lilly's Zepbound and Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, is so intense in the U.S. that for months neither company has been able to manufacture enough to meet patient demand. In the second quarter alone, Zepbound brought in more than $1.2 billion in revenue, making it a blockbuster drug.
Such a mismatch between supply and demand was bound to be temporary. And with huge investments by both players into building new manufacturing facilities and inking deals with contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs), it's clear that the management teams are eager to unlock the trapped demand as fast as possible.
On that front Lilly looks set to edge ahead, even though its medicine was approved for sale a bit later.
As of its Q2 earnings report, Lilly's chief executive officer said he believes that in the U.S., all doses of Zepbound will be imminently removed from the official drug shortages list maintained by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). That will open the door for doctors to begin prescribing the treatment for new patients again, bolstering the company's market share and top line.
Novo Nordisk, on the other hand, seems to still be on the back foot. There aren't firm timelines for when Wegovy will be out of a state of shortage, so it won't be able to grow as quickly.
2. Lilly is forging ahead with a key upgrade to a core program
Wegovy and Zepbound are officially intended to treat obesity, as well as a couple of its most common co-morbidities.
Both pharmas are performing substantial additional research and development (R&D) work, in the form of clinical trials testing their medicines to see if they might be useful in treating or mitigating those co-morbidities -- like sleep apnea, cardiovascular risk, and heart failure. If the company can convince regulators that its products are safe and useful for those conditions, each new indication is an expansion of the addressable market, and therefore of future revenue.
Not all expanded indications are created equal. Some may only increase the addressable market by a pittance; others, like treating heart failure, imply the opportunity for significant growth.
In Q2, it seemed like Novo Nordisk's bid to add heart failure to Wegovy's list of approved indications was a slam dunk, much as several of its prior attempts for other indications had been. Instead, discussions with regulators revealed their concern about certain issues; in early August, Novo Nordisk pulled its application from consideration, and resolved to try again early next year. That was quite unexpected -- and Lilly won't have that problem.
In fact, Lilly just wrapped up its phase 3 trial for the indication, and it's proceeding to send its materials to regulators as fast as possible. Even if the FDA takes plenty of time in reviewing the packet, there is no way Novo Nordisk could get the indication approved before Lilly, assuming the latter company does. Therefore, Lilly will likely get access to that new segment sooner, and subsequently grow more.
3. Lilly entered a new market first
Although Novo Nordisk isn't focused on developing medicines for Alzheimer's disease, it does have aspirations to compete in the emerging market for drugs that treat the condition.
It's currently investigating in late-stage clinical trials whether the molecule semaglutide, the active ingredient of Wegovy, might be helpful. Picking up an extra indication for Alzheimer's would, as previously discussed, increase the addressable market by quite a bit; it would also grant Novo Nordisk a favorable position in the market because there's little competition.
But Eli Lilly got there first. With the FDA's approval in early July of Kisunla, its new medicine for Alzheimer's developed specifically for that purpose, the business will now start to rake in sales. And Lilly's therapy might even have a couple of advantages over Biogen's medication, Leqembi, the first drug regulators approved to treat the condition. Should it prove more effective, its chances of quickly making inroads and gaining market share are pretty decent.
In sum, Lilly has simply one-upped Novo Nordisk a few times recently, and its shareholders are likely to reap the benefits. I don't think Novo Nordisk is a stock to sell right now, but if you're looking to buy just one of the pair, Eli Lilly has a bit more momentum.
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In the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States, Secretary of State Colin Powell gave assurances that America would deal with the tragedy by bringing those responsible to justice while protecting the world's democracies.
"They will never be allowed to kill the spirit of democracy," Powell said. "They cannot destroy our society. They cannot destroy our belief in the democratic way."
President George W. Bush, who won office in 2000 as a candidate who would be cautious about committing U.S. troops to foreign wars, quickly made fighting global terrorism a top policy, and set about establishing an international "coalition of the willing" to carry out the mission.
The U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan had the primary goal of punishing the Al-Qaeda terrorist network, which had been given refuge in Afghanistan and carried out the deadly 9/11 attacks. And once on Afghan soil, Washington quickly ousted the Taliban regime accused of sheltering Al-Qaeda from power.
Costly Campaign
But the U.S. experience in Afghanistan ultimately ended in failure, and with the hard-line Taliban group back in power. The nearly 20-year war ended with immense costs in terms of lives lost and money spent. And it made the U.S. public and politicians on both sides of the aisle in Washington reluctant to get involved in "forever wars" that could not be won.
"More than $2 trillion spent in Afghanistan," U.S. President Joe Biden said on August 31, 2021, in announcing the official end of the United States' longest-ever war. "20,744 American servicemen and women injured, and the loss of 2,461 American personnel."
In explaining to the U.S. public that he was "not going to extend this forever war," Biden did not mention the estimated 70,000 deaths among Afghan security forces, more than 46,000 Afghan civilian deaths, and the deaths of more than 4,000 allied troops and U.S. contractors.
The withdrawal under Biden has become a lightning rod for debate ahead of the U.S. presidential election on November 5. Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump has blasted Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who is running against Trump, for the "humiliation in Afghanistan," with much of the criticism centered on the chaotic last days of the withdrawal, when 13 U.S. soldiers and 170 Afghan civilians died in a bombing by the Islamic State-Khorasan extremist group.
Harris's campaign, meanwhile, has highlighted Trump's role as president in signing the 2020 deal with the Taliban that paved the way for the withdrawal and provided a "virtually impossible" deadline.
But experts who spoke to RFE/RL stressed that multiple U.S. administrations, beginning with Democratic President Barack Obama's from 2009 to 2017 -- had come to the realization that what had begun as a fight against terrorism had become an overly costly and potentially "forever" endeavor.
"It was an extremely expensive war in a place that was probably least important to the United States," said Vali Nasr, a professor of international affairs and Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins University. "It was a war that the United States started to destroy Al-Qaeda, which it did very quickly, then to dislodge the Taliban from Afghanistan, which it did, and then it became something much bigger, like how to establish a democracy and a functioning government in Afghanistan and sustain it."
The question asked by Obama, who initiated an exit strategy by reducing the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, and later Trump, was whether there was a compelling reason to stay.
The United States "was becoming committed to a forever war, or a forever presence at the tune of billions of dollars a year and tens of thousands of troops, in a condition that the threat from Afghanistan had declined and the strategic value of the country was declining," Nasr said.
And the economy and civil society established under the protection of the U.S. military, he says, was not something Afghanistan could sustain on its own.
"What the United States created is like a tree that never grew roots," Nasr said. "So, at some point you're going to say, 'I'm going to stop watering it, and I'm going to take my hand off from trying to forcibly keep it upright.'"
No Good Outcome
Rajan Menon, an emeritus professor of international relations at the City College of New York and director of the Grand Strategy Program at Defense Priorities, said that "no matter how long [the United States] had stayed, I don't see what a good ending could have been."
The minimal good outcome, Menon says, would have been "a stable country with a government that may not have been democratic, but which could be counted upon not to serve as a platform for terror and which would have a positive relationship with the United States."
But in attempting to realize that goal, what you are essentially "trying to do is engage in nation-building," Menon said. Even a "very, very powerful military machine" like the United States has difficulties pulling that off, he said, and there "are no pretty exits."
To avoid the chaotic type of withdrawal that took place in Afghanistan, Menon said, "you have to build institutions, political and military and civic in nature." Without that, "once you leave and remove the military protection, the institutions will start crumbling, and that is exactly what happened."
U.S. wars and democracy-building efforts were not isolated to Afghanistan during its nearly 20-year campaign there. There were others -- most notably the costly war in Iraq from 2003 to 2011 -- that former Secretary of State Powell argued was necessitated by an alleged Iraqi program to build weapons of mass destruction that was later determined to be nonexistent.
Prior to his death in 2021 just six weeks after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, Powell said that his arguments before the UN Security Council "was a great intelligence failure."
Baghdad and the United States, which sent troops back to Iraq in 2014 to help fight the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, are still trying to repair relations. According to the Soufan Center think tank on September 9, the two sides reportedly have reached an agreement to transition from the United States leading the effort against IS to a bilateral partnership.
'Forever' Ending?
So is the U.S. era of "forever wars" over?
Many of the unique circumstances that accompanied the Afghan invasion -- a direct attack on U.S. soil, counterterrorism becoming a focal point of U.S. policy, and the idea that nation-building is an effective solution -- are unlikely to repeat themselves, Nasr says.
And the mood in the United States amid a hotly contested election campaign could indicate that it will at least think twice.
With both Trump and Harris there is "a little bit of a backlash against the so-called forever wars...and I think the American public probably will be much less supportive" of involvement in them in the future," Menon said.
But Madiha Afzal, a fellow in the foreign policy program at Brookings, said in written comments that while "some of the lessons from the Afghanistan war" had started being discussed, particularly in the last couple of years of the conflict, "the disaster of the withdrawal...really focused the conversation in America on Afghanistan to be just about the withdrawal."
The larger discussion about the war, Afzal said, "has been entirely obscured," with much of the conversation becoming intensely partisan.
"I fear that the larger lessons of the 20-year war have been lost along the way," Afzal concluded.
Azerbaijan holds parliamentary elections on September 1 that will almost certainly be dominated by allies -- and their children -- eager to help President Ilham Aliyev further consolidate his dynastic rule.
The carefully vetted process offers Azerbaijan's 6 million-plus voters limited alternatives to Aliyev loyalists and comes early in a fifth term built for decades on petro-wealth and carefully choreographed elections, and more recently on the culmination of a generation-defining dispute with neighboring Armenia.
Many Azerbaijanis and outsiders speculated that a resolution of the "Karabakh question," ending the post-Soviet world's longest-running frozen conflict, could offer a chance for rejuvenating democratic impulses in Baku even if Aliyev remained firmly in place.
But the absence of any "genuine alternative" to the 62-year-old Aliyev's re-election in February, Baku's bitter fallout with the Council of Europe's rights- and democracy-promotion arm PACE, and its recent encouragement of Moscow and embrace of the BRICS alliance all suggest otherwise.
Moreover, the emergence of a handful of children of aging, establishment-linked lawmakers vying to replace their fathers in this weekend's parliamentary elections could portend a whole new generation of Azerbaijani elites beholden to Aliyev and his system.
And a crackdown on journalists and civil-society activists since the repatriation of Nagorno-Karabakh last year is being likened to a notorious spate of jailings and harassment a decade earlier, only broader.
"It just seems to be trying to clear everyone [else] out," Michael Runey, an adviser on democracy assessment for the intergovernmental International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), told RFE/RL. "That's really a sign of a government that's trying to wipe out any sort of independent organization in society."
He cited recent arrests including that of Bahruz Samadov, a 29-year-old Azerbaijani doctoral student abroad accused of high treason, apparently over critical statements about the 2020 war and 2023 military operations around Nagorno-Karabakh.
In metrics like representation, rule of law, and participation, Runey said, Azerbaijan already fared poorly. There were hopes that a more democratic path might open once the Karabakh conflict was resolved, he said, but "people are experiencing that this is not the case."
Instead, he warned, "the government is attempting to consolidate and close off any sort of possible avenues for democratization."
Runey said that especially since retaking Karabakh last year, "I feel like the government in Baku feels they just don't really need to placate the West anymore."
Baku's tightly controlled analytical community routinely describes Aliyev's recent moves as "independent foreign policy," as opposed to any turn away from the West and toward Russia or other authoritarian counterparts by a key oil and gas provider in an unstable corner of the former Soviet Union.
Western observers have consistently criticized elections cementing Aliyev's reign as undemocratic, and Azerbaijani votes stretching back to 2003 and as recently as 2020 have been marred by violence.
As a result, Aliyev's New Azerbaijan Party -- which is formally chaired by first lady and Vice President Mehriban Aliyeva -- and an assemblage of loyalist parties have dominated the 125-seat National Assembly.
The leading opposition Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (AXCP) is staying away from "the government's masquerade of a fraudulent election" for the seventh straight time. But the Musavat Party is participating despite serial problems like obstacles to monitoring, campaigning and media that is heavily skewed toward the ruling party, and serious election-day irregularities, saying, "Even if only five or 10 people show up, the election will be considered as held" because of the lack of any turnout threshold since 2003 .
At least a handful of next-generation elites are likely to join the existing loyalist ranks in parliament. Candidates in the September 1 vote reportedly include Samir Ahmadoglu Valiyev, a son of former lawmaker and university rector Ahmad Valiyev; Mahir Tahiroglu Suleymanli, a son of influential former lawmaker Tahir Suleymanov; and Gunay Agamali, who is running to replace her father, Fazail Agamali, a nearly 30-year parliamentary veteran and Motherland Party leader who is said to be stepping down for health reasons. Aygun Manyeva, the daughter of a former legislator who is now a member of the Central Election Commission, initially appeared on the New Azerbaijan Party list but reportedly withdrew her candidacy.
Aliyev has ruled Azerbaijan since taking over from his dying father in 2003 and won a new seven-year term in a snap vote seen by international observers as deeply flawed.
Written and with reporting by Andy Heil with additional reporting by RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service
Israel on October 7 marked the somber anniversary of the Hamas attack on the Jewish state that killed more than 1,200 people and took some 250 hostages as the Israeli military continued its massive air strikes on Beirut and its incursion in southern Lebanon that aims to destroy the Iran-allied Hezbollah militant group.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog led a national moment of silence at 6:29 a.m., the time the attack started, at Kibbutz Reim, the site of the Nova music festival where hundreds of mostly young revelers were killed by gunmen from Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by both the United States and the European Union.
In Washington, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris 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.
The Israeli military said that during the ceremony led by Herzog, four projectiles were launched from Gaza toward the same Israeli communities targeted at the start of last year's attack. The military said the ceremony was not disrupted.
In Jerusalem, relatives of the some 100 hostages still in Hamas captivity, many of whom are believed dead, gathered outside the residence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 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.
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.
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.
The conflict in Gaza is still raging while Israel is now fighting on a second front in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah.
Early on October 7, Hezbollah, designated a terrorist organization by the United States, fired rockets into the north Israeli cities of Haifa and Tiberias, causing damage and some minor injuries, Israeli police said.
The European Union has blacklisted Hezbollah's armed wing but not its political unit, which holds seats in the Lebanese parliament.
Amid the military activity at the individual level, the private lives of civilians throughout the region have been disrupted.
In the ancient city of Beersheba in southern Israel, Irena Stein, who left Albania in 1991 to resettle in the country, told RFE/RL's Kosovo Service that life in recent times had been filled with "sadness and pain."
"We had several months of rockets. Then, the number of rockets decreased, and we continued with daily life, like someone who goes on with their life after the seven days of mourning with a great pain in the heart," said Stein, who is in her late 60s.
"There's this feeling like something might happen, that we should be cautious. But I believe you can't live with fear, so we've continued our lives, always praying to God that nothing happens to us."
She said that in Beersheba -- where human activity can be traced to the fourth millennium BC -- things have been calm since rockets were last heard on September 29. But she lamented that throughout Israel, "We suffer from this situation, and the Palestinian people suffer from it, too."
"The Lebanese people also suffer...everyone suffers. But as they say, peace must be decided at the highest level."
Meanwhile, in a Lebanese mountain village southeast of Beirut, local resident Hadi Zahwe told reporters an Israeli strike on October 6 was "terrifying."
"There were children killed, there were children's body parts. This enemy is targeting civilian women and children," he said.
Netanyahu has insisted that Israeli forces are targeting terrorist strongholds and that civilian fatalities have been extremely low in the recent military actions.
Israel in recent weeks has been bombing Beirut's southern suburbs and has staged a ground incursion into south Lebanon in its drive to wipe out Hezbollah's capabilities and leadership.
The Israeli campaign on Hezbollah prompted the group's patron, Iran, to respond by attacking the Jewish state 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 a larger regional conflict.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav 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.
"The Iranians did not touch the air force's capabilities. No aircraft were damaged, no squadron was taken out of order," Gallant said in reference to the Iranian missile strike, which caused few injuries and slight damage to two air force bases.
"Whoever thinks that a mere attempt to harm us will deter us from taking action should take a look at [Israels operations] in Gaza and Beirut."
Israel earlier said it conducted a series of "targeted strikes" on "weapons storage facilities" and infrastructure sites that belong to Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Lebanon's official National News Agency said Hezbollah's stronghold in the area was hit by more than 30 strikes. A petrol station and a medical supplies warehouse were hit by the air raids.
Video footage showed huge flames and plumes of smoke billowing into the night sky as residents fled their homes in panic with explosions echoing in the background.
Many observers said the attacks were the strongest yet of Israel's recent air strikes.
Beiruts Skyline Lit Up Amid New Israeli Airstrikes No media source currently available 0:00 0:00:59 0:00
Israel has bombed Beirut's suburbs for days, killing Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and possibly his potential successor, Hashem Safieddine.
Security sources have said Safieddine had been out of contact since October 4 after an Israeli air strike near Beirut's international airport that was reported to have targeted him. Hezbollah has not commented on Safieddine.
Israel says Nasrallah was killed in a strike on the group's central command headquarters in Beirut on September 27.
Two senior Iranian security officials told Reuters on October 6 that Ismail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force -- the overseas arm of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) -- also had not been heard from in recent days since traveling to Lebanon.
Statements on October 6 out of the United States -- Tel Aviv's most important ally -- indicated some frustrations with the scope of Israel's military action.
"Military pressure can at times enable diplomacy. Of course, military pressure can also lead to miscalculation. It can lead to unintended consequences," a U.S. State Department spokesperson said in a statement.
The spokesperson said Washington supported Israeli actions in going after extremist elements but added that U.S. leaders but did not approve of the targeting of civilian infrastructure.
Israel says the attacks on Hezbollah are aimed at enabling the safe return of tens of thousands of citizens to homes in northern Israel, bombarded by the group since last October.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Kosovo Service and AP
Hispanolistic / iStock.com
You might be in the market for a new car and wondering which one might get you the best deal. Perhaps a look at some of the slower selling new cars may give you some hints.
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According to CarEdge, luxury models dominated the slowest selling new cars in August. In fact, Stellantis brands like Jeep and Maserati occupy much of the top 10, per CarEdge. These cars are slow sellers, and are especially negotiable.
Heres a look at six of the slow selling new cars to get at a low price before 2025 arrives with new models.
Also check out these affordable car brands.
Stellantis Media
Dodge Hornet
According to CarEdge, the slowest selling car in America is again the 2024 Dodge Hornet. That means the model has the most inventory. Why does this matter? When dealers have more of a certain model on hand, they may be more likely to negotiate with you.
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Stellantis Media
Jeep Grand Wagoneer
If youve wanted a Jeep, maybe its time to consider the Grand Wagoneer. There is plenty of inventory available, which may mean a good deal for you. That may be especially helpful given that this can be a pricier vehicle. Per Car and Driver, Jeeps large luxury SUV gets it done with brute size and strength but with little connection to its classic namesake.
Learn More: 5 Luxury Cars With the Worst Resale Value
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Mercedes-Benz EQB
Heres another slow selling car to check out before the new year. The starting price for the 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQB is around $54,000. According to Car and Driver, If youre tired of EVs that try too hard to be unique, consider the 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQB. It looks so similar to the subcompact, gas-powered GLB-class SUV, you might not even realize that its powered by electrons at least until you drive it.
Lincoln
Lincoln Aviator
Edmunds gives the Aviator an overall good rating. The Lincoln Aviator provides an upscale interior design, a comfortable ride quality and strong acceleration, per Edmunds. Other midsize three-row luxury SUVs are more poised when going around turns, but overall we like how the Aviator offers something a little different. You may get a good deal on the Aviator thanks to plenty of available inventory.
Land Rover
Land Rover Discovery Sport
If youre looking for a Land Rover, the Discovery Sport is definitely one to consider for its price. Youll find its likely the least expensive Land Rover you can purchase. In addition to offering a quiet and smooth ride, Edmunds noted the adventure-aiding tech features. Land Rover offers a few innovative optional tech features that can help Discovery Sport owners both on- and off-road, per Edmunds. Included in the Technology pack is the ClearSight digital rearview mirror, which uses an exterior-mounted camera to give drivers an unobstructed view of the road aft of the vehicle.
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Mini Hardtop 4-Door
We rounded out our list of slow selling cars to consider for a good deal with the Mini Hardtop 4-Door. According to Kelley Blue Book, A Mini Cooper is the antidote to all those SUVs that clog up the suburbs. Its fizzy instead of frumpy, lithe instead of lumbering, interesting instead of insipid. Sure, the pricing is more toward premium than mainstream, but traditionally strong resale values is the final gift a Mini brings.
Photo Disclaimer: Please note photos are for representational purposes only.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 6 Slow Selling New Cars To Get At a Low Price Before 2025
Moldova is prepared for possible Russian interference ahead of its October presidential election, the country's top diplomat has told RFE/RL. "That is a threat, but we have seen that threat diminish," Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi said about Russian influence in Moldova. "But we are confident that our institutions are more resilient to be able to withstand this malign influence, and also our society is more resilient," Popsoi added in an interview with RFE/RL's Europe Editor Rikard Jozwiak on August 31 on the sidelines of the Globsec security conference in Prague. The Kremlin has repeatedly indicated that it considers Moldova -- an EU candidate country -- a traditional sphere of its influence. Russian troops have been deployed since 1992 in Transdniester, a Moldovan breakaway region controlled by Russia-backed separatists.
Tesla
Its been a rough year for some of the worlds biggest luxury car brands. To some extent, you expect to hear about automotive recalls that occur throughout the year. What makes this year stand out, however, is the scale of recalls. As certain luxury cars grow in popularity, these recalls potentially impact thousands of drivers or even millions, as was the case for one luxury car brand mentioned in this roundup.
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In alphabetical order, here are the nine luxury car brands that have dealt with the greatest number of recalls this year.
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BMW
Recalls came for certain 2024 BMW vehicles along with some of their older car models this year. According to the USA Today, 1,150 of the 2024 i4 models including eDrive40, xDrive40 and M50 were recalled for a left side beam crack. The luxury car manufacturer also recalled 12,535 of their 2020-2024 MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper SE) vehicles due to battery faults that could result in a short circuit.
But theres more bad news for BMW. A water pump malfunction that may be exposed to water and short circuit, thus increasing the risk of or causing a fire, required recalling 720,796 of 2012-2018 vehicles this year. Some of these models include the x1 sDrive28i (2012-2015), 228i (2014-2016), X4 xDrive28i (2015-2018).
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Bugatti
On the surface, it may not sound like luxury manufacturer Bugatti recalled that many vehicles this year. Autoevolution reported in February 2024 that 156 Chiron Hypercars had been recalled in the U.S. due to lacking a seatbelt chime that was in compliance with U.S. regulations.
Compliance issues aside, what makes this recall especially troubling is that there are so few Chirons. According to Autoevolution, only 501 models have been produced by Bugatti. This means roughly 30% Chirons did not have a seatbelt chime prior to the recall.
Genesis
What would you do if your car stopped working while you were driving it? This worst-case scenario required Genesis, the luxury vehicle brand of Hyundai, to recall 31,000 GV70 and GV80 SUVs as well as G80 and G90 sedans this year, as reported by Consumer Reports. Due to a faulty fuel pump impeller, the model years facing recalls included 2022 and 2023.
Jaguar
Luxury vehicle brand Jaguar recalled 1,995 vehicles this year due to an oil filter housing issue. If it cracked and leaked oil into the engine compartment, the compartment would be at risk of a fire.
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According to the USA Today, some of the 2024 Jaguar vehicles that were recalled included the Defender and Discovery.
Lamborghini
In May 2024, Bloomberg reported roughly 2,133 Lamborghini Urus SUVs were recalled this year to repair car hoods that may unlatch open when driven at speeds of over 94 mph.
Without making these defect repairs, Lamborghini said it would be possible for small gaps to form between the front bumper and the hood. In time, the latch system may fail due to stress from high speeds and result in the hood latch striker separating from the hood.
Lexus
Head restraint issues led Toyota to recall 11,000 Lexus vehicles this year.
According to the USA Today, impacted vehicles include the 2024-2025 Lexus NX and 2024 Lexus RX due to a defect in which driver and front passenger seat head restraints could be removed without pressing the release button.
Mercedes-Benz
Car and Driver reported in March 2024 that 116,020 SUVs had been recalled to repair an issue surrounding a 48-volt ground connection. Found under the passenger seat, the ground connection could come loose and lead to an electrical problem which could result in a fire.
The impacted vehicles include but are not limited to Mercedes-Benz GLE250, GLE450 and GLE580, Mercedes-AMG GLE53 SUV and the Mercedes-Maybach GLS600 within model years between 2019 and 2024.
Porsche
As reported by the USA Today, 31,689 Porsche Taycan vehicles were recalled this year. This was due to an issue surrounding the front brake hoses. These hoses could crack and leak brake fluid and increase the risk of a car crash. Recalled model years include those between 2020 and 2025.
Tesla
Thus far, Tesla has experienced the largest number of recalls in 2024. More than 2.2 million models have been affected, according to Quartz, including the Model Y, Model X, Model 3, Model S and Cybertruck.
If theres a silver lining to be gleaned from millions of Teslas being recalled, however, its that the issue that needed to be fixed was minor. Teslas anti-lock brake, park and brake lights were too small, according to the NHTSA, and could be adjusted with a free software update.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 9 Luxury Car Brands With the Most Recalls in 2024
By Jonathan McCambridge and Rebecca Black, PA
A move to end the winter fuel allowance for all pensioners is to be extended to Northern Ireland, Stormonts Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has confirmed.
Mr Lyons said he strongly disagreed with the move by the Labour government but said there was no additional resource which would allow the region to diverge from the UK decision.
Meanwhile, the Stormont Executive has written to UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer raising concern that the change will have a negative impact on a significant number of people of pension age in Northern Ireland.
Labour has said that the policy will stop winter fuel payments for people in England and Wales who are not in receipt of Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits.
Mr Lyons has now confirmed that the change will also apply to Northern Ireland.
He said: On 29 July 2024 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that entitlement to Winter Fuel Payments in England and Wales would be restricted to those people receiving Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits only. I strongly disagree with this decision.
The estimated additional cost to the block grant of maintaining universal entitlement to a winter fuel payment in Northern Ireland for winter 2024/25 is 44.3 million, and this does not include any additional delivery or staffing costs.
Regrettably, there is no additional resource available in the budget to allow us to diverge from the UK Government's decision without significantly cutting other public services.
I have made clear to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions my total opposition to this decision and outlined the detrimental impact it will have on many people in Northern Ireland.
I am committed to ensuring that people can access all the support to which they are entitled and would encourage anyone affected by these changes to check their benefit entitlement.
Meanwhile, all of the Stormont ministers have written collectively to the Prime Minister on the issue. The letter, seen by the PA news agency, states that ministers convey our collective concern at your Governments intended changes to the Winter Fuel Payments Scheme.
It goes on to say that the decision will have a direct and negative impact on a significant number of people of pension age in Northern Ireland who are already struggling with the consequences of the rise in the cost of living.
Mr Lyons contended Stormont had had no choice in the matter, and that it had been a really bad decision by the UK Government with zero consultation.
Stormont ministers have written to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer about changes to winter fuel payments. Photo: Justin Tallis/PA.
He told BBC Radio Ulster he believes it would have cost Stormont over 44 million to avoid, which would have resulted in very deep cuts to other public services in Northern Ireland.
We consulted with other Executive colleagues and through that urgent procedure process, the First and deputy First Minister have agreed that we will maintain parity and will be doing the same as they are doing in England and Wales, he said.
But I am concerned about this we have really been left in the position of having no decision to make, there was no choice for us and in fact the Government said to us if they didnt have a decision from us today that then they would be forced to remove Northern Ireland from their IT system altogether and that there would be no payments made to anybody this winter.
Whats frustrating for me is that we have had no time to consider how then we could best help those who are most in need. This was landed on our plate at the last minute and wed no time to consult or even find out how we could identify and help those people that really will find this difficult.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt indicated that Stormont ministers were very, very reluctant around the decision.
Im not going to go into the confidentiality of Executive business but I think you can guess for yourself nobody was happy about that, that it was a very, very reluctant decision by each and every member of the Executive to say that we cannot break parity, he told media at Stormont.
Kangana Ranaut's 'Emergency' Film May Be Delayed, Here's What Censor Board Said
Advocate Iman Singh Khara filed a petition challenging the film
Kangana Ranaut's 'Emergency' Film Release: The release of BJP MP and actress Kangana Ranaut's film Emergency may be delayed. During the hearing of the petition filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the Censor Board clarified that the certificate for the film has not yet been issued. With only six days remaining until the films scheduled release, this delay is significant.
Advocate Iman Singh Khara filed a petition challenging the film. In the High Court, Khara stated that the Censor Board submitted its reply, indicating that the release certificate for the film has not been granted yet. According to the response, there are several complaints against the film, and it will receive a certificate only after these complaints have been addressed.
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Gurcharan Singh Grewal, a member of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), stated that while the film portrays Sikh characters accurately, there is an objection to the depiction of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in the trailer. Grewal emphasized that the films content needs to be revised, and any incorrect statements about Sikhs should be removed before the film is allowed to be screened.
Kangana Ranaut also released a video yesterday in which she claimed that the release of the film was being blocked due to threats from the censors, which she alleges are preventing the films release.
(For more news apart from Kangana Ranaut's 'Emergency' Film, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
"Not Everyone is Politician," says Vinesh Phogat at Shambhu Border's Farmers' Protest
Phogat stressed that the farmers' demands should be met and that resolving their issues should be the governments top priority.
Vinesh Phogat at Shambhu Border Farmers Protest Latest News: Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who was disqualified from the Paris Olympics 2024, visited the farmers' protest at the Shambhu border of Punjab-Haryana today.
During her visit, farmer leaders honored her on stage and the event also marked the completion of 200 days of the Kisan Andolan. Following this, Vinesh Phogat will join the ongoing farmers' movement at the Khanuri border.
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At the event, Vinesh Phogat remarked that although it has been 200 days since the farmers began their protest, their enthusiasm remains as strong as on the first day.
She emphasized that not everyone demanding their rights is a politician and that the movement should not be associated with any religion. Phogat stressed that the farmers' demands should be met and that resolving their issues should be the governments top priority.
"I have come to my family," Phogat stated, adding "My country is suffering, and farmers are suffering. Their issues should be resolved, and addressing them should be the governments first priority."
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At the Shambhu border, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said, "It has been 200 days of the agitation. A lot of injustice was done to us. Allegations were leveled against us. We were called Khalistanis and a lot of things. We braved sun, rain, winter and despite all of that, the protest continued peacefully the 200 days."
"This is a major success for us. So, on this occasion, we called farmers here together...She (Vinesh Phogat) too reached here. We felicitated her. Farmers' daughter would stand with farmers..." she added.
(For more news apart from Vinesh Phogat at Shambhu Border Farmers Protest Latest News, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
'Tankhaiya' Sukhbir Singh Badal: Testament of the truth is still far away...
Can a Panthak leader's sin be forgiven simply by washing a few dishes or polishing shoes?
Sukhbir Singh Badal Latest News: All eyes were focused on the Akal Takht, questioning whether they would be able to do justice to the Sikh community and truly understand its concerns. The challenging period that Punjab and Sikhs are currently experiencing can be attributed largely to Sikh politicians, who have prioritized their ambitions over the interests of Sikhi and Punjab. The collective voice of every panth-loving individual in Punjab now calls for decisions that can restore the nations faith in these key authorities.
On Friday, Sukhbir Singh Badal was declared a 'Tankhaiya', but at the same time, a message was conveyed that the then government led by Shiromani Akali Dal and BJP, was responsible. It is worth mentioning that the 'Tankhaiya' was imposed on the founder of 'Spokesman' as well in an attempt to suppress the voice of truth. Pure politics is at play behind Sukhbir's 'thappe'.
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We are all well aware of the entire process following Sauda Sadh's amnesty, recognizing that the salaried practice is often used as a political weapon. Only a few gullible people believe this is a significant step, but internally, it is merely used to distract the public.
Can a Panthak leader's decision to appoint Sumedh Saini as the DGP of Punjab or order the firing of Sikh youth be forgiven simply by washing a few dishes or polishing shoes? Forgiveness will be achieved by reinstating trust in politicians among the people, and genuine remorse must be evident for that to happen. Actions like those of the Shiromani Akali Dal president or similar moves are merely political chess plays, and the public understands this. If such tactics continue, the Akali Dal (Badal) will never regain the trust of the people.
The heart of a Sikh is vast. Guru Sahib himself made room for even the most unlikely people. True repentance is the only genuine way to atone for mistakes. Today, there is a need to invite Sikh intellectuals who are loyal only to the Gurus and not subservient to politicians to a public Sikh platform to establish the goals of the reform movement.
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Politicians need to be removed from sectarian positions and confined to politics alone. Sectarian issues should not be allowed to become weapons of politics. The decision to declare Sukhbir Badal a salaried individual still seems to be part of a political plan rather than a step toward genuine reform. This influence must be overcome by the five main authorities and no one else.
August 31, 2024
Click here for a roundup of local and world news
Newsflash
Newsroom, 31.08.2024, 13:55
LANGUAGE The Romanian Language Day is celebrated today both in Romania and in the R. of Moldova, where this holiday was first introduced, to mark a return to the Romanian language and Latin alphabet in the former Soviet Republic. Special events are held on both sides of the river Prut. In a message posted on this occasion, president Klaus Iohannis said the Romanian language is not just a set of words, but a means to pass on an invaluable cultural heritage that we are leaving for the future generations to cherish and enrich. As Mr. Iohannis emphasised, since last year the Romanian language has also been the official language of Moldova, after a law was promulgated by president Maia Sandu, replacing the phrase Moldovan language with the phrase Romanian language. This has been essential to restoring a historic fact, namely that Romanians living on both sides of the river Prut share a common language, culture and history, Iohannis said. According to him, Romanian is studied in 59 universities in 37 countries in the world. Public reading sessions, art exhibitions, film screenings, music recitals are organised by Romanian cultural institutes around the world to mark the Romanian Language Day.
VISIT The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, and the president of Moldova, Maia Sandu, signed in Chisinau on Saturday a joint declaration on bilateral cooperation to consolidate resilience in the Republic of Moldova. The document defines and strengthens bilateral cooperation in this critical area for consolidating and safeguarding democracy and stability in the neighbouring state. President Maia Sandu said Romania had invested massively in the development of Moldova and remained the staunchest supporter of its EU accession efforts at international level. In turn, Klaus Iohannis promised that Bucharests commitment to supporting Chisinau in any crisis, including in the energy sector, is firmer than ever. According to Iohannis, the hybrid war waged against the Republic of Moldova and its citizens is growing more intense and taking ever more severe forms. Romania will be the most reliable and active supporter of Moldovas EU accession efforts, and I encourage all international partners to provide consistent and long-term support to this country and its citizens, Iohannis added. His visit to Chisinau took takes place as Romania and Moldova celebrate the Romanian Language Day on August 31.
RATING Fitch Rating Friday reconfirmed Romanias long- and short-term foreign-currency government debt rating at BBB-/F3 with a stable outlook, the finance ministry reports. According to the institution, the decision is supported by the capital inflow from the European Union, which sustains the countrys income convergence, foreign financing and macroeconomic stability, as well as a positive trend in the GDP per capita and in governance and human development indices, which are above BBB category peers. The international institutions decision reconfirms the confidence in the measures taken by the Romanian government to ensure public funding sustainability, the finance minister Marcel Bolos said. On the other hand, these strengths are balanced against large budget and current account deficits relative to peers, high budget rigidities, and a fairly high net external debtor position. The agency expects Romanias economy to grow by 2.5% this year.
ENESCU As of today, the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest is hosting the 19th edition of the George Enescu International Competition, one of the best known and most prestigious competitions in international classical music. Until September 27, some of the worlds best performers, as well as up-and-coming artists and orchestras, will come together in Bucharest. Three competitions are held: cello, violin and piano. The novelty of the 2024 edition are the master classes. Held between September 23 and 27, they consist in conducting, violin, piano and cello workshops, coordinated by Maestro Cristian Macelaru. The world-acclaimed Romanian artist is, among other things, the musical director of the National Orchestra of France, and of the Cincinnati Symphonic Orchestra. The opening concert, the 3 competition finals, 5 recitals given by jury members and by winners of previous editions, as well as the closing concert, will be aired live by Radio Romania Music. At the suggestion of Radio Romania Music, the 2024 George Enescu International Competitions opening concert is included in the Euroradio Summer Season, one of the most important projects of the European Broadcasting Union, which airs concerts and recitals from the most important European festivals. The George Enescu International Competition was launched in September 1958. Alternating with the George Enescu International Festival, the Competition quickly grew into one of the most valuable events of this kind in Europe, and since 2002 it has been a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions. (AMP)
By Rocky Swift and Kevin Buckland
TOKYO (Reuters) - U.S. fund Artisan Partners Asset Management ramped up pressure on Japan's Seven and i holdings, calling on the board to provide an update on a takeover bid from Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard (ACT) by Sept. 19.
In a letter dated Friday and sent to journalists, Artisan portfolio managers N. David Samra and Benjamin L. Herrick recommended that Seven & i, operator of the 7-Eleven convenience store chain in Japan, seriously consider ACT's offer, and to solicit offers for the company's Japanese subsidiaries "as quickly as possible."
"ACT is uniquely positioned to enhance (Seven & i's) corporate value," Samra and Herrick wrote.
"Negotiating with ACT is the best tactic to preserve positive stakeholder outcomes in Japan," they said. "It is imperative that the board of directors negotiate with ACT immediately to achieve the best possible outcome for shareholders."
Artisan's letter, which was highly critical of Seven & i's track record of enhancing corporate value, highlights the pressure on the company from shareholders over the potential deal, which would likely be the biggest-ever overseas buyout of a Japanese firm.
ACT, which is the owner of Circle-K convenience stores, last week said it had approached Seven & i about a possible acquisition, without disclosing a potential deal value.
Artisan has been a critic of Seven & i's management and structure since 2019, when the letter says it became a shareholder. It said it is an active - not activist - shareholder, which engages with corporate management and boards. (This story has been corrected to fix the spelling of 'alimentation,' in paragraph 1)
(Reporting by Rocky Swift; Writing by Kevin Buckland; Editing by Stephen Coates)
August 31, 2024 UPDATE
Click here for a roundup of local and world news
Newsflash
Newsroom, 31.08.2024, 20:00
LANGUAGE The Romanian Language Day was celebrated on Saturday both in Romania and in the R. of Moldova, where this holiday was first introduced, to mark a return to the Romanian language and Latin alphabet in the former Soviet Republic. Special events were held on both sides of the river Prut. In a message posted on this occasion, president Klaus Iohannis said the Romanian language is not just a set of words, but a means to pass on the cultural heritage and an invaluable heritage we are leaving for the future generations to cherish and enrich. As Mr. Iohannis emphasised, since last year the Romanian language has also been the official language of Moldova, after a law was promulgated by president Maia Sandu, replacing the phrase Moldovan language with the phrase Romanian language. This has been essential to restoring a historic fact, namely that Romanians living on both sides of the river Prut share a common language, culture and history, Iohannis said. According to him, Romanian is studied in 59 universities in 37 countries in the world. Public reading sessions, art exhibitions, film screenings, music recitals are organised by Romanian cultural institutes around the world to mark the Romanian Language Day.
VISIT The president of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, Saturday was on an official visit to the Republic of Moldova, for talks with his counterpart Maia Sandu. On this occasion, the two officials signed a Joint Declaration on bilateral cooperation to consolidate the resilience of the Republic of Moldova, which has received consistent support from Romania so far to withstand the many challenges it has been facing. According to Iohannis, the hybrid war waged against the Republic of Moldova and its citizens is growing more intense and taking ever more severe forms. He emphasized that Romanias strategic commitment to supporting the democratic development of Moldova would remain unwavering in the long run, and called on all international partners to provide consistent support in its EU accession efforts. In turn, Maia Sandu said Romania played a vital part in consolidating her countrys energy independence, and also highlighted Bucharests support in the EU accession process. The Romanian presidents visit to Chisinau took place as Romania and Moldova celebrated the Romanian Language Day on August 31.
RATING Fitch Rating Friday reconfirmed Romanias long- and short-term foreign-currency government debt rating at BBB-/F3 with a stable outlook, the finance ministry reports. According to the institution, the decision is supported by the capital inflow from the European Union, which sustains the countrys income convergence, foreign financing and macroeconomic stability, as well as a positive trend in the GDP per capita and in governance and human development indices, which are above BBB category peers. The international institutions decision reconfirms the confidence in the measures taken by the Romanian government to ensure public funding sustainability, the finance minister Marcel Bolos said. On the other hand, these strengths are balanced against large budget and current account deficits relative to peers, high budget rigidities, and a fairly high net external debtor position. The agency expects Romanias economy to grow by 2.5% this year.
PENSIONS A bill on raising the pension tax threshold in Romania from EUR 400 at present to EUR 600 is to be endorsed next week in the Chamber of Deputies, the decision-making body in this respect, the culture minister Raluca Turcan announced. She said the measure had been promoted since 2022 by the National Liberal Party, and that after its endorsement in Parliament it would take effect on October 1. The ruling coalition comprising the Social Democratic Party and the National Liberal Party decided a few days ago that the new bill should be rushed through Parliament, instead of being endorsed by the government under an emergency order.
LAW The legislation regarding extended restraining orders took effect in Romania on Saturday. The goal is to protect all victims, irrespective of their relations with the abuser. The justice minister, Alina Ghorghiu, says that previously, restraining orders were only issued for cases of domestic violence, but the new legislation also includes psychological abuse. She encouraged all victims to seek protection and to report abuse cases, regardless of the form of abuse and of who the abuser is. In this context, the Romanian justice ministry has initiated an awareness raising campaign called Living in fear is not living. In 2023, nearly 80,000 cases of domestic violence were reported to the police, and in over 30,000 cases the victims were women. (AMP)
THE WEEK IN REVIEW
26-30 August, 2024
Eveniment top
Eugen Coroianu, 31.08.2024, 13:00
Elections upon elections!
The Romanian government adopted the calendar for this years presidential elections. The first round will take place on November 24, and the second will be on December 8. Last week, the executive also decided the calendar of the legislative elections, scheduled to take place on December 1, the National Day. This year, European parliamentary and local elections also took place in June. The PSD and PNL candidates, Marcel Ciolacu and Nicolae Ciuca, would enter the second round of the presidential elections, if the voting were held on Sunday according to a CURS survey carried out between August 6-22. Regarding the parliamentary elections, PSD would lead in the preferences of the electorate, followed by its governing partner, PNL. The current PSD-PNL coalition can work in the future as well, believes Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, the leader of the Social Democrats. He believes that the future government could be inaugurated before Christmas, on December 23. According to him, despite the acid statements coming from both sides on the background of the launch of the candidacies for the presidential election, the Bucharest executive will work in the current formula until the general elections. The prime minister also said that, in the future, PSD sees no other coalition in power than that with the National Liberal Party. The president of the Liberals, Nicolae Ciuca, also pleaded for the continuation of the government, regardless of what happens in the coalition.
Pension chaos
The week was notable in Romania for the chaos created by the new law on indexation of state pensions. Through this, the rulers aimed to correct certain discrepancies in the system, but the result displeased hundreds of thousands of people. Even though a large part of pensions have increased, many have received recalculation decisions where the income is lower or even much lower than what they were receiving until now. In addition, some categories of pensioners say that after the recalculation they will no longer benefit from periodical indexation for many years from now. They are also afraid that these decisions that reduce their pensions could be applied in the future, although both the prime minister and the relevant minister have given multiple assurances that, regardless of the result of the recalculation on paper, no pension will decrease. People also report many miscalculations. In any case, the so-called special pensions of certain categories of employees, much larger and not based on contributions, were not affected in any way. In order to calm the tensions, the pension taxation threshold will increase, from October 1, from the current 2,000 lei (400 euros) to 3,000 lei (600 euros), as announced by the minister of labor, Simona Bucura-Oprescu. Whether or not the pension chaos will influence the upcoming election remains to be seen.
Budget deficit above expectations
Romanias budget deficit exceeded, after the first 7 months of this year, the threshold of 4% of the Gross Domestic Product, according to data from the Ministry of Finance. The analysis of the budget execution shows that the State had, in the January-July period, total revenues of over 331 billion lei (the equivalent of over 66 billion euros), an increase of over 15 percent compared to the first 7 months of 2023. The expenses, however, increased by over 23%, reaching more than 402 billion lei (over 80 billion euros). We remind you that the budget for this year is built on a deficit of 5 percent of GDP. On the other hand, the Minister of Investments and European Projects, Adrian Caciu, announced that Romania has so far collected funds from the Cohesion Policy worth almost 24 billion euros in the 2014-2020 financial year, and has reached a level of absorption of over 99%.
Heatwave and drought
Romanian farmers whose crops were destroyed by the drought will receive compensation from the government. The measures, which will be adopted next week, aim to grant funds for this summers damage, but also a mechanism to insure autumn and spring crops. The Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, specified that up to 3,000 lei per hectare (about 600 euros) will be granted, something that will lead to the unlocking of credit for farmers, according to discussions with bank representatives. The necessary funds will be provided from the national contribution, to which is added 17 million euros from the risk fund of the European Union. Also, the State aid scheme called Farmers Credit will be supplemented with 400 million lei (approximately 80 million euros). Soil drought has settled in Romania in several areas after an extremely hot and dry summer.
Two pieces of good news
Romania officially received the approval in the field of competition within the process of joining the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. According to a press release from the Competition Council, the opinion was issued after the completion of the evaluation process of the activity carried out in the period 2018-2022. During the analysis, the Council had to demonstrate that the way it acts meets the requirements of the international organization. Recommendations were also made, and the status of their implementation will be presented in a years time. Joining the OECD is a priority for Romania, being considered the third major strategic objective after joining NATO and the European Union. On the other hand, the administration inWashington would announce, on October 15, a decision regarding the lifting of visas for Romanians, which would apply starting from 2025, stated government sources from Bucharest.
Across its entire portfolio of hybrids and EVs, Hyundai will focus on improving safety and in-car tech features
As BEV demand slows down, Hyundai will focus on developing new range extender electric vehicles. This is part of Hyundais new mid- to long-term strategic roadmap, referred to as the Hyundai Way. Hyundai will continue to focus on BEVs as well, although not as aggressively as planned earlier.
Hyundai range extender EVs Key details
Users can expect an exhilarating performance, as Hyundais range extender EVs will be offered in an all-wheel drive format. They will have dual-electric motors. With the new powertrain and power electronics (PT/PE), Hyundais new range extender electric vehicles will offer a range of more than 900 km. In range extender EVs, the ICE engine works as a generator to charge the battery pack. Propulsion is provided via the electric motor that connects to the battery pack.
Hyundais new range extender powertrains will be seen first with the Genesis and Hyundai branded D-segment SUVs in the United States. In China, the C-segment models will be getting the range extender powertrain by 2026. For its range extender EVs, Hyundai has set a sales target of 80,000 units in the US and 30,000 in China.
Hyundai will also step up focus on introducing new hybrid models. Equipped with the second-generation Transmission Mounted Electric Device (TMED-II), these new hybrid models from Hyundai will debut in January next year. The TMED-II is designed to deliver enhanced performance and fuel efficiency.
Hyundais new range extender and hybrid models will borrow a number of features from its BEV models. Some examples include vehicle to load (V2L) function and adaptive regenerative braking. Hyundai will focus on introducing new models in its existing compact and midsize hybrid lineup. The new models will include small, large and luxury vehicles. This will allow Hyundai to expand its hybrid portfolio from the current 7 to 14. It will include the Genesis models, all of which (excluding pure EVs) will be getting hybrid options.
21 BEV models by 2030
Although BEV demand has slowed down, Hyundai will continue to launch new models. Hyundai expects the BEV demand to recover by around 2030. In the next 6 years, Hyundai will be introducing 21 BEVs. New Genesis EV models will also be launched such as a high-performance model based on the GV60 Magma concept. Hyundai will also focus on developing its next-gen batteries, one of which is the solid-state battery packs.
Another key development is implementation of cell-to-body (CTB) technology. This technology will be seen with the upcoming Proton eMas 7. With the cells integrated into the vehicles body structure, the weight can be reduced by around 10%. Hyundai is also developing a nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery that will allow EVs to be more affordable. Battery performance will also be improved by more than 20%, as these battery packs have higher energy density.
In terms of safety, Hyundai aims to improve its battery management system with the addition of AI-based battery life management functions. Also under development is an advanced cooling system that will help prevent thermal runaway fires. Tech upgrades are also on the radar. Projects underway include a new infotainment system, new centre touchscreens, a conversational voice control system and upgrades to Hyundais autonomous driving tech.
To promote the car in the Japanese market, Suzuki has showcased the made in India Fronx at a bullet train station
Launched last year in April, Maruti Suzuki Fronx has emerged as a bestseller in the sub-4-meter SUV segment. In 14 months, sales have crossed 1.5 lakh units. Fronx is also doing well across overseas markets. It was ranked as the second most exported car from India in July 2024.
Fronx showcased at bullet train station
Among the export markets, Fronx is being shipped to Japan as well. The first batch of 1,600 units of Fronx were sent to Japan earlier this month. Fronx is exclusively manufactured at Maruti Suzukis Gujarat facility. The units for Japan were shipped from Gujarats Pipavav port. There is no change in the name, although Fronx will be sold as a Suzuki product in the Japanese market. Fronx is the second Maruti Suzuki product to be exported to Japan. The first was Baleno.
To ensure Fronx gets a good response in Japan, Suzuki will showcase Fronx at various Shinkansen bullet train stations in the country. Shinkansen is Japans high speed rail network that ensures fast and seamless connectivity for Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka. These are the three largest metropolitan areas in Japan. Suzukis strategy has potential to provide good visibility to Fronx, as lakhs of commuters use the Shinkansen bullet trains every day.
Reports indicate that Fronx has already received more than 700 bookings in Japan. This number is expected to rise in the coming months. In India, Fronx sales were at 10,925 units in July 2024. The SUV was placed at fourth place in the list of bestselling sub-4-meter SUVs. Fronx has a market share of more than 10%.
India-spec Fronx vs. Japan-spec Fronx Key Differences
In Japan and other export markets, Fronx is equipped with a mild-hybrid 1.5-litre petrol engine. Transmission choices include 5-speed manual and a 6-speed torque converter automatic. The latter comes with paddle shifters. This powertrain option is not available in India. Users here can choose from the 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine and the 1.2-litre NA petrol unit.
The turbo petrol engine generates 100 PS and 147.6 Nm. Transmission choices include 5-speed manual and 6AT. The 1.2-litre engine delivers 89.73 PS and 113 Nm. It is mated to either a 5-speed manual or 5AMT transmission. This engine is also available in CNG format. When running on CNG, it generates 77.5 PS and 98.5 Nm. Fronx CNG is offered with a 5-speed manual transmission.
In addition to a larger capacity engine, Fronx customers in Japan also benefit from Suzukis AllGrip Select AWD tech. This feature is exclusively for the Japanese market. For other export markets, Fronx is offered with the standard FWD option. Interior themes are also distinct for Japan-spec Fronx.
Safety kit includes more features and includes ADAS as well. Such upgrades may be challenging in India due to cost issues. Fronx is positioned as an affordable sub-4-meter SUV in India. It is competitively priced, starting at Rs 7.52 lakh.
Australian Ethical Investment Limited's (ASX:AEF) periodic dividend will be increasing on the 18th of September to A$0.06, with investors receiving 20% more than last year's A$0.05. This takes the annual payment to 1.9% of the current stock price, which unfortunately is below what the industry is paying.
See our latest analysis for Australian Ethical Investment
Australian Ethical Investment's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage
While yield is important, another factor to consider about a company's dividend is whether the current payout levels are feasible. Prior to this announcement, Australian Ethical Investment's dividend made up quite a large proportion of earnings but only 51% of free cash flows. In general, cash flows are more important than earnings, so we are comfortable that the dividend will be sustainable going forward, especially with so much cash left over for reinvestment.
Earnings per share could rise by 13.3% over the next year if things go the same way as they have for the last few years. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio could reach 86%, which is on the higher side, but certainly still feasible.
Dividend Volatility
The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. The annual payment during the last 10 years was A$0.016 in 2014, and the most recent fiscal year payment was A$0.08. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 17% a year over that time. Australian Ethical Investment has grown distributions at a rapid rate despite cutting the dividend at least once in the past. Companies that cut once often cut again, so we would be cautious about buying this stock solely for the dividend income.
Australian Ethical Investment Might Find It Hard To Grow Its Dividend
With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to evaluate if earnings per share is growing, which could point to a growing dividend in the future. It's encouraging to see that Australian Ethical Investment has been growing its earnings per share at 13% a year over the past five years. Recently, the company has been able to grow earnings at a decent rate, but with the payout ratio on the higher end we don't think the dividend has many prospects for growth.
In Summary
In summary, while it's always good to see the dividend being raised, we don't think Australian Ethical Investment's payments are rock solid. The payments haven't been particularly stable and we don't see huge growth potential, but with the dividend well covered by cash flows it could prove to be reliable over the short term. This company is not in the top tier of income providing stocks.
Story continues
It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. For example, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Australian Ethical Investment that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
ASIA
Afghanistan
Expected Council
In September, the Security Council will convene for its quarterly open briefing on Afghanistan. Special Representative and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) Roza Otunbayeva and UN Women Executive Director Sima Sami Bahous are expected to brief. A civil society representative may brief as well. Closed consultations are scheduled to follow the briefing.
UNAMAs mandate expires on 17 March 2025.
Key Recent Developments
On 21 June, Otunbayeva; Lisa Doughten, the Director of the Financing and Partnership Division of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA); and Manizha Wafeq, the co-founder of the Afghanistan Womens Chamber of Commerce and Industry, briefed the Council. Otunbayeva said that in UNAMAs consultations with Afghan people, there is broad agreement that the de facto authorities should not be recognised until the issues of womens rights, girls education and an acceptable constitution are addressed. Doughten noted that approximately 23.7 million people in Afghanistanmore than half the populationneed humanitarian assistance. She described how the adverse effects of climate change, manifested by the increased number and intensity of extreme weather events, had exacerbated the humanitarian situation in the country. Wafeq described the severe restrictions that the Taliban authorities had imposed on womens rights, including in the educational and employment spheres, and asserted that the participation and rights of Afghan women are essential and non-negotiable.
In a 15 August press release, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) observed that Afghanistan is the only country in the world where secondary and higher education is strictly forbidden to girls and women, with 1.4 million girls deliberately deprived of secondary education since the Taliban took power in 2021.
From 30 June to 1 July, the UN convened the third meeting of Special Envoys and Special Representatives on Afghanistan on 30 June and 1 July in Doha, Qatar. Taliban officials participated, which they had not in the first two Doha meetings, in May 2023 and in February. Over 25 countries and international organisations took part in the meeting. The discussion focused on two tracks: economic matters (including developing the private sector) and counter-narcotics. As an outgrowth of the meeting, working groups are expected to be established on private sector economic matters and counter-narcotics that will develop lines of communication between the Taliban and donor countries and states in the region. Civil society representatives (including women) were excluded from the discussion.
Briefing the press following the meeting, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, who represented the UN, indicated that although the de facto authorities (that is, the Taliban) would not sit across the table with Afghan civil society in this formatthey heard very clearly the need to include women and civil society in all aspects of public life.
The Taliban released The Law on the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice on 21 August, which restricts women from speaking, singing, and showing their faces and bodies in public. Special Representative Otunbayeva issued a statement on 25 August in which she asserted that the new law is a distressing vision for Afghanistans future.
On 21 August, the Taliban barred Richard Bennett, the UN Human Rights Councils Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, from entering the country. Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a foreign ministry spokesman for the Taliban, claimed that Bennetts reports are based on prejudices and anecdotes harmful to the interests of Afghanistan and its people.
On 12 July, extremists from the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, which is affiliated with Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), reportedly killed eight Pakistani soldiers in a suicide attack on a military base in Bannu, Pakistan. Pakistan has accused the Taliban of giving refuge to the TTP in Afghanistan, including at a 19 July press briefing by its Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Taliban has denied these accusations.
The Taliban announced on 17 August that it had signed agreements worth $2.5 billion in trade and investment with neighbouring Uzbekistan. These agreements were finalised during a visit of Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov to Afghanistan.
On 21 August, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) accepted the credentials of Badruddin Haqqani as the Talibans ambassador to the UAE. The UAE is only the second country to accept diplomatic credentials from a Taliban envoy, after China did so on 30 January.
Women, Peace and Security
On 13 August, UN Women issued a policy paper taking stock of the effects of three years of Taliban rule on Afghan women and girls. The paper aimed to alert the international community about the consequences of diminished attention to the womens rights crisis and limited investments in womens resilience in Afghanistan. It said that three years of edicts, statements and decrees by the de facto authorities have targeted the rights, lives and bodies of women and girls, closing spaces for them in their households and communities as well as nationally. None of these decrees has been reversed, with the paper noting that Afghan women and international human rights advocates increasingly refer to the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan as gender apartheid. The paper identified several actions and principles for the international community, such as supporting women-led civil society organisations through long-term flexible funding and committing to assigning at least 30 percent of all funding for Afghanistan to initiatives focused on gender equality and womens rights. It said that, from 2005 to 2020, 80 percent of peace negotiations did not include Afghan women, noting that the legacy of decades of womens exclusion from key discussions and agreement has resulted in a pathway that continues today. As a result, the paper called for involving women in all decision-making forums that concern the future of Afghanistan and warned against the normalisation of discriminatory practices as well as actions that could unintentionally support or normalize the Talibans discriminatory policies, norms and values.
Key Issues and Options
How to engage with the Taliban authorities on security and humanitarian issues is a key issue for the Council. Council members could consider inviting DiCarlo to brief them on the formation and envisioned activities of the working groups arising from the third Doha meeting and on any plans for future meetings of Special Envoys and Special Representatives on Afghanistan, including with the participation of the Taliban.
The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is a significant issue for the Council. An informal meeting with humanitarian organisations working in Afghanistan could allow Council members to learn more about the problems facing those working to deliver aid in the country while also providing an opportunity to consider whether there is anything the Council can do to help manage these challenges.
The human rights situation in Afghanistan, particularly for women and girls, is another major issue. Council members could hold an informal meeting with representatives of UN Women, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, and civil society to discuss how the Council can exert pressure on the Taliban regarding its practices and policies that restrict human rights.
The Council could also consider reviewing the 1988 Afghanistan sanctions regime, which, apart from the humanitarian exception established by resolution 2615, has not been updated since the Taliban seized power in August 2021. Such a review could analyse whether the regime is fit for purpose or whether it should be updated in light of current circumstances.
The terrorist threat in Afghanistan is another key concern. The Council could meet with a counter-terrorism expert, which would give members a chance to discuss possible options for bolstering the Councils efforts to manage the threat posed by terrorism in Afghanistan.
Council Dynamics
While Council members are generally united in their desire to see a prosperous, peaceful Afghanistan free from terrorism and ruled by an inclusive government, they have been divided over how to achieve this goal.
Some members, including the P3 (France, the UK, and the US) and other like-minded states, have argued that the Taliban must adhere to international norms if they want to obtain international recognition and receive economic and development aid from the international community. Several of these members appear to favour maintaining pressure on the Taliban, particularly regarding their policies and practices that violate the rights of women and girls.
China and Russia, on the other hand, have contended that the international community should provide assistance to Afghanistan without linking it to other issues, such as human rights, and appear to prefer dialogue and engagement with the Taliban without any increased pressure. China has sent an ambassador to Kabul and, on 30 January, became the first country to accept diplomatic credentials from a Taliban envoy. Beijing has emphasised, however, that it has not officially recognised the Taliban regime as Afghanistans government. Russia invited the Taliban to its economic forum in St. Petersburg, which took place from 5 to 8 June, and is also considering removing the Taliban from its list of banned terrorist organisations.
Council members considered issuing a press statement critical of the release of The Law on the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice on 21 August. However, the statement was not agreed, as two members questioned the value of such a product at the current time; in this regard, they reportedly maintained that the law was an internal issue, that UNAMA was still studying its implications, and that other Council products had already noted the challenge to womens rights in the country.
Japan is the penholder on Afghanistan while Ecuador is the chair of the 1988 Sanctions Committee.
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AFRICA
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Expected Council Action
In September, the Security Council will hold a briefing and consultations on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The anticipated briefer is Bintou Keita, the Special Representative and Head of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO).
MONUSCOs mandate expires on 20 December.
Key Recent Developments
During her recent briefing to the Council in July, Keita described the deteriorating security situation in the eastern DRC, expressing extreme concern about the rapid expansion in North Kivu province of the Mouvement du 23 mars (M23), which has captured several strategic locations. The violence in North Kivu has exacerbated the humanitarian situation there, with more than 2.5 million people internally displaced in the province, according to OCHA. Keita also noted the expansion of the conflict to South Kivu province, increasing communal tensions.
On 4 July, the US announced that a humanitarian truce had been agreed by the parties to the conflict in eastern DRC. The truce, which took effect at midnight on 5 July and continued for two weeks, until 19 July, appears to be a follow-up to the November 2023 visit by US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines to the DRC and Rwanda and her ensuing interaction with their presidents, Felix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame. The truce was extended for another two weeks until 3 August with the hope that the parties would eventually agree to a durable cessation of hostilities.
While the truce was largely respected, there were allegations of violations, with the situation in North Kivu remaining volatile. According to OCHA, at least seven people were killed and eight injured in Bweremana (in the Masisi territory in North Kivu) when two bombs exploded on 15 and 16 July.
On 30 July, the DRC and Rwanda signed a ceasefire agreement in Luanda under Angolas auspices, which took effect on 4 August. Based on the agreement, the ceasefire will be monitored by the Ad-Hoc Verification Mechanism established as part of the Luanda processa regional initiative under the leadership of Angolas President Joao Lourenco to ease tensions between the DRC and Rwanda. The two countries foreign ministers met again in Luanda on August 20 and 21 to continue discussing the peace agreement proposed by Angola to find a lasting and durable solution to the long-standing conflict in eastern DRC.
The Security Council welcomed the signing of the ceasefire agreement in resolution 2746 of 6 August. The resolution authorised MONUSCO to provide operational and logistical support to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), operating in the eastern DRC since December 2023. On 17 August, SADC held its ordinary summit in Harare, Zimbabwe, and commended Angola for its role as a mediator. However, the communique released after the summit did not mention the adoption of resolution 2746.
In June, MONUSCO concluded the withdrawal of its forces from South Kivu in accordance with the disengagement plan agreed with the Congolese government and endorsed by the Security Council in resolution 2717 of 19 December 2023. The process faced some challenges, however, including a lack of adequate resources, including logistics and manpower, and the deteriorating security situation. In resolution 2746, the Council urged MONUSCO to consolidate the handover of responsibilities to the DRC Government in South Kivu and to continue to jointly plan the next steps of the gradual, responsible and sustainable withdrawal of the mission before further moving forward.
Human Rights-Related Developments
On 4 July, UN Human Rights eocratic Republic of Congo. The experts noted that between August 2023 and June 2024, at least 531 victims of conflict-related sexual violence were reported in the provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, Tanganyika, and Maniema. They highlighted several challenges that prevent victims from reporting to authorities and UN entities, including fear of reprisals by armed groups, social stigma, inadequate tracking of abducted victims who may be trafficked, difficulties in identification, delayed referral to protection services, and widespread impunity. The experts expressed concern that with the MONUSCO withdrawal, key components of early warning systems for human rights violations will no longer be operational, significantly limiting human rights monitoring, reporting, and investigation. They called on the DRC government to guarantee unhindered access for human rights actors across the entire territory to ensure the documentation and prevention of human rights violations, including those related to conflict-related sexual violence and human trafficking.xperts expressed alarm at reports of widespread human trafficking, particularly sexual slavery and exploitation, as well as the increasing number of child and forced marriages resulting from conflict and displacement in the eastern Dem
Women, Peace and Security
A survey conducted in April by Epicentrea non-profit organisation that conducts field epidemiology activities and research projects for Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)recorded alarming levels of violence, particularly sexual violence, in and around four displaced persons camps near Goma, in eastern DRC, which together house over 200,000 people. More than ten percent of women respondents aged 20 to 44 reported having been raped in the five months before the survey, with rates exceeding 17 percent of women in this age group in some camps. The survey also showed a high incidence of sexual violence among teenage girls and women over 45. In a 5 August press release about the survey, Camille Niel, MSFs emergency coordinator in Goma, said that these findings align with the high number of sexual violence cases treated by MSFs medical teams in displaced persons sites around Goma. Niel added that victims and survivors of sexual violence have reported being attacked by men, often armed, in the forests and fields where they have to go to collect firewood or the food they need to feed their families as well as during violent incidents inside the camps. The persistence of the violence is leaving patients treated by MSF at high risk of being attacked again once they leave their clinics. In the press release, MSF urged authorities to guarantee the security of displaced persons sites and called on aid agencies to increase food assistance and income-generating activities in the sites and to support accommodation and shelter for victims and survivors of sexual violence in serious danger of being attacked again.
Key Issues and Options
A key issue for Council members remains the security situation in the eastern DRC and how to find a lasting solution to the conflict through diplomatic means. In September, Council members will be keen to learn about the ceasefire agreements implementation. Council members could invite Angola to brief the Council on its ongoing mediation efforts and the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.
Also a key issue is MONUSCOs disengagement process. Council members expect to receive updates from the mission and the Congolese government on efforts being exerted to consolidate the handover of security responsibilities in South Kivu. At the July meeting, France, the co-penholder on the DRC, noted that the conditions that made the missions withdrawal from South Kivu possible are not yet in place in North Kivu and Ituri, the two other provinces where MONUSCO operates. In this regard, France welcomed the Congolese Governments determination to consolidate the transfer of responsibility in South Kivu before moving on to the next stages.
The logistical and operational support provided by MONUSCO to SAMIDRC will be another issue. The Council has requested the Secretary-General to report by 15 November on the support provided to the force in line with resolution 2746 and the challenges encountered.
Council Dynamics
Council members remain seriously concerned about the security and humanitarian situation in the eastern DRC. They all seem to agree that the solution to this long-standing issue is political, and they continue to support regional efforts. Some Council members continue to call for external actors to stop supporting armed groups in eastern DRC. In particular, the US, France, Switzerland, and Slovenia remain vocal on the issue and continue to mention Rwandas role in the region.
Council members continue to stress that the MONUSCO disengagement process must be implemented in a gradual, conditions-based, and responsible manner. At the July meeting, several Council members stressed the need to avoid leaving a security vacuum and called on the Congolese government to assume its security responsibilities to protect civilians.
Regarding MONUSCOs support to SAMIDRC, the A3+1 members (the African members, currently Algeria, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, and Guyana) emphasised the importance of resolution 2746 in facilitating cooperation between MONUSCO and SAMIDRC and in strengthening capacity, enhancing security, and reducing protection risks for civilians. While supporting the resolution, the US raised concerns about providing air assets and armoured vehicles to SAMIDRC, fearing it could escalate regional tensions. The UK also echoed these concerns.
France and Sierra Leone are the co-penholders on the DRC. Ambassador Michael Imran Kanu (Sierra Leone) chairs the 1533 DRC Sanctions Committee.
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AMERICAS
Haiti
Expected Council Action
In September, the Security Council may renew the authorisation of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti, which resolution 2699 of 2 October 2023 authorised for an initial period of 12 months to help Haitian authorities re-establish security in the country and build conditions conducive to holding free and fair elections.
Background and Key Recent Developments
After the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021, Haiti descended into a multidimensional crisis characterised by political deadlock, extreme violence, and dire humanitarian conditions. Criminal gangs have overrun an estimated 80 percent of Port-au-Prince, the capital, employing brutal tactics such as kidnapping, sexual violence, and murder to subdue and subjugate the civilian population. The country also continues to suffer from a governance crisis as elections have not taken place since 2016.
In October 2022, the Haitian government appealed for the immediate deployment of an international specialised force to temporarily reinforce the efforts of the Haitian National Police (HNP) to combat gangs. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres endorsed the request, recommending that [o]ne or several Member States, acting bilaterally at the invitation of and in cooperation with the Government of Haiti, could deploy, as a matter of urgency, a rapid action force to support the HNP. In July 2023, ten months after Haitis initial request, Kenya agreed to lead a multinational force to the country, pledging to deploy 1,000 police officers. After Kenyas announcement, several countriesincluding the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Chad, and Jamaicadeclared their intention to participate in the force.
Although the UN would not administer the proposed mission, Kenya, Haiti, and other stakeholders sought Security Council authorisation for the deployment. The Council on 2 October 2023 adopted resolution 2699, authorising member states to form and deploy the MSS mission to Haiti. The resolution mandated the mission to provide operational support to the HNP to counter gangsincluding by building its capacity through the planning and conduct of joint security support operationsand to support the HNP in the protection of critical infrastructure sites.
The resolution authorised the mission for an initial period of 12 months, to be reviewed after nine months, and required participating countries to notify the Secretary-General of their intention to contribute personnel. Additionally, it specified that the cost of the operation would be borne by voluntary contributions and support from individual countries and regional organisations. Subsequent assessments indicated that the mission would total up to 2,500 officers, deployed in phases, at an annual cost of approximately $600 million.
The mission was initially scheduled to deploy in February, but that timeline was postponed repeatedly for several reasons, including a lack of funding, a judicial challenge in Kenya, and a surge in gang violence in Haiti. The violent surge led to an agreement brokered by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to replace interim Prime Minister Ariel Henry with a Transitional Presidential Council (TPC) that is responsible for organising elections by February 2026. (For more information on the countrys political situation, see the brief on Haiti in our July Monthly Forecast). In June and July, Kenya deployed the missions first two contingents, totalling 400 officers. At the time of writing, a third contingent from Jamaica was expected to deploy soon.
According to media reports, the MSS mission has helped the HNP achieve some success in retaking neighbourhoods in Port-au-Prince that were previously under gang control. It remains under-resourced, however, reportedly lacking critical capabilities such as air assets and turreted armoured vehicles, while continuing to face personnel and equipment shortfalls that limit its ability to take and hold territory beyond the capital. The mission has also faced some criticism for a lack of transparency as it has withheld details about its concept of operations, citing security concerns.
In line with resolution 2699, which requested the Secretary-General to provide recommendations on possibly adapting the MSS missions mandate within nine months, the Secretary-Generals most recent report on the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), dated 27 June, said that the missions mandate remains valid and will remain necessary beyond October 2024. It added that [t]he mandated tasks of re-establishing security in Haiti and creating security conditions conducive to the holding of free and fair elections will require continuous deployment, at least until the restoration of democratically elected authorities.
The report cautioned that the contributions and pledges that the mission has received to datewhich include more than $300 million in promised logistical and financial support from the US, in addition to $21 million deposited into the missions UN-administered trust fundremain insufficient for the mission to fulfil its budgetary and operational needs and ensure its presence for the duration of Haitis political transition. According to the report, the mission will be unable to complete a 12-month deployment without substantial additional funding.
Regarding the establishment of a compliance mechanism to prevent human rights violations by MSS forces, as requested by resolution 2699, the Secretary-Generals report said that parts of the UN system have advised the mission on best practices for complying with international human rights and with international standards of conduct and discipline. This technical assistance has included steps for integrating human rights concerns across mission activities and creating mechanisms to address disciplinary and accountability issues. The report further noted that the UN, upon request, could provide the mission with additional substantive support in relation to the consistent and continuous implementation of compliance mechanisms to minimise the risks of human rights violations in the planning and conduct of operations.
While Haitis gang violence appears to have receded from its peak earlier this year, the countrys security and humanitarian situations remain dire. Between 1 April and 30 June, BINUH recorded 1,379 people who were victims of murder or injury, a 45 percent decrease compared to the previous reporting period, but still an alarmingly high figure. Additionally, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) designated the country a famine hotspot of highest concern in their latest outlook report covering the period from June to October of this year.
On 12 July, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2743, renewing BINUHs mandate for another year, until 15 July 2025. The resolution included new language emphasising the need for coordination between BINUH, the MSS, and other stakeholders to ensure complementarity and avoid duplication of efforts in the provision of international support for the HNP. Emphasising the missions need for additional resources, the resolution also encouraged member states and regional organisations to support the MSS through voluntary contributions in the form of financial, personnel, and in-kind commitments.
Human Rights-Related Developments On 20 June, several UN human rights experts voiced deep concern over the escalating gang violence and political instability in Haiti, resulting in a record 578,074 internal displacements in 2024 and making Haiti the country with the highest internal displacement globally due to crime-related violence. Among the displaced are over 310,000 women and girls and 180,000 children. The experts warned that a growing number of unaccompanied children are at risk of exploitation, abuse, and trafficking by gangs, while sexual violence against women and girls in internally displaced persons (IDP) sites is also surging. The experts called for the MSS mission in Haiti to support the HNP and ensure security in line with international human rights standards. They also emphasised the need to increase funding for Haitis 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan, to facilitate humanitarian access, and to strengthen protection mechanisms for IDPs.
Key Issues and Options
The central task for the Security Council in September is to renew the MSS missions authorisation. The Council is expected to retain the missions core mandate, which is to support the HNPs efforts to build security conditions conducive to holding elections by providing operational support and securing critical infrastructure.
Regarding the missions resource shortfall, the Council is likely to maintain the missions voluntary funding model, but it may reiterate its call for additional contributions from the international community. In this regard, Council members could encourage countries and regional organisations to consider specific initiatives to enhance their support, such as a pledging conference.
Additionally, Council members could request the mission to expedite efforts to establish a functioning compliance mechanism to prevent human rights violations. Members may also request the UN to enhance its substantive and technical support to the mission in this regard and report on progress achieved towards making such a mechanism operational.
Council Dynamics
Council members are united in their concern about Haitis multidimensional crisis and broadly agree on the need for a Haitian-led political solution that addresses both security and socioeconomic challenges. The unanimous adoptions of resolutions 2699 and 2743 are indicative of members general support of the UN and broader international engagement on Haiti.
Some Council members have expressed scepticism about the MSS mission, however. Russia has criticised a provision of the CARICOM-brokered agreement on Haitis transitional governance structure that required members of the TPC to support the MSS mission, which Moscow has described as interference in Haitis domestic affairs. Additionally, both China and Russia have questioned the lack of operational detail from the mission and whether conditions are conducive to its success in light of Haitis persistent political instability. During the negotiations on resolution 2743, the two members apparently sought to limit references to the MSS mission, arguing that BINUHs mandate should not pre-empt separate Council discussion on the renewal of the MSS missions authorisation.
Ecuador and the US are the co-penholders on Haiti.
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In Hindsight: The Security Council and Regional Arrangements
The contours of the relationship between the UN Security Council and regional arrangements and agencies have long been the subject of debate.[1] This debate has assumed renewed significance following the publication of A New Agenda for Peace, a July 2023 policy brief that sets out UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres vision for an effective multilateral security system. The brief argues that robust regional frameworks and organisations that have strong partnerships with the UN are necessary for managing growing competition among member states and the increasingly transnational threats facing the international community.[2]
Among the many recommendations directed towards or involving regional arrangements, Guterres suggests that the UN, regional organisations, and their respective member states should operationalise rapid responses to emerging crises through active diplomatic efforts and calls for repairing regional security architectures where they are in danger of collapsing; building them where they do not exist; and enhancing them where they can be further developed.[3]
Addressing the role of regional organisations in the context of peace operations, the brief argues that peace operations must be significantly more integrated and should leverage the full range of civilian capacities and expertise across the [UN] system and its partners, as part of a system of networked multilateralism and strengthened partnerships.[4] UN support for African peace support operations receives particular attention. The brief calls for a new generation of peace enforcement missions and counter-terrorism operations in Africa, led by African partners with a Council mandate under Chapters VII and VIII of the UN Charter and guaranteed funding from member states assessed contributions to the UN. It also recommends systematic consideration of requests made by the AU and subregional organisations for the provision of support to peace support operations.[5]
These recommendations implicitly acknowledge the increased involvement of regional arrangements in the maintenance of international peace and security in the post-Cold War period. This has been partly caused by some regions preference for regional solutions, particularly in Africa; a desire to share the burden of conflict management; and growing awareness by the Council and member states that regional arrangements offer useful strategic flexibility when managing or responding to a crisis, among other matters. But the turn to regional actors has not always been the result of an overarching strategy. It has more often come about as a pragmatic response to the particular circumstances of a given case, usually driven by political considerations.
The forthcoming SCR research report examines the legal framework governing the relationship between the Council and regional arrangements, as well as past models of cooperation, and concludes with observations regarding the issues that have arisen in the past.
It delves deeply into Chapter VIII of the UN Charter, offering an interpretation drawn from an analysis of practice and the text. Chapter VIII is relatively short, comprising only three articles. The first of these, Article 52, deals primarily with the peaceful settlement of disputes by regional arrangements. Article 53 governs regional enforcement action, while Article 54 provides that the Council must be kept fully informed of the activities of regional arrangements relating to the maintenance of international peace and security.
Cooperation between the Council and regional arrangements can take many forms. Most often, it arises in the context of peace operations. The report therefore focuses primarily on models of cooperation that involved peace operations. The models considered are set out in the table below. Overall, the examples chosen demonstrate that cooperation between regional arrangements and the Council, as well as the UN more broadly, has generally produced mixed results. While there have been successes, there have also been many challenges, and the overall relationship has not always been smooth. The problems that have arisen raise questions relating to the appropriate level of Council oversight, managing strategic disagreements, the structures for effective operational coordination, and adequate resourcing, among other matters.
Our report further explores mandating decisions, the importance of Council unity and coordinated regional diplomacy, Council oversight of regional efforts to peacefully settle disputes, the benefits of political alignment, re-hatting, doctrinal differences, and the question of complementarity and comparative advantage.
In light of this review, the report makes the following observations:
When the Council opts for cooperation between the UN and regional arrangements, it is essential for it to have a clear understanding of the role that each organisation will play, its capacity to do so, and the proposed relationship among the different actors. Processes and structures that facilitate exchangessuch as interactive discussions between the Council and its counterparts in regional arrangements, joint assessments, and regular desk-to-desk meetings geared towards outcomescan contribute to better alignment.
The lack of a clear political strategy can cause problems for peace operations premised on cooperation between the UN and regional arrangements. As A New Agenda for Peace notes, the primacy of politics remains a central tenet of peace operations.
Disagreements over strategy between the UN and regional arrangements can be hard to avoid, however, given the often diverging viewpoints of the principal actors. Coming at the onset of a crisis, this can lead to delays while the situation deteriorates; later, it can complicate implementation. It will be essential to streamline the mandate authorisation process for AU-led peace support operations outlined in resolution 2719 and clarify contentious issues covered in the resolution, including financial burden-sharing and joint planning.[6]
Where the UN and regional arrangements are deployed in parallel, a lack of adequate coordination can inhibit the development and maintenance of a coherent overall strategy in respect of international engagement, and can also obfuscate accountability among organisations.
Parallel leadership structures (for example, where control over the military and political aspects of a mission is divided between different organisations) will be a drag on responsiveness, a problem in complex security environments.
Council unity can play an important role in facilitating effective cooperation between the UN and regional arrangements. Successful collaboration can also be bolstered by coordinated diplomacy involving regional actors that is consistent with the overall strategy being pursued by the Council. Conversely, divisions among Council members can prevent the Council from taking action and communicating clear signals to the parties.
Regional efforts to peacefully settle disputes can be hampered by constraints such as divisions among its members, its organisational culture and structure, and its decision-making processes.Where regional efforts are faltering, the Councils oversight role and its powers to facilitate peaceful settlement of disputes need to come to the fore. However, members have sometimes used the involvement of a regional arrangement to argue for Council inaction.
Where a peace operation is deployed, political alignment with the host state is particularly important, not least in circumstances where the UN is working with a regional arrangement. A compact signed by relevant actors outlining the commitments they have made and their roles, similar to the type recommended in the report of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations, could be helpful. Where the host state is intent on obstructing the mission, however, processes intended to ease disagreements may find limited success.
Regional arrangements often face resource constraints far greater than those experienced by UN peace operations. Authorising regional peace operations without taking timely steps for their financial and logistical support will cause delays.
Troop re-hatting processes are difficult and require careful planning, adequate time, and thorough training. Procedures that screen out troops involved with prior human rights violations are critically important. Differences in equipment and interoperability issues can be particularly problematic during a re-hatting process. Periods of planned overlap can help to minimise difficulties during re-hatting and lead to a smoother transition.
Doctrinal differences regarding peacekeeping operationsover the use of force, for examplecan lead to strategic differences between the UN and its regional partners that complicate efforts to collaborate. They can also cause operational problems, particularly where missions with differing bureaucratic arrangements, needs, and expectations are mandated to work closely together.
The examples considered in our report highlight some of the comparative advantages enjoyed by the UN and its regional partners. Regional actors have, for example, at times been able to deploy quickly and shown a willingness to undertake peace enforcement actions requiring a robust mandate. The UN, on the other hand, has shown that it can boost flagging regional peace operations and provide logistical support to regional actors.
But experience also shows that the UN and its regional partners may fall short of their aims, impeded by resource constraints and political disagreements. And the UN will tend to become closely associated with regional arrangements that deploy in parallelwhich can be problematic where those regional arrangements are unpopular among local populations.
All in all, is the turn to regional organisations a good idea? There are advantages and disadvantages to greater regional involvement. But the role for regional arrangements in efforts to maintain international peace and security seems likely to grow, as part of the trend toward regionalisation and the current emphasis on developing a system of networked multilateralism, which is reflected in the many references to regional arrangements in the current draft of the Pact for the Future.
Table of Examples Considered in SCRs Forthcoming Research Report
No. Model Example Year 1. Expressing support for a joint UN/regional arrangement peace operation MICIVIH (Haiti) 1993 2. Deploying a UN peace operation in parallel with a regional peace operation UNOMIL (Liberia) 1993 3. Establishing a transitional administration with the assistance of regional arrangements UNMIK (Kosovo) 1999 4. Authorising a predominantly regional multinational force with regional leadership to support a UN peace operation INTERFET (Timor-Leste) 1999 5. Authorising a UN peace operation that took over from a regional peace operation UNAMSIL (Sierra Leone) 1999 6. Authorising a regional arrangement to use force to support a UN peace operation MINURCAT and EUFOR Chad (Chad) 2007 7. Deploying a hybrid UN/regional arrangement peace operation UNAMID (Sudan) 2007 8. Establishing a UN support office to provide logistical support to a regional peace operation UNSOA (Somalia) 2009 9. Authorising a regional arrangement to use force NATO (Libya) 2011 10. Authorising a regional force to work within a UN peace operation MONUSCO and the FIB (DRC) 2013 11. Authorising the deployment of a regional peace operation MISCA (CAR) 2013 12. Re-hatting a regional peace operation into a UN peace operation AFISMA and MINUSMA (Mali) 2013 13. Expressing support for a regional peace operation ECOMIG (The Gambia) 2017 14. Directing a UN peace operation to provide support to a regional peace operation MINUSMA and FC-G5S (Mali) 2017 15. Expressing support for regional efforts to resolve a dispute peacefully ASEAN (Myanmar) 2021
[1] In September, Security Council Report will publish a research report on the relationship between the Security Council and regional arrangements. This In Hindsight excerpts the executive summary. Chapter VIII of the UN Charter refers to regional arrangements and agencies rather than regional organisations. Both our report and this In Hindsight use the term regional arrangements, except where paraphrasing. The term regional arrangements captures both traditional regional organisations and less formal arrangements.
[2] Our Common Agenda: Policy Brief 9: A New Agenda for Peace, UN Doc EOSG/2023/9 (July 2023) 12.
[3] Ibid 18.
[4] Ibid 24. Emphasis added.
[5] On 21 December 2023, just over five months after A New Agenda for Peace was published, the Council adopted resolution 2719 on the financing of AU-led peace support operations. Pursuant to resolution 2719, the Council agreed to consider on a case-by-case basis requests from the AU Peace and Security Council seeking authorisation for access to UN assessed contributions for AU-led peace support operations. This resolution is considered in further detail below. Ibid 26.
[6] Eugene Chen, Next Steps on the Financing of African Peace Support Operations: Unpacking Security Council Resolution 2719 (2023) (February 2024)
The Border Patrol, meanwhile, said that they picked up six such individuals "for deportation proceedings" which is what they do with migrants who cause problems. The NGO official they quoted also said he thought they were most likely migrants. So all in all, "no cause for alarm" as the LA Times editorializes within its purported news story. They probably even weren't migrants. No danger, see, because nobody died. And if little kids are afraid to ride the buses, which was highlighted in several of the stories, that's just their being racist. They should stand proudly with those backpackers seeking to get on those schoolbuses at lonely rural bus stops and ignore uncomfortable questions about their being unvetted migrants. Heck, they should give them their seats, too. Migrants first, except that nobody should admit they are migrants. No cause for alarm? Well, that's not how city officials see it. They are instituting new protocols for schoolchildren riding buses in the back rural county, as well as sending in law enforcement vehicles to trail the school buses, each bus followed by a cop car as kids make their way to school? They are holding a community meeting this weekend, presumably to keep parents from pulling their kids out of the public schools. Little kids scared to go to school? According to the LA Times, nothing to see here, move along. Fact is, just because nobody turned up dead this time is no proof there's no danger from migrants who have the temerity to try to board school buses. Hey we all do that when we go to other countries, right? As one parent asked in the CBS 8 report, what kind of people would do that? The claims that they were just 'lost' and 'confused' is about as presumptuous as the claim that the parents complaining simply had to be white racists by the NGO guy, ignoring that many of the parents sounding the alarm are Hispanic. Hey, it's not his kid who's scared to ride the bus, it's only theirs. CBS10, another local station, ran this from its video report: To say there's nothing to this story by parental hysteria, the whole thing being in their heads is pure gaslighting. It's a shame because the press is supposed to be shedding light on major stories of events affecting people's lives. To claim that the events aren't occurring is the great glow of gaslights, not authentic natural light, and that's the work of politically active Democrat toadies. Image: Screen shot from CBS8 San Diego video, via YouTube In 1956, then Senator John F. Kennedy purportedly wrote a book entitled Profiles in Courage which won a Pulitzer Prize due, in large part, to the advocacy of his powerful father. Kennedy wrote about eight senators who had defied their political partys platform and followed their consciences instead, consequences be damned. Controversy remains as to who actually ghost wrote the book, but Kennedy never gave credit to any other contributor. Much has been bruited about the now defunct presidential candidacy of Robert F Kennedy, Jr. and the thuggish behavior of the Democrat Party to which he had originally been aligned. But the Democrats displayed an evil intent far graver than their attempts to keep him off various state ballots and now, ironically, refusing to drop his name from those ballots. As the son of an assassinated presidential candidate and the nephew of an assassinated president, that the Democrat party refused to give presidential candidate RFK, Jr. security until President Trump was almost assassinated is astonishing. Were they hoping history would repeat itself? Where was their empathy? Where, indeed. It was incredibly brave for RFK, Jr. to go out and campaign, knowing that his Dad and Uncle were both murdered in the name of freedom, and that he too could have been murdered at any time. Moreover, he absorbed the vitriol of his extended family, which by the way is mostly living off second-hand glory merely by virtue of their DNA. What have any of them done or contributed lately? When RFK, Jr. dropped out of the race and endorsed President Trump, critics raged that his Dad, Bobby Kennedy, was turning over in his grave. Wrong! Bobby would be applauding his son, as would his uncle, JFK. RFK, Jr., while not being a U.S. senator, displayed the same raw courage as those revered eight senators did: he defied norms, stood up to the bullies, and forged his own destiny. By RFK endorsing Trump, Harris candidacy has been deflated like an old balloon. And the once gloried Kennedy Clan are yesterdays news. Image: Gage Skidmore The defund the police campaign that started over four years ago has done catastrophic damage to our country. In the wake of said campaign, a number of politicians -- including President Joe Biden -- have pushed for the removal of funds from police forces, diverting them elsewhere in an effort to teach a lesson, as it were. However, the real lesson came in the backfire of the campaign. Thousands of officers, particularly in New York, have left their posts as a result of the lack of support and many still believe that, even in the aftermath of this with a massive increase in crime, its still the right move when it comes to the concerns of their community. Tell that to Oakland. The California city has seen a massive number of criminal acts over the past few days, including shootings and a hit-and-run incident, along with robberies and much more. As a result, Police Chief Floyd Mitchell has actually put out a call to the community, in an effort to try and have them lend a hand in the ongoing effort to calm things down. "What I am asking is for our community to take a serious look at ourselves internally about how quickly we result to gun violence," Mitchell explained in a statement. "We have to stop this. When you lose a life, that life is gone, there are better ways to go about the disputes that they are having. We are going to continue to work through cease-fire and the department of violence prevention to try to find non-violent ways to solve these issues." Most of these shootings took place last Thursday, including a pair that left fatalities in their wake, and others injured. Donald Lacy of the LoveLife Foundation also spoke on the matter, asking for the communitys assistance. "How can we figure out how to address what makes people violent? What can we do to get in front of these horrible crimes and at least get people to consider their actions before they pull the trigger, before they run over somebody in their car? Its a bigger societal issue." Violence prevention would certainly go a long way. But heres something that would work even better -- the support of local government. Dont get me wrong. Asking the community for assistance in such a heartfelt manner, as Mitchell did, is certainly a noble move. But theres only so much that the community can do without support from the powers that be. Because they still control the funding. Funding that could have gone to better gear purchases and mental health support for officers who are already struggling beyond belief. Funding that could hire new officers to prepare for such a threat as this. Without that support, the communitys hands just might be tied. The report I read noted that while officials acknowledge the challenges they face, they remain committed to working with the resources available. Sounds an awful lot like oh, you want funding, but, sorry, we dont have it. Exactly what can the police do in that regard? All it takes is a little push forward to make things right again. I recall a while back when Boston was overrun with criminal activity, and the police pushed for a budget increase, and broke down exactly where it could help. But the Democrat leaders in that city decided against it, citing some sort of equipment issue within the police department and considering it untrustworthy. But, sure, never mind the officers that have already proven themselves. Honestly, Im seeing whats happening across our country -- and not just Oakland -- because of this awful movement. Our officers are suffering, and hardly anyone in higher office seems interested in lending them a hand. So what do they do? They ask the public for help. It shouldnt be that way. Local governments need to be taking care of their officers, period. Because then, they can help take care of the community and provide them with the support they need. Its a two-way street. And, honestly, theres only so long these guys can lead our beloved officers down a one-way street. Michael Letts is the Founder, President, and CEO of InVest USA, a national grassroots non-profit organization that is helping hundreds of communities provide thousands of bulletproof vests for their police forces through educational, public relations, sponsorship, and fundraising programs. He also has over 30 years of law enforcement experience under his belt, hence his pro-police stance for his brothers and sisters in blue. Those interested in learning more about Letts can visit his official website here. Image: Tony Webster On August 27, my American Thinker colleague Monica Showalter posted Zuckerberg admits he was muscled by Democrats. She asked: Did a light bulb go on for Mark Zuckerberg about government censorship? Zuckerbergs admission, a sort of mushy mea culpa, came as he was under pressure from the House Judiciary Committee to produce all manner of documents proving what he admitted in a letter to the Committee, and so much more. The letter may be found here. The Committee notes three primary Zuckerberg admissions: Graphic: X Screenshot Constitutional law professor and scholar Jonathan Turley notes Zuckerbergs confession is more contrived than contrite: For those of us who have criticized Facebook for years for its role in the massive censorship system, Zuckerbergs belated contrition was more insulting than inspiring. It had all of the genuine regret of a stalker found hiding under the bed of a victim. Zuckerbergs sudden regret only came after his company fought for years to conceal the evidence of its work with the government to censor opposing views. Zuckerberg was finally compelled to release the documents by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and the House Judiciary Committee. Now forced to admit what many of us have long alleged, Zuckerberg is really, really sorry. Note, please, the sarcasm inherent in Turleys last sentence. He ends his essay with this: Democracy is not on the ballot in 2024, as many have claimed, but free speech is. The First Amendment is only one facet of individual liberty at risk on election day, and the week, or months thereafter as Democrat/socialist/communists (D/s/cs) race to find enough ballots to install their next puppet in the White House. Whether one considers Zuckerbergs mea culpa sincere or self-serving, two questions remain: why, and why now? Graphic: X Screenshot Did Zuckerberg, who has spent years fighting every request for transparency, suddenly come to Jesus? Did he suddenly see the value of honesty and integrity? Hes a billionaire. He doesnt have to practice honesty or integrity, in fact, there are real political and economic advantages to practicing neither. Is he suddenly afraid of Congress? Did his lawyers warn him he wouldnt be able to hold them off for much longer? Possible, but unlikely, except for one additional possibility, but more on that shortly. Is he worried Trump will win and take revenge? Does he know what we dont about Kamalas electoral chances? He said hes not going to spend $400 million tilting the election toward D/s/cs this year. Is that a sacrificial token to avoid what he sees as Trumps inevitable election and potential wrath? Thats the additional possibility. A related possibility is he knows defying the Deep State is dangerous, particularly if they feel their backs against the wall. Is he worried theyll take revenge and is trying to gain the protection of Congress and Donald Trump, not only for his own pale hide, but to protect his assets and ability to influence the culture? Is this why he has not named the names of those who supposedly pressured him to censor Normal Americans? Does he need protection because he knows then Congress gets all the documentssome of which have already been released in the Twitter Filesa great many powerful and vengeful people are going to be exposed as anti-American/anti-Constitution, would-be, despots? Did the Supreme Courts recent Murthy decision have a role to play in Zuckerbergs semi-transparency and pseudo-contrition? When the censorship system was recently put before the Supreme Court in Murthy v. Missouri, the justices asked about evidence of coordination and pressure from the government. In Murthy, states successfully showed lower courts that there was coercion from the government in securing an injunction. The Biden administration denied such pressure and the Court rejected the standing of plaintiffs, blocked an order to stop the censorship, and sent the case back down to the lower court. Do Zuckerbergs lawyers see massive civil liability on the horizon? Professor [Philip] Hamburger writes: The aim, presumably, is to avoid having Meta treated as a state actor for purposes of the First Amendment and then being held liable for damages. Is Matt Taibii, who largely exposed the Twitter Files, right? Like other tech CEOs, Zuckerberg finds himself between a rock and a hard place. From one side, he sees subpoenas and investigations of censorship. From the other, he faces strident demands on content from authorities whose idea of accountability has gone beyond crippling penalties to detention. This is not just coming from Europeans. Elizabeth Elkind at Fox News writes of lawmakers demanding that kind of accountability: "Zuckerberg admitted that the Biden-Harris regime pressured him to censor conservative voices. There must be accountability within the federal government," Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., wrote on X. I suspect Prof. Turley is right. Zuckerbergs motives are less than noble. Time--a particularly short time if Trump is elected--will tell. Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. Googles Pixel Watch 3 has new accessories available at the Google Store that werent previously available, so if youve been looking to pick a few things up, Google now has them on offer. The Pixel Watch 3 already had a small collection of bands on the Google Store right from the get-go after it was put up for pre-order. However, these were basically limited to the official bands that were made by Google. Now, there are a few more band options and even protection and charging accessories. That being said, this is a smartwatch. So the amount of accessories is never really going to be massive. There are only so many types of accessories a watch can really have. So, what is Google offering for the Pixel Watch 3 these days? Well, the standard collection of bands that were available during the pre-order phase is still there. You can now also pick up a Spigen stand. This isnt a proper charging stand like you see with the Apple Watch. Rather, the Pixel Watch 3 charger that comes in the box slots into the stand and you can place the watch on it. Still, it should be useful if you want a more organized and clutter-free way to charge the watch. You can also find this accessory on Amazon. Its also cheaper on Amazon at $22 compared to $25 at the Google Store. Additionally, you can pick up the Spigen Rugged Armor case for the Pixel Watch 3. Which is yet another accessory thats also available on Amazon. And surprise, Amazon has it for $10 less. Even more accessories for the Pixel Watch 3 are coming next month Band choices for the Pixel Watch 3 on the Google Store are still somewhat limited, but that will change eventually. How soon depends on what you might consider limited, and where that threshold ends. The good news is that at least there will be a few more options soon. As 9To5Google points out, two of Bellroys Pixel Watch 3 bands will be available on the Google Store starting in September. This will include the Black and Brown leather straps. So if you like leather, these are nice alternative options to what Google has. Additional accessories on the way include the Fusion screen protector and Glass Elite 360 case from Zagg. These are also out of stock at Zaggs website, so it seems youll have to wait for Google or for Zagg to restock if you want one of them. Amazon has quite a few options for accessories Most of these are going to be third-party no-name brands. However, if that doesnt bother you, Amazon has a pretty wide selection of cases, bands, and screen protectors for the Pixel Watch 3. All at lower prices than youll find at the Google Store. So it may be worth a look if you dont care that the accessories come from Google. This year could be one of the biggest changes ever seen in the tech industry. Several legal cases related to Googles search and advertising services have engulfed the company in its home country. The latest developments seem unfavorable for Google, as the judge in the AdTech trial harshly attacked certain internal policies of the company that would lead to the destruction of evidence. For context, the AdTech trial is the second big legal case that Google will face this year. The trial pertains to Googles strategies against competitors to maintain its dominance in the digital advertising technology segment. In a previous trial, the DOJ scored a resounding victory after the judges ruling found Googles practices in the search engine segment to be monopolistic. AdTech-related antitrust trial judge harshly criticizes Googles internal practices The AdTech trial, filed by the DOJ and a coalition of states in 2023, is set to begin in less than two weeks. However, it seems that Google will not have an easy time defending itself given the position of Judge Leonie Brinkema. The judge says Googles actions related to the so-called Walker Memo are absolutely inappropriate and not appropriate. The Walker Memo refers to internal protocols set by Google among its staff to protect itself from lawsuits related to its business practices. The protocol would include enabling a history off mode for sensitive chats, which would delete messages within 24 hours. Yes, Google invented Snapchat before Snapchat, but not for exactly the same purpose. The legal documents say that Google staff jokingly refer to these policies as Vegas mode. Meanwhile, Google considered them to be communication with care practices. The Walker Memo is named after a memo by Googles chief legal officer, Kent Walker. The memo dates back to 2008, so Googles particular protectionist policies would have been in place for 16 years. This did not sit well with Judge Brinkema, who called them incredible smoking guns of potential inappropriate practices. The judge in the AdTech trial believes that Google has been systematically destroying evidence that could determine the trials outcome. Another ruling against Google would change the industry forever The ruling in the AdTech trial against Google could cause a stir in the industry. Google will already need to implement significant changes to its Google Search-related practices in response to the previous setback. A negative outcome in the AdTech trial would have a similar effect, potentially impacting pricing schemes or even ad reach to ensure that third parties can compete fairly. Interestingly, one of the DOJs proposals is for Google to completely divest itself of its AdTech platform. However, given how important ads are to Googles business, this is unlikely to happen. Meanwhile, the company has another AdTech-related antitrust trial pending in Texas in March 2025. So, Googles legal department seems to be just as busy as its AI-focused divisions. Elon Musks social networking platform X (formerly Twitter) is in troubled waters, once again. A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has banned X in the country amid a disinformation feud. The ban on X in Brazil was imposed by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre De Moraes on Friday. The immediate suspension was put on the networking platform after Musk failed to designate a new legal representative in Brazil. X is banned in Brazil as it failed to comply with local content moderation laws Supreme Court Justice Moraes banned X in Brazil after the networking platform failed to comply with local content moderation laws. The ban is part of the ongoing dispute with the countrys court over the censorship and moderation of content on X. Notably, the Brazilian judge ordered X to appoint a new legal representative in the country, which Musk refused to comply with. Moraes ordered the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) to suspend X within 24 hours. Furthermore, he gave tech giants like Apple and Google five days to remove the X app from their app stores. Additionally, the government will levy daily fines on individuals who try to access X using VPN services. Individuals and companies who try to access X could be fined up to 50,000 reais (around $8,900) per day. X operations in Brazil are suspended until all court orders are complied with The Brazilian judge has suspended Xs operations in the country until all related court orders are complied with. These also include the payment of fines of around 18.5 million reais (approx. $3.28 million). The company is also asked to appoint a legal representative in Brazil. Notably, Elon Musk shut down Xs offices in Brazil earlier this month. The tech billionaire said that Judge Moraes threatened to arrest the social networking platforms representative for not complying with censorship orders. Free speech is the bedrock of democracy and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes, Musk said in a statement on X following the decision. Its worth mentioning that the Brazilian Supreme Court also froze Musks satellite internet provider Starlinks financial accounts in Brazil. Starlink argues that the freeze is based on an unfounded determination that it should be accountable for the fines imposed on X. Google is attempting to keep ad tech experts away from its upcoming antitrust trial. The search giant is seeking to throw out testimonies from key members of the industry. Google doesnt want ad tech executives in the antitrust trial Google is gearing up to face one of the biggest and potentially precedent-setting antitrust trials. The company is defending its ad tech business, and it is up against the US Department of Justice (DoJ). One of the first arguments Google presented is that a large number of government witnesses should be excluded from the trial or they shouldnt testify. Specifically speaking, Google is requesting the court to toss out any testimony from government witnesses who arent economists or antitrust experts. New filing: "In re: Google Digital Advertising Antitrust Litigation (Private Ad Tech Monopoly)" Doc #874: USCA Order Other PDF: https://t.co/rCuFqPQQUA#CL60149069 pic.twitter.com/MO8zq95O7f Antitrust Cases Bot (@antitrust_bot) August 29, 2024 Google claims, none of these third-party competitor witnesses has the proper foundation of knowledge, expert qualifications or done the required economic analysis to opine as to whether Google is a monopolist whose conduct harmed competition. The DOJ has reportedly counterargued that a large number of the witnesses Google has objected to, are nothing more than competitors of Google. These exchanges make business decisions based in part on their reliance on Google, on both sides of the ad tech stack, to reach publishers and advertisers. Their testimony about being unable to compete with Googles AdX is based on first-hand knowledge gathered on the job. Will the US Court listen to Googles arguments? Leonie Brinkema is the the federal judge who is presiding over round two of the United States v. Google LLC antitrust trial. She will decide whether to accept Googles arguments and dismiss the testimonies of industry experts and veterans. Google claims, The experience of third parties in the industry does not render them competent to testify as to conclusions such as whether a firm is dominant, a monopoly, anticompetitive or causing anticompetitive effects. Essentially, Google is attempting to label these testimonies as unsupported opinions, hearsay, and conjecture, amounting to speculative testimony. It is not clear if the judge will accept these arguments, especially since most of the testimonies are from people who have been associated with the ad tech business. New filing: "United States v. Google LLC (Dep't of Justice Ad Tech Monopoly)" Doc #1289: Joint MOTION FOR ENTRY OF AN ORDER MODIFYING THE SUBMISSION AND HANDLING OF PROPOSED TRIAL EXHIBITS by Google LLC. [full entry below ] PDF: https://t.co/U9R2vWMYTh#CL66753787 pic.twitter.com/aHoosqcmVS Antitrust Cases Bot (@antitrust_bot) August 30, 2024 Googles ad tech business, called Google AdX, is one of the biggest in the world. Most of the third-party ad exchanges may compete with Google. However, they are also Googles customers as they heavily rely on Googles DSP and its publisher ad server. The US DOJ has submitted a testimony that states AdX is the delivery point for the largest source of demand in the display business. Hence, ad exchanges simply cannot suggest their clients to avoid Google AdX. Such a stronghold over the business has caused many ad tech businesses to shut shop, the DOJ has alleged. MPs can expect a packed legislative agenda on their return to Parliament, Commons leader Lucy Powell said, including Bills on renters reform and water regulation. In the coming weeks, the Government is also expected to focus on improving workers rights, tightening the rules on MPs second jobs, and tackling the root causes of the energy crisis. Two historic bills are expected to be laid before Parliament in the first week, one focused on bringing rail operators into public ownership, and another which will establish a fiscal lock to deliver economic stability. Ahead of Parliaments return, Ms Powell said: This new Labour Government is full of energy, full of ideas and full of drive to deliver our mandate for change. Thats why weve announced a packed legislative agenda focused on the peoples priorities. After 14 years of the Conservatives, weve had to act quickly and act drastically to stop the rot at the heart of our countrys finances, our public services and our politics. Now as we return from the shortest summer recess in history, Labour is ready to roll up our sleeves and pass the laws we urgently need to fix the foundations as we build a better Britain. On September 5, the Great British Energy Bill will also receive a second reading following summer recess. It aims to ensure long-term energy security, alongside the establishment of the UKs state-owned energy company. The Modernisation Committee, which is aiming to drive up standards, address the culture of politics, and improve working practices in the House of Commons, is expected to be up and running in the autumn. Over in the House of Lords, The Crown Estate Bill, which sets out greater powers for the Government to borrow and invest, will have a second reading. The Government hopes this Bill will support the partnership between Great British Energy and the monarchys property firm to accelerate deployment of offshore wind, new technologies and support UK supply chains. The Crown Estate owns the vast majority of Britains seabed, stretching up to 12 nautical miles from the mainland, and leases parts of it to wind farm operators. Later in October, the Budget will be presented to MPs, which Sir Keir Starmer has previously warned will be painful. The Government has said that difficult choices will have to be made as it forms the Budget, including restrictions on who receives winter fuel payments. A controversial pricing system that saw the cost of Oasis tickets surge during the sales window has prompted calls for a consumer watchdog probe. Many fans who waited in huge online queues for tickets to the bands two gigs at Dublins Croke Park were left shocked when they found that prices for standing tickets had rocketed by the time they finally got the opportunity to make a purchase. Some were quoted at 415.50 euro each. Irish MEP Regina Doherty called for an investigation into the pricing structure for the sell-out gigs in August next year. Regina Doherty raised concerns about the pricing system (PA) The Fine Gael representative for the Dublin constituency urged Irelands Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to examine the process. When ticket prices were advertised earlier this week, standing tickets in Croke Park were 86.50 euro plus booking fees, but when many people eventually got through the online queue this morning, they were faced with the exact same ticket at a price of 415.50 euro, she said. Thats not transparent advertising and certainly not fair to consumers. The EUs Digital Services Act has sections included specifically to ensure large platforms that control aspects of the digital economy dont just make up their own rules that are unfair for consumers. She said the in-demand pricing structure needed to be examined. Every ticket for these gigs was always going to be in demand so slapping an extra label and 300 euro on some standing tickets is just extortionate, she added. The Oasis reunion gigs are being staged at Dublins Croke Park (PA) The Ticketmaster website said the prices of platinum and in-demand tickets were set according to their market value and were subject to change. When asked about this issue by the PA news agency, Ticketmaster made clear it does not set the prices. It is understood that the prices are set by the promoters, not the artists. The promoter of the Irish gigs, MCD, has been approached for comment. While thousands got the chance to buy prized tickets to the Croke Park concerts, many thousands more never made it that far and missed out completely. The sales window opened at 8am on Saturday an hour earlier than for the UK gigs and within minutes the online queue for both nights was in excess of 500,000 people. Many of those experienced frustrating technical issues, including being ejected from the lengthy queues, being logged out of their accounts and being presented with error messages as the Ticketmaster website seemingly struggled to cope with the exceptionally high demand. A number of residents around Croke Park were also left disappointed. A set number of tickets was set aside for people living close to the landmark stadium in north Dublin, with householders asked to submit a form asking for a code to purchase them. However, the number of applications exceeded demand, with those residents who were unsuccessful being informed by email on Saturday. A controlled explosion on a film set in east London spread and the resulting blaze destroyed a van, London Fire Brigade has said. Firefighters were called to an open-air yard in Dock Road, Silvertown, at 7.51pm on Saturday. The blaze destroyed a van and damaged a car and a lorry, LFB added. A total of 25 firefighters tackled the blaze and it was under control by 9.02pm. No injuries were reported. LFB posted on X on Saturday evening saying: The fire at an open air yard in #Silvertown is now under control. One van was destroyed by the fire and most of a car and lorry were damaged by the fire. There are currently no reports of any injuries. It added: The fire in #Silvertown followed a controlled explosion at a film set which spread out of control. Firefighters worked quickly to extinguish the fire, which is now under control. Crews will remain on scene for the remainder of the evening. IT experts say there is a huge possibility that high numbers of Oasis tickets are being purchased by computer bots at once. Ticket re-sellers often use automated software to buy more tickets for events than they are allowed, only to sell them on at higher prices. Oasis fans also reported being hit with website outage issues while trying to book shows on Saturday. Jake Moore, global cybersecurity adviser at software security firm Eset said some groups have the right software and knowledge to manipulate ticket websites, and even use bots to swoop in and purchase high numbers of tickets at once. He told the PA news agency: Being the next series of concerts since the demand for Taylor Swift tickets, I would suggest there would be a huge possibility of bots being used to swoop in. Many people used social media to say that they had been suspended from the Ticketmaster website as they were assumed to be a bot. Mr Moore said: Bots mimic the activity of real users and even manipulate their location using off-the-shelf software such as a VPN. This is usually counteracted using bot detection software but this can often produce false positives when real users are assumed to be bots themselves. Industry expert Adam Leon Smith of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, said the inevitable popularity of the Oasis reunion was bound to lead to website glitches. Mr Leon Smith said using automated tools or bots is the most common way of making money from tickets in 2024. Asked how websites can combat this, he said: There are techniques for detecting and stopping bots, but there are also techniques for evading detection. Like many areas of cybersecurity there is a constant arms race between attackers and defenders, an arms race where AI has upped the ante. Adam Webb, of campaign group FanFair Alliance, said it is really hard to know how many tickets are being purchased by touts because there is a lack of transparency on reselling websites. He went on: Therell be an awful lot of listings. I suspect that people wont have actually bought the tickets and theyre listing them for sale. Mr Webb also said that on ticket reseller Viagogo, there were no listings for the Ireland shows, where the practice of reselling tickets above face value is banned. Cris Miller, Viagogo global managing director, said in a statement: Resale is legal in the UK and fans are always protected by our guarantee that they will receive their tickets in time for the event or their money back. Ticketmaster said its website has not crashed. A spokeswoman for Ticketmaster said: The queue is moving along as fans buy tickets. As anticipated, millions of fans are accessing our site so have been placed in a queue. Fans are advised to hold their place in line, make sure theyre only using one tab, clear cookies, and ensure they arent using any VPN software on their device. Jude Law said his new film that chronicles the terrorist actions of a white supremacist group still has relevance. The Order sees two-time Oscar nominee Law portray an FBI agent who is investigating a hate group that perpetrated bank heists along with being accused of the June 1984 murder of Alan Berg, a Jewish talk-radio host in Denver. Fellow British star Nicholas Hoult plays the Orders leader Robert Mathews, who was killed in a 1984 fire during a Washington state shoot-out with federal agents. The Talented Mr Ripley actor Law, 51, told a press conference at the Venice International Film Festival on Saturday: Sadly, the relevance, I think, speaks for itself. What amazed me was the it was a story I hadnt heard of before, and I thought (screenwriter) Zach (Baylin) did an amazing job of also highlighting family and and how community and a sense of family can make people feel safe and secure no matter where they are going and in what direction in their life, politically or emotionally. It just felt also like a piece of work that needed to be made now. Its always interesting looking back, but its always interesting finding a piece from the past that has some relative relationship to the present day. Tye Sheridan, from left, Jurnee Smollett, Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult star in The Order (Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP) When asked about the far-right riots in the UK, The Great and Skins star Hoult said it was an American story, but he did see the relevance today, which is sadly true. He added: Its also a global thing at the moment, which is just a horrible situation and hopefully the film, perhaps, if people see it shedding more light on how these sorts of events occur and the people that are instigating them, (they) can kind of help prevent it happening anymore in the future. In terms of the research, I had delve into a lot of horrible, dark stuff that wasnt enjoyable. So (director) Justin (Kurzel) helped me a lot through that, Zach, and research, and I dont really know what else to say about it, to be honest with you, apart from, it wasnt very nice, and it was part of the job on this one. The Order is based on the 1989 book The Silent Brotherhood by Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt which covers how federal agents took on militias who express racist, as well as antisemitic and neo-Nazi views. Oasis fans have been warned tickets for the bands hotly anticipated comeback tour are now limited after some spent hours battling technical issues on booking sites. Noel and Liam Gallagher announced on Tuesday that they had put their acrimonious split behind them, confirming the bands long-awaited reunion by saying: The great wait is over although for thousands of fans a fresh wait began as they tried to access tickets. A message on the Ticketmaster website at 2.37pm told those still queuing online on Saturday that the inventory is now very limited, with some ticket types no longer available. The companys Irish site said the shows in Dublins Croke Park had sold out so far, with more tickets likely to be released later. At 1.23 pm, the website posted a message saying: UPDATE: There are currently no tickets available. Please check back later as more may be released. People looking to secure coveted access to the Manchester bands reunion in Cardiff, Edinburgh, London, Dublin or their home city, had earlier reported problems on several booking websites before tickets had even gone on sale. A screengrab from the Ticketmaster website detailing information about Oasis concert tickets for sale in Dublin (PA) Manchester-based promoter SJM Concerts website Gigs and Tours, Ticketmaster and See Tickets all told website visitors that they would need to wait for the page to refresh to join a queue. Gigs and Tours and See Tickets appeared to experience issues from 8.30am, and still did not appear to have come back online at around 3.30pm. Ticketmasters page refreshed after a period to tell hopeful concertgoers that they were in queue, and when its your turn, you will automatically be able to browse events and shop for tickets. A spokeswoman for Ticketmaster denied the website had crashed earlier, and advised customers to hold their place in line. Some Oasis ticket hopefuls also reported being suspended by Ticketmaster UK and Ireland after it accused them of being bots. Liam and Noel Gallagher (Fiona Hanson/PA) Staff at the ticket-selling website replied on X, formerly Twitter, through its customer service account, saying: Please make sure you are only using one tab, clear your cookies, and ensure you arent using any VPN software on your device. It also shared a link with its guide on how to improve your chances for getting popular tickets. Scott McLean, 28, logged into his account on the ticket-selling website at 7.30am on Saturday ahead of Irish sales opening at 8am. He was in a queue of 20,000 for around 30 minutes before selecting four tickets to see the bands show at Croke Park. However, his browser began buffering for half an hour as he tried to make the purchase, prompting him to contact the Ticketmaster customer service account on X for advice. I followed their advice, cleared my cookies and cache on my browser and then it kicked me out completely. It just came up to that error screen after I followed their guidance, the business analyst from Belfast told the PA news agency. I had to rejoin the queue and I ended up about 700,000 places worse off after following their guidance. Screengrab taken from the Ticketmaster.ie website just after 8am on Saturday (PA) Users on X, formerly Twitter, also reported the price for tickets nearly doubling from around 148 to around 355 on Ticketmaster after they waited for hours to secure their place at the Oasis Live 25 shows. An explanation by the website about the on-demand standing ticket price says: The event organiser has priced these tickets according to their market value. Tickets do not include VIP packages. Availability and pricing are subject to change. When asked about this issue by PA, Ticketmaster said it does not set prices, and shared a link to its website where it says costs can be fixed or market-based. It is believed that ticket prices are set by the promoters, not the artists. Oasis will tour the UK & Ireland in summer 2025!Tickets go on sale this Saturday 31st August.IRE 8am ISTUK 9am BSTFull information https://t.co/EtNuE2Hx6b *These dates will be the bands exclusive European appearances. pic.twitter.com/C5I0NVWS68 Oasis (@oasis) August 27, 2024 Oasis told fans on Saturday to only buy tickets from the official websites amid reselling websites listing inflated prices for the Manchester rockers gigs. The band said on X: Please note, Oasis Live 25 tickets can only be resold at face value via @Ticketmaster and @Twickets! Tickets appearing on other secondary ticketing sites are either counterfeit or will be cancelled by the promoters. Twickets attempted to reassure fans, who had missed out so far, by telling them not to panic or visit unofficial sites for resold passes. It also wrote on X: Twickets will have tickets available soon. Register to receive our newsletter and well let you know. Tickets are officially being sold via Ticketmaster, GigsAndTours, and See Tickets, however, the bands reunion concert tickets have also been relisted on ticket exchange and reselling websites, Viagogo and Stubhub, for thousands of pounds. Chief executive of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers, Jonathan Brown, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Its a dreadful combination, I suppose, youve got that high level of emotion, a high level of excitement about Oasis reforming, and a limited supply of tickets and thats going to lead to problems, its going to lead to people trying to scam people. Liam Gallagher performing at the Trnsmt Festival in July (Michael Boyd/PA) UK Music chief executive Tom Kiehl also called inflated ticket prices of great concern on the show. Mr Kiehl added: Obviously, its a natural tendency, if you cant get tickets, to find alternative sources but I very much urge music music fans today, if they dont get tickets, not to take that route. Cris Miller, Viagogo global managing director, defended his websites practice of listing Oasis tickets for thousands of pounds, saying that resale is legal in the UK and fans are always protected by our guarantee that they will receive their tickets in time for the event or their money back. There did not seem to be any listing for the bands Dublin dates on the ticket-reselling website. The Irish government introduced a law banning ticket touting in 2021. Prices for a seat to watch the band at Londons Wembley Stadium begin at 74.25, with the most expensive ticket a 506.25 pre-show party, exhibition and seated package. Screengrab taken from the ticketmaster.co.uk website at around 8.30am of the message of the queue to get onto their website for Oasis tickets (PA) Cardiffs Principality Stadium shows, Edinburghs Murrayfield Stadium and Irelands Croke Park were all first listed at similar prices, while Manchesters Heaton Park tickets start from 148.50, with only standing available alongside a number of hospitality and luxury packages. Fans have been urging the brothers to regroup since they disbanded 15 years ago, a split prompted by a backstage brawl at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris in 2009. It has not been announced who will be performing with Liam and Noel as part of Oasis. The guns have fallen silent.The stars have aligned.The great wait is over.Come see.It will not be televised. pic.twitter.com/u1Mge33poT Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) August 27, 2024 Noel, 57, quit the group on August 28 2009, saying he simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer, and the brothers have made negative comments about each other for more than a decade. StubHub along with the official ticket sellers and promoters have been approached for comment. A spokeswoman for Ticketmaster said: The queue is moving along as fans buy tickets. As anticipated, millions of fans are accessing our site so have been placed in a queue. Fans are advised to hold their place in line, make sure theyre only using one tab, clear cookies, and ensure they arent using any VPN software on their device. Russian servicemen fire anti-tank guns toward Ukrainian positions - RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY PRESS SERVICE/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock/Shutterstock Some 16,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine since April as the death rate on the front lines has been climbing this year. The new figures come from a data project carried out by the BBCs Russia service and independent Russian media outlet Mediazona. The project only records deaths it has been able to identify from official reports, the media and satellite analysis of Russian graveyards, so the numbers are likely to be a conservative estimate of total deaths. Mediazona said that as of August 30, we know the names of 66,471 Russian soldiers killed in the war. Previously, in April, it announced it had found more than 50,000 names of Russians killed. In June, the Ministry of Defence estimated that Russia had sustained 70,000 casualties in the two months prior, and predicted that Russia would continue to record an average of 1,000 casualties a day due over the coming months due to an increase in Russian pressure across the front line. Casualties are defined as deaths or injuries. Mediazona said that a 4,600 increase in deaths over the last four weeks was not linked to Ukraines Kursk incursion or Russias advance in the east, as researchers were still working though a backlog of death reports. 06:02 PM BST Todays live coverage has ended. Todays live coverage has ended. Heres a roundup of the main events: At least 16,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine since April, a BBC Russia and Mediazona project reported. A Russian bomb attack killed two people in the Kharkiv region, local authorities said. A Russian attack on the frontline city of Chasiv Yar killed five civilians, authorities said. An overnight Ukranian attack on the Russian city of Belgorod killed five people, local officials said. Ukrainian officials raised the death toll from Fridays Russian strike on Kharkiv to seven. 05:27 PM BST Air force commander sacking not linked to F-16 crash Ukraines defence minister has said that the dismissal of former air force chief Mykola Oleshchuk was not connected to the death of Oleksiy Mes, a star Ukrainian pilot who was killed when a US-supplied F-16 fighter jet crashed on Monday. I would probably say this is a rotation. This is two separate issues at this stage, I would not connect them, Rustem Umierov told US broadcaster CNN. Were analyzing what has happened, said Umerov. Weve also opened this file to our partners so they are also analyzing this and investigating along with us. Volodymy Zelensky did not say whether his decision to fire Mykola Oleshchuk was related to the F-16 crash. 04:25 PM BST Pictured: Ukrainians evacuate the frontline city of Pokrovsk Volunteers and emergency workers carry a disabled woman onto an evacuation train in Pokrovsk - RFE/RL/Serhii Nuzhnenko/REUTERS Relatives say goodbye to each other from an evacuation train at Pokrovsk railway station - RFE/RL/Serhii Nuzhnenko/REUTERS 04:03 PM BST Russian bomb attack kills two in Kharkiv region, governor says A Russian bomb attack on Saturday killed two civilians and wounded eight more in a village in Ukraines Kharkiv region, the governor said. Oleh Synehubov said on Telegram that Russian forces hit the village of Cherkaska Lozova with guided bombs, damaging a residential building. He added that rescuers and medics were working to clear up the debris and help the injured. A similar Russian attack on the city of Kharkiv, the regional centre, killed seven people on Friday, local authorities reported. 01:39 PM BST Watch: Russian footage of Sumy warehouse destruction Russia claimed on Saturday to have destroyed a Ukrainian warehouse holding rocket and artillery ammunition near to the village of Nizhnyaya Syrovatka, 3 miles south of the city of Sumy. Click here to view this content. 12:42 PM BST Russian attack on Chasiv Yar kills five civilians, local authorities say At least five civilians were killed by a Russian strike on Chasiv Yar on Saturday morning, the head of the Donetsk regional military administration said. Vadym Filashkin wrote on Telegram: At least five people were killed in the attack on Chasiv Yar. The Russians attacked the city this morning, with projectiles hitting a house and an apartment building. The dead were all men and aged between 24 and 28, he added. Mr Filashkin also urged residents to evacuate the city, which is located close to the frontline and roughly six miles from Russian-occupied Bakhmut. Chasiv Yar has been unable to experience normal life for over two years. Dont make yourself a Russian target! Evacuate! 12:24 PM BST US rejects plan to send Americans to Ukraine to maintain F-16s The White House has rejected a US military proposal to send civilian staff to Ukraine to maintain F-16 fighter jets and other donated equipment, US media reports. According to the Wall Street Journal, the US National Security Council considered the plan, but intelligence officials deemed it too risky. The intelligence community raised concerns over the prospect of Russia targeting American contractors in Ukraine, one US official was quoted as saying. The newspaper added that the White House has not ruled out sending American contractors to Ukraine in the future, but that it hoped European countries would take on the responsibility of maintaining the F-16s. 11:31 AM BST Danish PM: I was ready to deliver F-16s at the start of the war The Danish prime minister has criticised the delay in sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, saying she was ready to provide the aircraft at the start of the war. Addressing the Globsec security conference in Prague on Saturday, Mette Frederiksen said: Im sorry that it took so long. I was ready to deliver them from the beginning of the war. But, once again, we had quite long discussions about whether it was a good idea or not. Ukraine received its first batch of F-16s at the beginning of August, a delivery of six aircraft. The Ukrainian military has confirmed that one of these was lost in a crash on August 26. The pilot, Lt Col Oleksiy Mes, was killed in the incident. 10:43 AM BST Pictured: Rescuers evacuate elderly woman after Russian strike on Kharkiv Ukrainian rescuers are pictured carrying an elderly woman from a building in Kharkiv after a Russian strike on Friday. At least seven people were killed and 97 injured in the attack (see our post at 10.00am). Ukrainian rescuers evacuate an elderly woman from the site of a damaged 12-story residential building following a missile strike in Kharkiv, Aug 30 - SERGEY KOZLOV/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock/Shutterstock 10:19 AM BST Ukraine shoots down 24 Russian drones, air force says Ukrainian air defences shot down 24 out of 52 drones launched by Russia at the country overnight, Kyivs air force said. It added that of the remaining drones, 25 fell out of the sky on their own and three others flew towards Russia and Belarus. There were no reports of injuries or any major damage. Air raid sirens sounded several times during the night, with many people rushing to shelters. In Kyiv, which saw its fourth drone attack of the week, the alert lasted for around four hours. The city authorities said that all drones targeting the city were destroyed and no damage was caused. Air defences also shot down Russian drones in the Poltava, Cherkasy, Kyrovohrad and Dnipropetrovsk regions in central Ukraine, in the Chernihiv and Sumy regions in the north and the Mykolayiv region in the south. Drone debris damaged several houses in Cherkasy, local officials said. Russian forces also launched five missiles during the attack, the air force said, but gave no other details. 10:08 AM BST Ukrainian strike kills five in Belgorod, Russians say Five people were killed and 46 injured in a Ukrainian attack on the southwestern Russian city of Belgorod late on Friday, the local governor said. Vyacheslav Gladkov said that 37 of the injured, including seven children, were taken to hospital. Russian authorities also said that a woman was injured on Saturday during Ukrainian shelling of the border town of Shebekino in the Belgorod region. Click here to view this content. 10:00 AM BST Seven killed in Russian strike on Kharkiv At least seven people were killed and 97 others injured in a Russian guided bomb attack on Kharkiv on Friday, Ukrainian authorities said, raising the death toll from an earlier figure of 6. Among the dead was a 14-year-old girl, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said. He added that she was killed in a strike on the citys Kharkivs Nemyshlianskyi district. Ukraines state emergency service said 22 children were injured. In a renewed call on Western allies to allow long-range attacks on Russia, Volodymyr Zelensky said that the attack would not have happened if our defence forces had the ability to destroy Russian military aircraft where they are based. 09:51 AM BST Welcome to our live coverage Welcome to our live coverage. Well be keeping you up to date with events in Ukraine throughout the day. Tory leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick has won another prominent supporter - Jacob King/PA A former minister has endorsed Robert Jenrick in the Tory leadership race after having supported rival Kemi Badenoch two years ago. Neil OBrien hailed Mr Jenrick as the best-placed candidate to tackle immigration and win back voters from Reform, as well as someone who understands the centre ground of British politics. But Mrs Badenoch secured two major backers of her own on Saturday in Laura Trott, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, and Tony Abbott, a former Australian prime minister. Voting among Tory MPs begins this week, with the six-candidate field being cut down to five on Wednesday and then to four the following week. The other hopefuls are Dame Priti Patel, James Cleverly, Mel Stride and Tom Tugendhat. It is widely expected in Westminster that Mr Stride, the shadow work and pensions secretary, will be voted out of the contest first on Wednesday. But a campaign source said: Mel is impressing people at hustings and winning over colleagues from across the party. For the parliamentary ballot, were very confident the numbers are there. There is all to play for in this contest. Click here to view this content. Mr OBrien served alongside Mrs Badenoch as a minister in the levelling up department until their joint resignations from Boris Johnsons government in 2022. He was then among the most vocal backers of her bid to succeed Mr Johnson. Writing for The Telegraph, Mr OBrien hailed his former colleague as smart, fresh, charismatic, but said Mr Jenrick could reboot the Conservatives. The reason Im supporting Robert Jenrick is because we need to use this leadership election to make a decisive change, he wrote. We need party unity, but unity is only possible around a clear position... We need someone who starts from the centre ground, but has a credible record and plan on the issues that are fuelling the rise of Reform. Robert did a rare and brave thing when he resigned on principle over immigration. It means he now speaks with credibility on the subject. At a speech in central London on Sunday, Mr Jenrick will seek to take the fight to Sir Keir Starmer, accusing the Government of a declaration of war on the middle class. So far, the guiding principle of Labours economic policy has been wealth destruction, he will say. Labour have jeopardised thousands of jobs in the North Sea through their arbitrary net zero targets, and their planned tax raids on top earners have already backfired. It comes as Ms Trott likened Mrs Badenoch to Margaret Thatcher and urged her fellow Tory MPs to support her former Cabinet colleague. In an article for The Telegraph, Ms Trott said the circumstances of the next general election could mirror those of the 1979 poll when Thatcher won power from Labour. Back then we had a strong, authentic, and resolute leader someone of conviction and principle willing to tell hard truths, make tough decisions and stand up for what she believed in. We need that again, and I see that in Kemi Badenoch. A second major boost for Mrs Badenochs campaign came from Mr Abbott. He served on the Board of Trade under her presidency while British entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership was finalised. To be included in what was originally a strict regional trade grouping was a massive coup for Britain and testimony to global Britains weight in the world, he said. It was also a tribute to the Secretary of States hard work and attention to detail. Mr Abbott said whoever led the Tories would have his 100 per cent support as a fellow conservative, but praised Mrs Badenoch for consistently fighting for a colour-blind country based on meritocracy, freedom and equality under the law. Speaking ahead of his first major leadership speech of the campaign, Mr Cleverly on Saturday said Sir Keir and Reform leader Nigel Farage were two sides of the same coin. They both think our best days are behind us and share the same pessimistic view of the United Kingdom, he said. Starmer thinks life was better before we left the EU and Farage thinks it was better before we joined. Theyre both wrong. He added: We need a Conservative vision of a powerful, confident and sovereign modern Britain, and to reject Starmer and Farages declinist view of this great country. Learning Mandarin has grown in popularity in the past few years - MEDIAPHOTOS/ISTOCKPHOTO British GCSE books were edited to remove references to Taiwan after complaints from Chinese officials. The AQA GCSE Chinese textbook, first published by language education company Dragons Teaching in 2016, deleted references to the Republic of China from subsequent editions after receiving a letter of complaint from Chinese officials. The Republic of China is a political term recognising the autonomy of Taiwan as independent from mainland China, which is officially known as the Peoples Republic of China. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) does not recognise Taiwan as an independent state and asserts that the island region is an integral part of China. The first edition of the GCSE textbook described one of Taiwans nine national parks to students learning Chinese. It said: Yangmingshan National Park is the third national park of the Republic of China, and the park is located in the northern part of Taipei City. But this was later changed to read: Yangmingshan National Park is a very famous national park, which remains in the current textbook today. It followed a complaint to the publisher from the Chinese Embassy in the UK after Chinese-language teachers working in British classrooms voiced their objections to officials. More than 3,700 people took on the AQA Chinese language GCSE course this year The publishing company told Citizens of Our Times Learning Hub (COOTLH) and The Chaser, two Hong Kong news sites which reported the claims in a joint investigation, that it changed the words after pressure from the Chinese Embassy. A former employee said: The section of the textbook was revised under pressure from the [Peoples Republic of China] embassy, in the form of a letter of complaint. They added that as a small independent publisher, Dragons was afraid not to comply. The excerpt in question was lifted from a real travel brochure used in Taiwan. At least 40 state schools across the UK use the AQA Chinese textbook to teach the language, which has grown in popularity over the past few years. There were more than 3,700 entrants this year for AQAs Chinese language GCSE course, also known as Spoken Mandarin. It marks a 12 per cent rise compared to last year. Petty business Sam Dunning, the director of UK-China Transparency, told The Telegraph: It seems rather petty that the Chinese Embassy felt it had to bully, in secret, a small publisher for referring to places in Taiwan. It underlines the extent the CCP goes to in its campaign to stifle expression in the UK. We need greater awareness in business, academia, public life, and politics about the extraordinary range of CCP interference in the UK. Hacking the Electoral Commission, sanctions on academics and lawyers, proxy groups in the British Chinese community and amongst students, violence on our streets as conducted by Chinese diplomats in 2022 the pattern is not encouraging. A spokesperson for AQA said: AQA does not publish textbooks and we do not have editorial responsibility for specific content beyond the Governments subject criteria. Were proud of AQA GCSE Chinese, which has allowed thousands of young people to study this language since 2017. It was designed, in consultation with teachers, school leaders and modern foreign language experts, for learning Chinese as a foreign language. Our specification has one mention of Taiwan, under the theme of travel and tourism. We focus on cultural and linguistic aspects rather than political statements. Tightening economic ties It comes amid growing pressure for the Government to take a tougher stance against China, following criticism that Sir Keir Starmer has weakened the UKs position. Labour has declined to call China a threat since winning the election and vowed to cooperate with Beijing on health matters and reaching net zero. China sceptics have long called for Downing Street to formally shift its diplomatic stance to reflect concerns around security, surveillance and human rights abuses. Liz Truss wanted to declare Xi Jinpings nation a threat while she was in office, before Rishi Sunak adopted a softer stance, calling it an epoch-defining and systemic challenge. But in the first conversation between the leaders last week, Sir Keir Starmer reportedly told the Chinese president that he wants the UK and China to pursue closer economic ties. The 45-minute phone call conversation is understood to have been initiated by Sir Keir, whose aides said that he wanted to forge a grown-up relationship between the countries. The Chinese Embassy in the UK declined to comment. Kamala Harris at a campaign event in Savannah, Georgia on Thursday. Photograph: Christian Monterrosa/AFP/Getty Images Kamala Harris the Democratic nominee for Novembers White House race has accused Donald Trump of disrespecting sacred ground on his recent visit to Arlington national cemetery, as the controversy over an apparent altercation between workers of his campaign and cemetery staff continued to build. The vice-president on Saturday accused the former president and Republican nominee of staging a political stunt after the US army accused the Trump campaign of turning a wreath-laying ceremony on Monday to mark the deaths of US soldiers in Afghanistan into a photo opportunity. The army also accused two campaign workers representing Trump who said he was invited to the ceremony by the family of one of the honored soldiers of pushing aside an official who told them it was forbidden to take pictures at the graves of military members who had recently died. Harris wrote in a lengthy statement on X that the cemetery the resting place of more than 400,000 military veterans and their eligible dependents, dating back to the revolutionary war was not a place for politics. She said: Donald Trumps team chose to film a video there, resulting in an altercation with cemetery staff. Let me be clear: the former president disrespected sacred ground, all for the sake of a political stunt. Meanwhile, Democrats have called for a US army report into an apparent altercation between campaign staff and cemetery officials. In her statement, Harris said: If there is one thing on which we as Americans can all agree, it is that our veterans, military families, and service members should be honored, never disparaged, and treated with nothing less than our highest respect and gratitude. And it is my belief that someone who cannot meet this simple, sacred duty should never again stand behind the seal of the President of the United States of America. At a rally on Friday, Trump said he only posed for photographs at the invitation of the families even though they did not have the authority to approve such pictures. He said in Johnstown, Pennsylvania: I dont need publicity. I get a lot of publicity. I would like to get a lot less publicity I would hire a public relations agent to get less publicity. In a final rebuke of Trump, Harris wrote of fallen soldiers: I mourn them and salute them. And I will never politicize them. In a letter to the US army secretary, Christine Wormuth, Democrats with the House oversight committee requested a report by Monday into the reported showdown, including whether the Republican nominees campaign staff violated federal law or cemetery rules and whether the Trump campaign informed the families of service members buried at the cemetery that their gravestones would be used in Mr Trumps political campaign ads, as CBS reported. Related: Trump denies exploiting visit to US soldiers graves: I dont need publicity The cemetery is considered a politics-free zone. But on Monday, on the invitation of relatives of the soldiers killed in Kabul, Trump brought campaign photographers to document the visit. An army spokesperson said on Thursday that a female Arlington national cemetery official was abruptly pushed aside during an argument with Trump aides over photos and filming on the grounds for partisan, political or fundraising purposes. A spokesperson for the military said the episode was unfortunate, and it was also unfortunate that the cemetery employee and her professionalism has been unfairly attacked. The employee is not pressing charges. The army said Arlington national cemetery conducts nearly 3,000 such public ceremonies annually without incident, and visitors to the ceremony Trump attended had been made aware of laws that prohibit political activity. The Trump campaign said it had been granted explicit permission to bring campaign-designated media to the section of the cemetery for the slain soldiers or Gold Star families. The campaign denied an altercation had taken place and said: There was no physical altercation as described and we are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made. Democratic congressman Jamie Raskin said in the letter that it appears that the Trump campaign which arrived at the cemetery with a photographer and videographer completely flouted the laws and rules they were informed of and filmed footage in the restricted area for use in a political TikTok video. Raskin also cited an apology issued by the Utah governor, Spencer Cox, who had attended the ceremony with Trump and posted photos of the event to his official social media accounts. This was not a campaign event and was never intended to be used by the campaign, Cox wrote in a social media post on Wednesday. It did not go through the proper channels and should not have been sent. My campaign will be sending out an apology. Republicans have trying to make the US withdrawal from Afghanistan a campaign issue through which to attack Harris. In an interview with CNN on Thursday, Harris confirmed she was the last person in the room before Joe Biden made the decision to pull US troops out of Afghanistan. Asked if she felt comfortable with the presidents decision, Harris responded: I do. Twenty-five firefighers tackled the blaze on a film set near the O2. Photograph: X.com A controlled explosion on a film set near the O2 arena in London sparked a fire that destroyed a van, as well as damaging a car and lorry. London fire brigade said firefighters were called to an open-air yard in Dock Road, Silvertown, shortly before 8pm on Saturday. The blaze was under control just over an hour later after 25 firefighters attended the incident, with no injuries reported. It is understood the fire followed a pre-planned filming event at the site close to the capitals O2 arena, which hosts concerts by Niall Horan and Texas next week. London fire brigade posted on X on Saturday evening, saying: The fire at an open air yard in Silvertown is now under control. One van was destroyed by the fire and most of a car and lorry were damaged by the fire. There are currently no reports of any injuries. It added: The fire in Silvertown followed a controlled explosion at a film set which spread out of control. Firefighters worked quickly to extinguish the fire, which is now under control. Crews will remain on scene for the remainder of the evening. The open-air yard in Dock Road where the fire took place is also near to Londons cable car link across the River Thames. A Met police spokesperson said: We are aware of reports of explosions being heard in the vicinity of the O2 in Greenwich. This was part of a pre-planned filming event in the Canning Town, E16, area. There is no risk to the public. Witnesses posted videos of the fire on social media, with some users on X saying a number of small explosions could be heard. There were two small explosions before the fire started, they said. The third explosion was the one on the video crazy. Heavy rain falls and low cloud looms over Derwentwater this week. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Thunderstorms and heavy rain could bring flooding to parts of the south-west of England over the weekend. The Met Office has issued a yellow thunderstorm warning, which runs from 4am to 9pm on Sunday. Meteorologists said there was a small chance of flooding and disruption from heavy showers and thunderstorms on Sunday in a few places, including power cuts. There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from flood water, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds, a Met Office spokesperson said. They also said it could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures, as well as cancellations to some train and bus services. Thundery downpours are likely to hit the south of England, the Midlands, the north of England and eastern parts of Wales on Sunday. Related: Fire chiefs call for legal duty to respond to extreme weather in England A few showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected to develop across parts of southern England on Saturday night, but by Sunday morning there is an increasing risk of more active and organised heavy showers and thunderstorms moving in to, or developing across, parts of southern England, the spokesperson said. The risk of storms will then steadily transfer broadly northwards through the afternoon and into the early evening. The extent of these thunderstorms is very uncertain, and many places will miss them, but where they do occur, 30-40mm of rain may fall in less than an hour with perhaps over 75mm in one or two places, leading to a chance of flooding and disruption. Frequent lightning strikes and hail will be additional hazards, most likely across southern and central England. Summer has been cooler than usual in the UK with slightly below average sun, the latest Met Office statistics show. Rainfall has varied between regions but has been average. A heatwave swept parts of the UK in September last year, with temperatures topping 30C in some areas for seven consecutive days. Rail transport is said to be particularly problematic for disabled passengers, who face barriers and fear inadequate assistance. Photograph: Manu Vega/Getty Images When Tanni Grey-Thompson was left stranded at Londons Kings Cross station on her way to the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games in Paris this week, she had to crawl on to the platform. Lady Grey-Thompson, a former Paralympic athlete and crossbench peer, said she and other disabled passengers frequently suffered humiliating incidents travelling by train. The system is just not working, she said. Nor did apologies from the train companys managing director and a senior figure at the Department for Transport (DfT) ameliorate her. Its like, and ? said Grey-Thompson, a multiple gold medallist. They are nice people but it doesnt mean much it just happens to so many other people. Related: Tanni Grey-Thompson says apologies not enough for having to crawl off train The Equality Act and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities mandate equal access to transport for disabled people. But research bears out Grey-Thompsons suspicion that neither are being implemented on the ground: more than half of people with complex disabilities find public transport inadequate, with issues including overcrowding, a lack of staff support and negative attitudes from staff and other passengers. Mike Brace CBE, a former chair of the British Paralympic Association and a member of the governments Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), said the UKs public transport system was so sprawling that improving access for disabled people was almost impossible. Brace, who sits on DPTACs rail working group, said the DfT took feedback from his group seriously but the implementation of their advice was almost impossible considering the diverse nature of the transport system. There are a number of good schemes going to help disabled people access the rail network but when there are 14 rail companies who need to implement those changes, there is an issue, he said. The problem is the same with taxi refusals for guide dogs and wheelchairs, or airlines breaking wheelchairs when theyre in transit. Lucy Webster, a disability advocate, agreed that a lack of scrutiny and accountability of transport operators was a key issue, leading to ineffective complaint processes and fatigue among disabled passengers. Theres no regulator we can call that has any power, so why would companies care when they can get away with it? said Webster, the author of The View From Down Here. The only way we can challenge these failures is through the law, and that is time-consuming, takes energy, understanding of process and more things that are simply not accessible to a lot of disabled people, she said. The Office of Rail and Road is the regulator responsible for monitoring and enforcing their implementation of accessible transport policies across the UK. They do not set the overall strategy or possible interventions those are set by the DfT but can issue penalties if an operator defaults on their licence. Issuing penalties is rare, said a spokesperson. We aim to be fair and only do this when absolutely necessary, after having increased monitoring and meeting with operators to address the issues. The spokesperson said that the current situation was not ideal. Improving accessibility for disabled users requires an industry-wide change in culture to make sure processes are followed and the needs of disabled users are consistently taken into account, they added. Emma Vogelmann, the head of policy at Transport for All, agreed that systemic issues blight the entire UK transport network for disabled people and said that despite numerous complaints, systemic change is just not happening. Vogelmann believes a fundamental problem is the exclusion of disabled people from infrastructure and policy discussions, creating an echo chamber in which disabled peoples experiences are not at the forefront of anyones mind when public transport contracts and regulation are written. Rail is particularly problematic, with disabled people often facing barriers and fearing inadequate assistance, she said. However, she said she was cautiously optimistic about potential improvements under the new government and operators. Webster believes attitudes towards travel are informed by attitudes in wider society. When I travel, Im constantly asked questions that show no one, not staff or the public, think I should be out of the house at all. Why are you out so late? is a common question Im asked when on public transport. Harriet Edwards, the head of policy at the deafblind charity, Sense, said all these problems create the perfect storm in which the government continues to fail in its responsibility to ensure transport operators comply with the law. Despite the rhetoric, there has been little action to change the situation on the ground for disabled people, she said. The lack of policy prioritisation and funding is a significant barrier to making the necessary changes. This, she said, was economically unjustifiable. Making the transport system accessible could generate 72.4bn a year in economic benefits, she said. Accessible transport helps tackle loneliness and isolation, with significant health and social care impacts. Various key parties are expected to come in for significant criticism when Sir Martin Moore-Bick reports on the Grenfell Inquiry A complex web of blame and counter-blame has been at play between the parties responsible for the state of the Grenfell tower long before the final report was published today. On the last day of hearings in November 2022, Richard Millett KC, lead counsel to the inquiry, spent more than an hour and a half painstakingly explaining how the key players had sought to point the finger of culpability at one another. As he approached his conclusion, he said to Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the inquiry chairman: At this point it might be useful to show you what all of these different little maps of blame look like when merged. The following slide that flicked up onto the inquirys screens portrayed a barely credible labyrinth of interconnecting arrows. Each one represented a moment during the long years since the tragedy when a participant in the inquiry despite in many cases issuing statements of profound regret and apology had appeared to blame others for the 2017 disaster that claimed 72 lives. Many of the big names had as many arrows pointing towards them as they did pointing outwards. Click here to view this content. These are some of the parties expected to come in for significant criticism when Sir Martin reports on the inquiry. The local authority for Britains richest borough, the council is the owner and landlord of Grenfell Tower, which it ran through its Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO). In that role it commissioned the buildings refurbishment in 2015-16 that ultimately led to the disaster. The inquiry revealed that the management organisation was put under pressure from the council to keep the cost of the refurbishment down. In the end, the project was completed for under 10 million. It was also the councils planning department that chose the cassette-shaped aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding. It was heard that Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea officers accepted the deeply flawed safety certificates. The council has since admitted its building control department should not have issued a completion certificate on the project. Evidence has also emerged of worrying problems before the refurbishment and that officials knew about them. Among the damning evidence heard by the inquiry was the fact that as far back as 2010 a leaseholder group had warned that the smoke alarm system in the building was malfunctioning. Despite this, KCTMO took six years to attempt to fix it. It was also revealed that the management organisation did not inform the residents about the problems with the system for at least a year, and that the council knew the apparatus was broken beyond repair. Janice Wray, the former health, safety and facilities manager at KCTMO, wrote an email to a colleague in which she said: Lets hope our luck holds and there are no fires in the meantime. Kensington and Chelsea says it increased the budget for the refurbishment every time it was asked. Elizabeth Campbell, Kensington and Chelsea leader, said: This council should have done more to keep our residents safe before the fire, and to care for them in the aftermath. The council has been proactively honest and open about its own failings throughout the inquiry process, in line with our commitments to candour, as set out in the Hillsborough Charter. We know the report will be a hugely significant moment for the bereaved, survivors and the community. I will make sure that it is a hugely significant moment for this council too. We will look hard at the recommendations and what we need to do so we continue to become a better organisation as a lasting legacy from the tragedy. On Mr Milletts blame slide for Kensington and Chelsea, arrows point outwards to the refurb construction firm, the architect, a third-party certification body, the cladding and insulation manufacturers, and the government. The architect firm commissioned by Kensington and Chelsea to oversee the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower had no experience in overcladding high-rise residential buildings, the inquiry heard. Nevertheless, it was chosen without a competitive procurement process or design contest. Studio E kept its fees extremely low to win the contract. Andzej Kuszell, the practice co-founder, has said his firm probably would not have been awarded the job if a competitive process had been in place. During the inquiry, Bruce Sounes, the lead architect on the project, said he did not familiarise himself fully with fire safety regulations. I referred to it on occasion but I certainly didnt read it from start to finish, he said. Because its so wide-ranging, an architect will find themselves referring to specific sections to try and understand whether they are meeting their requirements. Mr Sounes sent a provisional fire strategy plan to a KCTMO official in April 2014. However, according to an email seen by the inquiry, he warned them not to show it to the London Fire Brigade. He warned that the fire service was likely to support the severe interpretation of the regulations. The firm went into liquidation in 2020, owing 144,000 to its creditors. According to the counsel to the inquiry, Studio E is one of the rare parties with plenty of blame arrows pointing at it, but none pointing the other way. The construction firm chosen to carry out the refurbishment won the contract after bidding more than 500,000 less than its nearest rival. What happened next is likely to form a major part of Sir Martins final report into the causes of the tragedy. Rydon met secretly with KCTMO to discuss whether approximately 800,000 could be knocked off the project. Ultimately, Rydon decided to cut costs by switching cladding from a non-combustible zinc option to ACM cladding. Rydon believed it could make savings of between 419,627 and 576,973 by doing this. However, this is not what it told its clients at KCTMO. Instead, the firm told KCTMO that the savings would be between 293,368 and 376,175. Simon Lawrence, the contracts manager at Rydon, was asked about this at the inquiry. He replied: I would suggest that, although not my area of expertise, that Rydon took some of the saving for themselves. An email from Zak Maynard, Rydons commercial manager, in 2014, appears to support that. We are quids in!! he wrote. Mr Maynard later told the inquiry this was a joke. At the inquiry, Rydon appeared keen to point the finger of blame at the manufacturers of the products with which it completed the refurbishment, saying it could not be blamed for the dishonest behaviour of Arconic, Celotex and Kingspan. The firm has put aside 26.7 million towards the settlement of civil claims arising from the fire. The Ipswich-based company, which was bought in 2012 by French materials group Saint-Gobain, provided the majority of the foam insulation around Grenfell Tower. It was aware that its rival Kingspan was providing insulation on high-rise buildings, despite regulations stipulating that such materials be of limited combustibility. Keen to break into new markets, Celotex instructed Jonathan Roper, a young assistant products manager, who was fresh out of university, to find out how Kingspan was doing it. The inquiry heard that he discovered that Kingspan had fire-tested its product, but that it should have only marketed it as a component of the whole system tested, rather than on its own. Mr Roper said Celotex tested its insulation product behind a non-combustible cladding board in 2014. When it failed, he claimed the firm then over-engineered the product to achieve a test pass by placing additional fire-resistant boards behind the cladding panel in subsequent tests. These boards were not mentioned by Celotex in its marketing literature for the RS5000 product, which was sold at a discount of almost 50 per cent for use at Grenfell. Mr Roper told the inquiry that Celotext was determined to market its insulation product as being suitable for use over 18 metres because Kingspan was already doing so. Jamie Hayes, a former technical services officer at Celotex, told the inquiry he was the man who came up with the plan to boost the products chances of passing a test by adding fire-resistant boards, but he denied knowing that Celotex would conceal this detail in its subsequent marketing. He said it was a failure of moral fibre that stopped him challenging the company when he eventually became aware. Documents seen by the inquiry also show that Celotex and its owner was aware that the product would release toxic smoke when burned. Celotex has said it had subsequently become aware of facts unknown to management at the time of the Grenfell fire and that six employees had left the company following disciplinary action. A spokesman said: Through its participation in the inquiry process and its own internal investigations, Celotex Limited has sought to understand and learn from the issues raised by the fire. As part of this work, independent safety tests commissioned following the review demonstrated the system described in Celotex RS5000 marketing literature met the relevant safety criteria. Celotex Limited does not design and install cladding systems and did not do so at Grenfell Tower. The design and construction of the facade at Grenfell Tower and the selection of the various components, were decisions made by construction industry professionals. On Mr Milletts blame diagram, numerous arrows point outwards from Celotex. The council, Rydon, Studio E and Arconic, the cladding manufacturer, are just some. The companys K15 plastic foam insulated around 5 per cent of Grenfell Tower. The inquiry heard that the product passed a fire safety test in 2005 when it was placed behind non-combustible cladding. This means it should only have been used on high-rise buildings as part of the exact system tested (Grenfell used combustible cladding). Instead, it was marketed for general use on high-rise buildings. After a slight chemical change to the product making it more flammable, the product underwent another fire test in 2007, the result of which was described as a raging inferno. The inquiry was told that Philip Heath, a Kingspan technical manager, was contemptuous when a contractor suggested that K15 might not be suitable for buildings above 18 metres, saying: [Theyre] getting me confused with someone who gives a dam [sic]. Kingspan has said: We have apologised unreservedly and taken comprehensive, externally verified, measures to prevent recurrence and to ensure an explicit culture of integrity, honesty and compliance. The company denied that any of its testing, certification or marketing literature at the time of the supply of the product for use on Grenfell suggested that it was non-combustible or of limited combustibility. The Building Research Establishment, a charitable organisation promoting building science in the UK, has said it will no longer work with Kingspan or Celotex. Kingspan has blamed the Government, the cladding panels, and even the inquirys questions, according to Mr Millett. Arconic Architectural Products SAS made the cladding panels on Grenfell Tower that caused the fire to spread so rapidly. A subsidiary of a US metals giant, the company conducted a 2004 test of the aluminium composite material in cassette form, which found that it burnt 10 times as quickly and seven times as hot when not in that form. The inquiry heard that Arconic described this as a rogue result. The ACM cassette panels stayed on the market, and received a boost when the British Board of Agrement, a certifying body, issued a certificate stating that the ACM panels met the minimum standards for highrise buildings. Arconic had put forward a successful test result for a riveted version of the ACM panel and a fire-retardant version, the inquiry heard, but it did not disclose the failed test on the cassette panel version. Claude Schmidt, the president of Arconics French arm, said that a failure to volunteer the information about the test results was a misleading half-truth, rather than a deliberate concealment. In an email to staff, Claude Wehrle, Arconic technical manager in France, said the ACM cassette panel did not achieve the minimum safety standard for use on high-rises in the EU, but added that this should be VERY CONFIDENTIAL. Stephen Hockman KC, representing Arconic at the inquiry, said other companies had blamed it to create a very convenient way of avoiding their own responsibility. The firm has said it supplied the ACM sheets specified by the design team on the Grenfell refurbishment and approved by Kensington and Chelsea. The fire was a terrible tragedy and as Arconic remembers the 72 people who died, our thoughts remain with the families, friends and all of those affected. The company has said ACM is safe as a building material if used correctly. In April 2023, Michael Gove, then housing secretary, placed heavy pressure on Arconic to increase its spending to help pay for cladding remediation work in light of the Grenfell fire. Gove stated his frustration with the firm and how it had not taken any responsibility moral or financial for their role in the Grenfell tragedy and building safety crisis. Theyve instead spent around 9 million per year on lawyers to defend themselves. I will use all tools at my disposal to make them pay. A spokesman for Arconic said: Arconic Architectural Products was a core participant in the inquiry and has acknowledged its role as one of the material suppliers involved in the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower. The company respects the inquiry process. AAP cooperated fully with the work of the inquiry and will continue to engage with further legal processes. Together with other parties, AAP has made financial contributions to settlements for those affected, as well as to the restorative justice fund. Civil servants complained to the inquiry that the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), was possessed by an appetite for deregulation during the coalition years. Brian Martin, a senior official in the department, was accused of ignoring a warning about the widespread, historic and ongoing use of ACM cladding in the UK, allegedly telling an architect who recommended tightening building standards: Wheres the evidence? Show me the bodies. Mr Martin told the inquiry that there were a number of occasions where I could have, potentially, prevented this happening. Evidence was shown in the inquiry that Mr Martin had thought the Lakanal House fire in Camberwell in 2009 was not severe enough to prompt safety reviews. In documents seen by ITV News, Mr Martin said he did not need to kiss the backside of a coroner who suggested sprinklers be installed in tower blocks. Members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) Iranian interference in the UK should be at the top of the Home Secretarys 100-day review of counter-extremism. Both the director general of MI5, and the head of Counter Terrorism Policing, have detailed how Iran has sought to commit terrorist attacks in this country. There is also thuggery on May 24 at a memorial event in Wembley for the late Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi, a group left the event to challenge anti-regime counter-protesters, injuring four in the fighting that followed. Iran is supplemented in its mission by a minority of political Shias from other countries. In London this includes representatives of Iraqi Shia movements such as the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF). One part of the PMF, Kataib Hezbollah, is designated as a foreign terrorist organisation by the USA and is accused of killing a British soldier in Iraq in 2020. But it is not proscribed here. The Charity Commission received a dossier on two charities linked to the Bahraini opposition some months ago; as a statement noted, We have opened regulatory cases into both to determine if there is a role for the Commission. Some of our allies appear well ahead of the UK. The German government has closed the Iranian linked Islamic Centre in Hamburg and several affiliates. The Federal Ministry of the Interior stated the organisations were breaching the German Constitution. The Islamic Centres former head, Hadi Mofatteh, has received a deportation order. Avril Haines, the US director of National Intelligence, recently issued a statement on attempted Iranian influence operations in America that sought to take advantage of protests over Gaza. This is not to argue such protests are invented by or directed from Tehran. But, as Haines wrote: It is also important to warn of foreign actors who seek to exploit our debate for their own purposes. Yvette Cooper should make a similar statement here. German action contrasts with our approach to the Islamic Centre of England (ICEL) subject of a recent Policy Exchange report. Each ICEL director since its formation has attended religious seminaries in Iran and been sent here as the personal representative of the supreme leader. ICEL commemorates Irans Islamic Revolution and its martyrs and looks to harness British Muslim anger on issues such as blasphemy. ICEL has been the subject of a Charity Commission statutory inquiry since November 2022, over serious governance concerns. Trustees had failed to fully comply with an action plan and official warning after an event held at ICEL eulogising the late Iranian general Qasem Soleimani. Hamburgs investigation was conducted by Germanys Office for the Protection of the Constitution, with final decisions taken by the interior minister. In England and Wales, should responsibility for the regulation of charities, where there is a potential connection to hostile foreign states, continue to sit with an arms length organisation? We should stop issuing visas for Iranian ministers of religion to work here, and re-examine visas already issued. The extremism review should commit to a thorough investigation of pro-Iranian activists, and their impact. While Britains Sunni Muslims have tended to resist Irans siren calls, nothing about that trend guarantees its continuation. It is also time the government encouraged a greater degree of openness and clarity in the work of the security service. Continental agencies like the Dutch AIVD and German BfV, produce an annual public review of extremism. Public officials should then ensure they do not have dealings with extremist groups. The UK has been tolerant of too much, for too long. Paul Stott is head of security and extremism at Policy Exchange Sir Keir Starmer and education secretary Bridget Phillipson Other than Brexit, the Conservatives dont have much to show for their 14 years in government. One of their few undoubted successes, however, was to raise standards in state schools. Michael Gove, in particular, bequeathed a solid legacy of rigorous testing during his four years as education secretary, from which millions of schoolchildren have benefited. The teaching unions and the rest of the education establishment have never forgiven Mr Gove. And they were furious when Nick Gibb, the long-serving schools minister, reintroduced compulsory times-tables tests at primary schools six years ago a practical policy no less than a symbolic one, restoring a key element of the 1944 Education Act into the classroom. Across the curriculum, unions have resisted any attempt to raise standards. At every stage, they have denounced old-fashioned Tory policies. But Englands scores on the highly respected international Pisa scale have risen steadily apart from during the pandemic especially by comparison with Scotland, where education is devolved and standards are in decline under the SNP. All this is now potentially under threat. The new Labour government may be tempted to cave in to union demands for such tests to be made optional or even abolished. Bridget Phillipson, the Secretary of State who boasts of being the first holder of her office to actually tax education, has set up an innocuous-sounding curriculum review. Led by Becky Francis, it looks highly likely to recommend axing much of the testing regime that has delivered such sterling results. For Prof Francis, even the Blair government suffered from an obsession with academic achievement, let alone its Tory successor. She is one of the Left-wing education gurus from whose egalitarian ideologies schools and pupils have been relatively protected for the past 14 years. Listening to the unions when it comes to the national curriculum means shifting the focus from the rigorous teaching of knowledge to woolly-minded wokery. Already the teaching unions are rubbing their hands in glee. They are looking forward to stripping back the teaching of grammar and scrapping Mr Goves English baccalaureate. Above all, they want to put an end to high pressure government testing, which they blame for the mental-health epidemic among pupils. If Labour is not to turn its back on the improvement in schools made over the last decade or more, it must resist these demands. But if, as seems possible, Labour bows to the baleful influence of the teaching unions, the children who will suffer most are those from the poorest backgrounds. For them, a traditional, rigorous, knowledge-based education the kind that Sir Keir Starmer enjoyed is their only escape route from poverty. Does the Prime Minister, who boasts of his working class roots, really want to deprive pupils of that lifeline? The Chagos Islands have been British-owned since 1814 Labour has opened the door to handing the Chagos Islands back to Mauritius. The islands, located in the Indian Ocean, have been British-owned since 1814 and include Diego Garcia, which hosts a US military base. Plans to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius were set to be dropped last year amid opposition from Grant Shapps, then the defence secretary, and concerns about Mauritiuss alliance with China. But asked by Lord Kempsell, a Tory peer, for its view on the sovereignty of the islands, the Government said it was too early to predict the outcome of negotiations. Baroness Chapman, a Foreign Office minister, said: The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary met the Mauritian prime minister on July 23 and committed to continuing negotiations on the exercise of sovereignty over Chagos Archipelago. It is too early to speculate on timelines or conclusions, but it is the Governments priority to resolve this long-standing and important issue, including ensuring the long-term secure and effective operation of the joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia. The response prompted warnings to Sir Keir Starmer and David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, that they should consider the wider precedent handing over the islands could set. Mr Shapps told The Telegraph: Its extraordinarily important to understand that, in the discussions over the Chagos Islands, we are also discussing the wider sovereignty of our global military footprint. These decisions cannot and must not be taken lightly. Lord Kempsell added that the sovereignty of the islands remained a sensitive and important issue, adding: It is troubling that the Governments position has emerged again via my parliamentary questioning, rather than an upfront position of the facts. In response to a previous question tabled by the peer, Labour refused to declare China a threat, appearing to tear up plans drawn up by the Tory government before the election. Jeremy Corbyn, Sir Keirs predecessor as Labour leader, promised in 2019 to renounce British sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to right one of the wrongs of history. Diego Garcia was used by the US in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks to fly bombing missions to Afghanistan and Iraq - Universal Images Group Editorial/Pictures from History Control of the islands has been disputed for several decades, with Mauritius winning a non-binding International Court of Justice ruling in 2019 to have Britains ownership declared unlawful. The United Nations general assembly subsequently voted by a significant majority for control of the islands to be returned as rapidly as possible. Last year, it emerged the Foreign Office had been working on a Cyprus-style deal to give Mauritius sovereignty while allowing Britain to keep control of the military base. But it is understood that personal resistance from Mr Shapps led to a push to abandon the agreement, and a number of staffing changes were subsequently made in the Foreign Office. Lord Cameron, who preceded Mr Lammy as foreign secretary, subsequently drew up a review, with his concerns being mirrored by senior US officials. Diego Garcia was used by the US in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks to fly bombing missions to Afghanistan and Iraq, and has subsequently been used to supply troops in the Middle East. The Foreign Office was contacted for comment. The supermarket has pledged to reduce its carbon emissions by 55 per cent by 2029-30 - Chesnot A wheelchair user is threatening Marks & Spencer with legal action over their new eco-fridges that she claims are too high for her to reach. The supermarket has been criticised over its installation of the doors, which aim to trap cold air inside the fridges and reduce energy bills by up to a third. Flick Williams, a partially sighted wheelchair user, said the handles on the enclosed fridges are too high for her to reach. She also said that the doors are heavy and that the mechanisms that keep them closed are too strong. M&S's new eco-fridges trap cold air inside During a visit on June 2 to her local supermarket in York, Ms Williams said that she could not find a staff member to help her and that the manned tills had very long queues. Ms Williams, 60, who shops for herself and her 90-year-old mother, and has been disabled since she was 26, said: I went up and down the aisles looking for a member of staff to help me, because I knew exactly what I wanted. She claims that this is a breach of the reasonable adjustments that organisations offering services are required to provide under equality legislation. Theyve basically erected a barrier to me being able to shop independently by introducing all of these enclosed cabinets. The law says that they have to make a reasonable adjustment, which could be providing an assistant to help me shop, said Ms Williams. She added: I was really distressed in the store that day, as the permanence of it filtered through, and I thought: This isnt just a problem today, this is going to be a problem every time I want to shop. The retailer has a deadline of Sunday to reply before she plans to take further action. Pledge to reduce carbon emissions M&S has pledged to reduce its carbon emissions by 55 per cent by 2029-30, and installed the fridge doors in 30 of its foodhalls in 2023-24, according to its environmental reporting. Other supermarkets have also introduced fridge doors. Aldi has free-swinging Perspex doors, whereas retailer Lidl said its glazed doors reduced energy consumption by 40 per cent. The doors could reduce energy bills by a third, the Environmental Investigation Agency said in a 2019 report. When the supermarket Aldi pledged to install the doors across its UK stores in 2021, it said the change would save 20 tonnes of carbon a year and reduce energy consumption by 20 per cent. There is no suggestion that other supermarkets are also facing legal action on the basis of alleged discrimination as a result of the fridge doors. In 2019, Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, as it was then known, ruled out enforcing mandatory fridge doors in supermarkets but urged supermarkets to increase their use of energy-efficient technology wherever possible. Alison Kerry of the disability equality charity Scope said: We know that disabled people often have issues with the size, height and accessibility of changing rooms, tills, and card readers when they are out shopping. M&S are renowned for their great customer service, and its important that their disabled customers are included in enjoying a positive shopping experience. A Marks & Spencer spokesman said: We are committed to making our stores accessible to all our customers, and work with AccessAble to help us do that with access guides covering inside and outside our stores. We always strive to ensure colleagues are on hand to help every customer and were very sorry that on this occasion the customer could not find a colleague to help. We always take on board customer feedback and look forward to speaking to Ms Williams. A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesman said: We encourage businesses to take energy saving measures to help cut their emissions. It is for individual businesses to decide how best to do this. We encourage them to ensure all measures meet accessibility standards. NHS Trust is hiring a head of diversity for Kingsway Hospital - IZUSEK/E+ An NHS trusts advertisement for an 80,000 a year diversity and inclusion officer role has been criticised as an insult to taxpayers. Derbyshire NHS Foundation Trust has come under fire after offering an annual salary of up to 81,138 for a new Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Kingsway Hospital. In its job description, the trust said the successful applicant will champion new ways of thinking and hearing the voices of our people and local population to improve equitable, diverse and inclusive experiences for all. This role is fundamental to creating innovative approaches to diversity and inclusion which will support our work at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, it adds. Applicants would be required to work only 37.5 hours a week with the option of flexible working. The trust recently embarked on a 150 million project to build half a dozen new mental health facilities where patients would be able to dim the lights, control the temperature and play music via bluetooth. Rupert Lowe, the Reform MP for Great Yarmouth, said roles like these 'needed to be rooted out' - OLI SCARFF/AFP Rupert Lowe, the Reform MP for Great Yarmouth, described the job advertisement as an insult to taxpayers and said the poisonous diversity industry needs to be rooted out. He wrote on X, formerly Twitter: Every single diversity role in the public sector should be scrapped. The trust has been approached for comment. It comes after the Telegraph found that civil service diversity and inclusion officers are paid as much as 10,000 more than top trade officials, government job listings suggest. The Department for Business and Trade is currently seeking a new head of country for Poland, the UKs 13th largest trading partner with a 540bn economy. A successful applicant would be in charge of developing a strategy on trade policy and shaping the overall trading relationship with Poland. The listing says that someone based outside London could receive a salary of between 32,858 and 34,586 for the role, rising to between 36,583 and 38,272 if they live in the capital. By comparison, a typical civil service diversity and inclusion officer in London receives 42,697 per year, according to the careers website Indeed. Police are using lorry cabs to catch drivers using their phones behind the wheel - Russell Sach/Russell Sach Police are using lorry cabs to catch drivers using their phones behind the wheel. The unmarked specialist tractor unit, one of three in the country, accompanies patrols to spot distracted drivers from above or alongside them, in HGVs. Operation Tramline, which is being carried out by forces across the country in partnership with National Highways, has stopped more than 42,500 vehicles since its launch in 2015. Technology within the cab reads surrounding registration plates at a rapid pace, determining whether a cars insurance, tax records and MOT certificate are up to date. A team can pull over anywhere between 12 and 20 drivers over an eight-hour shift. On Wednesday, The Telegraph joined officers on two shifts lasting about 90 minutes each. George Barrow, a builder, was one of more than 30 motorists who was stopped by Dorset Police officers last week for using his mobile at the wheel. Mr Barrow was pulled over when officers spotted him on the A348 in Bournemouth, holding his phone as he drove without a seatbelt. A team can pull over between 12 and 20 drivers over an eight-hour shift - ARussell Sach/ARussell Sach After giving his details to officers, Mr Barrow confirmed that it was the first time he had been stopped for driving with his phone in his hand. I was looking at Google Maps and just carrying it in my hand, he told The Telegraph. Mr Barrow said he would consider buying a phone holder for his van and said that his working life was busy at the moment. When asked whether he thought it was good thing that police were cracking down on motorists who use mobiles at the wheel, he agreed. Yeah, for sure, he said. You know, we all do it dont we, come on? Ive been caught, it is what it is Trials of special cameras, which use AI to identify illegal phone use as well as motorists who are not wearing seatbelts, were underway with 10 police forces earlier this year - ahead of an expected national rollout. Exclusive research shared by the RAC suggested more than three quarters of all drivers (77 per cent) would like to see the cameras rolled out nationally. Heavy penalties Over two years from January 2021, Dorset Police issued 517 fixed penalty notices to motorists who were caught using a mobile phone while driving. Motorists caught holding and using a phone, satnav, tablet or any device that can send and receive data can be hit with six penalty points and a 200 fine. New drivers who have passed their test within the last two years can also lose their licence. The actual offence committed is when a vehicle is being driven in a position which does not give proper control or a full view of the road and traffic ahead. These offences can result in drivers receiving three penalty points, if they do not have full view of the road and traffic ahead or proper control of the vehicle. Motorists caught committing these offences could even be banned from driving or hit with a maximum fine of 1,000 for cars and 2,500 for HGVs if their cases are taken to court. Andy Cooke has been chief inspector of constabulary since April 2022 - Heathcliff O'Malley He rose through the ranks to become one of Britains most senior policemen, and is now responsible for inspecting all of the countrys forces. But Andy Cooke cant remember exactly when he decided to become an officer, or the reasons why. He thinks he must have fixed on his future career by the age of nine or 10 even though none of his relatives were in uniform, with his father working in a Ford factory and his mum as a teacher. Little could he have imagined, then, the responsibility he would eventually take on as HM chief inspector of constabulary and the perfect storm that would be facing forces across the country at the time. After several years of plummeting prosecution rates and scandals over predatory officers and the handling of bogus allegations about VIP paedophiles, this summer has seen police forces blindsided by both a prisons crisis and the worst rioting seen since 2011. Cooke, now 60, was formerly chief constable of Merseyside Police, having served in the force for more than three decades after joining as an officer in 1985. He was born and raised in Liverpool and still lives in the city with his wife. The events in Southport last month, in which more than 50 officers were injured in disorder that broke out after the fatal stabbing of three little girls in the town, hit close to home. Sitting in his London office, a short walk down the road from the Ministry of Justice, Cooke calls the violence against officers unacceptable and absolutely shocking. The police are not the enemy of the people, they are part of the community, he says. In Southport, it was the same officers that were dealing with those horrifying events, who were then stood there being pelted with bricks and bottles and you name it. Over 50 police officers were injured in the Southport riots with dozens more in other cities around England - Getty Cooke says that the police, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and courts pulled together to do exceptional work in the days following the initial riot in Southport at the end of July. He believes that the authorities ultimately succeeded in deterring further unrest by ensuring that individuals in the violent disorder that took place across the country between July 30 and August 5, were swiftly handed multi-year prison sentences. Fortunately, it appears to have died down now, but those investigations will go on for months and months, he says. They are very intensive, because thousands of hours of CCTV needs to be looked at to identify individuals. But policing has got to do that, its got to ensure that those responsible for this violence and disorder are dealt with and they will be. The violence was fuelled by a combination of false information about the Southport attacker and activism by far-Right groups, who are now seeking to characterise the response as an example of two-tier policing that unfairly punishes white people and the Right-wing. Cooke believes that two-tier policing is not a reality, but warns: Forces need to be very careful they dont give the perception that theres two-tier policing in what they say or how they do things. Communication could be better in relation to explaining what theyre doing and why. But one side will always say they are too soft, and one side will say theyre too hard. Theyll never get it right for some people. The claims of two-tier policing moved into the mainstream last year when then-home secretary Suella Braverman levelled the accusation at the Metropolitan Police over its handling of pro-Palestinian protesters. She was sacked days after her public criticism of the police. Cooke will not comment directly on Bravermans remarks, but says: I think the influence of the media, social media and what politicians say can be exceptionally important in maintaining the stability of any democracy. Weve certainly seen too many unwise words spoken. Asked about apparent differences in the treatment of protesters on different sides of major movements, such as Black Lives Matter and the Israel-Gaza war, Cooke insists that, as a rule, officers are guided by operational assessments rather than political bias. They police with no fear or favour, but policing will look different depending on what the protest is and what the attitude and intent of the protesters is, he says. Its for public order commanders to identify what style of policing should be taken. I think across the country, forces have the vast majority of the time got it right. Cooke and director of public prosecutions Stephen Parkinson pictured arriving at Downing Street for an emergency meeting on the violent disorder in Southport - Karl Black/Alamy But Cooke believes there have also been mistakes. When Black Lives Matter protests started across the UK following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, he was still the chief constable of Merseyside Police. He issued an instruction to the forces almost 4,000 officers not to take the knee in a show of solidarity, although numerous officers had performed the gesture in London, and national guidance said officers could make their own decisions based on their individual circumstances. Among recent mistakes by the police, Braverman and other senior Tories have argued, are instances of officers straying into politically-contested areas, or taking up woke causes. Rows during Rishi Sunaks time in office included a hate incident recorded by officers after an autistic boy accidentally damaged a copy of the Koran, and police investigating tweets by feminists voicing gender-critical views. I dont use the word woke, says Cooke. Ive been on gay pride marches, when I was a chief. Im not against community engagement. Its got to be done professionally, and its got to be done in the right way, and its going to be fair to all communities But Im more of the view that police should always remain impartial in these issues. So would I have knelt in the Black Lives Matter protests? Of course I wouldnt, and did I instruct my staff not to? Of course I did, because the police have got to be seen as impartial, Cooke says. Policing has got to police the Left and the Right and other interest groups in exactly the same way, and thats without fear or favour. So policing shouldnt take sides. Its not for the police to decide what is a good cause and a bad cause. He is clear the disorder that spread across the country following the Southport stabbings wasnt legitimate protest, it was criminality, and that police forces responded accordingly. Cooke, pictured here at Liverpool Pride Festival in 2018, believes all police officers have a duty to act impartially - Alamy Police have so far arrested more than 1,200 people and almost 800 have been charged. But the influx of rioters has pushed prisons near to total capacity following years of overcrowding, and there is now little room for new inmates in jails across England and Wales. On August 19, the Government triggered an emergency contingency plan under which defendants due in court are kept in police cells unless a prison space is confirmed to be free. Two days later, magistrates courts were ordered to delay all sentences for offenders currently on bail until after a new early release scheme is due to free up space on Sept 10. Cooke labels the whole criminal justice system as dysfunctional, from police forces to prisons, the CPS and courts. None of the organisations can hold their head up and say: Were doing all we can, he says. The entire criminal justice system is dysfunctional, undoubtedly dysfunctional. Around 5,500 inmates are expected to be freed over the next two months, creating space in prisons but piling pressure on the police and probation officers responsible for monitoring the deluge of convicts and catching them if they reoffend. It is a nightmare, Cooke says. Theres no easy option because there are not enough prison spaces. The government had no choice other than to release people early, but it does put a strain on the rest of the system, because probation are understaffed and underfunded. They need to keep communities safe and that puts an extra burden on them, and police officers are dealing with increased criminality from those who are being released earlier and will need to be dealt with. In a recent inspection of HMP Nottingham, Charlie Taylor, the chief inspector of prisons, said that the early release programme brought in by the Conservative government made preparations for freeing prisoners chaotic and rushed, leaving a quarter of released offenders homeless and making reoffending inevitable. Cooke himself has a dim forecast for the coming months: More criminals will come out, they will commit more offences because they havent been rehabilitated, then they will go back in. Cooke initially joined HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services in February 2021, as inspector for northern England, having served as Merseyside chief constable since 2016. I had a weekend off between jobs, he says. I finished at Merseyside Police on a Friday and started at the inspectorate on the Monday. Cooke took the chance to apply for the top job in 2022, and still has three years left of his five-year term evaluating the performance of all police forces and fire services in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. During his time at the watchdog, public trust in the police has been battered by a wave of scandals, the most prominent of which were the murder of Sarah Everard in March 2021 by Wayne Couzens, then a serving Metropolitan Police officer, and the exposure of serial rapist David Carrick, who was an armed Met officer. But Cooke, who has two adult daughters, believes that the horrific revelations are just one factor damaging trust in police, and perhaps not even the most significant. Getting the confidence of all communities is important because policing, in my view, has lost that not just because of the Sarah Everard case and the high profile issues, but because communities dont necessarily feel the police can address the criminality and anti-social behaviour they see on the streets every day, he says. Too often, policing is getting the basics wrong. That is about just what the public would expect the police to do, which is answer the phone quickly, respond quickly, do the right things when they get there, investigate it properly, keep victims informed of whats going on, hopefully catch the offender at the end of the day. The list may sound obvious, but the inspectorate has found multiple forces to be failing those basic tests. Only 6.4 per cent of all crimes recorded in England and Wales are currently prosecuted within a year a slight improvement on the record low of 5.5 per cent hit in 2021-22, but far below the proportion seen when figures started to plummet in 2015. Home Office figures show the most common conclusion of an official crime report is investigation complete no suspect identified, followed by evidential difficulties, while 8 per cent of investigations take longer than a year. Cooke says the figures are not acceptable, and that while police forces are working to improve the number of crimes they solve, its not just a policing issue. Austerity had a massive impact on policing, in relation to outcome rates but also in relation to what it did to neighbourhood policing, which is the bedrock of British policing. During austerity, forces moved away from that because it was seen as a nice-to-do. Its not, its a must-do. [But] thats where peoples confidence and trust is really built. The Conservatives argued that spending cuts under David Camerons premiership forced the police to look critically at how we deliver services. But police leaders have long been arguing that funding cuts that started in 2010 and were reversed by Boris Johnsons government created a position where they were forced to prioritise different crimes and focus more on responding to offences than proactively preventing them. The failure of some forces to fully investigate burglaries was cited as a symbol of the shift, with police leaders not formally agreeing to ministers demands that officers should attend all residential burglaries, until October 2022. Cooke says there was never any excuse not to send officers to one of the most invasive crimes that people suffer. He admits that police cannot respond to everything that is reported, but argues that the impact on victims should always be a primary consideration. It is difficult to try and balance your resources, but you cant forget whats important to the public that you serve, he says. Its about consideration of the impact of these crimes on the victims themselves. Some forces forgot that during austerity, there were mistakes. Im sure those chiefs, if they could rewind the clock, would have made different decisions on occasion. Cooke: 'Too often, policing is getting the basics wrong' - Heathcliff O'Malley The past decade has also seen a sharp increase in what is officially labelled non-crime demand, such as mental health incidents, missing people and child protection work. A nationwide agreement known as right care, right person was struck between police, the NHS and government last year, following warnings over the amount of police time being lost caring for vulnerable people who had not committed a crime and should be in the care of other agencies. Cooke says the dial is now shifting around mental health but there are plenty of other things that police are doing that they shouldnt necessarily be doing, such as tracking down children who have gone missing from care. He says officers are also being hampered by bureaucracy, adding: Theres still too much documentation that needs to be done to put someone before a court, all of which the CPS and police are working towards improving, but it takes time. So theres still too many other demands that theyre dealing with, and theyre dealing with them against a background of a police funding formula, which is not fit for purpose. Cooke says that because the current structure relies on the 43 regional forces in England and Wales being able to increase funding through council tax, the money doesnt go where its needed most. Its not been looked at again for far too many years the last government said that they would review it. They didnt, which means that some of the rich forces are getting richer, and some of the poor forces are getting poorer. The formula is also having an impact on officer recruitment, meaning that forces covering relatively affluent areas like Surrey are now larger than they were before 2010, whereas those in more deprived areas like Cleveland are smaller. They just cannot raise the money from council tax that those other areas can raise, Cooke says. But where is the demand? Its in the inner-city areas which have got less police officers and less resources to deal with the criminality. He believes the Labour government will have to significantly increase funding both to the police and wider criminal justice system, if it is to realise its manifesto promises to halve knife crime and violence against women and girls in a decade. A government spokesperson said: This government is getting a grip of the justice crisis we inherited so our tireless frontline staff can keep locking up dangerous criminals, cut crime, and make our streets safer. Restoring trust and confidence in the entire criminal justice system is a central part of our mission. That is why we will get thousands more police officers back out on our streets, build the prisons we need and make sure our court system can deliver justice for victims. Cooke met the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, two days after the general election and says he will continue calling for a royal commission on criminal justice, which was promised by the Conservatives in 2019 to carry out a sweeping review of the entire system but never started. Starmer is the fourth occupant of No 10 Downing Street since Cooke was appointed to his current role by Johnson and Priti Patel. Cooke admits that he has been finding his undergraduate politics degree, from Nottingham University very useful, although he quickly adds: I dont have any political allegiance and I never have. He hopes to influence the direction of policing in the right way, in what he expects to be a period of significant change. I have my own opinions on what needs to be better, and Im not slow in voicing those, he adds. As chief HMI, you can actually affect policing right across England and Wales and its a great honour to be able to do that. The role is a long way from where Cooke started as a bobby on the beat in Merseyside in 1985, and he says he has been living the dream ever since. At every rank, Ive loved it, he says. For me, theres special pride in keeping your own community safe. Theres nowhere better to work than where you were born and brought up, where your friends and your family are. I have a big extended family across Merseyside and they were all exceptionally proud. Jon Macleod has planted 1,200 saplings on his 4 hectare croft at Bragar, on the west coast of Lewis. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian An ambitious plan to plant at least a million native trees on crofts in the Outer Hebrides has taken root, its organisers say, with more than 200 small new woods sprouting across the islands. The Western Isles woodland project hopes to reestablish a thriving mosaic of small woods dotted across the islands by using vacant or underused crofts to reforest the Hebrides and promote nature restoration. Under the project, funded mainly by profits from the UKs largest community-owned windfarm, west of Stornoway, 211,000 trees have already been planted on 245 crofts, plots of land that were historically family-run small holdings. Some of the new woodlands have up to 1,500 trees grown from local seeds, featuring alder, hazel, birch, rowan, Scots pine, blackthorn, sycamore and various species of willow. The project has been so successful it has helped establish three new tree nurseries on the islands. Many of the saplings come from seeds sourced by Hebridean Tree Ark, which harvests them from native local trees found clinging to cliffs and islands inaccessible to the red deer and sheep that suppress natural regeneration on land. PJ Maclachlan, a keen kayaker and retired meteorologist who began planting trees in 2018 on his 1.4 hectare family croft near Stornoway airport, often sees old native trees clinging to cliffs and ungrazed islands during his kayaking trips along the coast. He has planted 950 trees in a boggy, unproductive area of his croft. It was a great thing bringing woods back, he said: The fact it looks treeless isnt natural: its over-grazing. Youre bringing back something which has been lost. Some crofters, whose holdings often border the islands wind-battered coast line, have included fruit orchards in their new woods, which are reinstating woodlands stripped out for boat-and house-building in the past. Jon Macleod, 57, an arts curator who bought a 4 hectare croft at Bragar, on the west coast of Lewis in Ordal, the Norse for glen of the alder, has planted 1,200 saplings. By coincidence, the alder trees are flourishing in his woodland, where he has added apples, pears and cherry. Were restoring a landscape which existed a thousand years ago, he said. Using seeds gathered from local trees greatly increased their chances of prospering the survival rate and provenance is relevant to the place. Calum Macdonald, the former Labour MP leading the project, hoped it could be a model for community owned energy projects across the UK. Four-fifth of the woodlands funding is from the 900,000 annual profits made by the three 3MW wind turbines owned by Point and Sandwick trust, a community development body. The turbines at Beinn Ghrideag generate up to 30GWh of power a year enough, Macdonald said, to supply all the Western Isles with electricity. Macdonald said individual crofters were in charge of planting out their croft, in consultation with Viv Halcrow, the projects adviser, the Woodland Trust, the Scottish Crofting Federation and Scottish Forestry, a government-owned agency. He hoped that at least a million trees would be planted by 2030. The scheme is open to crofters anywhere in the Outer Hebrides and more than 800 crofters, schools and community groups have been in contact. We didnt want to do it by bringing in a big team of contractors, he said. Our vision is for it to expand organically instead, croft by croft, with the crofters owning the project and its legacy. We are not planting in moorland or peatland but in the crofting townships, on land which used to have hay, potatoes, and other crops but which now, with the decline of crofting activity over the past 20 years, is increasingly unused. We dont want the crofts to decay and this is a great way of bringing them back to vigorous life. Its a mosaic approach rather than the big bazooka employed in other environmental projects. Woodland owners will also need to combat the deer that roam in some areas; the moors have been denuded of trees by sheep and cattle, sent on to common grazings during the summer. This project was set up to recycle renewable energy profits into community wealth-building and improvements, he said, in contrast to the large-scale multi-national owned wind farms causing resentment amongthe communities nearby. Green energy schemes generally employ only a handful of staff and engineers whereas community ownership allows people to capture the profits they produce and reinvest them locally, Macdonald said. In Denmark, about half of turbines are community-owned. Many rural communities in the UK feel excluded from the profits generated by energy firms, and resent the large turbines, sub-stations and large pylons built in their areas. I would love to use the green energy revolution to get a lot more long-term benefits for our communities, Macdonald said. Macleod agrees. No one is against renewable energy here but community benefit is key, otherwise its just exploitation, he said. Peter Doig at an exhibition of his work in Paris in 2023. Photograph: DELFINO Claire/Paris Match/Getty Images Peter Doig became the most expensive living painter in Europe in 2007, when White Canoe, his atmospheric painting of a a moonlit lagoon, sold for 5.7m. The Scot then saw his auction record broken in 2017 and in 2021 respectively, when Rosedale, his depiction of a house in a snow storm, and Swamped, another enigmatic painting of a canoe, sold for the eye-watering prices of 21m and nearly 30m respectively. The 65-year-old artist estimates that, since 2007, his paintings have achieved combined sales of almost 380m. But he has now revealed that he has made barely 230,000 for himself from selling them. Doig said it is collectors who are profiting, buying and selling his works on the secondary market for crazy prices, and he has no idea who they are because the art trade is so opaque. Its all very clandestine, he told the Observer. Some paintings are sold offshore, so its untraceable. He is now calling for more transparency within the art market, particularly to protect vulnerable young artists. Doig believes that, as with any business relationship, galleries have a duty to share information about sales with the artists who created the works: They should be absolutely transparent in all the dealings. Theres so much secrecy, especially when the amounts start to get high. Once an artist has sold an artwork, theyve got few rights. Doig said he had had a real row recently with one of his former art galleries after they refused to tell him who had bought his artworks. I wasnt after money, he said. I wanted to know where the paintings had gone to. They said: We cant give you that information. I asked: Can you at least tell me what you sold them for? and they refused that as well. The information is kept so secret, its infuriating. He added: In the contemporary art world, gallerists make secondary sales of your work. This happened to me quite a lot, I found out. For instance, you sell a painting and then, perhaps five years later, the person who bought it resells it, and its usually done through the gallery because thats the arrangement theyve got. They may give you something, but not with a piece of paper, an invoice, which would happen in the real world. Its never clear what works are traded for on the secondary market, except at auction. Some dealers are taking advantage of artists, he believes: Youre much more vulnerable when youre a young artist and youre just so grateful to be having your work shown and sold. Doig was born in Edinburgh in 1959 and raised in Trinidad and Canada, studying at St Martins and the Chelsea College in London. He now divides his time between Britain and Trinidad, painting evocative compositions that range from jungles to snow-covered mountains. He is considered one of the most important painters working today, but is frustrated by people wrongly assuming that auction sales reflect what he makes from his paintings, let alone behind-the-scene sales, which are plentiful Im sure at least equal and quite clandestine. The secondary market did boost the value of his paintings on the primary market, he said. But your prices would never, ever match or even get close to what happens on the secondary market, a world of its own. Th eDesign and Artists Copyright Society (DACS) states that the law of Artists Resale Right gives artists and their beneficiaries the right to a payment when their work is resold for 1,000 or more through a gallery, auction house or art dealer. It has enabled Doig to keep some record of sales: But the maximum you get with a DACS sale is tiny. Works sold for 2m or more will receive a maximum royalty payout of 12,500. And if someone sells a painting offshore, you dont get that. I wasnt after money. I wanted to know where the paintings had gone. The gallery wouldnt tell me Peter Doig When Doig was a struggling artist, he was nominated for the 1990 Whitechapel Artists Award, by Yuko Shiraishi, an artist whose husband, David Juda, runs a gallery that also represents David Hockney. Doig won, giving him exposure that Id never had before. Doig is now this years guest curator of the David and Yuko Juda Art Foundation Grant, which donates 50,000 to an artist to alleviate financial pressures. He has drawn up a shortlist of seven candidates. They include a former student, Kaoli Mashio, a Japanese artist based in Dusseldorf, whose landscape paintings are very delicate and beautiful, and his former teacher, Tim Allen, whose abstract paintings deserve real recognition. A panel of judges including former Tate curator Andrew Wilson will decide on the winner next week. An exhibition of the shortlisted artists will be held at Annely Juda Fine Art in London from 10 September. One passenger complained of different rules for mobility scooters between train companies. East Midlands Railway is updating its rules on 2 September. Photograph: Dave Porter/Alamy John Jenkins from Oxfordshire despairs when he has to take the train. Both when booking ahead and just turning up, the other station has not picked up the phone so a ramp at the other end cant be arranged or confirmed. Ive missed multiple trains because of this, said the 71-year-old wheelchair user. When the promised ramp doesnt turn up, I literally have to swing on the door frame while a kind person unloads my wheelchair so I can drop into it. This at 71 years of age! For John Matthews in Norfolk, its the apparent randomness of the rules that frustrates him. East Midlands Rail do not accept my small mobility scooter on their trains as it has two front wheels they only accept a triangular shape but I can travel with my scooter on Greater Anglia. I cant get my mind round why one company turns me down while another presents no problem, he said. East Midlands Rail is updating its rules for mobility scooters on 2 September. Cal Clarke, however, finds Greater Anglia trains the most frustrating: Greater Anglia exclude wheelchair users from their first-class carriages: when they upgraded their fleet, we became persona non grata, said Clarke, a former prison officer. She now finds travelling in her electric wheelchair so difficult that she has begun to suffer anxiety attacks when she has to use public transport and no longer leaves the house except for medical appointments. The world isnt made for people like me, she said. Buses, for example, have one space for wheelchairs and drivers who are unwilling to comply with the Equality Act by asking people to fold buggies or move shopping trollies. My complaints to the bus company fall on deaf ears and because where I live is rural, Ive been stranded for hours and even overnight. Taxis were just as bad, she said: Those that advertise as being wheelchair accessible often arent suitable for electric wheelchairs like mine but dont say this, even if you ask them when booking. Theres no way I can be flexible: Id decapitate myself if I tried to go up their ramps. Humiliating, distressing and frustrating travel issues arent confined to local transport systems. As a cabin attendant, flying Boeing and Airbus aeroplanes around the world for over three decades, Laurence has seen at close hand how disabled passengers are treated across the world when they travel. Disabled people should board first and disembark last for privacy and convenience. But very often they are brought on board last, while all passengers are watching, by airport workers who have no training and are often rude and unmotivated, in part due to the poor working conditions, he said. Very often, disabled passengers have to wait over half an hour after landing for the ground staff to pick them up, so they dont make it to the next flight, he added. They are left unattended at the baggage claim area, asking for help to strangers. Paying for an upgrade was no guarantee of better treatment, he said. Disabled passengers travelling business are very often not taken to the business lounge that they are entitled to during the stopover. Then once they are onboard, many cabin attendants do not offer them any special treatment or help them in any way, he said. The lack of care was endemic, he said. Generally speaking, anywhere in the world, flying while disabled means patience, inconveniences, disruptions, lack of sensitivity. Claire Stevenson, from Chester, recognises this summary. Unable to walk because of a disability, the 40-year-old has had too many shocking experiences at airports to recount. Once, the young man pushing my chair at Belfast City airport spontaneously decided to do some sort of spinning trick with me without warning and whirled my chair around 360 really fast like he was a contestant on dancing on ice, she said. Of course, I fell out of the chair sideways as I have no capacity to keep my body upright without support. He was shocked that I had a real disability because he was of the opinion that most people using the service were just lazy. Liverpool airport mobility services took me to the wrong gate and left me there alone. When it became obvious that no flight would be departing from that gate, I had to crawl on my hands and knees to the correct gate. Another time, she said, the person meeting her at a baggage carousel came up from behind and, without a word of greeting or identifying himself, grabbed the handles of her chair and started pushing her away from her distressed elderly mother. He really hurt my back when the chair began to move by surprise. When I objected to this shocking and rude behaviour he shouted and shouted at me for my ingratitude. I was genuinely quite scared. Those with invisible disabilities fare no better. Janet, who is autistic, finds travelling by train almost unbearably stressful. Cancellations, platform changes and unclear information can induce a meltdown, she said. Rail staff are often unaware of the need to be patient and give clear information. Station staff are worse than those on trains but once I was overwhelmed and got on the wrong train and was bullied by staff on board who kept saying I was fare-dodging despite showing them my Autism Alert card. It was upsetting and embarrassing. Nina, a 25-year-old data analyst who is autistic, said booking special assistance in airports was a minefield and that she had been told that autism was not a disability at all. There are just so many hurdles: on Ryanair, you have to book it as an intellectual disability, which it is not. Ive spoken with assistants and the airlines themselves, and they all say that to get support, I have to lie and say I need a wheelchair but that means the special assistance station dont know Im autistic and so dont know that in airports, I need immediate help with my triggers, which are crowds, haste and being touched. Authorities said the small aircraft crashed at about 10.20am on Saturday morning. Photograph: Matt Rourke/AP Three people were dead after a small plane crashed into a row of townhouses on Saturday morning in a neighborhood east of Portland, setting the homes ablaze, authorities told KATU-TV. Officials earlier in the day had said the plane was carrying two people and that at least one resident had been unaccounted for. The Federal Aviation Administration said that a twin-engine Cessna 421C came down at about 10.30am local time near the Troutdale airport. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate, the FAA said in a statement. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide any updates. Scott Lewis, chief of the nearby Gresham fire department, said the fire spread from two units to four. Lewis said the fire displaced five families and two people were treated for injuries at the scene. Related: Severe turbulence injures seven people on United Airlines flight from Cancun The Multnomah county sheriffs office posted to X that it was responding to the scene. John Plock, a public information officer from the sheriffs office, later gave a news conference where he said the initial call came at 10.20am local time reporting black smoke. At some point during the crash, it hit a power pole or tower, causing it to fall over. The aircraft crashed into a building of townhomes and that structure also caught fire, Plock said, according to KATU. The plane was split into multiple parts as it crashed in the residential area in the city of Fairview, AP reported. Troutdale airport is described on the Port of Portlands website as a flight training and recreational airport. The full extent of the damage and injuries was not clear, but images and videos on social media showed a plume of smoke above the site, with one user writing that lots of customers now without power. 5 ALARM FIRE RESPONSE. Airplane crash into residential buildings a couple miles west of airfield in Troutdale Oregon. Firefighters are still searching for victims. https://t.co/RvREo3kyiM PDX_Info (@momma_pdx) August 31, 2024 According to the US power outage site, 13,921 Portland General Electric customers in Multnomah county were without electricity. Children taking a test in a classroom Times tables tests should be scrapped and grammar exams stripped back, teaching unions are urging the Government. Ministers are being urged to cut down the number of tests in primary schools, which unions say lead to high levels of anxiety in children. Tests on times tables are compulsory for all Year Four pupils at state schools in England. Unions have also argued in favour of simplifying Year Six SATs the exams pupils take at the end of primary school in reading, writing and maths to cut out the most difficult grammar questions. The demands will be handed to Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, for her curriculum and assessment review, alongside submissions from multi-academy trust bosses and education experts. The times table tests should become optional, said a union source. We are not saying children shouldnt learn times tables. They are really helpful. But the need to have the times table check is a bit of an unnecessary waste of time. Discussing grammar exams, the source said: We are not saying lets abandon knowledge. But there is an awful lot in the primary curriculum. Do we really need primary children to know about modal verbs and fronted adverbials? Why dont we strip that back? Lets do fewer things, but better. The demands will be handed to Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, for her curriculum and assessment review - Yui Mok/PA Times tables tests were introduced by the Conservative government in 2018. Nick Gibb, who was schools minister at the time, said the tests meant a new generation would again be able to recite their times tables effortlessly. It was the first time since 1944 that students had been required to sit national multiplication checks. At the time, teaching unions said they were extremely disappointed by the announcement. On Saturday, Mr Gibb warned that getting rid of times tables exams and paring back the grammar curriculum would be a retrograde step and damage the life chances of the next generation of young people. He said: All the evidence is that children knowing their times tables by heart is an essential precondition for more sophisticated mathematics, particularly things like simplifying equations and algebra. It would be a huge mistake to abolish a very simple computer-based test, which actually children enjoy doing. Its interesting that critics of the explicit teaching of grammar themselves use perfect grammar in expressing their criticism. Children from advantaged backgrounds, for whom correct grammar is in everyday use, dont necessarily need specific grammar teaching at schools. But for children from disadvantaged families it is essential that they are taught the rules of our language so that they too can express themselves as accurately as the critics. Nick Timothy, a Tory MP, said: The high standards and clear accountability brought about by the school reforms of Michael Gove and Nick Gibb are why English schools are now among the very best in the world. It would be needlessly destructive and disastrous for pupils if this progress is unpicked for reasons of ideology and Labours subservient relationship with the unions. Click here to view this content. Prof Alan Smithers, the director of the centre for education at Buckingham University, said it would be quite wrong to axe times tables tests and aspects of grammar exams. If the Government wants to give children the best possible start in life in the fundamentals of maths and English it should politely turn aside these requests, he said, adding that removing the tests would lead to a dumbing down of the curriculum. Leaders of major education unions are urging the Education Secretary to cut down on the number of exams pupils take, particularly in primary school. Daniel Kebede, the general secretary of the National Education Union, Englands largest teachers union, said primary schools should prioritise the education and well-being of pupils and put an end to high-pressure government testing. Along with several education experts who signed up to a joint statement, he said: Tests are often designed to hold schools to account rather than support teaching and learning, and place intense pressure on children, families and school staff. Children should not be losing sleep in the name of holding schools accountable. The NEU will tell the review that school assessments are unnecessarily high stakes, which are worsening childrens mental health and well-being. The union is also calling on ministers to add teaching about climate change, nature and green skills to the curriculum, as well as guaranteeing arts for all and more time for outdoor learning. Daniel Kebede said primary schools should 'put an end to high-pressure government testing' - Vuk Valcic/Alamy Paul Whiteman, the general secretary of the National Association of Headteachers, the main union for primary school leaders, said he would strongly urge the review to start by looking to reduce the number of statutory assessments in primary schools. Pepe DiIasio, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said that there were high levels of anxiety in young people because they sit so many exams. He added that exams were a good way of testing what you can remember and a good indicator of academic skills, but they are not necessarily the skills employers are crying out for. The review will be led by Prof Becky Francis, who previously served as an adviser to the House of Commons education select committee. All state schools will be required to teach the updated curriculum once it has been confirmed by the Department for Education. A DfE spokesman said: High and rising standards are at the heart of the Governments mission to break down the barriers to opportunity. The review aims to strengthen core skills in reading, writing, and maths, ensure a broad curriculum including arts and vocational subjects, prepare students for life and work, and create an assessment system that captures the strengths of every child. Recent polls have Donald Trump slipping behind Kamala Harris - Thomas Broom Click here to view this content. Donald Trumps sliding performance in the polls has prompted alarm among his closest aides and allies, who feel his chances of winning the presidency are sliding away after the ascent of Kamala Harris to the top of the Democratic ticket. The former president was once ahead of Joe Biden by several points in national polls, and so dominant in the swing states that there was serious chatter about true blue states like New York flipping red in November. But recent polls have him slipping behind. A month after Mr Biden dropped out of the race, MAGA (Make America Great Again) operatives have turned on each other as they try to rescue his campaign. Donors and party strategists have told The Telegraph the whole campaign needs a reset, and warned that Trumps messaging is failing to land with key voters. Some allies, including Vivek Ramaswamy and Kellyanne Conway, have argued that Trump must refrain from personal attacks on Ms Harris, and focus on her policy record as a senator and liberal prosecutor in California. Vivek Ramaswamy has argued that Trump must refrain from personal attacks on Ms Harris - Alex Brandon/AP Others feel that the Trump campaigns leadership has been taken over by Republicans in name only (RINO) strategists who have lost sight of the project he launched eight years ago. They point to his loss in support among some blue collar workers in Rust Belt states, where Mr Biden had been steadily losing ground prior to last month. Trumps political coalition of disaffected working class voters and establishment Republicans is coming apart at the seams, some argue. In August, Trump appeared to agree that his operation needed to change when he brought Corey Lewandowski, his 2016 campaign manager, back into the fold to work with his co-campaign chairs, Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles. Trump has also appointed Robert F Kennedy Jr, the former independent presidential candidate and noted conspiracy theorist, as honorary co-chair of his transition team, which is responsible for preparing for his second term in the White House. Ms Harris's strategy of calling Trump an extremist supporter of a 'Project 2025' agenda is having an impact on his popularity - Peter Zay/Getty Images The recent changes, and Trumps penchant for personal attacks, have prompted concerns that he will be unable to win over moderate and undecided voters in the next nine weeks. The majority of the votes, the majority of America, is in the middle, said Eric Levine, a Republican megadonor who backed Nikki Haley during this years primary race and has become a reluctant supporter of Trump. Thats where the Haley voters are, the independents and the women, and I dont think hes doing enough to appeal to those voters. Some, including Mr Levine, are concerned that Ms Harriss strategy of calling Trump an extremist supporter of a Project 2025 agenda, with a weird running mate in JD Vance, is having an impact on his popularity. I think his time would be much better spent trying to appeal to the centre, given the appearance that hes kind of at the fringes, he said, adding that he only plays into that caricature when he announces with great fanfare, that RFK is joining his transition team. Click here to view this content. Mr Vance, an Ohio senator who campaigns on his working-class, Appalachian background, has struggled in his first weeks on the Republican ticket. This week, he was booed by firefighters in a speech in Boston, and mocked for his unnatural style with voters in a doughnut shop, where he repeatedly asked staff how long they had worked at the business. Charley Cooper, a veteran Republican strategist, told The Telegraph that Trump needs a new strategy because their former strategy was nothing other than the fact that Joe Biden was too old for office and was mentally failing. Since Mr Biden stepped back from the race, Trumps campaign has attempted to link Ms Harris to unpopular policies of the Biden administration, including the military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 and the failure to prevent record numbers of illegal migrants crossing into the US from Mexico. But his campaign has not issued a comprehensive policy platform since he was confirmed as the partys nominee in Milwaukee last month. Trumps response to questions on the economy or foreign policy usually revolve around the record of his first presidency, and he has generally avoided pledging major policy changes. Trumps usual ability to come up with a nickname and a quick quip to dismiss Harris just kept missing the mark, Mr Cooper said. I think hes really been rattled by that, and I think its difficult from a strategic standpoint, to mount a campaign that is constantly looking backward instead of forward. Trump himself has dismissed calls for him to stop issuing personal attacks on Ms Harris and Tim Walz, her running mate, after backlash to his comments that she became black after entering national politics. On Aug 15, he told supporters at a rally he was entitled to personal attacks because he was very angry about Mr Bidens decision to leave the race and effectively reset the Democratic campaign. Some in Trump World believe that Ms Harriss recent polling gains are an example of the honeymoon effect, and that Democrats who were frustrated by Mr Bidens campaign had returned home. They are looking ahead to the presidential debate in Philadelphia next week, where the candidates will go head-to-head on stage for the first time. Donald Trump and Tiffany Justice, co-founder of Moms for Liberty, dance on stage during the Joyful Warriors National Summit - Alex Wong/Getty Images Mr Bidens appearance with Trump on June 27 marked the beginning of the end of the presidents campaign after a faltering performance that was criticised by many of his closest allies. Sebastian Gorka, a former Trump administration official who has concerns about the current campaign operation, said the former president should do both by criticising Ms Harriss policy platform and personal record in politics. That is what you need when you are facing off with the mendacious likes of Harris and Walz, he said, praising the recent decision to hire campaign staff who are not RINO swamp-creatures. They are loyal to MAGA and the America First platform, he told The Telegraph. We need more of their type, especially in a second Trump Administration, if God willing, my former boss wins in November. Its up to us and patriots like them being around the president. Click here to view this content. Lt Col Oleksiy Mes was one of the first pilots in Ukraine's F-16 programme Ukraine is mourning the loss of one of its most revered fighter pilots, who was killed in a prized Western-donated F-16 during a friendly fire incident that has triggered major controversy. Lt Col Oleksiy Mes, 30, known by the call sign Moonfish, was one of Kyivs most experienced aces and one of the first Ukrainian airmen to be qualified to fly the F-16 aircraft. He was killed just weeks after the first small batch of the advanced fighter jets were delivered to the country. Lt Col Mes had been instrumental in convincing Washington and Nato allies to donate advanced fighter jets to Ukraine. He travelled to the United States in 2022 with fellow pilot Andrii Pilshchykov, who had the call sign Juice, to lobby for F-16s for Ukraine. Moonfish and Juice met lawmakers and appeared on US television with the actor Sean Penn to bolster their cause. Both fighter pilots are now dead. Lt Col Mess funeral was held in his home town of Shepetivka in western Ukraine as part of a day of remembrance. Hundreds attended the service and his coffin was draped in the Ukrainian flag, surrounded by flowers and grieving relatives. Hundreds of people attended Lt Col Mes's funeral. His coffin was draped in the Ukrainian flag - Air Forces of Ukraine/AFP A Ukrainian MP told The Telegraph that Lt Col Mess death was a tragedy for his countrymen and for Kyivs military. He was one of those who promoted the idea of the importance of providing Ukraine with modern aircraft, Oleksiy Goncharenko said. He and another top-class pilot travelled to the United States to meet with congressmen and convince them of the need for F-16s. And eventually, he was one of the first Ukrainian pilots to be trained on the F-16. This is a truly heavy loss for the entire Ukraine and the Air Force in particular. The precise circumstances of Lt Col Mess death remain unclear, but early investigations suggest his F-16 was shot out of the sky by one of the worlds most advanced anti-aircraft systems, a US-made Patriot, during a barrage of missile and drone attacks by Russia. Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukranian president, sacked the head of his air force over the incident on Friday night. The star pilots death, and the loss of the F-16 aircraft, worth between $20 million (15 million) and $70 million, mark a significant setback for Ukraine, which spent two years asking Western allies for the US-made jets to help it counter Russian attacks. Though 40 pilots and 20 F-16 planes would be needed for a full operational squadron, a US official told the Wall Street Journal that Ukraine had to date received only six F-16s and had only six pilots trained to fly them. At the funeral a pair of MiG-29 fighter jets, flown by Lt Col Mess former comrades, performed a low-level flypast in tribute to the fallen pilot. A pair of MiG-29 fighter jets performed a low-level flypast at Lt Col Mes's funeral - Press Service of the Ukrainian Air Forces The commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Ukraine posthumously awarded Mes the rank of colonel. Tetiana Shevchuk, a friend, wrote: Oleksiy was an exemplary pilot. Always an excellent student, always the first, always the best. Describing the circumstances of his death, Ukraines western air command said that Lt Col Mes had destroyed three cruise missiles and one attack drone. Paying tribute, it added that he heroically fought his last battle in the sky unfortunately at the cost of his own life. The command went on to say: Oleksiy Mes was a strong and loyal soldier, a high-class pilot, a leader on earth and in the sky, a good friend, a loving son, father, husband, and patriot of his country. In August 2023, Joe Biden approved sending F-16 fighter jets from Denmark and the Netherlands to Ukraine. Later that month, a coalition of 11 countries began training a handful of Ukrainian pilots, including Lt Col Mes, to fly the aircraft. Lt Col Mes admitted that the training programme was condensed and said there had been difficulties in adjusting to the Western aircraft. He told Ukrainian media that transitioning from Soviet-type jets to Western jets was like going from using a Nokia straight to an iPhone without all those steps in between. Earlier this month, Mr Zelensky said that a total of 80 F-16s would be delivered over the next few years, while more pilots were being trained to fly them. Both the head of the Dutch military and the prime minister of Denmark have said that Ukraine would be free to use the F-16s for strikes on Russia with no restrictions. It is unlikely however that they will be flown in combat operations close to the front line because of the risk posed by Russian surface-to-air missile systems. Click here to view this content. Novak Djokovic followed Carlos Alcaraz in crashing out of the US Open after Australian Alexei Popyrin pulled off the second major shock in two nights. Alcaraz was the subject of one of the tournaments biggest upsets when he was dumped out by world number 76 Botic van De Zandschulp on Thursday night. And 24 hours later, defending champion Djokovic joined him in leaving New York early after the 28th seed won 6-4 6-4 2-6 6-4. A stunning storyline. pic.twitter.com/v83MmADDfh US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 31, 2024 Defeat for Djokovic means it is the first time since 2017 he has not won a grand slam title and is his earliest exit at a major since the Australian Open that year. It extends the Serbians wait for a record-breaking 25th grand slam title and, at 37, Djokovics domination may be coming to an end. He came into the tournament at Flushing Meadows knowing he would be up against it owing to his emotionally draining Olympic win and being without a hard-court match since March. But even he probably did not expect to struggle to the extent he did, with 13 double faults a career high in a grand slam match typifying the challenges he faced. Alexei Popyrin produced the win of his career (Julia Nikhinson/AP) It is perhaps no surprise that all three players who finished on the podium in Paris have lost early in New York, Alcaraz and bronze medallist Lorenzo Musetti also heading out. For Popyrin this was the win of his career and third time lucky against Djokovic, having lost at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. There was also a nice bit of symmetry about his victory as it inflicted Djokovics earliest US Open defeat since 2007 when he lost to Lleyton Hewitt, who was sat in Popyrins box. He meets Frances Tiafoe in the next round and everyone left in the mens draw will now see this as their best chance to win a grand slam. Tiafoe won a thrilling all-American battle on Arthur Ashe Court that went on for four hours. Tiafoe, seeded 20th, beat his good friend Ben Shelton 4-6 7-5 6-7 (3) 6-4 6-3 to become the latest home player to advance. Tiafoe said: Ive got to say Ben is an incredible player man, he really is. He goes for all kind of shots, its really annoying. We both move really well. It is highlight after highlight. Four hours, it was a battle. Eighth seed Casper Ruud came from two sets down to beat Shang Juncheng, winning 18 of the last 22 games. Die-hard Oasis fans trying for tickets to see the bands reunion tour in 2025 have shared their nightmare, frustration and anger after missing out. General tickets went on sale for the bands comeback tour at 9am on Saturday for those in the UK and 8am for fans in Ireland. Fans vented their frustration at Ticketmaster after being kicked out of the queue or being told they were deemed to be bots, which prevented them from purchasing tickets to see Noel and Liam Gallagher perform together once again on the same stage. Long-time fan, Scott McLean, 28, tried for tickets to see Oasis in Dublin next year. The data analyst from Belfast, Northern Ireland, logged into his account on the ticket-selling website at 7.30am on Saturday ahead of Irish sales opening at 8am. He was in a queue of 20,000 for about 30 minutes before selecting four tickets to see the bands show at Croke Park. However, his browser began buffering for half an hour as he tried to make the purchase, prompting him to contact the Ticketmaster customer service account on X, formerly Twitter, for advice. I followed their advice, cleared my cookies and cache on my browser and then it kicked me out completely. It just came up to that error screen after I followed their guidance, he told the PA news agency. I had to rejoin the queue and I ended up about 700,000 places worse off after following their guidance. He said he feels frustration and anger, not much more than that, adding: Its just tickets for a concert after all, but I really wanted to go. Meanwhile, George Buka, 35, from Southend-on-Sea, Essex, attempted to buy tickets to see Oasis in the UK and described his experience on Ticketmaster as a nightmare. Its been an absolute nightmare of an experience. Ive been doing it since 8am this morning, you have to queue in order to join the queue, you cant log in, he told PA. They dont have the facilities or capacity to run this kind of event. But its not the first time Ticketmaster has made it difficult for fans to try and buy tickets. Mr Buka, who began waiting at 8am on Saturday, said he faced long waiting times in queues, website crashes and failed log-ins. He added: One of my sessions was suspended because they thought I was a bot. I only had one tab open and then I finally was able to join a queue at about 10am. He is concerned tickets have been purchased for the purpose of being resold at a higher rate via third-party ticket providers. If you go on other websites, even though Oasis said it wouldnt be happening, people will still find a loophole, Mr Buka said. The touts, the influencers, theyll find a way of getting to the show and just absolutely kill the music industry day. I really wanted to go, but its just ruined my morning now. Oasis fans face a struggle to secure general sale tickets for the bands comeback tour as booking websites experienced outages. Manchester-based promoter SJM Concerts website Gigs and Tours faced issues even before tickets went on sale for the UK shows at 9am. The site displayed messages saying: Please bear with us. At the moment there are a lot of people on the site looking for tickets, so we have put a queuing system in place, which is completely normal. This page will refresh automatically and well get you where you want to be as soon as a space opens up. Thank you for your patience! Similar issues were encountered on the ticketmaster.ie page for the two shows at Dublins Croke Park, which went on sale at 8am. Instead of a page opening to buy tickets, an error number was displayed, which usually indicates a webpage is unable to handle any more connections. Screengrab taken from the Ticketmaster.ie website just after 8am (PA) The same issue was reported by some UK fans for ticketmaster.co.uk. However, the page refreshed after a period to tell concertgoers that they were in queue, and when its your turn, you will automatically be able to browse events and shop for tickets. A spokeswoman for Ticketmaster denied the website had crashed, and advised customers to hold their place in line. A similar error was visible at gigsinscotland.com/artist/oasis as Scottish fans tried to get onto the website for the Edinburgh shows. The tickets.seetickets.com/tour/oasis weblink, where you can book for several UK dates, also appeared unavailable. Screengrab taken from the ticketmaster.co.uk website at around 8.30am of the message of the queue to get onto their website for Oasis tickets (PA) A message said: Our website is very busy! We have lots of people looking for tickets and you are being held on this page until a space becomes available. This page will refresh automatically. Some Oasis ticket hopefuls also reported being suspended by Ticketmaster UK and Ireland after it accused them of being bots. Staff at the ticket-selling website replied on X, formerly Twitter, through its customer service account, saying: Please make sure you are only using one tab, clear your cookies, and ensure you arent using any VPN software on your device. It also shared a link with its guide on how to improve your chances for getting popular tickets. Oasis told fans on Saturday to only buy tickets from the official websites amid reselling websites charging inflated prices for the Manchester rockers gigs Screengrab taken from the Gigs and Tours website at 8.30am of the message shown on screen (PA) The band said on X: Please note, Oasis Live 25 tickets can only be resold at face value via @Ticketmaster and @Twickets! Tickets appearing on other secondary ticketing sites are either counterfeit or will be cancelled by the promoters. On Friday evening the band issued a warning after unofficial reselling websites listed tickets obtained in the pre-sale ballot for thousands of pounds. A post to the bands X page said: We have noticed people attempting to sell tickets on the secondary market since the start of the pre-sale. Please note, tickets can ONLY be resold, at face value, via @Ticketmaster and @Twickets. Tickets sold in breach of the terms and conditions will be cancelled by the promoters. We have noticed people attempting to sell tickets on the secondary market since the start of the pre-sale. Please note, tickets can ONLY be resold, at face value, via @Ticketmaster and @Twickets. Tickets sold in breach of the terms and conditions will be canceled by the Oasis (@oasis) August 30, 2024 Tickets are officially being sold via Ticketmaster, GigsAndTours, and See Tickets, however, the bands reunion concert tickets have also been relisted on ticket exchange and reselling websites for thousands of pounds. On Friday evening, Oasis tickets for Wembley Stadium were listed on Viagogo for up to 5,909 while some tickets at the London venue, listed under Hospitality Club, were on sale for 10,578 on StubHub. The StubHub website says all Oasis tickets come with our FanProtect 100% guarantee for secure purchasing. On Friday evening the band asked fans whether they were ready for the sale and said it is essential to be logged into the relevant ticketing agencies ahead of the general sale. Chief executive of the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers, Jonathan Brown, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that fans need to open their eyes and protect themselves. He added: Its a dreadful combination, I suppose, youve got that high level of emotion, a high level of excitement about Oasis reforming, and a limited supply of tickets and thats going to lead to problems, its going to lead to people trying to scam people. Liam Gallagher performing at the Trnsmt Festival in July (Michael Boyd/PA) UK Music chief executive Tom Kiehl also called inflated ticket prices of great concern on the Today programme. Mr Kiehl added: Obviously, its a natural tendency, if you cant get tickets, to find alternative sources but I very much urge music music fans today, if they dont get tickets, not to take that route. Cris Miller, Viagogo global managing director, defended his websites practice of listing Oasis tickets for thousands of pounds, saying that resale is legal in the UK and fans are always protected by our guarantee that they will receive their tickets in time for the event or their money back. There did not seem to be any listing for the bands Dublin dates on the ticket-reselling website. The Irish government introduced a law banning ticket touting in 2021. Prices for a seat to watch the band at Londons Wembley Stadium begin at 74.25, with the most expensive ticket a 506.25 pre-show party, exhibition and seated package. Liam and Noel Gallagher (Fiona Hanson/PA) The cheapest seats are Cardiffs Principality Stadium shows, which will set you back 73, and Edinburghs Murrayfield Stadium at 74, according to Manchester-based promoter SJM Concerts, which runs the website Gigs And Tours. Standing tickets at Wembley will cost fans 151.25, with the same tickets in Cardiff and Edinburgh slightly cheaper at 150 and 151 respectively. In the bands home city of Manchester, tickets start from 148.50, with only standing available alongside a number of hospitality and luxury packages. Before the announcement for the UK shows, Irish promoter MCD said on its website that the price of both of the two Croke Park gigs in Dublin will start at 86.50 euros (72.75) without booking fees. The guns have fallen silent.The stars have aligned.The great wait is over.Come see.It will not be televised. pic.twitter.com/u1Mge33poT Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) August 27, 2024 The Gallaghers announced on Tuesday that they had put their acrimonious split behind them, confirming the bands long-awaited reunion by saying: The great wait is over. Fans have been urging the brothers to regroup since they disbanded 15 years ago, a split prompted by a backstage brawl at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris in 2009. It has not been announced who will be performing with Liam and Noel as part of Oasis. Noel, 57, quit the group on August 28 2009, saying he simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer, and the brothers have made negative comments about each other for more than a decade. StubHub along with the official ticket sellers have been approached for comment. Ticketmaster said its website has not crashed. A spokeswoman for Ticketmaster said: The queue is moving along as fans buy tickets. As anticipated, millions of fans are accessing our site so have been placed in a queue. Fans are advised to hold their place in line, make sure theyre only using one tab, clear cookies, and ensure they arent using any VPN software on their device. Pep Guardiola: Even a defender with a gun could not stop Erling Haaland Pep Guardiola claimed not even a defender with a gun could halt unstoppable Erling Haaland after his latest Manchester City hat-trick shot down West Ham 3-1. The 24-year-old scored the 24th treble of his career as City made it three wins from three Premier League matches. We are happy for another hat-trick and the quality of the finishing but he was so involved with the game today, said Guardiola. He didnt lose one ball and he played unbelievable not just with the ball but also defensively and offensively. He gave an extra pass. Im really pleased for him. Hes playing much better in everything. The details, he stays 20 minutes or half an hour after training sessions. Last season not even once was he there because he didnt feel good tired, niggles. Hes so smart he needs the team and what he needs is the team to give him more balls in the final third. Were going to create those situations because the players are really good in small spaces. Hes unstoppable. Theres no central defender, not even with a gun, to stop him. We need players with crosses. We improve in that department. After that, we know how clinical he is. Everybody knows it. No other Premier League TEAM has scored as many goals as Erling Haaland (7) this season pic.twitter.com/SiYaDMdnGP Premier League (@premierleague) August 31, 2024 Haalands second hat-trick in a week, following his treble against Ipswich, maintained Citys perfect record this season and moved them to the top of the charts in front of watching Oasis star Noel Gallagher. Guardiolas masterplan worked to perfection when Bernardo Silva dispossessed Lucas Paqueta and played in Haaland to slot in the opener. West Ham levelled when Ruben Dias turned Jarrod Bowens cross into his own net but Rico Lewis laid the ball to Haaland to lash in the second. The supersonic Norwegian completed his eighth Premier League hat-trick when he raced on to a through ball from Matheus Nunes, with the inevitable outcome. A memorable away win Thank you for your fantastic support pic.twitter.com/9sRmRt6rG2 Manchester City (@ManCity) August 31, 2024 West Ham did hit the post twice, through Mohammed Kudus and Crysencio Summerville, but they remain a work in progress under new boss Julen Lopetegui. I think we started very well but we didnt score and against this type of team you have to score, said Lopetegui. The first goal was not one chance, this kind of gift this team doesnt forgive you. The second half we did better but if you dont take advantage they are not going to forgive you. It was frustrating because the players made a big, big effort and the players deserved more. Its true we did good things but its not enough. You need to be more solid to win these kind of matches. A 74-year-old retired nurse has said she really enjoyed completing a skydive to raise funds for a charity supporting older people facing economic difficulties. Thabani Sithole, a former paediatric nurse, has raised roughly 945 for Independent Age, a charity which supports and advises older people facing financial hardships, after receiving help from it in 2021. The skydive took place at Netheravon Airfield, in Wiltshire, on Friday and Ms Sithole jumped from 13,500ft out of the plane. Ms Sithole, who lives with her daughter Khwezi Sithole, 43, in Lambeth, London, is no stranger to skydiving having done the activity in 2018, adding she really enjoyed the latest one. Ms Sithole did the skydive to raise money for the charity Independent Age (Independent Age/PA) She told the PA news agency: It was a beautiful and sunny day and I had such a lovely instructor. We really enjoyed it, it was fun. You fall down first from the plane and when the parachute comes up, thats when you think, okay, whats going on? All I could see were the clouds, then you wave and you blow kisses. Her daughter jokingly asked her mum: Why are you throwing yourself out of a plane? She added: But she wanted to do it, and shes planning another skydive as we speak. Thabani Sithole before the skydive (Independent Age/PA) Ms Sithole said she decided to skydive because she wanted to send a message to older people who are struggling with their finances that even in old age, you dont have to suffer alone. She experienced financial hardship after retiring as a paediatric nurse aged 70 due to her arthritis. Before I got the help from Independent Age it was a desperate, desperate time, she said. We had so many problems where to get food from, how to pay the bills, gas and electric going up and paying council tax too. The house was very cold we wore extra clothes and covered ourselves in blankets. She said Independent Age helped her to access support she did not know she would be entitled to before. Independent Age show you how to get support, whether its housing, financial, or a career; they help you, she said. They helped me claim Pension Credit and Attendance Allowance which was a big relief. They even helped me fill out the forms which was a huge help. Now I get an extra 800 a month and I feel like Im finally in control again. Joanna Elson CBE, chief executive of Independent Age, said: On behalf of the whole charity I want to thank Thabani for this inspiring fundraising effort. Thabanis story demonstrates the plight of so many older people in this country, and Im so glad we were able to help her access the support she is entitled to. With 2.1 million older people already living in poverty and millions more facing financial hardship, our work has never been more important. Callers to the Independent Age helpline are missing out on average over 4,000 a year. This is a life-changing amount of money. Nobody in later life should be facing money worries alone or feel ashamed of asking for help. Ms Sitholes fundraiser can be viewed here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/t-sithole-1695936440792 Scotlands First Minister has refused to be drawn on the size of the financial black hole his Government has to fill. Finance Secretary Shona Robison is expected to lay out a harsh financial reality on Tuesday, just 24 hours before John Swinney will publish his first Programme for Government containing the his legislative plans for the next 12 months. But asked by journalists at the SNPs annual conference in Edinburgh how much the Government could be forced to come up with, Mr Swinney refused to answer, citing parliamentary protocol. The Finance Secretary will lay out the financial challenge to Holyrood on Tuesday (Jane Barlow/PA) I think that were getting dangerously close to me setting out details that Parliament needs to be told first, he said. Im here to be as helpful as I can, but because Ive got those parliamentary occasions I have to be very careful. I want my Government to conduct itself within the parliamentary rules, so let me just say that we face an acute financial challenge and Shona Robison will set out the details of how were addressing that on Tuesday. Mr Swinney has put tackling child poverty at the top of his political agenda, but the potential for in-year cuts to funding could impact his ability to create new measures designed to help families but the Programme for Government will contain measures aimed at tackling poverty, he said. There will be John Swinney approaches to tackling poverty on Wednesday, yes there will be, and Ill map them out to Parliament, he said. The First Minister also described claims that the UK Government did not know the state of public finances when Labour won the July election as baloney. The SNP conference takes place following a devastating defeat for the party, which saw it lose dozens of MPs. In a closed-door election post-mortem on Friday, Mr Swinney laid out what he believed caused the defeat, which saw the SNP fall to just nine MPs from the 48 returned in 2019. According to a report in the Times, the First Minister said the party shed 250,000 voters to Labour in Scotland, while the party found its campaign dwarfed by Sir Keir Starmers message of change. Independence had also been less of a priority among the public than previously, the First Minister said, while the party had spent too long talking about the process of gaining independence as opposed to the arguments in favour of leaving the UK. The former MP Ms Cherry accused some in the party of being in denial (Jane Barlow/PA) On the second day of the conference, former SNP MP Joanna Cherry one of the casualties of the July election said members at the event who were optimistic for the future were in denial. In a post on X formerly Twitter Ms Cherry said: Its called denial. Discussing whats gone wrong is one thing, but acting to address those failings means root & branch change. The mood is upbeat because many of those who understand that, including myself, have chosen not to attend. Responding to the criticism, the First Minister joked: Do I look like Im a man in a state of denial? Im not in a state of denial, I can tell you, he added. During the session, he said, he acknowledged this was a bad election for the SNP. Of all the things I can be accused of, being in denial is not one of them, he said. Seven people were killed and dozens more were injured when a commercial bus overturned early Saturday morning in Warren County, Mississippi, officials said. The crash happened at about 12:40 a.m. on Interstate 20 near Bovina when the bus left the roadway and overturned. Six people were pronounced dead at the scene and another person died later at a hospital, according to Master Sergeant Kervin K. Stewart with the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Another 36 people were transported to area hospitals. The extent of their injuries wasn't immediately known, Stewart said. The bus was carrying a total of 41 passengers, plus two drivers and was traveling from Atlanta to Dallas. The bus was a 2018 Volvo commercial passenger bus, Stewart said. No other vehicles were involved in the crash. The Mississippi Highway Patrol and Commercial Transportation Enforcement Division were investigating the cause of the crash. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mississippi bus crash in Warren County kills 7, injures dozens For some people, it takes only one cruise to hook them for life. That was the case for Stewart Chiron, who loved his first cruise so much he made a career out of it. "It was a weekend cruise, and that was 326 cruises ago," he told Scripps News. Known as "The Cruise Guy," Chiron started a cruise-exclusive travel agency 35 years ago. "Cruising is an incredible way for people to connect, get together, to experience different cultures, different destinations," he said. But the pandemic's impact on cruising numbers was enough to make even him uncertain about the future. In 2019, 29.7 million people took cruises. In 2020 and 2012, 5.8 and 4.8 million took cruises, respectively. RELATED STORY | Carnival cruise ship rescues 2 men stranded in the Gulf of Mexico "With the pandemic hitting, the cruise industry completely shut down," Chiron said. "The ships were all anchored or docked somewhere around the world. I mean, it was a Herculean feat trying to get the crew back to their homes." However, recent data from Cruise Lines International Association shows an epic comeback. Last year, the number of people taking cruises climbed to 31.7 million, a 6% increase from 2019. Its data is also forecasting 34.7 million passengers for next year, and nearly 40 million by 2027. "The industry, I mean, they're shocked by how far out people are booking," Chiron said. "They've never been in a better book position at this time of the year for the next following years." And the industry is putting in the infrastructure for that demand. According to the recent Cruise Ship Index, 15 new cruise ships are set to enter service next year, adding nearly 40,000 guest berths to the market. The industry is also expected to hire over 20,000 new crew members in 2025. Cruise ships have also gotten much bigger. The industry campaign group Transport & Environment says the world's biggest cruise ships have doubled in size since 2000, which is raising environmental concerns. RELATED STORY | Video shows Coast Guard rescuing pregnant woman from Disney cruise According to a report from The New York Times, a single cruise ship docked for one day emits as much exhaust as 34,400 idling semitrucks. "They have to keep their engines running in order to keep power on the ship while they're unloading passengers and cargo, and then of course loading passengers and cargo on the back end. Of course, that produces emissions," said Phil Ambrose, senior project manager at Seattle City Light. That is why ports like Seattle's are investing in shore power, with which instead of idling on diesel while in the port, cruise ships can plug into a city's electric grid just like an electric car in a garage. "Shore power is really important for the maritime industry as a whole," Ambrose said. Right now, Seattle is working toward getting all of its piers equipped with shore power, and will with the completion of its Pier 66 project by the end of this cruising season in October. While CLIA data says that 46% of cruise ships are capable of plugging into shore power, only 35 ports worldwide have shore power capabilities. That's 3% of ports; so although the industry is growing, the infrastructure to sustain it has further to go. Dr. Mark Chavez, one of the doctors charged in Matthew Perry's death from "the acute effects of ketamine" last year, has been allowed to be released on a $50,000 bond, USA TODAY has confirmed. On Friday, the San Diego-based doctor appeared in federal court in Los Angeles. During the arraignment, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jean Rosenbluth permitted Chavez to post a $50,000 bond, with conditions of his release stating he must surrender his passport and medical license, according to NBC News, CBS News and The Associated Press. The charge comes with a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; a three-year period of supervised release; or a fine of $500,000, "or twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greatest." USA TODAY has reached out to Chavez's attorney for comment. Chavez, who used to operate a ketamine clinic, faces one charge of conspiring to distribute ketamine. Earlier this month, he signed a plea agreement from the U.S. Attorneys Office and is expected to plead guilty in the coming weeks. Five people have been charged in the death of "Friends" star Matthew Perry, known for playing Chandler Bing. Two people have pleaded guilty. According to the court document, Chavez illegally obtained ketamine that was sold to Perry by presenting false information and writing a prescription without an unnamed patient's consent. U.S. attorneys say he fraudulently obtained a total of 22 vials of ketamine and nine ketamine lozenges that were sold to Perry via another doctor, Dr. Salvador Plasencia. Five people have been charged in connection Perry's death, and two of them Perry's assistant and a man who admitted to distributing the ketamine that killed Perry have entered guilty pleas. Perry, who was open about his struggles with addiction, died at his Los Angeles-area home on Oct. 28 after responding officers discovered him unconscious in his jacuzzi. His live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, placed the 911 call. More than a month later, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's office ruled Perry's death an accident, with the primary cause being "the acute effects of ketamine." Matthew Perry's family speaks out: 'We look forward to justice taking its course' Doctor charged in Matthew Perry's death is 'incredibly remorseful' Outside the courthouse on Friday, Chavez and his lawyer, Matthew Binninger, fielded questions from media outlets. Hes incredibly remorseful, not just because it happened to Matthew Perry, but because it happened to a patient, Binninger said, according to the AP. Hes trying to do everything in his power to right the wrong that happened here. He didnt accept responsibility today, but only because it wasnt on the calendar. Hes doing everything in his power to cooperate and help with this situation," he added. When asked what message they'd convey to Perry's family, Binninger responded, "Im afraid I cant answer that question other than to say that were incredibly sorry that someone lost their life. It doesnt matter that he was a famous celebrity, and I know that he was incredibly universally loved by all. Its a shame at what happened. Who was accused in Matthew Perry's death? Leading up to Perry's death, Iwamasa purchased at least $55,000 worth of ketamine for the actor, attorneys have said. He pleaded guilty earlier this month to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Erik Fleming, described as Perry's acquaintance, admitted he distributed the ketamine that killed Perry; on Aug. 8, he pleaded guilty to two charges: conspiracy to distribute ketamine and distribution of ketamine resulting in death. Officials allege Jasveen Sangha sold Fleming the ketamine that led to Perry's death. Sangha, who is referred to as the "The Ketamine Queen" of North Hollywood in U.S. attorneys' filings, faces nine criminal charges, including conspiracy to distribute ketamine, distribution of ketamine resulting in death and maintaining a drug-involved "stash house." Sangha, who has pleaded not guilty to all counts, and Plasencia are accused of "distributing ketamine to Perry during the final weeks of the actors life." Plasencia, who allegedly obtained ketamine that he sold to Perry from Chavez, faces 10 total criminal counts and has pleaded not guilty. A case management conference is scheduled for Sept. 4 in Sangha and Plasencia's case. Plasencia, who operates Malibu Canyon Urgent Care in Calabasas, California, would be returning to his practice, his attorney told USA TODAY on Aug. 21. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Matthew Perry death case: Doctor released on $50,000 bond LISE ASERUD/NTB/AFP via Getty Images The British royal family usually makes the most headlines, but that doesnt mean other European countries dont have their own drama case in point, Norways Princess Martha Louise and her fiance, Shaman Durek. Martha Louise announced her relationship with Durek in 2019, two years after her divorce from husband Ari Behn. While Martha Louise was already something of an outsider in the Norwegian royal family, the romance raised eyebrows because of Dureks career as a self-described shaman. Durek, who was born Derek Verrett, has promoted alternative healing methods with little scientific basis, and hes worked with American celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow and Kim Kardashian. Its very different from traditional western medicine or therapy, Durek told Porter in 2019 while explaining his methods. As shamans, we heal the body with the help of spirits, by channeling ancestors and spirit guides. I treat a person in many ways everything from reading your pulse, looking at the dilation of your eyes, soul reading, communicating to spirits, looking at where you are being affected by darkness and negativity, looking at how you treat your body and how you understand your emotions. While Dureks methods may seem strange to some people, Martha Louise is totally on board with unusual healing methods, having opened an alternative therapy center known as the angel school. LISE ASERUD/NTB/AFP via Getty Images After getting engaged in 2022, the couple are finally set to tie the knot on Saturday, August 31. Keep scrolling for everything to know about Princess Martha Louise and Shaman Durek ahead of their nuptials: Who Is Princess Martha Louise? Martha Louise is the eldest child of Norways King Harald V, who is also the father of Crown Prince Haakon. In 2019, the royal court confirmed Martha Louise would no longer use the title of princess during her business activities. Those activities included the aforementioned angel school, which taught clairvoyance and methods of contacting celestial beings like seraphim. In 2022, she stopped undertaking all official royal duties. Prior to her romance with Durek, Martha Louise was married to author Behn, with whom she shares three daughters, from 2002 to 2017. Behn died by suicide in 2019 at age 47. Look Back at Royal Weddings of the Past: William and Kate, Charles and Diana and More Who is Shaman Durek? Born in Sacramento, California, Durek is a self-described shaman who has worked with tons of A-list celebrities and appeared on reality shows like Netflixs Bling Empire. Screen Rant previously reported that a private session with him costs $1,000 an hour. Among the controversial healing methods hes promoted over the years is a medallion that he claims cures COVID-19 (which retails for $222 on his website). While he claims to be a sixth-generation shaman, critics have pointed out that he previously claimed he was a third-generation shaman. His mother, meanwhile, has said that there is no shaman lineage in the family at all. How Long Have Princess Martha Louise and Shaman Durek Been Together? While the couple were introduced in 2018 through mutual friends, Durek says they actually met in a past life. When were together and I look at [Martha], sometimes I see another face, he told People in 2019. And she sees it in me too. I have memories of us in Egypt, and she was my queen and I was a pharaoh. They got engaged in 2022. Why Is Their Romance Controversial? CORNELIUS POPPE/NTB/AFP via Getty Images Prior to her romance with Durek, Martha Louise was already a controversial figure in the Norwegian royal family because of her association with clairvoyants and, again, the angel school (which closed in 2018). The Norwegian press has also been less than embracing of Durek, who claims that negativity toward his relationship with Martha Louise is primarily because of his race. As for their wedding, they took the unusual step of selling their wedding photos to a publication and not even a Norwegian one at that (they chose the U.K.s Hello! magazine). Here a key member of the Norwegian royal family is breaking what has been a long and good tradition, Reidun Kjelling Nyb of the Norwegian Editors Association told NRK, the Norwegian state broadcasting company, ahead of the nuptials. Major events have been documented via Norwegian broad media, such as NTB and NRK, on behalf of the entire press, which has passed the images on to the people and to other newsrooms that want them, including foreign ones. Royal Family Scandals Through the Years: Love Triangles, Step Downs and More When Are They Getting Married? The duos wedding is set for Saturday, but the festivities have already begun. According to the BBC, hundreds of guests began arriving in Alesund, Norway, on Thursday, August 28, for a meet and greet at a hotel. One day later, guests traveled to Geiranger, a town near a fjord designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The actual ceremony will take place at the Hotel Union in Geiranger. What Has Princess Marthas Family Said? Harald has actually been somewhat supportive of Durek, insofar as calling out racism hes experienced since beginning his relationship with Martha Louise. We are very pleased that The Princess has gotten engaged and want Durek Verrett to feel welcome in our family, the king said in November 2022. We are also concerned about being able to live well together, despite inequality. The racist attitudes Durek Verrett has been subjected to, especially on social media, we strongly oppose. It is a strength that the Royal Family reflects the ethnic diversity that exists in Norway. Martha Louises brother, Haakon, is set to attend the wedding with his family, his parents and his aunt. The royal family is looking forward to being guests at Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett's wedding, the royal family said in a statement on August 26. boonchai wedmakawand - Getty Images We all deal with varying levels of stress in our day to day, but feelings of burnout should not be ignored. So, if you notice that you are feeling overwhelmed, inundated, or like you are just trying to stay afloat, and youre feeling like your stress levels are at an 11, it might be wise to devote some time to reset by taking a mental health day away from your daily responsibilities and never-ending to-do list. Meet the Experts: Adrian Jacques Ambrose, M.D.,M.P.H. , psychiatrist at New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center; Molly Burrets, Ph.D. , licensed clinical psychologist based in Los Angeles; Allie Sharma, M.D. , co-founder and Chief Medical Officer at Being Health . Most employers dont outline a set amount of PTO to focus on mental health care . So, you might be wondering, how do I take time off work to prioritize my well-being and when should I take it? Rest assured, our experts are here to tell you how a mental health day can benefit not only your mind but also physical health, signs you should take a day off sooner than later, and how to best spend your time off. What is a mental health day? A mental health day is a day taken off from your usual responsibilitieswhether work, school, or other obligationswith the specific purpose of focusing on your mental well-being, says Adrian Jacques Ambrose, M.D.,M.P.H. , psychiatrist at New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Similar to how we might take a day off when were physically unwell, a mental health day is a proactive opportunity to rest, reset, and attend to our psychological and emotional needs. Its a wellness-centered approach to managing stress, anxiety, or other mental health concerns, giving you the space to practice self-care, engage in activities that replenish your energy, and prevent burnout, he adds. Some places of employment build into their benefits structure the idea of time off for your mental health, says Allie Sharma, M.D. , co-founder and Chief Medical Officer at Being Health . If yours does not, you may have to be more creative or take initiative and give yourself permission to take time off, she explains. Benefits of taking a mental health day Taking a mental health day off work encourages you to distance yourself from the pressures of the typical daily stresses, such as, chronic work projects, strenuous school assignments, or extended caretaking of family members, says Dr. Ambrose. When youre mentally overwhelmed, your ability to focus and perform effectively often diminishes. The opportunity to engage in calming activities like meditation, exercise, or simply taking time to rest can lower your overall stresses and lead to improved productivity, he explains. A mental health day also offers the opportunity to regain emotional balance, Dr. Ambrose continues. It provides a chance to process any overwhelming emotions from the chronic exposure to stressors and restore a sense of control, which is crucial for maintaining long-term overall health. Ultimately, the benefit of taking a day is to improve well being and reduce burnout, says Molly Burrets, Ph.D. , licensed clinical psychologist based in Los Angeles. Even though we term this as being about mental health, our physical health also benefits from taking mental health days. Mental and physical health are inextricably linked. Chronic stress inevitably leads to physical health issues , so any approach that supports mental health is likely to indirectly benefit our physical health as well, Burrets explains. Many people are concerned that taking time off from work or other responsibilities will impact productivity, but paradoxically, taking time off to promote our well-being is a proven strategy for reducing burnout and improving productivity, Burrett points out. When to take a mental health day When deciding when to take a mental health day off work, Dr. Ambrose usually stresses the analogy of taking care of a car. Youd want to proactively change the oil, or replace fluid filters, so the car can run efficiently and not break down. Ideally, taking a day for your mental health would be preventative, rather than reactive, says Burretts, so the very best time to take a day is before you think you need one. However, the culture of work in our society presents many barriers to taking time off (e.g. minimal PTO and poor infrastructure for childcare compared to other developed countries). So realistically, time off should be prioritized when you are feeling overwhelmed, have difficulty concentrating, or feel exhausted, irritable or detached from work, Burretts suggests. So, it may be time to take a mental health day if you find: Your stress levels increasing and specifically impacting your physical or emotional health You start feeling persistently stressed, anxious, or emotionally drained You are struggling to focus , lacking motivation, or feeling overwhelmed You are having difficulty coping with everyday stressors that once were less bothersome You are feeling burnt out at work or within your personal life Your stress is manifesting itself physically (most commonly as headaches, muscle tension, disrupted sleep, or digestive issues) Burn-out is an occupational syndrome recognized by the World Health Organization as a result of chronic workplace stress, says Dr. Sharma. Specifically, it has three aspects: feeling depleted or exhausted, feeling negative or cynical about ones job or feeling less effective at ones job. If this feels like you, a mental health work day or days could help to take a break from workplace stress, Dr. Sharma advises. How to ask for a mental health day off work If you have an available personal or sick day, Dr. Sharma recommends taking advantage of the benefits that are available to you. (After all, they are there for a reason!) If you dont have these benefits available to you, speak to your boss about it or your HR department and remember your mental health is a perfectly good reason to take a day off and thats ok, Dr. Sharma advises. Dr. Ambrose adds that asking for a mental health day off work should be approached with honesty and professionalism. You dont need to provide detailed explanations about your mental health, but you can be clear and direct about your need for time off. I usually walk people through the typical conversation, such as, Im feeling overwhelmed and need a day to focus on my well-being. Id like to take a personal day to recharge. However, if youre unsure about how it will be received, its perfectly acceptable to request the time off as a personal day or simply for self-care, Dr. Ambrose notes. How to spend a mental health day The key is to focus on self-care and do what genuinely makes you feel better, says Dr. Ambrose. He recommends his favorite acronym, REST: R esist the temptation: Try to avoid checking emails and fully disconnecting from work and any relevant stressors. E xercise: Spend time in nature, do yoga, a workout, walk, or run, can help release tension and boost your mood. S elf-enjoyment: Engage in activities that bring you joy or peace, such as reading, listening to music, meditating, or practicing mindfulness. Consider simple things like enjoy a leisurely breakfast, or even sleep in. If social connection recharges you, spend time with loved ones or talk to a supportive friend. On the other hand, if you need solitude, dont hesitate to spend the day quietly alone. Time: A mental health day isnt a magic cure, so keep expectations simple. If youre already feeling burnout, you may need more than one day. Remember, a day dedicated to your well-being isnt about productivity; its about giving yourself the space to rest and rejuvenate, Dr. Ambrose notes. Avoid tasks that feel obligatory or stressful, and instead, focus on what truly helps you feel refreshed and centered, he suggests. What to do if you need a longer mental health break The term mental health day is somewhat misleading; taking a day off is not sufficient for treating or preventing a mental health disorder, says Burretts. However, scheduling regular time off can be part of a broader, comprehensive treatment plan that may include talk therapy, medication, exercise, and sleep hygiene, she explains. If you find that a single day isnt enough and you need a longer break, its important to take this seriously and address it proactively, says Dr. Ambrose. Start by assessing your current mental health needs and consider speaking with a licensed and board-certified physician who can offer guidance and support. If you feel comfortable, have a conversation with your manager about your need for an extended break. Dr. Ambrose recommends using this time to reflect on any underlying issues contributing to your stress, and work on strategies to manage them moving forward. When to talk to your doctor about your mental health Dr. Ambrose recommends seeking clinical care if you notice persistent changes in their mood, behavior, or overall well-being that interfere with your daily life. Three warning signs to watch out for include: Prolonged feelings of sadness or anxiety: If youre experiencing sadness, hopelessness, or anxiety that lasts for more than a couple of weeks and doesnt seem to improve. Difficulty functioning in daily life: Struggling to perform at work, maintain relationships, or complete everyday tasks can be a sign that your mental health needs attention. Changes in sleep or appetite: Significant changes in sleep patterns (like insomnia or oversleeping) or appetite (such as eating much more or much less than usual) that persist for an extended period. If you experience any of these signs, its important to talk to your doctor, who can help assess your situation and guide you toward appropriate care or treatment, Dr. Ambrose suggests. If, however, you are having a psychiatric emergency or feeling suicidal, call 911, 988 , or go to your nearest emergency room, Dr. Sharma advises. If you or someone you know is at risk, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text HOME to 741741 to message a trained crisis counselor from the Crisis Text Line for free. You Might Also Like Chinese envoy urges security guarantee for polio vaccinations in Gaza Xinhua) 10:15, August 31, 2024 UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), urged Israel on Thursday to provide security guarantee and facilitation for the vaccination against the polio virus in Gaza. The polio virus seriously threatens the health of children in Gaza, and vaccination is the most effective way to stem the spread of the virus and ensure the safety of children, Geng said in his remarks at the UN Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. Stressing that China supports the appeal by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the ambassador urged Israel to provide security guarantee and facilitation for the vaccination work "in a responsible manner towards its own children and those of the region." "We support the Council in making a strong appeal to this end to avoid further worsening of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza," Geng noted. He addressed the dire situation in Gaza, where over 40,000 civilians have been killed since the conflict started over 10 months ago, with more than 1,000 people losing their lives in the past month alone. The envoy noted that despite the repeated calls by the international community for an end to the fighting, the multiple resolutions adopted by the Security Council in this regard, and provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice, the situation has not seen any improvement. "Rather, it continues to worsen." "Hundreds of thousands of people were forced to flee time and again, unable to find a safe place of living," Geng said, adding that Israel continued to further suppress and restrict the UN and other humanitarian organizations, frequently rejecting deliveries of supplies such as fuel. Recently, humanitarian agencies were compelled to evacuate from their centers and warehouses in Deir al-Balah, further causing serious damage to the humanitarian system in Gaza, said the ambassador. Geng underscored that the priority now is to fully implement the four Security Council resolutions on the situation in Gaza, secure an immediate and durable ceasefire, and effectively ease the humanitarian catastrophe. "Ceasefire negotiations cannot be indefinitely delayed, still less should they be used as an excuse to continue committing atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank in violation of international law," he stated. The envoy urged Israel to immediately stop all military operations in Gaza, open all border crossings, stop its suppression and restriction of the UN and other humanitarian organizations, stop its attacks on the West Bank, and curb settler violence and impunity. He also called on countries with significant influence on the parties concerned to "demonstrate a sincere and responsible approach and take practical actions" to help realize a ceasefire. Geng also expressed support for further actions by the Security Council to promote the implementation of relevant resolutions, bring an early end to the fighting, and ease the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Hongyu) Former national security adviser H.R. McMaster said he believes both former President Trump and President Biden are disconnected from military values. President Biden and President Trump are just disconnected, you know, from our professional military ethic and our warrior ethos, McMaster told NewsNations Chris Stirewalt in an episode of The Hill Sunday, set to air this week. They dont seem to understand, you know, why our courageous men and women serve, and why its so important not to drag our military into partisan politics. McMaster was referencing Trumps recent visit to Arlington National Cemetery, where more than 400,000 active duty, retired and former military members have been buried. Trump visited the cemetery Monday to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony to mark the third anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and the Kabul airport attack. A confrontation among Trumps staff and cemetery staff reportedly occurred when the former presidents photographers and campaign staff tried to enter Section 60, which is a restricted area. Trumps team allegedly shoved a cemetery official to the side and the Army defended the employee later this week. Trump has received sharp criticism over the altercation, because the cemetery has rules about politicizing and filming for political purposes. McMaster said he thinks the criticism is justifiable. I think that neither candidate, no political party, nobody should try to politicize the military overall, but its even more egregious if you try to politicize those who made the ultimate sacrifice in our name, he said. This is behavior that I think is right to call out if it was partisan you know promoting a partisan political agenda or a campaign agenda. McMaster, who served in Trumps White House from February 2017 to April 2018, said the incident reminded him of when Biden visited Section 60 to announce the timeline for the 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal. Biden has also drawn criticism for the withdrawal, which left 13 U.S. service members dead. The Trump campaign has used it against the president this campaign cycle. Neither Biden nor Trump seem to understand why Americans serve in the military and why its so important not to drag our military into partisan politics, McMaster said. Bidens son Beau, who died of cancer in 2015, served as a major in the Delaware Army National Guard during the Iraq war. McMaster said earlier this week that he would not serve in the Trump administration again if the former president were reelected this November. He said it was a privilege to serve in the White House but painted a complex picture of his time working with Trump. The Hill has reached out to the White House and Trump campaign for comment. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. BOSTON (AP) Massachusetts' oversight of nursing homes would be strengthened, LGBTQ+ nursing home residents would be protected against discrimination, and better controls would be in place to protect against the spread of infectious disease outbreaks, under a new bill lawmakers passed this week. Approved on Thursday, the bill would require long-term care facilities to provide staff training on the rights of LGBTQ+ older adults and those living with HIV, and bar staff from discriminating based on a persons sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, intersex status or HIV status. The proposal also would streamline the licensing process for small house nursing homes, alternative care centers that focus on smaller groups of residents and using familiar domestic routines. Long-term care facilities would also be required to develop outbreak response plans to help contain the spread of disease and ensure communication with state health officials, residents, families and staff. The bill would also require state health officials to establish training programs on infection prevention and control, resident care plans and staff safety programs. The Department of Public Health would be required to come up with plans to let residents of a facility engage in face-to-face contact, communications, and religious and recreational activities. Some long-term care facilities became hubs of COVID-19 transmission. In 2020, at least 76 people died in a long-term care veterans home in Massachusetts, one of the nations worst COVID-19 outbreaks. Those who make the decision to put their loved ones in a nursing home or long-term care facility deserve to know they will be protected, said Democratic Senate President Karen Spilka. This bill will give the Commonwealth the resources and tools to ensure their safety, weed out bad actors in the field, and enforce oversight and accountability," she said. The legislation would also create a new fund to help recruit a long-term care workforce, including grants to develop new certified nursing assistants and grants for direct care workers to train to become licensed practical nurses. Under the bill, the DPH would have the authority to revoke a long-term care facilitys license for a failure to provide adequate care or for a lack of financial capacity. The bill would also gives health officials the power to appoint a temporary manager. The bill now heads to Gov. Maura Healey for her signature. PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) It's a worrying question for health officials in one of the richest and most developed areas of the African continent: Why are babies being born with HIV when free medication is available to prevent mother-to-child transmission? In the first half of this year, 232 babies were born with HIV in South Africa's Gauteng region, which includes Johannesburg and the capital of Pretoria and is home to at least 15 million people. We do still find it very concerning that in this day and age, with all the preventative programs thats available free of charge at our clinics, that we are still finding babies testing positive, said Melanie Langeveldt, the director for primary healthcare programs in Tshwane, which includes Pretoria. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV globally remains a concern for UNAIDS, which estimates there are 120,000 new infections annually in children aged 14 years and younger around the world, while over 1.3 million children are living with HIV. South Africa has one of the highest rates of HIV in the world. About 12.7% of its population, or about 7.9 million people, live with HIV. The country has about 150,000 new infections every year. Pregnant women in South Africa can access HIV testing and antiretroviral therapy free of charge from health facilities. It is not clear why the more than 200 pregnant women across Gauteng didn't take advantage of the services this year, or why 211 women in the second half of last year didn't either. Data from South Africa's other regions was not immediately available. Alarmed health officials believe even one case of mother-to-child HIV transmission is too many, considering the availability of treatment. With the medicines and science available today, we can ensure that all babies are born and remain HIV-free," UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima said in July, adding that resources must be made available everywhere around the world. The data in Gauteng shows that many of the mothers who gave birth this year to children with HIV did so in government-run health clinics where the free HIV testing and treatment is available. At least 55 of the babies born were delivered in Johannesburg, which has 125 of the clinics, and 39 were born in Pretoria, which has 24 of the clinics. Langeveldt said one contributing factor is the failure of some pregnant women to present themselves at a clinic as soon as they fall pregnant, with some women not aware of their HIV status. Other pregnant women receive medication but the treatment is interrupted for various reasons including migration. Some pregnant women are infected during pregnancy or breastfeeding. And some women do not stick to the guidelines of continuous and exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. Such factors are seen globally in mother-to-child transmission. Langeveldt said her department is now engaged in widespread campaigns to inform women that mother-to-child transmissions are preventable if the strict treatment offered at clinics is followed. We have services. It is free. Please come and present so that we can assist you and prevent this in the future, she said. Officials also recommend that new mothers test for HIV every three months while breastfeeding, and that they encourage their partners to test for HIV. Women who gave birth to babies with HIV would not speak with The Associated Press. Mapule Radebe is among the women who have benefited from medical treatment to avoid passing on HIV to her children. In 2015, she tested positive for HIV and was soon receiving antiretroviral treatment. She was concerned about the possibility of having children born with HIV but learned that transmission of the virus could be prevented. "I took my medication throughout my pregnancy, and after birth I still continued with my treatment. After I gave birth I still continued with my medication and my child was also given medication for the first six months after she was born, Radebe said. This year she gave birth to her second child who was also free of HIV. To all women out there who are HIV positive and expecting babies, I would urge them to continue taking their treatment throughout their nine months, and continue doing so even after giving birth, for the sake of their children, said the 35-year-old who currently lives at Nkosi's Haven, a Johannesburg home that assists women with HIV. ___ For more news on Africa and development: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-pulse ___ The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. A Baltimore man on Friday was sentenced to three life sentences after pleading guilty to the 2023 murder of tech entrepreneur Pava LaPere, officials said. Jason Billingsley had been released from prison early after a sexual assault conviction before he killed LaPere, 26, raped another woman and tried to kill that victim and her male friend. The crimes prompted changes in state law. Billingsley, 33, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder and was sentenced to three life sentences, two of which are to be served back-to-back, the Baltimore City States Attorney said. Pava LaPere. "Let me be clear: Mr. Billingsley should never see the light of day again, States Attorney Ivan J. Bates said at a news conference. Billingsley was a maintenance worker and identified himself as such on Sept. 19 when he knocked on April Hurley's apartment door. He then kicked it in and held her and her friend at gunpoint, officials said. Billingsley restrained both, sexually assaulted Hurley and cut her throat. Officials said he poured an accelerant on them and the apartment and set it on fire. A week later, on Sept. 25, LaPere was reported missing by co-workers. Her body was later found on the roof of her downtown Baltimore apartment building. Surveillance video showed her letting Billingsley into the lobby and the two of them on an elevator, officials have said. Billingsley is later seen wiping his hands on his shorts and leaving the building alone, according to prosecutors. Hurley and LaPere's family joined the prosecutor at a Friday news conference announcing the guilty pleas and life sentences. "If it werent for God and my will to be alive, I wouldnt be standing here today," Hurley said. She said she now lives in constant fear and finds it difficult to be in public. "Every day, I have flashbacks and triggers that cause terrible anxiety, pain and stress," she said. "I will never be the same person." The LaPere family said that each of the 342 days since LaPere's murder has been painful and difficult. "Acceptable justice may have been served today. But it will never fill the void, or erase the grief, or replace the impact that Pava would have had, given the full life that she so deserved," her father, Frank LaPere, said. "The full life that every innocent person deserves." LaPere was CEO and co-founder of EcoMap Technologies, which provides a platform that takes data and orders it to provide insights and opportunities for growth. She had been named one of Forbes' "30 Under 30," citing social impact. Billingsley had been released early from prison after he was sentenced in 2015 for first-degree sexual assault committed in 2013 the sentence was 30 years, with all but 14 years suspended. In 2022, he was released five years early, through "diminution credits," which allow someone to leave prison early for such things as good behavior. The start date of the sentence was 2013 when he was arrested and jailed, records show. Maryland this year passed the Pava Marie LaPere Act, which eliminates diminution credits for people convicted of first-degree sex offenses. LaPeres family said there should be similar laws that prevent first-degree sex offenders from getting diminution credits in other states as well. Billingsley was sentenced to serve two life sentences, one after the other. The two life sentences for the attempted murder are to be served concurrently, and the life sentence for the first-degree murder count is to be served consecutively. Billingsley also has parole violations, Bates said. The Swedish pop group ABBA is the latest musical group to ask former President Donald Trump's re-election team to stop playing their music and videos at rallies, but the campaign says it has permission. ABBA hits, including "The Winner Takes It All," "Money, Money, Money," and "Dancing Queen," were played at a rally held by Trump and his running mate JD Vance on July 27 in Minnesota accompanied by videos, according to Reuters. "Together with the members of ABBA, we have discovered that videos have been released where ABBA's music has been used at Trump events, and we have therefore requested that such use be immediately removed and taken down," the band's record label Universal Music said in a statement. The band members declined to comment further, adding that they fully supported Universal's statement. Members of Swedish music band ABBA arrive for the opening performance of the "ABBA Voyage" concert in London, England on May 26, 2022. But a Trump representative quickly pointed out that they had obtained permission. "The campaign had a license to play ABBA music through our agreement with BMI and ASCAP," the spokesperson told the Associated Press on Thursday. The license in question is known as a public performance contract issued by performing rights organizations (PROs), which collect royalties and distribute funds to the songwriter and publisher. But even if the campaign events are properly licensed, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers acknowledges that if an artist is concerned that their music has been associated with a political campaign, the artist could take legal action based on several claims, including a false endorsement. Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump dances on stage at a campaign event ahead of the Republican presidential primary election in North Charleston, South Carolina on February 14, 2024. The extensive list of musical artists, or their representatives, who have strenuously objected to their songs being played at Trump events during his 2016, 2020 and 2024 campaigns includes dozens of Billboard chart-topping performers over the past five decades: Abba: "The Winner Takes It All," "Money, Money, Money" and "Dancing Queen" Adele: "Rolling in the Deep" and "Skyfall" Aerosmith: "Dream On" and "Living on the Edge" The Beatles: "Here Comes the Sun" Beyonce: "Freedom" Beyonce performs "Freedom" at the 2016 BET Awards in Los Angeles, California U.S. June 26, 2016. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok Celine Dion: "My Heart Will Go On" Creedence Clearwater Revival: "Fortune Son" Earth, Wind & Fire: "September" Elton John: "Rocket Man" and "Tiny Dancer" Elton John speaks at the Stonewall Inn to mark the 55th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots in Greenwich Village in Manhattan, New York on June 28, 2024. Foo Fighters: "My Hero" Guns N' Roses: "Sweet Child O' Mine" House of Pain: "Jump Around" Isaac Hayes: "Hold On, I'm Comin" Jack White: "Seven Army Nation" Linkin Park: "In the End" Neil Young: "Rockin' in the Free World" Ozzy Osbourne: "Crazy Train Phil Collins: "In the Air Tonight" Pharell Williams: "Happy" Prince: "Purple Rain" Rihanna: "Don't Stop the Music" Rihanna poses as she arrives for the Fenty X Puma Creeper Phatty Earth Tone launch party in London, England on April 17, 2024. The Rolling Stones: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" Sinead O'Connor: "Nothing Compares 2 U" The Smiths: "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" Tom Petty: "I Won't Back Down" The Village People: "YMCA" and "Macho Man" Reuters and USA TODAY reporter Jonathan Limehouse contributed to this story This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ABBA tells Trump campaign to stop playing music at rallies MUNICH In the heart of what was once communist East Germany, a far-right group that for some has evoked the countrys Nazi past may be on the verge of becoming the strongest party for the first time in a state election. As the countrys central governing coalition led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz grapples with Russias war with Ukraine, slow economic growth, the transition to green energy and a renewed debate about migration sparked by a recent terror attack, the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, an anti-immigration, nationalist party which denies human-caused climate change, is looking to take advantage at a local level. In the east German states of Saxony and Thuringia, home to around 4.1 million and 2.1 million people respectively, the party, which is under monitoring by the countrys domestic intelligence agency for suspected extremism, is ahead in several polls and expected to win about 30% of Sundays vote. With other smaller populist parties like the left-wing Bundnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) or Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance are also expected to make gains, so the prospects look grim for Scholzs center-left Social Democrats, the environmentalist Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats, who make up Germanys federal government, although the former two parties are the junior partners in both outgoing regional governments. The mainstream opposition Christian Democratic Union also could also lose seats. People were picking populists to express their disappointment with the governing parties, Sudha David-Wilp, regional director of the German Marshall Funds Berlin office, told NBC News on Thursday. Theyre not happy about Berlins support of Ukraine. Theyre also unhappy about the economic transformation thats taking place, she said. She added that it was more difficult to form viable coalitions. The traditional German model of two major parties and a smaller kingmaker party is over, she said, adding that many governing coalitions including the current one led by Scholz now consist of three parties. But she said it was hard then when it comes to writing a coalition agreement and coming to a consensus on things, because each party is also trying to, of course, maintain its identity and also cater to its base. Supporters of the far-right Alternative for Germany political party wave German flags at an election rally Thursday in Dresden, Germany. Set up in April 2013 as a movement against the euro currency, the AfD shifted its focus to Islam and immigration and has grown in popularity at both local and national levels ever since, particularly in the former East Germany, the former communist half of the country which had strong ties to the then-Soviet Union; polling has shown there is more skepticism about NATO and Germanys support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. In Junes European Parliament elections, the party finished second in Germany, despite a series of scandals engulfing the party in the lead-up to the vote. The partys top candidate Maximilian Krah was forced to withdraw from campaigning in May after telling an Italian newspaper that the SS, the Nazis main paramilitary force, were not all criminals. One of his aides was also charged with spying for China and another candidate faced allegations of receiving bribes from a pro-Russian news portal. But the party nonetheless gained ground, particularly among younger voters. The No. 1 issue is, of course, the migration topic, David-Wilp said. More than 1 million people benefited from then-Chancellor Angela Merkels decision to open Germanys doors to asylum-seekers in 2015, making the country by far the largest European destination for refugees. But the issue of integration is a thorny one and the AfD harnessed hostility toward foreigners as it rose from the fringes. Immigration became an even hotter issue after three people were killed and eight wounded in a knife attack in the city of Solingen last week, for which the Islamic State terrorist group claimed responsibility. The suspect is a 26-year-old Syrian citizen, identified by the German federal prosecutors office as Issa Al H, had applied and failed to gain asylum in Germany. It later emerged that he could have been deported to Bulgaria where he was first registered as an asylum-seeker, but authorities failed to do so, a fact that was seized upon by the AfD. Alternative for Germany party candidate Bjoern Hoecke campaigning earlier this month. Bjorn Hocke, the partys leader in Thuringia, posted on his Facebook page that the multicultural experiment that has been forced upon the Germans must be stopped. It is accompanied by the illustration of a bloody knife through the words diversity and Solingen. Hocke was fined twice this year by German courts for using the Nazi-era slogan Everything for Germany at two AfD events in recent years. He has appealed the rulings. In an apparent bid to prevent his rivals from seizing the initiative on the issue, Scholz appeared to swing rightward at a campaign event Tuesday in the Thuringian city of Jena. Those who commit serious crimes should also be deported to countries like Afghanistan and Syria, he said. Anyone who does such things and who brings violence and aggression into our society has forfeited the right to protection in this country and must accept that we will use all means and levers to bring them back. On Friday, the German government announced that 28 Afghan nationals with criminal convictions had been flown to Afghanistan. It was the first such flight since the Taliban retook power there three years ago. Scholzs comments were not greeted warmly by everyone however. Anna-Lena Metz, a pro-democracy activist in Thuringia, said Thursday that she did not believe centrist parties would be well served if they take over the narrative from right-wing parties. Deportations are never a solution, and we will not be able to deport the danger potential. We need a much stronger focus on social policy that includes everyone, she said. Metz, a spokesperson for the anti-right-wing activist group Auf die Platze Bundnis Erfurt, was one of the organizers of an anti-right-wing demonstration Sunday in Thuringias state capital, Erfurt, that was attended by thousands of people. It was similar to rallies attended by hundreds of thousands of people in cities across Germany earlier this year, after reports from the investigative news website Correctiv about a meeting of right-wing extremists, including AfD party members, in the city of Potsdam, where the deportation of people of foreign origin was discussed. While those rallies and Sundays passed off peacefully, at a campaign rally in Thuringia on Thursday, a man sprayed pink at BSWs leader Sahra Wagenknecht. Were the AfD to win, it would be a potent signal for the party ahead of next years national election. But it is unclear whether any other party would be prepared to form a coalition with it to put it in power. But Metz pointed out that many voters are still undecided ahead of Sundays ballot. At the end of the day, we are all aware that we cannot persuade convinced AfD voters to turn away from the AfD; on the contrary, we really want to reach out to people who are unsure but who still value a diverse and open society, who for some reason have existential fears that can be taken away from them and that is more our goal, she said. We can do all this together and we can do it without right-wing populism. Carlo Angerer reported from Munich and Henry Austin from London. Russian President Vladimir Putin is working to manage the fallout at home and abroad from Ukraines audacious counteroffensive into the Kursk region, downplaying the significance of the incursion while buying time to mount a response. More than three weeks have passed since Ukraine broke through Russias defenses and seized about 450 square miles of territory. And while a senior U.S. intelligence official said its certain that Russia would launch a counteroffensive in Kursk, analysts say Putin is taking his time. Putin is a very risk averse individual. He is extremely calculated, and he oftentimes really prefers not to make urgent, rash political decisions that would specifically impact the health of his regime, said Kateryna Stepanenko, the Russia deputy team lead and analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank. Stepanenko said Putin is working to downplay the significance of Ukraines attack, the first time Russias sovereignty has been violated since World War II. You would think that a country that has some of its territories face an incursion that has been going on for over 20 days at this point you would think that a country would use that as an opportunity to declare martial law, to declare mobilization, to declare war against Ukraine. But Russia didnt do that, she said. The biggest reason is Putin is really trying to downplay this narrative. Putin maintains overwhelming support among the Russian public, but Ukraines Aug. 6 offensive into Russia marked a low point in public sentiment. Whats going on is that there are these moments of almost exogenous shocks on the Russian system, said Jonathan Teubner, CEO of FilterLabs, a research company that uses artificial intelligence to analyze public sentiment using a wide range of indicators. Russia launched a devastating air campaign Monday against Ukraine, targeting energy infrastructure with reportedly more than 100 missiles and a similar number of drones affecting more than half the country. At least four people were killed and more than a dozen injured, with the strikes damaging homes, the electrical grid and water facilities. Fears around mobilization have increased among a representative sample of the Russian population, according to polling released Friday by the Russia-based Levada Center, one of the few independent, nongovernmental organizations operating in the country. The poll was conducted Aug. 2-28 among a representative sample of 1,600 people. The absolute majority of Russians knew and were concerned about Ukraines incursion into Kursk, according to Levadas polling. But Putin is working to downplay those fears and divert attention away from Russian losses. An estimated 180,000 people have been evacuated from the Kursk region. Putin is putting focus on the patriotism of Russian military volunteers, and playing up Russian military gains in the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk. Putin is telling his society that Kursk is not significant enough to look away from the initiative that Russia has on the battlefield in Ukraine, and that Kursk is not that significant to call up mobilization and destabilize the society from within, and I think that message is resonating, Stepanenko said. Levada tracked Putins support among the public at 85 percent, virtually unchanged over the past year. But Teubner, at FilterLabs, tracked negative sentiment toward Putin over the past few weeks among media in some regions where Russia has recruited soldiers and where military production has increased. If Putins prestige and popularity fall in these key regions (especially if Russians feel that the war is going badly), the Kremlin may find it more difficult to fill its military ranks, FilterLabs wrote in an analysis on Aug. 22. Theres a lot of speculation, a lot of things we dont know about how the Russian power system really functions, but we do know Putin is responsive to popular dissatisfaction, Teubner said. Just like Chinese President Xi Jinping is, to some extent. FilterLabs also looked at how Chinese and Iranian media reacted to Ukraines offensive into Russia. China and Iran are two of Putins most important partners and have helped fuel his war in Ukraine. Russia has employed Iranian-made, explosive drones in Ukraine and is reportedly sourcing more Iranian missiles. Moscow and Tehran are expected to sign a comprehensive cooperation treaty by October. But China is Russias real lifeline to continuing its war. Moscow is dependent on Chinese exports of commercial goods that can be repurposed for its military, and Beijing is one of the few buyers of Russian oil that is subject to sanctions by the U.S. and allies. The news, both in Iran and China, are highly reflective of the governments view and theyre very aware that they are tied to Putin, Teubner said. FilterLabs tracked negative narratives in Iran and China about the Russian leader in the immediate aftermath of the Kursk incursion, but it has since noticed a rebound. They didnt, all of a sudden, decide to be very positive on it, but decided to minimize it. They moved on to other issues, Teubner said. China is likely watching how it can exploit Russias vulnerability for its own purposes, said Liana Fix, a fellow for Europe at the Council on Foreign Relations. From Chinas perspective, it might almost be beneficial, because the dependence that Russia enters into with China the dependence on dual-use goods, the dependence politically, is just to [Beijings] benefit, she said. Its obviously an embarrassment for Putin, but from a strategic Chinese perspective, the more dependent Russia is on China, the more it is in Chinas interest. While Chinas official reaction to Ukraines incursion into Russia repeated staid platitudes of calling for all parties to de-escalate, Fix said that the fact Beijing felt compelled to highlight its statement showed it viewed the event seriously. The fact that China has put out a response and felt the need to make clear that they condemn Ukraines invasion, shows that it is a big issue, she said. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Donald Trump at Manhattan criminal court on May 30. Lawyers for former President Donald Trump filed two briefs with the Appellate Division First Department in New York, arguing that the civil fraud case prosecuted against Trump earlier this year was flawed, that there were no victims and that the case had passed the statute of limitations. The two briefs, filed late Friday night, included many of the same arguments Trump's lawyers have made in the past in this case. President Trumps business partners were delighted with these transactions. They benefited enormously, making over $100 million in profits, attorneys Cliff Robert and Alina Habba argue in a 46-page last-ditch attempt to prevent Mr. Trump from having to pay what they call the egregious and unconstitutional $485 million dollars civil fraud judgment. Its the latest update in a months-long appeals saga that began after a judge ruled that Trump and members of his family had engaged in a scheme to improperly inflate his assets in financial statements, which allowed Trump to take advantage of favorable loan and insurance rates he may not have otherwise been entitled to. Habba and Robert argued, once again, that none of Trumps business partners were deceived and, in fact, were paid back on time or early, in stark contrast to todays loan market, where defaults are at an all-time high. As they forcefully did during the three-month trial, Robert and Habba disputed the courts valuation of Mar-a-Lago at between $18 million and $27 million. The lawyers said the property is valued at over one billion dollars. They also said that the statements of financial condition that were at the center of state Attorney General Letitia James' case against Trump underestimated the values of President Trumps assets, arguing that his net worth is far greater than the statements reflect. In their filing last week, New York state lawyers urged the appeals court to uphold the nearly $500 million fine, arguing there is overwhelming evidence that Trump lied for years about his wealth and saying that his appeal is full of meritless legal arguments ignoring volumes of trial evidence showing that he and his co-defendants engaged in fraud and illegality on an immense scale. A separate brief filed by Trumps attorneys relates to sanctions imposed on the trial attorneys who represented Trump, arguing that the trial court erred in imposing the sanctions against counsel for what they say were good faith legal arguments. It is perfectly proper for an attorney to make arguments that a trial judge may disagree with in order to preserve same for appellate review, argued attorney Brian Isaac in the brief. Oral arguments before the Appellate Court are set to begin on Sept. 26. By Ruma Paul DHAKA (Reuters) - The United Nations Human Rights Office on Friday said it will dispatch a fact-finding mission to Bangladesh, as requested by the interim government, to investigate alleged human rights violations during recent deadly violence in the country. Last month's anti-government protests, which began as a student-led movement against public sector job quotas, escalated into the deadliest violence since the country's independence in 1971. The unrest left more than 1,000 people dead and prompted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee to India on Aug. 5. Violence continued for some days after she fled. An interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus replaced Hasina's administration, helping quell the violence as security forces also cracked down on protests. "The office will deploy a fact-finding team to Bangladesh in the coming weeks, with a view to reporting on violations and abuses perpetrated during the protests, analysing root causes, and making recommendations to advance justice and accountability and for longer-term reforms," Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, said in a statement. This decision follows a visit by a UN team from Aug. 22-29, during which they engaged with various stakeholders, including members of the interim government. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk welcomed Bangladeshs recent accession to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, and praised the establishment of a national commission to investigate cases of enforced disappearances, a longstanding issue in Bangladesh. "We stand ready to support the Commission in its work, which should be in close consultation with victims and their families," Shamdasani said. (Reporting by Ruma Paul; Editing by David Holmes) Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) asked the U.S. Army in a letter Friday for a full report and a briefing on former President Trumps visit to Arlington cemetery, after reports of a confrontation between his staff and cemetery officials surfaced. Raskin, the ranking member on the House Oversight Commitee, sent the letter, obtained by The Hill, to Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth. The lawmaker asked her to provide a report on the incident, including whether the former presidents staff violated federal law or Cemetery rules and whether the Trump campaign informed the families of servicemembers buried at the Cemetery that their gravestones would be used in Mr. Trumps political campaign ads. I am hopeful you can provide the Committee with a full account of the incident that occurred in connection with Donald Trumps campaign visit to Arlington National Cemetery on August 26, 2024, including the incident report, Raskin wrote. The former president visited the cemetery Monday to participate in a ceremony marking the anniversary of the Kabul airport assault that left 13 U.S. service members dead amid the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. The confrontation reportedly occurred when the former presidents photographers and campaign staff tried to enter Section 60 a restricted area where service members who recently died in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried. When told they could not enter the area, members of Trumps team allegedly shoved the cemetery official to the side. An Army spokesperson defended the employee Thursday, arguing he was trying to enforce the rules that prevent political activities in the cemetery. Consistent with the decorum expected at [the cemetery], this employee acted with professionalism and avoided further disruption, the official said, adding the incident was reported to police but the employee subsequently decided not to press charges. They added that the incident was unfortunate, and the employees professionalism has been unfairly attacked. Trumps team has pushed back on the story, saying they were permitted to have an official photographer and/or videographer outside of the main media pool. The GOP presidential nominee stood by his conduct Friday during a campaign stop in Pennsylvania, saying he was not trying to get publicity when he appeared at the ceremony with the family members of those killed during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. I wasnt doing it for publicity. I get a lot of publicity. I would like to get a lot less publicity, he said. In his letter, Raskin included an apology by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R), who was also at the ceremony Monday, after he shared photos of the visit on social media accounts and fundraising emails. Governor Cox has since apologized for making political and campaign use of a visit to Arlington National Cemetery but neither Mr. Trump nor his campaign have joined Governor Cox in apologizing for these blatant violations, the lawmaker wrote. The Hill has reached out to the Trump campaign and U.S. Army for comment. Emily Brooks contributed reporting. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 National Committee (RNC) co-Chair Michael Whatley said former President Trumps comments suggesting he could win California were a little bit of a stretch. Trump, in an interview with television psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw released Wednesday, said he could win California if Jesus Christ was counting ballots. 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 counter I do great with Hispanics, great, I mean at a level no Republican has ever done. But if we had an honest vote counter, I would win California. During an interview with Fox LA anchor Elex Michaelson that aired Friday, Whatley talked about the RNCs need to have poll watchers in the state. Michaelson asked if people should trust that their votes will be counted fairly. Yeah, and thats why we want to be here, Whatley said. And the thing about California law is it does allow anybody who is interested in serving in that capacity to go serve in that capacity, which I think is really good. Michaelson then asked Whatley what the former president meant with the Jesus remarks. Well, I think that he feels like California, there are a lot of Republicans and there are a lot of votes here, Whatley said. I think he was probably, you know, a little bit of a stretch. The anchor pointed out that Trump lost California to President Biden in 2020 by close to 5 million votes and then asked if Whatley had evidence that the former president won the Golden State. Whatley, who was elected the committees co-chair in early March, said he did not. You know, I mean, the president can tell stories at any time, but thats look, I think the key is that we want to make the point that it is very important for us to have election security protection in place, that we are going to protect the ballot, Whatley added. Michaelson then questioned if Trumps messaging around voting is dangerous for the ex-president, since his supporters could believe the fraud claims and ultimately decide against voting at all. Right. Thats why we set this program up, Whatley said. Thats exactly the conversation that we are having. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 man pushing a shopping cart through the aisles of a warehouse store. Image source: Getty Images Attention, Costco shoppers: If you and your pals love Costco but balk at the annual fee, sharing a membership card may seem like a sneaky work-around. But a big change is coming to Costco warehouses that's aimed at clamping down on membership sharing. How Costco is reining in membership sharing Costco can offer all those great deals like those $4.99 rotisserie chickens and the $1.50 hot dog and soda combo -- because it charges a membership fee. A Gold Star membership costs $60, while an Executive membership will set you back $120. Those prices increase to $65 and $130, respectively, on Sept. 1. If you're a Costco member, you know that you have to present your membership card to an employee before entering the warehouse. But soon, you'll be required to scan your physical or digital membership card using devices that Costco is installing at each local warehouse. You'll also need to present your photo ID if your card doesn't include your picture. If you're not a member, you'll need to be accompanied by someone who is. Non-members or those whose membership is inactive or expired will be directed to the membership counter before they can enter the warehouse to shop. Why the change? Richard Galanti, director and executive vice president at Costco, told CNN in January that the warehouse chain has seen a spike in people sharing memberships since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. Last year, the company began requiring a membership card with a picture or a photo ID to use the self-checkout scanners after noticing more non-members using the devices. Costco's policy on sharing memberships isn't changing, though. Costco memberships have always been non-transferrable. When you buy a membership, you also receive a Household Card that you can assign to someone in your household age 16 or older. You can also bring up to two guests with you when you shop, but only members can make purchases. What if Costco catches you sharing a membership? Most membership-based warehouse clubs, including Costco and rival Sam's Club, reserve the right to revoke your membership for any reason. When you join Costco, you agree to follow all of its rules, including its policies on membership sharing. If you break the rules and let others use your card, you risk having your membership revoked. Note that there are a few Costco purchases you can make without a membership. For example, you can have your prescriptions filled at the pharmacy and get eye exams even if you're not a member. Depending on your state's law, Costco may be required to allow non-members to purchase alcohol -- assuming the customer is 21 or older, of course. Non-members can also buy some items at Costco.com, though non-members pay 5% more than members. But if you consistently enjoy a lower credit card tab for everyday essentials, like groceries and gas, it's probably worth shelling out the money for a Costco membership. Top credit card to use at Costco (and everywhere else!) We love versatile credit cards that offer huge rewards everywhere, including Costco! This card is a standout among America's favorite credit cards because it offers perhaps the easiest $200 cash bonus you could ever earn and an unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, even when you shop at Costco. Add on the competitive 0% interest period and it's no wonder we awarded this card Best No Annual Fee Credit Card. Click here to read our full review for free and apply before the $200 welcome bonus offer ends! We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Robin Hartill has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Costco Wholesale, Gala, and JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Lauren Roberts is the bestselling author of the "Powerless" series. At 18 years old, Lauren Roberts launched a passion project: writing and self-publishing a novel. Now, three years later, Powerless is a New York Times bestseller with a second book and novella on shelves and it all started on TikTok. After going live on the social media platform, she read a snippet of a piece she had written for a college class to her followers, and she started receiving comments like, You should write a book. Two days later, she came up with the idea for Powerless, a romantic fantasy about a brutal kingdom, a thief and a prince. For two weeks, she mapped out the plot and found her characters. Then I started writing, Roberts tells TODAY.com. After about 12 chapters, I said to myself, OK, theres no going back now. While she didnt have the support of an editor or publishing house during those early days, she had her social media following. I would write a scene, and then Id literally hop on social media and be like, Guys, look at the scene I wrote, and I would read it to them or show it to them, she says. She initially self-published by uploading the story to Barnes & Noble Press and Amazons Kindle Direct Publishing services. Then, the support of her fanbase eventually caught the eye of Simon & Schuster, which published the book in November 2023. Powerless stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for 34 weeks. The series novella, Powerful, was on the list for nine weeks. Roberts is one of many authors who initially circumvented the traditional publishing model. It Ends With Us author Colleen Hoover, for example, uploaded her first book, Slammed, to Amazon on her own as a Christmas present for her grandmother. Roberts credits the success of her debut series to social media and the supportive and welcoming community who were just so ready for this book. People are being discovered on social media, and I think thats a beautiful thing. There are some incredible authors who maybe their book just wasnt right at the time for an agent, but now theyre getting picked up because so many people want to read the book, she says. Becoming a romantasy staple Powerless is a story of survival and forbidden love set in a kingdom called Ilya, ruled by a class known as the Elites, who received powers after surviving a plague. People without powers are dubbed Ordinary and banished, their existence a crime in the kingdom. Powerless focuses on Paedyn, an Ordinary who poses as an Elite for survival. When she accidentally saves Kai, one of Ilyas princes, she is forced into the Purging Trials, a competition to showcase the might of the Elites, leaving Paedyn at risk of being discovered and, as the title suggests, powerless. The gladiator style of fighting seen in The Hunger Games as well as the supernatural abilities of the X-Men film franchise inspired the premise of Powerless, Roberts says. The world of Powerless naturally pits Kai and Paedyn against each other, but thats just part of the story. Set against a violent, high stakes world, Kai and Paedyn's relationship also features banter, intense chemistry and beloved romance tropes. Paedyn's best friend, Adena, and a powerful Elite named Mak, also somehow find love in the dangerous fantasy world of Ilya in the series' novella "Powerful." I will say some of the experiences and emotions are absolutely pulled from real life, specifically with Powerful, the novella. I found that Adena and Maks relationship was much more relatable to me than like Paedyn and Kai, Roberts says. A lot of that novella pulled from, you know, my life and those emotions and those sweet moments. These elements make the Powerless series part of the popular subgenre of romantasy, a portmanteau combining romance and fantasy. The books think Sarah J. Maas A Court of Thorns and Roses or Tahereh Mafis This Woven Kingdom typically take place in a fantasy world, with a romance plot that is equally as integral as the world building. Finding a fresh story in the increasingly crowded genre comes with its challenges. But Roberts says authors can bring a distinct voice and style to familiar tropes. Theres billions of books in the world. Theres only so much originality you can have. I think its important to remember that the author and the way that they write and the way that they tell the story is the difference, Roberts says. "The most important thing is to not get discouraged when you have an idea, because I promise you can make it your own, and theres always going to be a reader for every single book. Finishing the Powerless trilogy and whats next After publishing Reckless, a sequel to Powerless, in July, Roberts is now working on the third and final book in the series, Fearless, set to come out in April 2025. Lauren Roberts' second book "Reckless" published July 2, 2024. There are a few little Easter eggs throughout the book about things in the future, which is really exciting, Roberts says. While Fearless will contain hints that lead to her next project, Roberts is keeping mum on what she's planning after the Powerless series for now. Fearless is definitely plot and action and craziness happening such a blast tying up this series and also making sure everything is how I want it to be, Roberts says. By the end of the series, Ill have taken the readers to all of the landmarks around Ilya, which is super fun for me. We kind of get to explore all those pieces. And of course, just like she started, shes taking her 500,000 followers on TikTok with her along for the ride. It is so beautiful to meet all these people around the world that have read this book, she says. I feel like were all just friends." This article was originally published on TODAY.com A Sinaloa Cartel kingpin was sentenced to 28 years in prison for shipping heroin, meth and cocaine to Alaska, an increasingly attractive target for drug lords looking to expand their narcotics pipelines, federal prosecutors announced Friday. Miguel Baez "Javi" Guevara had evaded the U.S. government for 10 years following a sweeping indictment out of Arizona. He later fled to Mexico, where he expanded his enterprise to ship huge quantities of drugs into the U.S. Mexican immigration authorities deported him to in 2021 following a grand jury indictment in Alaska. Guevara previously pleaded guilty to one count of continuing criminal enterprise and one count of drug conspiracy in January, the department said. The Sinaloa Cartel, co-founded by drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, recruited couriers in Alaska through fake social media personas and encrypted messaging platforms. Prosecutors say Guevara instructed the couriers how to smuggle drugs back to Alaska, where they were paid for the transport. The department said the drugs were then distributed locally throughout Alaska. It's difficult to reach much of the remote state, so there are fewer criminal networks competing for customers, but that means drug traffickers can triple or quadruple their price and net much larger profits, prosecutors said. "All the drug dealers are aware they can make more money selling drugs in Alaska," James Klugman, head of federal criminal prosecutions for Alaska's U.S. Attorney's Office, told the Louisville Courier-Journal, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK. Multiple federal agencies have fought for years to disrupt the cartel's distribution of fentanyl in the U.S., going as far to get imprisonment for El Chapo and arresting his son and co-founder in July. Three others in the case have been sentenced in the Alaska case. Joel Rascone is serving a 120-month imprisonment, Serena Joseph is serving 63 months and Washahiotha Zaragoza is serving 18 months. The Justice Department believes Javier Armando Alvarez Pinuelas, Jazmin Adriana Olivares, Daniel Rodriguez Montoya and Juanita Salazar to be at large in Mexico. Cartel targeted Alaska for latest expansion, harming communities Guevara first came into the government's spotlight when he was indicted in October 2014 in Arizona for drug, money and weapons charges. He fled to Mexico after posting a $50,000 bail and continued work in the cartel until an Alaskan grand jury indicted him on Feb. 21, 2020. He was arrested and deported to the U.S. by Mexican authorities from the National Institute of Immigration - Instituto Nacional de Migracion - on Sept. 10, 2021. According to the 2020 indictment, Guevara targeted Alaskan women for recruitment as couriers and would pay for their transportation using prepaid debit cards, then pay the couriers with cash, heroin and meth. The female couriers traveled to the U.S. with male leaders who supervised them and instructed them on how to try and pass through airport screenings. Guevara never crossed the border into the U.S., knowing he has outstanding federal and state warrants, according to the indictment. "Guevara would send members of the Enterprise to Alaska to collect narcotics from couriers and to distribute the bulk quantities of narcotics to local street level dealers," the indictment read. "Local purchasers and distributors would contact Guevara through encrypted messaging apps and request certain quantities of narcotics. Guevara would act as the logistics manager and arrange for a time and location for a member of the Enterprise to meet with the local distributor." Knowing they could be caught by law enforcement, members used coded language and pseudonyms to avoid detection, according to the indictment. The enterprise started around 2016, prosecutors said in court documents. Cartels smuggled drugs into the state by car, mail, on their bodies, small ferries, planes and sometimes in shipping containers next to food. They targeted many communities in Alaska that are remote and don't have significant police presence. Guevara helped run the cartel and had used violence to help spread drugs throughout Alaska, devastating communities, said David Reames, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division. The influx of drugs has caused issues in Alaska with surging overdose death rates, especially for Alaska Natives and American Indians, according to the Courier-Journal. Law enforcement disrupted Guevara's enterprise and seized 7.1 kilograms of meth, about 10 kilograms of heroin and 900 grams of cocaine intended for Alaska, the Justice Department said. The venture produced millions of dollars in drug sales for Guevara, which were smuggled into Mexico. U.S. disputes claims of Guevara being fully reformed Before sentencing, several men sent letters of compassion to the court, saying they regarded Guevara as "Brother Miguel" and commended Guevara for his positive advice, loyalty to his religion and professional conduct. But U.S. attorneys refuted stories of Guevara avoiding violence. They said an Alaskan woman was shot in the knee at Guevara's direction because he accused her boyfriend of stealing drugs. She was initially treated in Mexico and later transported to the U.S. for further treatment, prosecutors said. "Guevara later bragged to other couriers and managers that he was responsible for the shooting, showed photos, and warned them not to steal product," prosecutors said. "He also bragged on Facebook about the shooting and messaged the victim afterwards." Attorneys said despite Guevara completing several rehab programs, imprisonment was necessary due to his criminal history. He was ultimately sentenced to 28 years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Ralph R. Beistline, which will run concurrent to whichever sentence he receives in the Arizona case. Federal agents have pushed to stop the Sinaloa Cartel's development in the U.S. for several decades, landing their historic break with El Chapo's 2019 imprisonment. El Chapo has been serving life, plus 30 years, in prison since 2019. His son, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, and co-founder Ismael Zambada Garcia were arrested July 26 in Texas after they deboarded a private plane. Contributing: Beth Warren, Courier Journal; Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY. Contact reporter Krystal Nurse at knurse@USATODAY.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter,@KrystalRNurse. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sinaloa kingpin sentenced for trafficking narcotics to Alaska How did the organizers of this years Sundance Film Festival: Asia mark their return to Taiwan? By growing the festival in every way possible. For the second year in a row, Sundance Film Festival: Asia returned to Taipei. The expansion of the festivals programming was a reflection of Taiwans efforts to boost filmmaking in the region. The festival run was extended from three to five days. Only three feature films were shown last year. This time around, 15 films including Didi, Sujo, Little Death and Your Monster were among the films showcasing the best of U.S. independent storytelling. Last year only two filmmakers attended; this time around, there were eight. The festival also doubled in scale its panels and masterclasses. More from Variety Not only is it showcasing films and hosting panels, but the organizers are also helping to raise the countrys profile as a hub for local and international filmmakers. It was such a great way for us to grow the festival in Taiwan, said Kim Yutani, Sundance Film Festival director of programming. That is the heart of what we do; connecting those filmmakers to audiences. Yutani continued, To be able to do it on this level was incredibly gratifying. The satellite event sits alongside London and Mexico. Sundance Film Festival: Asia began back in 2014 as Sundance Hong Kong, remaining there until COVID. The festival moved to Jakarta in 2022, and finally to Taipei in 2023. There was no shortage of Hollywood star power at the festival to share and help educate aspiring storytellers. Game of Thrones director Alan Taylor, Fallout showrunner Lisa Joy, producer Nina Yang Bongiovi and Joker 2 cinematographer Lawrence Sher were among some of those on hand leading panels about how talent and the casting process play significant roles in achieving the greenlight on a production, or lessons learned on set. Didis Sean Wang was joined by Caroline Lindy (Your Monster) sharing their experiences casting and working with performers. In addition, the Sundance organizers held its inaugural Intensive Screenwriters workshop for the Asian satellite. With its success in the American market, Yutani noticed how local filmmakers wanted to use the program as a means of spotting up-and-coming filmmakers: For us to have our curatorial eye on these films, to figure out which ones are bubbling up, and to be able to have local judges and jury members and hear their impressions, and what they responded to was interesting. We were pretty spot on with each other. Taiwanese filmmakers had an exclusive opportunity to submit their short films for competition. The jury prize for best short film, presented by Gold House, was eventually awarded to Suo Jiang by production designer-turned-director Lin Chien-yu. Yutani who joined Sundance in 2006 as short-films programmer said the form was near and dear to her heart. Its such an exciting form because there are no rules. You can do whatever you want. She highlighted the fact that the form had always been a place of discovery. Yutani said, To be able to spot a filmmaker with a vision from their short film is such a gift to programmers and curators. The programming provided local filmmakers to hear and see the connective tissue of the festivals work on the ground. Wang was someone who had started in the labs. Yutani explained, Knowing that a filmmaker went through our artist programs and our labs, and has a feature-length film that has been really successful, and to be able to premiere that was the best possible scenario. She went on to say, To have a filmmaker of Taiwanese background come in with such a perfect film to open our festival was great. But to be to have somebody speak about what our labs do, and how they can be a resource to filmmakers was great. Caroline Lindy and Sean Wang Mary Sadeghy, Sundance Institute Head of Partnerships and Events equates the success and growth of the festival to the many partnerships, beginning with festival partners in Asia, Jonathan Liao, Iris Wu and Kevin Lin. She calls them the heartbeat, of the festival. Support from TAICCA, a ministry of culture-funded intermediary between the public and private sectors, producing and promoting content in film, TV, music, comic books and games, has helped with the organizations mission. Said Sadeghy, We are really happy that were able to bring something into the artist community and to audiences, and to be able to have that symbiotic relationship. she continued, Mission is everything, and when you can find a partnership that really helps to keep your mission enduring and drive your mission forward. That is a special and unique opportunity. Mary Sadeghy and Kim Yutani Last year, Taiwan productions increased from 10% to 16%, with more funding going into filmmakers, with efforts coming from the government to boost Taiwans filmmaking image. Lin said, Youve got big organizations that are pushing for a more robust funding system so that anyone from amateur or student level filmmakers can start to see and understand, Okay, how am I going to get access to funds to create increasingly higher quality, independent films? As Taiwan seeks to imprint itself firmly in the Asian film market, a festival like Sundance can help storytellers create and advance their work. By bringing in the best, and by having meaningful conversations and providing resources, Yutani said, The best thing we can do when we go to a place is to make ourselves available to the people on the ground, the emerging storytellers, and for them to understand that Sundance is a place for them. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Studying abroad is more than an education, it is a life-changing experience that shapes young adults into motivated and contributing global citizens, and it was the best decision of my life so far. Last year I spent my entire junior year of high school in Toulouse, France, on a 10-month study abroad trip through AFS. Throughout the year, there was rarely a moment where I wasnt being challenged. Whether it was the language, the longer school days, being the new kid at school, or being without my family for the first time, I became comfortable outside of my comfort zone. Jack Wagoner I learned invaluable communication skills that dont rely on language to get the message across. I developed compassion for people back home who struggle with schoolwork or dont speak English natively. I taught myself the real meaning of truly working hard, something I realized Id never previously had to do to the same degree. I became fluent in French, and despite how cool that feels, the best part of it all was the relationships I built with my loving host family and my life-long friends, in part thanks to my developed language skills. Getting to experience a different culture, see different cities, and eat different foods made a mark on me. My absolute favorite part of traveling was talking to people that I never could have found at home in Dover, New Hampshire. I loved getting curious and learning about the lives and experiences of many different people, gaining so much perspective in the process. Over the course of my 10 months in France, I learned more about life and the world around me than I have in all my previous education combined. I truly believe that there is no experience more valuable to a young and impressionable kid than to show them the differences there are in the world and broaden their frame of mind while helping them face adversity head on. Despite the immense learning opportunities students get when they study abroad, everyone in the community can benefit from the circumstance as well. One of the most meaningful parts of the year for me was seeing the impression I made on the community that I lived in. While trying to learn as much about French culture as I could, I also brought my American culture with me, showing my host family, classmates, teachers, and anyone else I interacted with, who I was and opening up their perspectives to the world, just as they did for me. Studying abroad is a win-win scenario, helping educate entire communities about culture and making us all better global citizens. Now that I am back home, I have made it my commitment to help others live similar life-altering experiences through study abroad trips. I am volunteering for AFS, the organization that helped get me to France and found my awesome host family. At AFS we promote global citizenship with study-abroad opportunities in 45 different countries across the globe in which students from more than 80 countries can go abroad. On an AFS trip you dont just meet people from your host country. Throughout my year abroad I met nearly 300 other students from across the world who came to France, developing life-long friendships with like-minded individuals from all over. For me, AFS has become a global family, and you can be a part of it, too. There are currently seven students from across the world who have been accepted to study in the United States for this upcoming school year, but do not yet have host families. These kids are just like me, with the opportunity of a lifetime at their fingertips, but if nobody steps up to welcome them into their homes and communities, these kids will have to stay at home. I am fully aware of the difficulties involved in hosting a foreign student, but I am also fully aware of the pleasures. Help these seven kids and many others in the future live an experience of a lifetime by volunteering to host and spreading the word to others in our community to do the same. Additionally, if you know of anybody that would get excited by the opportunity to go abroad for a year, talk to them about it. I believe that studying abroad is an invaluable experience that many high school students dont even know is a possibility. Studying abroad is a life changing experience, helping young adults develop crucial skills and perspectives, and helping entire communities do the same thing. Please consider becoming a part of AFS and our global family of over 500,000. Reach out to me with any questions or inquiries. Trust me, its not a decision youll regret. Jack Wagoner is an AFS volunteer and a senior at Dover High School. You can email him at jackcwagoner@gmail.com. More: Learn more about AFS study abroad Live without borders This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Wagoner: Studying abroad will change your life like it changed mine In 1951, Leonard Bernstein, age 32, led the New York Philharmonic in the belated world premiere of Charles Ives Symphony No. 2 music composed half a century earlier. The performance was nationally broadcast and widely noticed. Seven years after that, Bernstein began his tenure as the Philharmonics music director with Ives Second Symphony. In all, he performed Ives Second twenty times during his Philharmonic decade. He also recorded it. He devoted a nationally televised Young Peoples Concert to Ives. For the Ives Centenary, in 1974, he led Ives Second on July 4 in Danbury, Connecticut Ives hometown. In short: he rescued from oblivion a great American symphony and followed that up with a sustained act of advocacy. I remember the Ives Centenary. It included a major conference which resulted in an important book. The notion that Ives was the supreme creative genius in the history of American classical music gained a lot of traction. The Ives cause had in fact steadily mounted since the discovery of his Concord Sonata the summit of the American keyboard literature in 1939. It was widely assumed that the Ives crescendo would continue. But it didnt. So far as I can tell, this years Ives Sesquicentenary is being ignored by American orchestras. It is in fact far more noticed abroad. And, whats more whats worse none of this is very surprising. I subtitled my 2005 tome Classical Music in America A History of Its Rise and Fall. At a noisy session of the American Symphony Orchestra League conference that year, a longtime orchestra CEO ridiculed my premise that classical music in the US was rapidly fading to the margins; I did not cite a single statistic, he smugly observed. Seventeen years previous to that, I published a book even more reviled: Understanding Toscanini: How He Became an American Culture-God and Helped Create a New Audience for Old Music. The basic premise of both books was that classical music in the US was and is incurably Eurocentric. I had attempted to figure out how that happened. In the process, I discovered that things were very different before World War I. It was once widely assumed that the US could acquire a symphonic and operatic canon of its own, that American orchestras and opera companies would eventually mainly give American works. As of 1900, no one of consequence imagined that the umbilical cord would remain intact. The core topic here is the popularization of the arts during the interwar decades. A new audience, populated by the new middle classes, was born. It represented both an opportunity and a challenge. Both were botched. A key factor was a commercial strategy pursued via radio and recordings by NBC and RCA. They marketed what they could best sell: masterworks by dead Europeans. They extolled (I am not making this up) passive consumption by amateurs let the professionals do the work. Virgil Thomson dubbed it all the music appreciation racket. I use the term the culture of performance, sidelining the composer. (In my cultural Cold War book The Propaganda of Freedom, I glance at the Soviet Union and discover an interwar popularization strategy emphasizing making music in homes and factories, and privileging native repertoire new and old.) Was it inevitable? I mull the role of leadership. David Sarnoff, masterminding NBC and RCA, was a visionary with a parochial musical vision. Arthur Judson, the Robert Moses of American classical music, was a powerbroker, a music-businessman. Running Columbia Artists Management and the New York Philharmonic, he decreed (explicitly): the audience sets taste. Concurrently, Sarnoff and other broadcasters defeated proposals for an American BBC (which would have made a difference). If youre looking for leaders in American classical music, look before World War I. They were omnipresent. The two most formidable were Theodore Thomas, whose itinerant Thomas Orchestra toured the hinterlands, and Henry Higginson, who invented, owned, and operated the Boston Symphony. They set taste. And so did Anton Seidl and Oscar Hammerstein in New York, and Laura Langford in Brooklyn. In later decades, Serge Koussevitzky, Leopold Stokowski, and Dmitri Mitropoulos, in Boston, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis, were exceptions proving the rule outside the Judson orbit. Then Judson hired Mitropoulos to lead the New York Philharmonic, whose pedigree was sinking. My favorite Judson story: when Mitropoulos conducted the Philharmonic in the American premiere of Mahlers Sixth Symphony, Judson insisted that it be replaced with the Gershwin Piano Concerto for the Sunday broadcast Gershwin, Judson maintained, would be more suitable radio fare and also sell more tickets at home. In response, Mitropoulos wrote Judson to beg you, almost on my knees to change his mind. It would be a crime not to give this New World [broadcast] premiere of this great and exciting symphony . . . It would be a great event from which we have nothing to fear and from which to expect no less than the highest gratitude of all the musical artistic world in the United States. He added that he awaited Judsons response with anxiety. Judson said no. And this is why Leonard Bernstein mattered and matters still. Of the dozens of blogs Ive posted in recent years, the most read, by a wide margin, deal with institutional leadership at the San Francisco Symphony, the Boston Symphony, and the Metropolitan Opera. And they cite a couple of inspired institutional leaders I knew: Harvey Lichtenstein at BAM and Speight Jenkins at the Seattle Opera. Imagine, if you can, a leader of Bernsteins stature today at the helm of an American orchestra or opera company. As for Charles Ives: the NEH-funded Music Unwound initiative Ive directed for a dozen years mounts cross-disciplinary festivals dedicated to signature topics in American music. The most necessary of those, I would say, is Charles Ives America. The humanities-infused strategy is to contextualize the Second Symphony, the Concord Sonata, and Ivess songs and chamber works. We challenge the misimpression that Ives is esoteric. Ivess America has been produced by the Buffalo Philharmonic, the South Dakota Symphony, and the Brevard Music Festival, with three more coming up: the Chicago Sinfonietta in collaboration with Illinois State University, Bards The Orchestra Now (including a Carnegie Hall performance), and very possibly the biggest Ives festival ever mounted Indiana University at Bloomington. I pitched NEH-subsidized Music Unwound Ives festivals to two major orchestras and got nowhere. An Artistic Administrator asked rhetorically: How would I sell it? This is not a question I heard from JoAnn Falletta in Buffalo, Delta David Gier in Sioux Falls, Jason Posnock in Brevard, Blake Anthony Johnson in Chicago, or Leon Botstein at Bard. (At Bloomington, the concerts will be free.) Back in the day, when I undertook projects for the New York Philharmonic (where Music Unwound was actually born, thanks to Matias Tarnopolsky), there was a photograph of Leonard Bernstein directly over the elevator exiting the administrative offices. Perhaps its still there. I never passed under it not once without experiencing piercing sadness and incredulity that the Philharmonic was no longer his. For a schedule of upcoming NEH-supported Ives Sesquicentenary festivals, click here. To read previous blogs in this Bernstein series, click here, here, and here. To listen to an NPR More than Music exploration of The Bernstein Odyssey, click here. Investigative journalist Uzay Bulut pens an article published by the Gatestone Institute that looks at a narrative that turns history on its head", one that denies that Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks are indigenous in Anatolia. As Turkish children become adults, they parrot the lies taught to them in their schools. Istanbul (AsiaNews) Actual "brainwashing" is how Turkish investigative journalist Uzay Bulut describes the textbooks Turkey uses for students in the section dedicated to the history of the Armenian and Assyrian genocide In an article titled "Turkish textbooks: twisting history", an investigation published on the website of the Gatestone Institute, Bulut writes: Turkish government authorities have targeted their own indigenous peoples of Anatolia, namely the Pontic Greeks and Armenians. In the twentieth century, Ottoman Turkey largely exterminated these peoples through a genocide. Yet, the books refer to unfounded claims of Greeks and Armenians. Once called the Pontus Issue and the Armenian Question, the sections are now changed to the Unfounded Pontus Claims and the Unfounded Armenian Claims. Ankara also denies that Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks are indigenous to the land where the Turks settled centuries later, occupying the territory, and exterminating those who already lived there. One critical factor, Uzay Bulut points out, is that Turkish schoolchildren, who have no idea about the real history of their country, are brainwashed with falsehoods about their countrys origin and fed hatred about the remnants of the minorities. As a result, these children become adults memorising the lies taught to them in school, denying that the Ottoman Empire committed genocide against native Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks. These children are not at fault for not knowing the true history of their country nor the facts about the genocide committed against the minorities. They are fed the lie that minorities lived "happily" in the empire for centuries, until the European powers instigated them to rebel against their government. In reality, minorities living in the Ottoman Empire were always oppressed, enslaved, attacked, robbed, kidnapped, raped and massacred, culminating in the Genocide of 1915. Not only These minorities were not even considered to be second class citizens but they "had no rights whatsoever and were at the mercy of their brutal rulers," points out the journalist, who defines the education of Turkish students as "misinformation, wilful distortion and historic revisionism." This is not just a dispute between Armenians and Turks since The Turkish government knows better than anyone that the accusations of genocide are factual. This is because Ottoman archives in its possession explain the truth, even after being selectively cleansed of any incriminating evidence. According to Dr Gregory H. Stanton, president of Genocide Watch, denial is the last stage of genocide. Denial is a continuation of a genocide because it is a continuing attempt to destroy the victim group psychologically and culturally, to deny its members even the memory of the murders of their relatives. Turkey should face up to the truth and teach innocent Turkish students the tragic facts of history about the massacres and genocide because neither todays young generation nor the current Turkish government were responsible since they did not exist during these murders. by Stefano Caprio Both the mouthpieces of Russias rulers and most opposition voices in Moscow reacted surprisingly as one to the arrest in France of Russian Internet tsar, to defend freedom of expression and communication. This is a sign that the ultimate weapon of war is not the assault drone or the nuclear bomb, but ideologies that distort reality. The most sensational event for Russia in recent days is not the possibility of Ukraine's victory in the war, trumpeted by President Volodymyr Zelensky following the Kursk offensive, but the arrest of Russian Internet tsar Pavel Durov, at a French airport. Both mouthpieces for Russias rulers and most of the countrys opposition voices have reacted astonishingly in unison in defence of freedom of expression and communication. Information warfare is in fact much more extensive and devastating than that on the ground, obviously not because of the number of dead and wounded or the extent of the destruction, but because of the actual feeling that power brings, or the consistency of the struggle against it. The Telegram messaging platform, which Durov founded in 2013, is in fact the only space where Russian-speaking audiences can access political content without obstacles, interruptions, or sanctions, and this applies not only to Russia, but to many countries in the Middle East, as well as Central and Southeast Asia. By contrast, in Western Europe, in particular in France, Telegram is often associated with drug trafficking, terrorism, computer piracy, and the dissemination of pornographic materials, including child porn. St. Petersburg-born Pavel Durov, who will turn forty in October, has ruled social media in Russia since 2006, the dawn of the new communication age. Together with his brother Nikolai, he founded VK (VKontakte, , InContact"), an online social media and social networking service, which became immediately popular in Russia and many other former Soviet states, along with Odnoklassniki (, Classmates), another social networking service, which is also linked to Durov's system. These first tools were left to the total control of the Kremlin after the start of the conflict with Ukraine in 2014, and the young digital tycoon claimed his freedom to spread any information, even criticising the government, and stayed at the helm of Telegram. Durov officially left Russia, although he returns whenever he deems it necessary, moving to Dubai. He also holds citizenship in Kitts and Nevis, United Arab Emirates, and France. He tried to set up shop in the United States and Singapore, but "felt too much pressure", he said in an interview with Tucker Carlson, the only Western journalist loved by Russians. Bypassing normal channels, he got a French passport after a few dinners with President Emmanuel Macron, who advised him to move his companys headquarters to Paris. A week after his arrest, he was released on bail with travel restrictions. In Russia his arrest has sparked a storm of reactions, raising numerous doubts about the real motives behind it. Durov travelled to Paris on his private plane from Azerbaijan, where he reportedly had the opportunity to meet Vladimir Putin directly. It seems unlikely that he was not aware of the risks of the trip, given his ties at the highest level, so the move remains a mystery, with unclear motives, unless it is a case of hubris of those who are arrogant enough to believe that they are above the law. Russians suspect that Telegrams boss went to hand over the keys to access crucial information on his messaging platform, to favour the West in the global war. The platform is in fact widely used by Russian soldiers (and their Ukrainian adversaries) to communicate with each other, but it is not very credible that military commanders would use it to pass military plans. After all, the Telegram system has no real "access keys" since it is built on a castle of databases and servers that do not communicate with each other. Beyond the actual technical-military significance of the story, its resonance shows the broader meaning of certain links in the world of communication; Russia, politically and economically isolated from the West and in search of a new dimension straddling worlds, cannot lose its place in the virtual global space. Control over information is the main tool for imposing a certain narrative of events that favours ones purposes. This is certainly nothing new. Manipulating facts was already one of the main objectives of ancient Roman historians, from Julius Caesar to Livy, Tacitus, and Sallust, an ideological weapon of empire. Russians have known this since the medieval "Nestor Chronicle", which narrates the events of Kievan Rus', presenting the "new people" called to rewrite history, which inspired tsars and Soviet general secretaries, up to their current copycat in the Kremlin. A 19th-century Russian writer and philosopher, Vladimir Odoyevsky, had even prophesied the birth of blogs and the Internet in his utopian novel "Year 4338", written in 1835. In it he wrote that "magnetic telegraphs are established between houses, thanks to which those who live at great distances can converse with each other", even distributing "home newspapers, prepared by those who have more knowledge replacing the usual correspondence", which, in addition to informing about the internal life of families, offer "various reflections, observations, discoveries and proposals". There are indeed many proposals on Telegram, and many of them raise real concerns. In the past, Durov had to reluctantly bow to foreign states, as in 2022 when Germany accused him of not moderating content in accordance with German law, the same charge that led to his arrest in Paris. Not long ago, the final version of the Digital Services Act, the EU Digital Services Regulation 2022/2065, came into effect across the European Union, which Telegram representatives swore to scrupulously uphold, blocking pirated content and not allowing banned channels like RT, Russkoe Televidenie, one of the Kremlin's main means of propaganda, to Europeans. Although the European Commission reported no violations of these rules by Telegram, the French investigation is based on French law. Durov is accused of failing to cooperate with French police. This raises a question that could affect the entire digital world, not only one boss in the ecosystem: how justifiable is controlling what is posted on the network? Where is the line between "moderation" and censorship? If you want to protect yourself from cybercrimes, then the authorities should be able to monitor any exchange of content, and this happens often, laws notwithstanding. This is in fact what Russia wants, even more than France or the United States, to control the thoughts and movements of the soul, and there is nothing like the virtual world to enter every secret department of people's inner lives. This is why even in the most democratic countries there is far less trust in the authorities and their statements, and everyone tries to carve out a space to feel more or less ones own, which is what Telegram tried to offer in more credible ways than many more popular social media. Freedom of expression has always been an ambiguous concept, and it is becoming an even more confused and contradictory ideal. Russia is fighting its war against the demon of false liberalism"; for this reason, it is urging everyone in the world to move to the pure world of traditional values", while invoking freedom for Durov and his very untraditional tools. The ultimate weapon of war is not the assault drone or the nuclear bomb, it is the ideology that distorts reality, and turns a universal principle like personal freedom into an instrument of control and power. If it is possible to discuss the legitimacy of allowing the Ukrainians to use Western missiles against Russia, or cutting ecclesiastical ties with Russian Orthodoxy, one cannot ignore a commitment to define the contents of freedom of thought, expression, and speech, on the Internet and everywhere, given the absence of geographical boundaries or zones of separation and non-belligerence. In this sense, we are all Russians and French, we are all players on Telegram or any other system that carries words and images, which forces us to choose and decide in which reality we want to live. RUSSIAN WORLD IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO RUSSIA. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE IT EVERY SATURDAY? TO SUBSCRIBE, CLICK HERE. by Melani Manel Perera Sri Lanka has one of the highest rates of enforced disappearances in the world, with thousands of victims gone missing during the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna uprising and the civil war with the Tamil Tigers. Human Rights Watch denounces the ongoing persecution of victims' families through monitoring, intimidation, and arbitrary arrests. Despite the existence of an Office for Missing Persons, almost no cases have been solved. Families have asked for international intervention. Colombo (AsiaNews) Sri Lanka has one of the highest rates of enforced disappearances in the world, including people who went missing during the insurgency of the leftist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (1987-89) and the civil war between the government and the Tamil Tigers for the liberation of Tamil Eelam (1983-2009). For decades, Sri Lankan authorities have refused to reveal the whereabouts of missing persons or to prosecute those responsible, prompting the UN human rights office to call for international prosecutions. Instead, the Sri Lankan government continues to persecute the families of victims of enforced disappearance who seek to assert their rights, Human Rights Watch said yesterday. Security forces persistently harass families through surveillance, intimidation, false allegations, violence, and arbitrary arrests," HRW said on International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance, yesterday. A day earlier, a court in Trincomalee agreed with the police's request to prohibit relatives of missing persons from organising a procession on the day of remembrance. The relatives of the disappeared experience the daily torment of not knowing what happened to their family members, which state agencies have cruelly compounded by trying to silence them, said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at HRW, who added that many have passed away without knowing the truth or obtaining justice. On 22 August, in his annual report on Sri Lanka to the UN Human Rights Council, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, described, a persistent trend of surveillance, intimidation and harassment of journalists and civil society actors, especially those working on enforced disappearances and reprisals against family members of the disappeared engaging with the UN or international actors, including members of the diplomatic community. In May, HRW met with relatives of missing persons in northern and eastern Sri Lanka, mostly wives or mothers of the victims, who described a pattern of ongoing abuses. Several are facing court proceedings after being arrested at protests, including three who had been hospitalized as a result of police violence against protesters, HRW lamented. Speaking about the bitter experience of a woman from the Eastern Province struggling to know the fate of her husband, the group noted that she believed she was regularly monitored by security agencies, including the police Criminal Investigation Department, the Terrorism Investigation Division, the Special Task Force, and the army. "We can't raise our voices, we have no freedom to move," said another woman from the Northern Province, whose husband has not been seen since his arrest in 2008. They [security agencies] threaten us, and even take action against our family members. We have no freedom to do anything. The women say that police routinely hand them stay orders which prohibit them from attending memorial events or protests in the middle of the night, when they are dressed in nightclothes and take pictures. If my gate is locked, police climb over the wall or cut the fence to deliver a stay order, one said. Several mothers of the missing said the most frightening threats are aimed at their other children. One said that when she participates in protests, the police tell her: You have to look after your child who is still alive. Another said that just days after she was arrested during a protest in 2023, her son was arrested over a fabricated drug offence and was sent to rehabilitation. In 2017, the Sri Lankan government established the Office for Missing Persons (OMP) to determine the whereabouts or fate of missing persons, but it has hardly solved any case so far. Families accuse the OMP of pressuring them to agree to compensation, which they fear will lead to their cases being dismissed without further investigation. Earlier we trusted the OMP but after they recruited certain commissioners, we lost our faith, said the mother of a missing person from Mannar, northwestern Sri Lanka, referring to the appointment of former senior security force officials to the body. She said she turned down offers of compensation because "I need to know what happened to my son. Many relatives of the missing are sceptical of the current government's proposal to establish a new national truth and reconciliation commission, after similar bodies failed to find the truth or account for the past. We dont accept it. We dont have faith in it, said one of them. For the families, international involvement, including in criminal investigations, is important. Today's headlines: Ko Wen-je, a former mayor of Taipei, and current opposition leader, was arrested this morning in connection with an investigation into a property project. A report by Japanese police states that 40,000 people died alone at home in the first half of 2024. In Timor-Leste, the authorities deny demolishing homes at a site where Pope Francis will celebrate Mass next month. At least five people were killed by an Israeli airstrike against a humanitarian convoy in Gaza by US charity Anera. PAKISTAN The Pakistani military has launched intelligence operations in the south-western province of Balochistan after insurgents killed more than 70 people in an attack this week. The army said that five insurgents were killed and three others were wounded in the three operations it launched in the province. Operations will continue until all perpetrators, facilitators and abetters of these atrocious acts are brought to justice," an army statement said. TAIWAN Ko Wen-je, Taipeis mayor from 2014 to 2022, who finished third in January's presidential elections as the leader of a small opposition party, was arrested in the early hours of the morning as part of an investigation into a major property development in the Taiwanese capital. The arrest comes after investigators raided his home and party headquarters on Friday and questioned him for hours. Ko has denied any wrongdoing in the case, which involved approving a property project when he was mayor. JAPAN According to a report released by the country's police, 40,000 people died alone in their homes in Japan in the first half of 2024. Of these, almost 4,000 were discovered more than a month after their death and 130 bodies remained missing for a year before they were found. According to the United Nations, Japan currently has the worlds oldest population. The agency hopes its report will shed light on the growing problem of an ageing population. TIMOR-LESTE Some houses are being demolished near Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste, in an area where Pope Francis will celebrate Mass next month. According to the evicted residents, who spoke to the BBC, nearly 90 people were ordered by the government to find a new place to live before the pontiff arrives. The Timor-Leste government denies that the evictions are linked to the papal visit, insisting that residents lived there illegally. Authorities have spent about US$ 18 million on the pontiff's three-day visit, which begins on 9 September. ISRAEL - GAZA Anera (American Near East Refugee Aid), a US NGO, said that several employees of the transportation company it works with were killed in an Israeli airstrike. Israeli forces said the attack targeted "armed assailants" who were attempting to hijack the convoy organised by the charity. All the victims were in the lead vehicle, the target of the attack. According to unconfirmed reports, five people were killed. KAZAKHSTAN Kazakhstan's Ministry of Information has announced new rules for the accreditation of journalists, who will have to scrupulously comply with them. The latter include avoiding asking uncomfortable questions to state officials at public events, walking freely in government buildings, and sharing pictures and material with colleagues. UKRAINE MOLDOVA Vasile Soimaru (Shoimaru), an MP for Moldovas ruling Action and Solidarity Party, said on television that Moldovan authorities, like their Ukrainian counterparts, intend to ban the activities of the Metropolis of Chisinau and All Moldova, which is part of the Moscow Patriarchate. Opposition parties accuse the government of seeking to place the local Church under the Romanian patriarchate. The Armenian Foreign Ministry said the regulations for joint activities of the two countries commissions dealing with the border delimitation and demarcation will be made public on Monday. The two sides pledged in April to work them out by July 1 as part of a deal whereby the Armenian government controversially ceded four disputed border areas to Baku. They said at the time that the delimitation process will be based on the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration signed by newly independent ex-Soviet republics. The declaration committed them to recognizing each others Soviet-era borders. But it does not contain a detailed description of those borders. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has repeatedly defended his unilateral concessions, saying that they will lay the groundwork for Azerbaijans recognition of Armenias territorial integrity. He has also said that this positive experience will be used for delimiting other sections of the nearly 1,000-kilometer-long border. Pashinians government on Tuesday did not explicitly say that the regulations agreed upon by Yerevan and Baku mention the Alma-Ata Declaration. In comments to the official Armenpress news agency, its press office only cited the relevant understanding reached in April. Nor did the office clarify which sections of the border will be delimited next and when. It said the two sides are due to agree on that sequence after having the regulations validated by their respective state bodies. Armenias Constitutional Court must uphold the regulations conformity with the constitution before they can be sent to the Armenian parliament for ratification, added the office. The four disputed border areas handed over to Azerbaijan in May and June had been occupied by Armenian forces in 1991-1992. For its part, the Azerbaijani army occupied at the time large swathes of nearby land belonging to several villages in Armenias northern Tavush province. It has not withdrawn from that land in return for the Armenian concessions. Baku has also refused to withdraw from Armenian border areas seized by its troops in 2021 and 2022. It denies occupying any Armenian territory. The land transfer strongly condemned by the Armenian opposition sparked angry protests in Tavushs border villages seriously affected by it. The protests were led by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanian, the then head of the provincial diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church. After failing to scuttle preparations for the handover, Galstanian took his campaign to Yerevan where he held a series of big rallies in May and June in a bid to oust Pashinian. He has pledged to resume his campaign in September. 31 August 2024 20:57 (UTC+04:00) Historically, traditional relations of friendship and brotherhood exist between Azerbaijani and Kyrgyz peoples. Relations between the two countries are at the level of strategic partnership. Azernews reports, citing AZERTAG that Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov expressed these views at an event organized in Baku on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the independence of the Kyrgyz Republic and the 100th anniversary of the Kara-Kyrgyz Autonomous Region. Congratulating the Kyrgyz state and people on behalf of the Government of Azerbaijan, the minister emphasized: "The historical relations of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyz peoples based on friendship and brotherhood are developing successfully with the political will of the leaders of both countries. With the mutual visits and joint efforts of the leaders of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan, our relations have developed and entered a new stage. Today, cooperation between our countries is developing successfully in many fields, especially in the fields of trade, economy, and transport, and important projects are being implemented on April 20, 2022, during the official visit of the President of Kyrgyzstan, "The Republic of Azerbaijan and The signing of the "Declaration on Strategic Partnership" between the Kyrgyz Republic played an important role in bringing relations to a higher level," said Parviz Shahbazov. Talking about the economic relations between our countries, effective cooperation in the direction of renewable energy, and joint investments in the field of wind and energy, the minister noted that the Kyrgyz Republic supports Azerbaijan in the construction works carried out in the territories freed from occupation. He emphasized that the existing strategic partnership, traditional friendly relations, and effective cooperation between our countries will expand further. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 August 2024 10:22 (UTC+04:00) Fatima Latifova Read more An exhibition of works by artists of the RAK Art Foundation operating in Bahrain was opened in Baku. Azernews reports that Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation took part in the event. Speaking at the opening of the exhibition, the founder of the RAK Art Foundation, prominent Bahraini artist and collector Rashid Al Khalifa expressed his satisfaction that Bahraini artists shared their inexhaustible talents with art lovers in Azerbaijan. He noted that the RAK Art Foundation promotes international partnership and mutual understanding. Rashid Al Khalifa said that the purpose of cooperation is to present the rich tapestries of Bahraini artists to the vibrant and colorful art scene of Baku. Emin Mammadov, the chairman of "Azerkhalcha" OJSC, said that cooperation with the artist Rashid Al Khalifa and the RAK Art Foundation reflects the wider formation of art, international friendship and cultural understanding. "I am pleased that the general picture of contemporary art examples of Bahrain has been revived in Baku. I believe that this will lead to further expansion of partnership opportunities between our countries." It should be noted that before this, several exhibitions of Rashid Al Khalifa were organized at the Heydar Aliyev Center. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 August 2024 22:13 (UTC+04:00) Fatima Latifova Read more An official reception was organized in Baku on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the independence of the Kyrgyz Republic and the 100th anniversary of the Kara-Kyrgyz Autonomous Region. Azernews reports, citing AZERTAG that Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, founder and head of the IDEA Public Union (PU), state and government representatives, deputies of the sixth convocation Milli Majlis, representatives of the diplomatic corps in our country and public representatives took part in the event. At the official reception, the national anthems of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan were played first. Expressing his sincere thanks and gratitude to Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, for her participation in the event, the Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to our country, Maksat Mamitkanov, pointed out that our countries are fraternal and brotherly. He emphasized that we are closely connected with each other, mutual relations between our countries, and our joint activities are at an excellent level. "Let our friendship be eternal and deepen day by day. We highly value this friendship and our strategic cooperation. There is a political dialogue between the two countries. Our joint projects are being continued," the ambassador said. Speaking about the development path of his country, the diplomat stated that the Kyrgyz people have gone through difficult stages for independence and said. "The Kyrgyz Republic, like other Turkic-speaking countries, attaches great importance to cooperation and deepening of relations with Azerbaijan. Our countries are successfully represented in various international organizations." Emphasizing the importance of the state visit of the Kyrgyz President to our country in April of this year, the ambassador touched on the importance of the establishment of the Azerbaijan-Kyrgyz Development Fund and noted its role in expanding cooperation between our countries. Wishing peace and tranquility to our people, the diplomat expressed his confidence that the Kyrgyz-Azerbaijani friendship, based on historical roots, will continue to develop at an increasing pace based on common interests. Congratulating the Kyrgyz Republic on Independence Day, Leyla Aliyeva wished peace and prosperity to the Kyrgyz people and recited her poem dedicated to Issyk-Kul Lake. A memorial gift was presented to Leyla Aliyeva at the event. Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov, who congratulated the Kyrgyz state and people on behalf of the Government of Azerbaijan, said that traditional friendly and brotherly relations between our peoples existed historically. Azerbaijan-Kyrgyzstan relations are at the level of strategic partnership. "Relations between the Azerbaijani and Kyrgyz peoples, based on historical friendship and brotherhood, are developing successfully with the political will of the leaders of both countries. With mutual visits and joint efforts of the leaders of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan, our relations have developed and entered a new stage. Today, cooperation between our countries in a number of fields, especially in the fields of trade, economy, investment and transport, is successfully developing, and important projects are being implemented. The signing of the "Declaration on Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Kyrgyz Republic" during the official visit of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov to our country on April 20, 2022, played an important role in bringing the relations to a higher level," the minister pointed out. Speaking about the economic relations between our countries, effective cooperation in the direction of renewable energy, and joint investments in the wind and energy sector, Parviz Shahbazov noted that the Kyrgyz Republic supports Azerbaijan in the construction works carried out in the territories freed from occupation. He expressed confidence that the existing strategic partnership, traditional friendly relations, and effective cooperation between our countries will expand further. Russia's ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Yevdokimov and other speakers congratulated Kyrgyzstan on its independence day and wished the Kyrgyz people peace, tranquility, and progress. At the end of the event, a video depicting the Azerbaijan-Kyrgyz friendship was shown. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 August 2024 15:00 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has expressed support for the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group, which includes Russia, the United States, and France, in relation to the Garabagh conflict. Speaking at a press conference on August 31, Pashinyan suggested that the Minsk Groups role may no longer be necessary in the context of established peace, Azernews reports citing Interfax. "In the context of peace, we consider it possible to make a decision to dissolve the OSCE Minsk Group. When peace is an established fact, the existence of such a format may raise questions," Pashinyan stated. He also noted that the timing of this decision is crucial, emphasizing the need to evaluate whether it is appropriate to bring such topics into discussion at this moment. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 August 2024 19:36 (UTC+04:00) It is regrettable that the Prime Minister of Armenia made a series of statements at the press conference held on August 31 that contradict the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process and the efforts to ensure peace and security in the region. Azernews reports that Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Aykhan Hajizade said in the ministry's statement regarding the views expressed by the Prime Minister of Armenia against Azerbaijan at the press conference. "Allegations that there are territorial claims against Armenia in the Constitutional Act of Azerbaijan are completely false. In this matter, the attempt to create parallelism and equality between the Constitution of Azerbaijan and the Constitution of Armenia is unacceptable. None of the international partners accept this argument of Armenia, and everyone knows that it is frivolous. Unlike the Constitution of Armenia, the Constitutional Act on State Independence of 1991 and the Declaration of Independence of 1918 referenced in the Constitution of Azerbaijan do not contain any territorial claims against Armenia. Which territories were part of Azerbaijan during the First Republic of Azerbaijan and when they joined Armenia are historical facts and these facts cannot be denied. This does not mean that there are any territorial claims against Armenia in Azerbaijani legislation. It is also completely unreasonable for the Armenian side to state that the territorial claim in the Constitution of this country is harmless, noting the provision in the draft peace agreement that "no party can refer to its domestic legislation for failure to fulfill its obligations under the peace agreement." We note once again that it is a well-known fact that no international agreement is superior to the Constitution. That is why, no matter in what form the Armenian side intends to sign the "peace agreement" project, the main condition for signing a real and lasting peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia is ending the ongoing territorial claims against Azerbaijan, which have been established in numerous legal and political documents of Armenia along with its Constitution, which clearly refers to the Act of Independence of Armenia, which calls for the "unification of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh". At the same time, the allegations made by the Prime Minister when justifying Armenia's mass armament efforts do not reflect the truth in any case. First of all, let's note that it is not difficult to understand how it threatens regional peace and security given that for nearly 30 years, Armenia the country that has occupied Azerbaijan's territories in violation of the norms and principles of international law, the UN Charter, and the Alma-Ata Declaration, and taking into account the existence of territorial claims against its neighbors. The fact that the Armenian side allegedly stated that Azerbaijan's military budget is 14-15 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), which is much more than Armenia's, completely contradicts the information released by the relevant international organizations about the military budget, and this figure is repeatedly exaggerated. In addition, the increase of Armenia's military expenditures by 46 percent compared to last year is another indicator that proves the militarization of Armenia. At the same time, the claim made by the Armenian PM that Azerbaijan allegedly bought weapons from Italy does not reflect the truth. Looking at the position of the prime minister regarding the Minsk Group, it is clear that the Armenian side's attempts to restore the institution, which is a remnant of the past conflict, demonstrate the existence of this country's hidden agenda against Azerbaijan. The logic of the prime minister of Armenia that these problems can be ignored shows that this country is not interested in lasting peace and is only trying to keep this situation as a backup option to start aggression against Azerbaijan again in the future. In order to prove that it is serious about the peace process, Armenia should refrain from contradictory statements and provocative steps, and show that it respects the norms and principles of international law with its actions and at the same time with real steps. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 August 2024 09:00 (UTC+04:00) Yesterday, an official reception was held at the Embassy of Turkiye in Azerbaijan on the occasion of the Victory Day of the brotherly country. Azernews reports, citing AZERTAG that the national anthems of Azerbaijan and Turkiye were played at the event. Representatives of the state and government, deputies of the sixth convocation Milli Majlis, ambassadors of foreign countries to Azerbaijan, military attaches, representatives of international organizations, and public representatives took part in the official reception. After the National Anthem, Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Cahit Bagci read President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's congratulatory letter on August 30 - Victory Day. The ambassador noted that the Turkish people and the Turkish Armed Forces won a historic victory on August 30, 1922, under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and emphasized that the struggle started by his country 102 years ago ended with victory. Emphasizing that Turkiye has developed in recent years and become a major power center and voice in the world, the diplomat said that his country actively participates in solving important international issues. Cahit Bagc pointed out that Turkiye is getting stronger, its development in the field of defense industry has reached 80 percent, and it has become a major player in the world. "The Republic of Turkiye, located in the center of a geography that has witnessed global power struggles for centuries, made an effort to strengthen the Turkish Armed Forces with the slogan "Strong Turkiye, Strong Army". Today, Turkiye has become the country with the second largest military force in NATO," the diplomat said. He emphasized that work is being continued with the belief that the "Turkish century" will also be the "century of the Turkish world". President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev's words "Our family is the Turkish world" are extremely important and meaningful and show that we have a common perspective in this field. The ambassador noted that at a time when wars and important trials are being experienced in different parts of the world, our alliance and brotherhood with brother Azerbaijan have become more important. On behalf of the President of Azerbaijan, Defense Minister Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov congratulated the brotherly Turkish people and all personnel of the Turkish Armed Forces on the occasion of Victory Day, saying that this great victory is one of the brightest pages in the glorious history of Turkiye. Emphasizing that relations between Azerbaijan and Turkiye are at the highest level, the colonel-general noted the role of both heads of state in reaching this level of relations. "On August 30, 1922, the Turkish Army under the command of the great general and outstanding statesman Mustafa Kemal Ataturk won a victory that would decide the fate of the War of Independence and the future destiny of Turkiye. This Victory is one of the most glorious pages of the rich history of Turkiye," he said. Speaking about the new opportunities for the development of the relations between our countries and cooperation in the military field, Z. Hasanov emphasized that Azerbaijan-Turkiye relations reached an even higher level of alliance with the Shusha Declaration: "Today, the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkiye are at the highest level. Azerbaijan-Turkiye relations are successfully developing in all directions, including in the field of defense, with the philosophy of National Leader Heydar Aliyev "One nation, two states" and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's philosophy "Azerbaijan's joy is our joy, its sorrow is our sorrow." From the first day of the Patriotic War, which started for our ancient land Garabagh, the people of Azerbaijan felt Turkiye's support for our rightful cause. The political and moral support given by Turkiye to Azerbaijan during that period is a clear example of unity and solidarity between the two countries. The historical, religious, political, and economic relations between our countries have created new opportunities for the development of our cooperation in the military field. Currently, Azerbaijan-Turkiye relations are based on alliance relations based on the Shusha Declaration, and as a part of this, consistent measures are being taken in the field of army building. The minister emphasized that the cooperation between the armies of the two countries based on mutual trust and brotherhood strengthens our unity, serves to protect peace, stability, and security in the region, and further increases the welfare of our peoples. According to the order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, necessary steps are being taken to adapt the Azerbaijan Army to the model of the Turkish Armed Forces. According to him, the successful military reforms implemented, the new technologies applied, as well as the military equipment of various purposes included in the armament, have greatly increased the operational capabilities of our Army and raised its combat capability to a high level. During this year, "Caucasian Eagle", "Efes", "Kurtaran", "Anatolian Ankas" and other exercises were held with the involvement of various types of troops. After that, it is planned to increase the number of joint training and exercises. Congratulating the people of brotherly Turkiye and the personnel of the Armed Forces on the occasion of Victory Day, the minister said: "I remember with deep respect the dear memory of our martyrs who sacrificed their lives for statehood and freedom, I wish Azerbaijan and Turkiye new victories and success." At the end, a film was shown on the occasion of the Victory Day. 31 August 2024 10:00 (UTC+04:00) Today is a "day of silence" in Azerbaijan due to the Milli Majlis elections to be held tomorrow. Azernews reports that the pre-election campaign cannot be held today due to parliamentary elections. According to the Election Code, pre-election campaigning by registered candidates, their authorized representatives and proxies, political parties whose candidates are registered, blocs of political parties, and their authorized representatives and proxies must start 23 days before the voting day and stop 24 hours before the start of voting. Pre-election campaigning for early parliamentary elections started on August 9, 2024, and the process should be stopped at 8:00 a.m. today. This day is unofficially called the "Day of Silence". It should be noted that polling stations will be opened at 8 am and voting will continue until 7 pm. 990 candidates will fight for 125 deputy mandates in the parliamentary elections. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 August 2024 13:18 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more An event was held on the occasion of the Victory Day of the Republic of Turkey and the Day of the Turkish Armed Forces, Azernews reports, citing AZERTAG. Fuad Najafli, the authorized representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Asip Kaya, the Consul General of Turkiye in Nakhchivan, and state and government representatives took part in the event. First, the dear memory of the martyrs of our fraternal nations was commemorated with a minute of silence, and the national anthems of the Republics of Azerbaijan and Turkiye were played. Then a video was shown about the history of the victory of the Turkish people. At the event, the Consul General of Turkiye in Nakhchivan, Asip Kaya, expressed his satisfaction to celebrate the holiday together in Nakhchivan, which the great leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk called the "Gate of the Turks", and read the congratulatory letter of the President of the Republic of Turkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, sent to the Turkish diplomatic missions in foreign countries on the occasion of the Victory Day. The Consul General said that Azerbaijan-Turkiye brotherhood and friendship is an example to the world, and noted that our union, joint cooperation, and strategic alliance are progressing along the line of continuous development based on the goals set by the heads of state. Conveying his congratulations on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Asip Kaya valued the righteous struggle of Nakhchivan throughout history as one of the glorious pages of common Turkish history. Emphasizing that they welcomed the glorious victory of Azerbaijan in the 44-day Patriotic War and the full restoration of its sovereignty as a result of anti-terrorist operations, the consul general wished success in the parliamentary elections to be held on September 1. Azerbaijani President's authorized representative to Nakhchivan Fuad Najafli said that it was a great pleasure to celebrate the glorious victory of the Turkish people together, and congratulated the brotherly Turkish people. He emphasized that this glorious victory was a fundamental turning point on the path to independence of the great Turkish state, and declared the indomitable will, invincibility, struggle, and determination of the brotherly people to the whole world. Honoring the memory of Azerbaijani and Turkish martyrs, the authorized representative emphasized that our brotherly and friendly relations were continued by Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan and reached high heights. He noted that Azerbaijan-Turkiye relations not only express the unity and equality of our peoples but also guarantee peace and tranquility in the region. The Bridge of Hope embodies not only our geographical unity but also our one-nation, two-state relations. The Zangazur corridor, which will be realized in the future, will play an important role in the wider and efficient use of energy and transport-transit opportunities of Nakhchivan by strengthening these connections. The construction of the Igdir-Nakhchivan gas pipeline, which was laid in Nakhchivan with the participation of our heads of state, is also of great importance in this sense. At the end, a video about the glorious military history of Turkiye prepared by the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Turkey was shown. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 August 2024 12:24 (UTC+04:00) The ever-expanding Azerbaijani-Kyrgyz ties, now elevated to the level of strategic partnership, draw strength from the mutual respect and will of our peoples, who have historically lived in friendship and are bound by unbreakable ties, Azernews reports that, President Ilham Aliyev said in his congratulatory letter to President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Zhaparov on the occasion of Independence Day. The head of state underlined that the large-scale programs and projects implemented under the leadership of Sadyr Zhaparov contribute to the comprehensive development of Kyrgyzstan, its socio-economic progress, and the well-being of the Kyrgyz people. It is gratifying to note that our intergovernmental relations, developed through joint efforts, have entered a new phase. Undoubtedly, our mutual visits and regular meetings have created favorable conditions for this progress. Today, cooperation between our countries is successfully developing in various fields, particularly in trade, economic, investment, and transportation sectors. I am confident that through our joint efforts, we will realize the full potential of our partnership, further expand our traditionally friendly relations, and enhance our effective collaboration for the benefit of our brotherly peoples, the letter reads. The Azerbaijani leader appreciated his Kyrgyz counterparts visit to Shusha in early July to participate in the informal Summit of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 August 2024 15:15 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has sent a congratulatory letter to Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim on the occasion of the country's national holiday - Independence Day, Azernews reports citing AZERTAG. The letter reads: "Your Majesty, On my own behalf and on behalf of the people of Azerbaijan, I am pleased to congratulate you and, through you, all your people on the occasion of Malaysia's national holiday Independence Day. We attach special importance to the development and strengthening of friendly and cooperative relations between Azerbaijan and Malaysia. I believe that we will continue to make joint efforts to successfully maintain and further develop our interstate relations and cooperation in accordance with the interests of our peoples. I hope that within the framework of COP29, which will be held in Baku in November, we will closely cooperate with Malaysia to combat climate change. On this special day, I wish you robust health, happiness, success in your endeavors, and lasting prosperity to the friendly people of Malaysia." 31 August 2024 15:42 (UTC+04:00) Chairman of Azerbaijan's Central Election Commission (CEC), Mazahir Panahov, has clarified the participation of citizens of Armenian origin living in Khankendi in the upcoming elections, Azernews reports. Speaking at a press conference on August 31, Panahov emphasized that equal voting conditions have been established for all citizens, regardless of their nationality. "We do not differentiate between voters based on their nationality. If they have an Azerbaijani citizen's ID card and are included in the voter lists, they can vote," Panahov stated. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 August 2024 17:38 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more On August 31, the Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) Mazahir Panahov met with the delegation headed by Andrey Yatsky, the coordinator of the international observer group of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS PA), who was on a visit to our country to monitor the upcoming elections to the Milli Majlis. Azernews reports, citing AZERTAG that at the meeting, the chairman of the CEC said that 6 million 421 thousand 960 citizens can exercise their right to vote in the extraordinary parliamentary elections. He said that 990 candidates are competing in the elections to the Milli Majlis, and all the opportunities for their free pre-election campaign have been created in accordance with the requirements of the legislation. He pointed out that 305 people whose candidacy was registered are representatives of 25 political parties. The chairman of CEC noted that 598 international and more than 112 thousand local observers joined the election observation. In 1,000 polling stations covering the entire country, a web camera has been installed to directly and continuously observe the voting day processes without any registration. Noting that 6,478 polling stations were created in the country, M. Panahov said that 6,343 of them are permanent and 135 are temporary. M. Panahov said that ramps for physically disabled people were installed in 2471 polling stations in connection with the early elections to the Milli Majlis, adding that stencils were also prepared for the visually impaired who will participate in the voting. At the same time, M. Panahov emphasized that three organizations applied to conduct an "exit poll" in connection with the extraordinary parliamentary elections. He said that the elections to the Milli Majlis will be held for the first time in all sovereign territories of Azerbaijan and that comprehensive conditions have been created for the election participants. The chairman of the CEC noted that 54 polling stations were established for more than 42 thousand voters who have the right to vote in the liberated territories to exercise their constitutional rights. Andrey Yatskin, the coordinator of the observation mission, expressed his gratitude on behalf of the delegation for the sincere meeting at the CEC, noted that he was happy to participate in the observation of the early elections to the Milli Majlis, and emphasized that they will actively monitor the processes. Noting that the relations of the CIS PA with the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan are at a good level, the guest praised the process of preparation for the extraordinary parliamentary elections in the country. Within the framework of the meeting, there was also an exchange of views and discussions on various issues related to the elections. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 August 2024 19:19 (UTC+04:00) Fatima Latifova Read more Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan are closely connected. Mutual relations between our countries, and our joint activities are at an excellent level. We highly appreciate this cooperation. There is a political dialogue between the two countries. Our joint projects are continued. Azernews reports that the Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to our country, Maksat Mamitkanov, said this at the official reception organized in Baku on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the independence of his country and the 100th anniversary of the Kara-Kyrgyz Autonomous Oblast. Speaking about the development path of his country, the diplomat said that the Kyrgyz people went through difficult stages in the success of independence. He pointed out that the Black Kyrgyz Autonomous Province, which celebrated its 100th anniversary, was established on October 14, 1924, and they do not forget their history and maintain loyalty to their values. Noting that Kyrgyzstan prioritizes cultural diversity and social equality, M. Mamytkanov said: "The Kyrgyz Republic, like other Turkic-speaking countries, attaches great importance to cooperation and deepening of relations with Azerbaijan. Our countries are successfully represented in various international organizations." Touching on the importance of the state visit of the Kyrgyz President to our country in April of this year, the ambassador touched on the importance of the establishment of the Azerbaijan-Kyrgyz Development Fund and noted its role in expanding cooperation between our countries. Wishing peace and tranquility to our people, the diplomat expressed confidence that the Kyrgyz-Azerbaijani friendship, based on historical roots, will continue to develop at a high pace based on common interests. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 August 2024 19:44 (UTC+04:00) Those working against Azerbaijan are not only the forces in Armenia and Western organisations financed by the Armenian lobbies but also Azerbaijanis working and studying abroad. Although it is extremely disappointing and difficult to say this, the fact is obvious. Moreover, West's comprehensive defense of those persons arrested in Azerbaijan further thrusts them into the limelight and clarifies the facts revealed about their treason. Bahruz Samadov, a member of the subversive group known as "No War", has been in contact with the representatives of the Special Service Bodies of the Republic of Armenia and the citizens of that country who cooperated with them since 2020, that is, the period of the Patriotic War. Azernews reports that BakuTv, an Azerbaijani media source has shared detailed information about this in its recent video report. It was reported that the members of that group always tried to pretend to be supporters of peace and opponents of the war. They mainly defended Armenians and Armenia's aggression against Azerbaijan and supported the separatists in Garabagh. It was noted that Irina Safaryan, Lilit Shahverdiyan, Sossi Tatikyan, and others were among the persons with whom Bahruz Samadov contacted. "It is necessary to pay special attention to Lilit Shahverdyan among the persons we mentioned. This girl from the Garabagh region, which was liberated by Azerbaijan at the time, received a master's degree at the Institute of Political Studies in Paris. Even French ambassador to Armenia, Olive Decotini, congratulated her on his "X" on the occasion of her admission to the said Institute," the report says. In addition, it was emphasized that Decotini's special relationship with Lilit Shahverdiyan is also interesting. "Considering that the Armenian Special Intelligence Service was founded and developed by France, it is clear that Lilit was not accidentally involved in the Armenian special services." According to the report, Bahruz Samadov collected information about the important processes taking place in the border regions between Azerbaijan and Armenia and in the Garabagh economic region and presented them to the citizens of the Republic of Armenia. In addition, within the framework of the fulfillment of those tasks, Bahruz Samadov prepared disinformation and provocative information calculated to create national, ethnic, and religious enmity in the territory of Azerbaijan and shared it on various accounts on social network platforms. During his correspondence with Irina Safaryan, who works for the Special Service Bodies of Armenia, through the WhatsApp mobile application, Safaryan was instructed to collect and send information on the processes taking place in Garabagh and other regions, the situation regarding the return of internally displaced persons to the territories freed from occupation, as well as the construction works carried out in those territories and other topics. Bahruz Samadov collected all possible information according to what he was instructed about and sent it to Irina Safaryan. In the video report, it is stated that during the correspondence of Lilit Shahverdyan, who cooperates with the Special Service Bodies of Armenia, through the "Lilit Stepanakert" telegram channel, Bahruz Samadov, who received a specific task from Shahverdyan, collected information about the Azerbaijani citizen whose photo was sent to him and forwarded it to Armenia, against Azerbaijan, with the purpose of hostility he betrayed the state of Azerbaijan by spying on the state and helping the organizations and representatives of a foreign state. In addition, Yegiya Tashjyan, who cooperates with the Armenian special services, was tasked with gathering information about the activities of Russian peacekeepers once stationed in Garabagh. Besides that, Bahruz Samadov also supported him with information regarding the remarkable processes taking place in the region, as well as radical religious movements in Azerbaijan, including the activities and members of the "Huseiniyyun" criminal group. Samadov provided Tashjyan with extensive information about all the abovementioned processes under the assignment. It was reported that after the investigation revealed the specific acts, Bahruz Samadov was detained as a suspect on August 21, 2024, and on August 23, 2024, he was arrested for 4 months under Article 274 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan over high-treason. The video report emphasized that Bahruz Samadov's anti-Azerbaijani activity does not end only with the mentioned. "He took part in the event organized by the Armenian diaspora in Prague on the topic of "Ethnic cleansing in Karabakh by the Azerbaijani state, destruction of Armenian cultural heritage", and expressed opinions that served the interests of the Armenian state and were directed against Azerbaijan, including the fact that he was the founder when he participated in that event. Writing messages on the Telegram group "SAMQ", such as "I am ashamed of my national identity and my blood, I apologize to Azerbaijanis for what they did to Armenians, the only positive movement in Azerbaijan should be directly against the state and identity called Azerbaijan" he organized propaganda against the state of Azerbaijan. It is stated in the material that Bahruz Samadov was involved in another event organized by the Armenian Church in Prague on May 26, 2024, with the same purpose, and he spoke from the same position there. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 August 2024 20:19 (UTC+04:00) The chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) Mazahir Panahov held a press conference on the extraordinary parliamentary elections. Azernews reports that at the press conference, which was quickly covered by representatives of local and foreign media subjects, final statistical indicators were presented and information was given about the final preparations for the elections to the Milli Majlis. Speaking at the event, Mazahir Panahov said that the CEC, as the body responsible for the preparation and holding of the elections, tried to organize the extraordinary parliamentary elections from the first day in accordance with the requirements of the Election Code and other legislative acts. "All the steps we took were carried out transparently, media representatives also observed the processes. Observation missions of international organizations, including the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), have been in Azerbaijan since early August. OSCE ODIHR has been widely active in the regions. Also, their representatives participated in the meetings of the CEC," the CEC chairman added. He pointed out that there are 125 seats of deputies in the Milli Majlis and therefore the same number of constituencies in the country and noted: "Our total number of voters in the country is 6 million 421 thousand 960 people. The number of voters on the permanent voter list is 6 million 308 thousand 851, and the number of temporary voters is 113 thousand 109. 47.57 percent of permanent voters are men and 52.43 percent are women. Most voters are in the age group of 30-39. They make up 23.64 percent of voters. The number of voters who turned 18 on the election day is 374, and the number of voters who participated in the elections to the Milli Majlis for the first time is 51 thousand 141. He said that all conditions have been created for our voters to realize their constitutional rights. The elections to the Milli Majlis will be held in 6478 polling stations. 6343 of them are permanent and 135 are temporary. Temporary precincts were created 5 days before voting. All polling stations operate transparently, observers have the opportunity to observe the processes freely. However, in terms of observation, temporary stations have their own internal laws, which should be expected. In permanent polling stations, all rules for observers will be applied according to the Election Code. Azerbaijan is one of the rare countries where new buildings have been built for approximately 80 of the 125 district election commissions. In general, the buildings of DSKs are of high quality and meet modern requirements. Today, all district election commissions in the country have created maximum conditions for conducting election activities. Emphasizing that 10 of the 125 constituencies created in connection with the elections are IDP constituencies, the CEC chairman said that 397 thousand 862 IDPs will be able to vote in 574 polling stations. At the same time, M. Panahov said that the oldest female voter, Azizova Tamam Ali, born in 1890, is 134 years old. He is registered in the 38th precinct of the 78th Lankaran village electoral district. The oldest male voter in Azerbaijan is 109 years old. Hilal Isa oglu Ibrahimov, born in 1915, is on the voter list in the fourth electoral district of Sabunchu No. 29. The Chairman of the CEC said that 990 candidates will fight for the deputy mandate in the parliamentary elections. He pointed out that 305 of the candidates for deputy were nominated by 25 political parties. Different layers of society show activity in terms of participation in the elections. Each district has more than 7 candidates. This allows us to say that there is a wide choice. M. Panahov noted that a total of 112,749 local observers were accredited to participate in the parliamentary elections as observers. About 65,000 of them are observers of 24 political parties. At the same time, 598 people from 51 international organizations and 69 countries were accredited to observe the elections. "We always cooperate with the Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the OSCE. In the end, they make a report together with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly," said the Commission Chairman, noting that 227 people from the OSCE Bureau of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and 61 observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly were registered. According to him, three organizations have been registered with the Central Election Commission to conduct an "exit poll" in connection with the parliamentary elections - the League for the Protection of Citizens' Labor Rights, the "Progress" Public Association for Social Research, and the "Center for Sociological Research". Two of them have established their activities together with foreign partners. These organizations have a wide range of opportunities. Organizations will carry out their activities in more than 2500 locations. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 August 2024 17:16 (UTC+04:00) The spokesman of Iran's Foreign Ministry, Nasir Kanani, denied the accusation made by the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine that the Security Service of Ukraine and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) participated in the training of Russian soldiers, calling it an unfounded and politically motivated claim, Azernews reports, citing TASS. According to TASS, Kanani said: "Such groundless accusations pursue specific political goals and motives, as well as contradict the principled position of the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the conflict in Ukraine." "Tehran believes that this conflict should be ended and differences between Russia and Ukraine should be resolved peacefully." On August 24, Kiev for the first time brought charges against the representative of a third country for allegedly participating in Russia's special operation. The General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine has in absentia accused IRGC General Abbas Musa Sharif Mollasarei of training Russian soldiers in the use of anti-aircraft missiles. In this context, it was also noted that Tehran handed over drones to Moscow, which was previously denied by the authorities of both countries. Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the Russian President, called such news fake and emphasized that the Russian army uses only domestically produced aircraft. In November 2022, the head of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that a small amount of UAVs had been supplied to the Russian Federation, but this was a few months before the start of military operations in Ukraine. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 31 August 2024 23:57 (UTC+04:00) The plight of the Rohingya Muslims, an ethnic minority group from Myanmar's Rakhine State, continues to spark a global outcry and spur humanitarian efforts, Azernews reports, citing Anadolu Agency. As a result of the crisis, for the past seven years, more than 1.3 million forcibly displaced people have been struggling to survive in dire circumstances. At the end of 2023, around 117.3 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations or events seriously disturbing public order, according to a recent report by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Among these are 1.3 million Rohingyas, who are predominantly Muslim and have lived in Myanmar for generations. Often described as "the world's most persecuted minority," Rohingyas have faced systematic disenfranchisement, discrimination and targeted persecution by the Myanmar government for decades. The government does not recognize them as one of the country's official ethnic groups, leaving them stateless and stripping them of citizenship rights. Tensions escalated dramatically between the Rohingya and the Myanmar government in 2017 following attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army on police checkpoints on Aug. 25. Myanmar's military responded with a brutal crackdown that has led to widespread violence, killings and arson. Described by the UN as a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing," the Myanmar military's actions have led to a mass exodus, forcing Rohingyas to seek refuge in neighboring countries including Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, India and Thailand. Most live in overcrowded refugee camps in Coxs Bazar district of Bangladesh, which are among the largest and most densely populated in the world. Despite a significant influx of aid from humanitarian agencies, dependency on foreign assistance remains ongoing and the security situation is dire. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Manzanita Updates: One Lane Open After N. Oregon Coast Bridge Collapse, Backups Remain Published 8/30/24 at 12:05 a.m. By Andre' GW Hagestedt, Oregon Coast Beach Connection (Manzanita, Oregon) A bridge just north of Manzanita was discovered to have a partial collapse on Thursday afternoon, causing north Oregon coast officials to close down the Necarney Creek Bridge near MP 39. The total closure caused major traffic issues and backups throughout the area. (Photos courtesy TCEM, Tillamook County Sheriff's and ODOT) The latest: the bridge has reopened to one-lane traffic only. Flaggers are directing traffic, ODOT said. The single-lane flagging is likely to continue through the busy holiday travel weekend, so please plan extra time into your trip if youre traveling on U.S. 101 on the northern Oregon coast, ODOT said. See Tripcheck.com for updates. Tillamook County Emergency Management (TCEM) had to close down to the bridge for an emergency inspection after a section of guardrail and sidewalk had collapsed. Authorities needed to thoroughly inspect the bridge before allowing any traffic back in. A Tillamook resident alerted ODOT to the damage at about 4 p.m. Thursday after crossing the bridge, ODOT said. Tillamook County Sheriffs Office deputies closed the lane next to the collapsed section immediately. In the meantime, the only other route between Cannon Beach and Manzanita is taking Highway 53., which begins in the Nehalem area and connects to Highway 26. We have no estimate of when repairs can be completed or when the affected lane can be reopened, ODOT said. We suspect that a vehicle struck the bridge sometime Thursday, but we arent aware of any witnesses or any reports of an incident or crash. It is near MP 39 in the Oswald West State Park Area, four miles north of Manzanita. Tillamook Coast Visitors Association called it bad, referring to the traffic situation around the north Oregon coast region. TCEM urges those traveling to the Oregon coast to plan ahead. This may not end before the busy weekend. If we flag traffic through a single lane this weekend, expect long delays, TCEM said. The Necarney Creek Bridge is a very tall one, reaching at least 100 feet down into the canyon of the Cape Falcon area. It was built in 1937, and the section of sidewalk that failed is a part of the original construction, TCEM said. Tillamook County Sheriff's said to be cautious on OR 53: it is a very winding road and very difficult for large vehicles to navigate and has slower speed limits, so additional time should be considered for completion of your trip. I have asked Clatsop County Sheriff Phillips to cover emergency police calls within Tillamook County north of the bridge, and Tillamook Ambulance, and other emergency first responders, are aware of the situation and are prepared to respond to any emergency as necessary, said Tillamook County Sheriff Josh Brown. MORE PHOTOS BELOW Hotels in Manzanita, Wheeler - Where to eat - Manzanita, Wheeler Maps and Virtual Tours MORE PHOTOS BELOW More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast. LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Now that Kamala Harris has been coronated the Democratic Socialist designee for nomination as their candidate for President of these United States, after that political party's contrived primary process "democratically" elected Joseph R. Biden: What are your feelings about this party's progressive posture within their self-styled exercise of "Saving Democracy for America," and how truly critical the outcome of this presidential election will be? 8.7% I am ecstatic that this "Democracy's" First partially Black, First partially Indian, First female Co-Parent, and this nation's primary necessity is to her elect our First woman president.26.09% I really do not care about all these "Firsts." I will continue to pray, and work for this Representative Republic to elect someone competent, and brilliantly patriotic to be our next president.65.22% I will never vote for any politician that "first" does not have the core values to understand how dire this Constitutional Republic's situation has become. Dublin shows sell out within minutes of going on saleOver 550,000 join queue for Croke Park gigsTicketmaster website crashes and fans report error messagesOasis issue fresh warning to fans over reselling websitesBut reports say two more Irish gigs may be announced LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 16: Noel Gallagher (left) and Liam Gallagher of Oasis pose at Wembley Stadium on October 16, 2008 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Getty Images) A fan uses a smart phone to access an on-line ticket sales website to purchase tickets for Oasis' "Live '25" tour taking place in 2025, at home in Marsden, northern England on August 31, 2024. Millions of Oasis fans queued online early Saturday to buy tickets for the British legends' eagerly-awaited reunion tour next year, but many were frustrated after booking websites appeared overwhelmed. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) Screengrab taken from the Ticketmaster.ie website at 0804 of their virtual waiting room as Oasis fans across the UK and Ireland who missed out on pre-sale tickets will be attempting to secure their place at the band's reunion concerts during Saturday's general sale. Issue date: Saturday August 31, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SHOWBIZ Oasis. Photo credit should read: Ticketmaster.ie/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. Screengrab taken from the gigsandtours website at 8.30 of the message shown on screen Oasis (l-r): Noel Gallagher, Liam Gallagher on 27.03.1996 in Munchen / Munich. (Photo by Fryderyk Gabowicz/picture alliance via Getty Images) Screengrab taken from the ticketmaster.co.uk website at 8.30 of the message of the queue to get onto their website. Ticket prices for Oasis reunion tour dates in Dublin have prompted calls for an investigation into online ticketing site Ticketmaster. During the scramble for tickets on Saturday, the outlets in demand prices saw some standing tickets go on sale from 350 (415). Fans were scrambling to secure their place at the bands first tour since their abrupt split in 2009, which includes two now sold-out nights at Croke Park. About 1.4 million tickets were sold for the 17 outdoor concerts in the UK and Ireland next July and August. The Dublin gigs are on August 16 and 17 and more could follow. The Irish Sun is reporting that Oasis are to play two more nights at Croke Park next summer, claiming that the band are "very likely" to play the venue on August 23 and 24 as well as the already announced shows. At one stage, the ticketmaster.ie website showed over 550,000 users in the queue as fans on laptops, iPads and phones joined the search. Those in the queue for the London gigs at Wembley Stadium reported more than one million people ahead of them. Some reported issues affecting the website as the sale started at 8am, branding the situation a joke. The difficulties have prompted Dublin Fine Gael MEP Regina Doherty to call for an investigation into Ticketmaster by the Republics Competition and Consumer Commission (CCPC) due to the pricing structure and advertising of the gigs. "When ticket prices were advertised earlier this week, standing tickets in Croke Park were 86.50 plus booking fees, but when many people eventually got through the online queue this morning, they were faced with the exact same ticket at a price of 415.50, she said. "Thats not transparent advertising and certainly not fair to consumers. The EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) has sections included specifically to ensure large platforms that control aspects of the digital economy dont just make up their own rules that are unfair for consumers. "I think Ticketmasters in-demand pricing structure certainly needs investigating in this context. The company said these in demand standing tickets, which were on sale for 415 each, were market-based prices, while many criticised the pricing as gouging. In response to queries from the Irish Independent about how prices for in-demand tickets are set, Ticketmaster shared a link to their website explaining that platinum or in demand tickets are market-based. Promoters and artists set ticket prices. Prices can either be fixed or market-based, it said. "Market-based tickets are labelled as platinum or in demand. Despite the price, fans do not receive anything else with their ticket and it is not part of a package. There is so much demand that advantage has been taken of peoples support, said Consumers Association of Ireland chair Michael Kilcoyne, adding that such prices continue as consumers, often anxious to see acts they may have been waiting for decades to see perform, are willing to pay them. He said regulations or controls on ticket or hotel pricing are a matter for Government and the issue should be raised with TDs and those canvassing in the upcoming election. Consumers should weigh up in their mind whether it represents value for what it costs and act accordingly. There has already been anger at tickets appearing on resale sites at hugely inflated fees. One ticket for Oasis's show at Wembley Stadium in London on July 26 was priced at over 6,000. Screengrab taken from the ticketmaster.co.uk website at 8.30 of the message of the queue to get onto their website. The Gallaghers announced on Tuesday that they had put their acrimonious split behind them, confirming the band's long-awaited reunion by saying: "The great wait is over." Noel, 57, quit the group on August 28 2009, saying he "simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer", and the brothers have made negative comments about each other for more than a decade. But their comeback sparked a stampede for tickets, with fans joining the rush on Saturday morning. Among those successful was Eamonn Magill (44), a boxing referee from north Belfast. "Honestly, I can't believe it. I feel really lucky, he said today. I've been an Oasis fan from the first time I head Supersonic 30 years ago and they played the Limelight in 1994. The only difference is that back then the tickets were less than 7. "I was shocked when they split in 2009, but I've still followed Liam and Noel through their band Beady Eye and High Flying Birds even though it wasn't the same. "I was up early today to get online for tickets and even though the site went down a few times I still managed to get two tickets. "I'm going to Croke with my mate Gavin whose also an Oasis nut. It'll be a nice present as he's turning 50 and still has his Oasis posters from when he was a kid." But other fans reported problems on the ticketmaster.ie page for the two shows at Dublin's Croke Park, which went on sale at 8am. Instead of a page opening to buy tickets, an error number was displayed, which usually indicates a webpage is unable to handle any more connections. A long-time fan trying for tickets to see Oasis in Dublin next year said he feels "frustration" and "anger" after he was kicked out of the Ticketmaster queue. Scott McLean, 28, logged into his account on the ticket-selling website at 7.30am on Saturday ahead of Irish sales opening at 8am. He was in a queue of 20,000 for around 30 minutes before selecting four tickets to see the band's show at Croke Park. However, his browser began buffering for half an hour as he tried to make the purchase, prompting him to contact the Ticketmaster customer service account on X, formerly Twitter, for advice. "I followed their advice, cleared my cookies and cache on my browser and then it kicked me out completely. It just came up to that error screen after I followed their guidance," the business analyst from Belfast said. "I had to rejoin the queue and I ended up about 700,000 places worse off after following their guidance." He said he feels "frustration and anger, not much more than that", adding: "It's just tickets for a concert after all, but I really wanted to go." Another banded the Ticketmaster queuing system as a joke. "A venue that holds 70k people has a queue for over 450k. It is unlikely people will just be buying one. So thats at least 900k tickets needed. How does that make any sense? Just close the queue, the fed-up fan said. "And thats not to mention the queue to get into the website itself. Dire. Another, who did get tickets, said it was frustrating. It was absolutely no surprise that the Ticketmaster website couldnt handle the volume of traffic on Saturday morning given the number of people who wanted to go to these gigs. Its a frustrating experience, he said. We were lucky to get tickets in the pre-sale, but even that should have been limited to people who had previously been on Liam or Noels mailing lists. "There has been no effort made to ensure fans get tickets over bandwagon-jumpers. Ticketmaster's website called for patience from fans, posting a message which read: "As expected Oasis is incredibly popular. We're processing orders as quickly as possible so please keep your place in line." In a separate statement, the company said the queue was "moving along", reporting millions of people were accessing their website. A similar code was visible at gigsinscotland.com/artist/oasis as Scottish fans had difficulties getting onto the website for the Edinburgh shows. The tickets.seetickets.com/tour/oasis weblink, where fans could book for several UK shows, also appeared unavailable. A message said: "Our website is very busy! We have lots of people looking for tickets and you are being held on this page until a space becomes available. This page will refresh automatically." On Friday evening the band issued a warning after unofficial reselling websites listed tickets obtained in the pre-sale ballot for thousands of pounds. A post to the band's X page said: "We have noticed people attempting to sell tickets on the secondary market since the start of the pre-sale. "Please note, tickets can ONLY be resold, at face value, via @Ticketmaster and @Twickets. "Tickets sold in breach of the terms and conditions will be cancelled by the promoters." Tickets are officially being sold via Ticketmaster, GigsAndTours, and See Tickets, however, the band's reunion concert tickets have also been relisted on ticket exchange and reselling websites for thousands of pounds. Some Oasis tickets for Wembley Stadium were listed on Viagogo for up to 5,909 while some tickets at the London venue, listed under "Hospitality Club", were on sale for 10,578 on StubHub. The StubHub website says all Oasis tickets "come with our FanProtect 100% guarantee for secure purchasing." Before the announcement for the UK shows, Irish promoter MCD said on its website that the price of both of the two Croke Park gigs in Dublin will start at 86.50 euros (72.75) without booking fees. Viagogo and StubHub along with the official ticket sellers have been approached for comment. Oasis: Mancunian rockers who took on the world before their acrimonious split The festival was last held in 2019 The colourful Newry Pride parade returns after a five year hiatus. Photograph: Columba OHare/ Newry.ie Janet Devlin takes to the stage at Newry Pride. Photograph: Columba OHare/ Newry.ie A large crowd greeted the return of Newry Pride to the city. Photograph: Columba OHare/ Newry.ie Leading the Newry Pride parade which returns to the city after a 5 year absence is Cllr Pete Byrne, Chairperson, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council with the assistance of Belfast Mayor Cllr Micky Murray and Deputy Chairperson, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Cllr David Lee Surginor. Photograph: Columba OHare/ Newry.ie Pride marchers have returned to the streets of Newry following a five-year absence. Crowds flocked the city on Saturday as the festival bounced back from a hiatus blamed on lack of funding, lack of resources and the Covid-19 pandemic. Newry, Mourne and Down District Council SDLP Chair Pete Byrne hosted the event alongside Alliance Party Deputy Chair David Lee-Surginor. Both men are from the LGBT community. Mr Byrne recalled how he had been afraid to walk in the citys parade a number of years ago. "When I first became a councillor in 2016, I was afraid to walk in the Pride parade, he told the BBC. "Now eight years after that, we're there hosting it as chair and deputy chair of the council. "It's a festival for the whole family. It is a real spectacle of colour, of music, of dance, of just pure joy within the community. Neil McGrath Kelly and Podge O Ceallaigh at Newry Pride. Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie Mr Lee-Surginor replied: "Eight years ago, we wouldn't even have things like marriage equality. So there have been massive strides for equality." Mr Byrne and Mr Lee Surginor led the parade alongside Belfast Mayor Micky Murray, who recently hosted Belfast Pride, while former X-Factor contestant Janet Devlin entertained crowds on stage in Newry. Newry and Armagh MP Daire Hughes praised the events organisers LGBTQ+ Womens Group Newry for running a fantastic day. "Brilliant to see the parade return. It has always been a showcase of Newrys communities at their best, he posted on X. "As always, great craic, an explosion of colour and flair! "Maith sibh (well done) LGBTQ+ Womens Group Newry for organising. The Housing Executive also posted pictures featuring the event. "We are an inclusive employer committed to representing the diverse communities we serve, they posted. It was brilliant to take part in todays Newry Pride parade in the city, great to be part of the fantastic family event on a beautiful day. Belfast City Councils pest control service is understaffed and struggling to deal with residents pest issues and pest control at council properties, councillors have been told. Council officers have explained there are not enough in-house council staff and the council is facing difficulties in recruiting new employees. Officers at a committee meeting at City Hall unsuccessfully asked for approval for a 700,000 outside contract for pest control but faced opposition from Sinn Fein, who believe the money should be brought in-house to expand the councils own service. Elected representatives were asked at the recent meeting of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee to approve tenders and single tender actions over 30,000 and note contract modifications. In the contracts update, amongst a list of actions, councillors were asked to approve a spend of 700,000 on a five year contract for outsourced pest control services, to complement the councils own inhouse service. All contracts except the pest control contract were agreed by councillors. A council report document states the contract would be to support sites/premises/managers across the council with pest control services required at council owned sites. Sinn Fein councillor Ronan McLaughlin said at the meeting: I understand our own Pest Control Unit is under severe pressure in relation to this, across the city. This is a service we offer for free for our residents, even though we are not on a statutory footing to do so. And I definitely think that should continue. We have a previous pest control contract for this, so I would like to know the amount we actually did spend. And would it not be wiser to spend up to the value of 700,000 to invest in our own Pest Control Unit, where we would have them available 365 days a year, rather than having an external company who would only be there as and when described. That would increase the input of our own Pest Control Unit and we would have what is required in terms of the other commercial facilities that relate to this contract. The City Solicitor Nora Largey said: The difficulty is staffing limits and also recruitment. Not only are there not enough staff to provide the current amount for residents but also there are difficulties in recruiting staff. Actually if we try to take this in-house, we are worried it would have a detrimental impact on the service we provide to the public. Obviously there are competing obligations, those to the public, and also those immediate response requirements. For example if there were pests observed in the Great Hall (at City hall) on a Saturday at 4pm we would need somebody there within an hour. We wouldnt have the capacity inhouse to deliver for the public and internally as well. Mr McLaughlin replied: Not having a report on what an inhouse model could look like is really tying our hands together in terms of trying to make an informed decision on this. Surely we would be using the 700,000 to create the jobs, in order to cement the capacity. He added that he wanted to see people hired to permanent positions and said his party would not agree to the 700,000 outside contract. He asked for a report to be returned to the committee on a totally inhouse model for pest control. The committee supported the Sinn Fein proposition to not agree to the contract and have an inhouse paper prepared. My daughter is now afraid to go on a bus, says mother of crash victim Riot police in Belfast during the violence (Photo by Kevin Scott) A fundraiser organised by a south Belfast bonfire committee that appears to be directed at those unfortunately arrested, jailed or bailed in relation to rioting in the area has been branded sickeningly insensitive. The loyalist Village Bonfire Committee took to social media to inform supporters of a party on September 28, which is charging 5 entry and raffling prizes including alcohol and free haircuts. All money raised will be split between all the familys [sic] equal [sic] to somehow help in any way possible, the post reads. Earlier this month, racially-motivated disorder gripped the Village area, with several people arrested and charged. Some were denied bail. Police also fired baton rounds as they came under attack in Sandy Row, where an attempt was made to re-torch a Syrian supermarket that had been burnt out less than 48 hours before. Meanwhile, a man in his 50s was hospitalised after being seriously assaulted in the Donegall Road and Oban Street area of the city in what police were treating as a hate crime. Temporary assistant Chief Constable Melanie Jones said the victim was brutally attacked by a mob. Witnesses reported seeing his attackers stamp on his head as other, decent members of the public attempted to shield him from further attack, she added. The violence followed an anti-immigration protest in the city centre, after which businesses in south Belfast were attacked and a cafe set alight. Ms Jones said she had no doubt there was a paramilitary element involved in orchestrating the disorder. Alliance councillor Emmet McDonough-Brown condemned the committees fundraiser. After the appalling racist violence on our streets earlier in August, which saw businesses and livelihoods destroyed by thugs and louts, a number of arrests were made and the criminal justice system is rightly processing those accused, he said. It is sickeningly insensitive to the victims to see fundraising to support those arrested, jailed or bailed as a consequence of their own actions. Those who participate in this fundraising are complicit in race hate and must be challenged. There was also rioting in the area last month, however it was not racially motivated and attacks were focused on the police. Over the course of several nights, officers came under sustained attacks by crowds of up to 40 people close to the Broadway roundabout. Children as young as seven were involved in throwing bricks, petrol bombs and other missiles at police lines. PSNI vehicles were also attacked. The violence led to South Belfast MLA Edwin Poots proposing that pedestrian access between the Boucher Road and the Village area be removed in a bid to quell the rioting. Julys bonfire in the Village was the source of controversy after a sectarian sign was placed on it. It included the threat ATAT, which is understood to mean All Taigs are Targets, alongside a set of crosshairs. The sinister message also contained insults directed at this newspaper as well as the Irish News. Details of some current and former staff have been inadvertently released to 22 people who have been invited to a job interview. A three-page document, including the surnames and first initial of all staff employed at the ombudsmans office in May 2022, was accidentally released on Thursday. In some cases staff working patterns were detailed. One page includes a list of staff movements, with the full names of the staff involved detailed. The data leak is understood to involve 160 current and former staff. One individual affected told the Belfast Telegraph there was much anger among staff at the leak. I have spoken to several staff members who like myself are very angry and concerned that employee data has been unlawfully disclosed, they said today. After the PSNI data breach you would like to consider employers, especially the Police Ombudsman's Office, would have taken steps to try and prevent a similar incident occurring. Last August, the surnames and initials of all the PSNI's 9,500 staff were released by mistake. Police later confirmed that the information was in the hands of dissident republicans. The Police Ombudsman breach is revealed in a letter sent to staff yesterday, and seen by this newspaper. Hugh Hume, chief executive of the ombudsmans office, acknowledged the incident was distressing. His letter states: I am contacting you about a data breach which the Office of the Police Ombudsman has experienced and which concerns your personal data. A three-page word document which contains details of the office's staff complement in May 2022 has been inadvertently released (Thursday 29 August 2024) to 22 people who are being invited to interview as part of an ongoing recruitment exercise. The document contains the initial and surname of all members of staff employed at that time, listed by the service area or team in which they work. Where a member of staff is not full time, it also notes the working pattern (for example 0.8 or 0.5) Agency staff are identified as either 'agency or 'A' and contracted staff are identified with the letter 'C'. The document also contains one page with a list of staff movements, that is, those who had resigned, were due to retire, were on career breaks, moving between teams, or new starts. The majority of staff in this section of the document are listed using their first name and surname. Relevant dates are also included in most cases. Mr Humes letter said the document that had been leaked was created on May 4 2022 and was last edited on May 27 2022. The letter continues: I know this will be distressing news for you and I apologise unreservedly. It should not have happened. We have taken immediate action to mitigate the breach. Mr Hume said the office has contacted all 22 people who received the information to ask that they 'double' delete the document - removing it from their inbox and trash folder. The office has also issued an email recall. The Information Commissioners Office has been contacted about the leak. Mr Hume added: We have notified the ICO and will appoint an independent external investigator to review the incident and make recommendations. I will contact you again in due course and once again, I apologise unreservedly. A spokesperson for the Police Ombudsmans Office said today: The office has taken immediate action to mitigate the breach, including contacting those who received the document in error. To date, 20 of the 22 individuals have confirmed that they have deleted the email and associated documentation. We have apologised unreservedly to our current staff for the error which should not have happened and are also contacting former staff whose details are included in the document. In total 160 current and former staff are affected. We have notified the ICO and will appoint an independent external investigator to review the incident and make recommendations. Sinn Fein support in the Republic of Ireland has dipped again as party leader Mary Lou McDonalds approval rating dropped below Aontus Peadar Toibin in the latest Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks poll. Ms McDonald has seen support for her party dip to 18pc, down 1pc and losing the ground made up on rival parties last month. A new sculpture honouring links between Ireland and the Choctaw Nation has been unveiled in Oklahoma. The Choctaw Nation describes itself as the third-largest Indian Nation in the United States with over 225,000 tribal members and over 12,000 associates. The first tribe over the forced displacement known as the Trail of Tears, it has an oral tradition dating back over 13,000 years and its historic reservation boundaries are in the southeast corner of Oklahoma, covering 10,923 square miles. In 1847, having recently endured the Trail of Tears by the US government, the Choctaw Nation came together to raise 170 dollars (roughly equivalent to 5,000 dollars today) to support the Irish during Great Famine. The Choctaws heartfelt donation was sent to Midleton in County Cork, providing much-needed relief. In 1995, then Irish president Mary Robinson visited the Choctaw Nation to express gratitude and rekindle the friendship between the two nations. During the visit, president Robinson was appointed Honorary Chief of the Choctaw Nation. This historic visit marked the beginning of a renewed commitment to honour the bond forged by the Choctaws selfless act. In 2017, the Kindred Spirits sculpture, designed by Irish artist Alex Pentek, was erected in Midleton, serving as a permanent reminder of the enduring connection between the Choctaw Nation and Ireland. Over the years, the Irish and the Choctaws have continued to honour this bond through various acts of generosity. In 2020, amid the global Covid-19 pandemic, Ireland provided aid to Native American tribes severely impacted by the crisis. On Friday, a new Eternal Hearts sculpture was unveiled in Oklahoma. It is designed to serve as a reminder of the power of compassion and solidarity by standing as a testament to the enduring friendship between the Choctaw Nation and people of Ireland. The eight-foot tall sculpture, created by Choctaw Nation tribal member Samuel Stitt, was unveiled at the Choctaw Capitol Grounds. The sculpture combines a Celtic trinity shape intertwined with a heart and is placed facing Ireland. It was a joint commission, funded by the Government of Ireland and the Chahta Foundation. Minister of State Thomas Byrne travelled to Oklahoma to join members of the Choctaw Nation for the unveiling. He said: This memorial will be a permanent symbol of the enduring and meaningful friendship between our two nations, a relationship which began with an act of solidarity and extraordinary generosity during the darkest years of the Great Irish Famine. This unveiling is an important opportunity to reflect on the tragic events of our past and to remember the remarkable humanitarian efforts that forged the bonds of friendship between our nations. Ireland is proud of our own history of humanitarian support, particularly the recent support we saw to the Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund, as well as the work of the Irish Cultural and Learning Foundation community in Arizona during the COVID-19 pandemic. I am sure that todays event, coupled with our shared history will continue to strengthen Irelands engagement and links with the Choctaw Nation. Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton said: We are grateful for the giving hearts of our Choctaw ancestors that brought us here today. We are excited to see what this eternal bond will bring to future generations of Choctaw and Irish, and we are extremely proud to call the people of Ireland our friends and kindred spirits. Stephen Flynn was speaking as SNP members gathered for their annual conference (Jane Barlow/PA) The SNP would have fared worse in the general election if the coalition with the Greens had not ended, the partys Westminster leader has said. Former first minister Humza Yousaf ended the powersharing deal earlier this year over fears that Green members were set to scrap the agreement themselves. The decision set off a chain of events which resulted in Mr Yousafs resignation. Scottish Green co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater lost their ministerial positions when the deal was ended by Humza Yousaf (PA) But Stephen Flynn who had long made clear his discomfort with the deal said had it still been in place on July 4, the SNPs election drubbing would have been worse. He told Holyrood magazine: It wasnt working. I think if wed still been in coalition with the Greens, there wouldnt be nine SNP MPs. Asked to clarify, Mr Flynn said: It would be less. Stephen Flynn said he would have fewer than the current eight SNP colleagues at Westminster had the Greens still been in Government in Scotland on July 4 (House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA) The party lost dozens of MPs in July, capping off 18 months of turmoil which has seen three leaders take the helm and a long-running police investigation into financial issues. As part of the police probe, former chief executive and Nicola Sturgeons husband Peter Murrell has been arrested and charged in connection with the alleged embezzlement of party funds and a report was later sent to the prosecution service. Mr Flynn spoke as the party met in Edinburgh for its annual conference, with the event kicking off with a behind-closed-doors post-mortem of the election result hosted by leader John Swinney. A spokesman for the Scottish Greens said: The Scottish Greens have delivered an emergency rent freeze and protections for tenants across Scotland, free bus travel for young people and record investment to tackle the climate and nature emergencies. Which of these changes does Stephen Flynn think werent working? The Scottish Greens secured our strongest general election result to date while Stephen Flynn led a campaign that saw his party losing 38 MPs. Ukraine has so far been provided with six F16 fighters by its Western partners (Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix via AP, File) Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky fired the commander of the countrys air force on Friday, four days after an F16 warplane that Ukraine received from its Western partners crashed during a Russian bombardment and killed the pilot. The order to dismiss Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk was published on the presidential website. We need to protect people. Protect personnel. Take care of all our soldiers, Mr Zelensky said in an address minutes after the order was published. He said Ukraine needs to strengthen its army on the command level. One of Ukraines F16s crashed on Monday during a Russian missile bombardment (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Lieutenant General Anatolii Kryvonozhko was appointed acting air force commander, the armys general staff said. The dismissal came on the same day that Mr Oleshchuk directed scathing criticism at a lawmaker who is deputy head of the Ukrainian parliaments defence committee for her claims that the F16 was downed by a Patriot air-defence system. Ukraine has received an unspecified number of the US-made systems. Mariana Bezuhla cited unnamed sources for her claim and demanded punishment for those responsible for the error. Mr Oleshchuk accused Ms Bezuhla of defaming the air force and discrediting US arms manufacturers and said that he hoped she would face legal consequences for her claims. The truth will win, Ms Bezuhla posted on X shortly after the dismissal order was published. The air force did not directly deny that the F16 was hit by a Patriot missile. US experts have joined the Ukrainian investigation into the crash, the air force said. Meanwhile, a Russian attack on the north-eastern city of Kharkiv using powerful plane-launched glide bombs killed six people, including a 14-year-old girl on a playground, and wounded 47 others, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said. The bombs struck five locations across the city, which had a pre-war population of 1.4 million people, the governor said. One of the bombs hit a 12-storey apartment block, setting the building ablaze and trapping at least one person on an upper floor. Emergency crews searching for survivors feared the structure could collapse. In other developments, Ukrainian rockets hit the Russian city of Belgorod and its surroundings on late Friday, killing five people and injuring 37, said regional govenor Vyacheslav Gladkov. The region borders northern Ukraine and comes under drone or artillery attacks almost daily. Zelenskyy pointed to the Kharkiv strikes as further evidence that Western partners should scrap restrictions on what the Ukrainian military can target with donated weapons. The Kharkiv strike wouldnt have happened if our defence forces had the capability to destroy Russian military aviation at its bases. We need strong decisions from our partners to stop this terror, Mr Zelenskyy said. F16s are one of the weapons that could be used to hit Russian bases behind the front line. Mr Oleshchuk said on Telegram that a detailed analysis was already being conducted into why the F16 jet went down on Monday, when Russia launched a major missile and drone barrage at Ukraine. How to get away with murder: The 1922 killing of a Catholic pub owner that shocked Belfast... and may now be solved The scheme was first suggested almost 10 years ago A bottle return scheme is set to go live in three years, almost a decade after a minister proposed it. Edwin Poots was agriculture and environment minister when he ordered a look at a deposit return system, after recalling memories from his childhood. UVF bomb scare suspect admits having weapon and silencer The gym owner is awaiting sentencing for his part in the 2022 Simon Coveney hoax Darren Service Christopher Woodhouse Sat 31 Aug 2024 at 17:19 The man accused of being behind a UVF-linked bomb scare targeting former Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney has admitted illegally keeping an air rifle and silencer. Unsplash I definitely dont feel like the odd woman out anymore. Nicole Moore, 30, wears a veil to church every Sunday. Sometimes called a mantilla, these sheer head coverings are usually made of lace or silk; Nicoles is gray, with a floral-like pattern. Worn by women throughout the Catholic churchs history, chapel veils fell out of favor during the late twentieth century, but in recent years theres been an explosion of veiling, says Moore, who attends St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church in Manhattan. Her pastor, Father Peter Martyr Yungwirth, 39, tells The Free Press he has also noticed an increase in veiling over the last two decades. Indeed, Veils by Lily, a website that sells mantillas, has gone from filling 30 to 60 orders per month to an average of 900 in the last ten years. And it seems to be young Catholics driving the trend. I have definitely noticed an increase of women, especially young adult women, wearing veils, says Father Roger Landry, 54, Catholic chaplain of Columbia University. He interprets the veiling trend as an attempt to be maximally reverent to God at Mass and in receiving Holy Communion. That may be the ultimate reason for veiling, but its not the only one. To better understand whats behind the boom, I reached out to over a dozen Catholic women, ranging in age from 19 to 42, who choose to wear a veil to church. Havens Howell, 26, of Virginia, tells me that donning the mantilla does indeed remind her that shes entering a sacred space, with things that are holy and dont happen anywhere else. Initially at least, the appeal can be aesthetic. I just thought it was really pretty, Bernadette Patel, 27, of New York, says. Meanwhile Amanda Kengor, 22, from New York, tells me she began veiling because everyone started doing it. Yet all the women I spoke to say veiling has become a profoundly meaningful religious practice in their lives. Amanda Kengor inside the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer. The veils resurgence traces that of the Traditional Latin Mass in recent years. Veiling ceased to be the norm after the Catholic Churchs modernizing reforms of the 1960s, commonly known as Vatican IIwhich, among other things, placed restrictions on whether parishes could offer the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM). In the following decades, these regulations were gradually relaxed. But the roots of the mantillas resurgence lie in 2007, according to Father Landry. Thats when Pope Benedict XVI increased younger generations exposure to the TLM by officially lifting the restrictions on it. Pope Francis reversed this decision in 2021. By that point, however, it had caught on. The year before, a survey found a high volume of participation in the TLM among 18- to 39-year-old practicing Catholics in the U.S. Veiling at the TLM is the norm, but many women just kept veiling, Father Landry says, even when they attended the modern Mass. Maria Grizetti, 42, a religion teacher at St. Vincent Ferrers all girls high school, explains that before Benedict XVI, there was the Pope John Paul II generation that had grown up without the TLM. Then that generation learned what worship was like before Vatican II. They learn that their grandmother prayed this way, said Grizetti, and theyre like, I want to pray like this. She does not wear a veil herself, but several of her teenage students have recently approached her to ask where they might acquire mantillas. Wearers note the biblical basis to veiling as a practice of modesty and distinguishing the sexes. The veil boom is organicoccurring neither at the direction of, nor in defiance to, church authorities. There is a social element to it. When Cora Scheib, 24, from Maryland, saw young college women veiling, she found it intriguing and mysterious because I didnt really know what requirements that you had to meet. Were they, like, part of a group? When she realized there were no requirements, she bought herself a veil. Kengor told me that most of her friends, and her sister, are really traditional Catholicsand when they started veiling, Amanda wanted to follow suit. It was only after she started wearing it that someone told her the veil had a scriptural basis. In his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul instructs women to cover their heads, to both comply with contemporary standards of modesty and emphasize a distinction between the sexes. When I realized it was biblical, Amanda said, I was like, Oh, well, there you go. Thats my reasoning. Veiling prepares worshippers to the enter sacred spaces, with things that are holy and dont happen anywhere else. But over time, Amandas appreciation for veiling deepened. I reached a point where I feel its a kind of mystical thing, she said. For her, stepping into church and putting on my veil just reminds me of the fact Im in a different place. I dont do this anywhere else. The same is true for Patel, who converted to Catholicism in 2016 when she was at college in California. She moved to New York in 2019. There, she saw other young, traditionally minded women veiling, which she thought was pretty. But after she got her own veil, she fell in love with it as a way to show that Jesus is really present in the Blessed Sacramentthat is, the bread and wine Catholics believe is transformed into Christs body and blood at Mass. Now, she never leaves her apartment without her mantilla: I always carry my veil, my phone, my keys, my wallet. Catholicism is experiencing a wave of nostalgia for an ancient, more solemn and reverent form of the religionthe kind that inspired Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Even many Catholics who attend the modern Mass remain attached to the pre-Vatican II practices and help to preserve some of the churchs reverent traditions. Among the laity, this might mean wearing formal attire instead of jeans, or kneeling at communion and having the priest place the host directly on ones tongue rather than standing and receiving by hand. Among priests, it might mean facing the altar as opposed to the congregation, or insisting on male-only altar servers. And among womenit might mean wearing a veil. For certain devotees, the veil has become a comforting accessory to prayer, helping them connect to God. Ann Clare Levy, 28, of Virginia, is one of an increasing number of Catholics who are drawn to the forms of worship that were common before Vatican II. She tells me that veiling just kind of fits this entire aesthetic in parishes with Gothic and Baroque architecture, which you dont see in as many modern parishes. When you have a parish thats filled with women wearing these finely made pieces of lace, its beautiful to look at, she says, and this tangible beauty is evocative of a lost type of Catholicism. Some Catholics who want the church to move in a more progressive direction find these practices archaic, or even threatening. When Patel, who always carries her veil in New York City, visited a less traditional parish near her familys California hometown, she recalls the priest glaring at her throughout Mass. She was wearing her veil, of course. On another occasion, at a liberal parish in New York, a priest smiled and welcomed her two veil-less friends but greeted her with uncharacteristic coldness. Patels friends later suggested to her that the priest was put off by her veil. Wearing a veil is making a doctrinal statement, one Catholic writes on Reddit. And I dont really believe any younger woman who wears a veil today is unaware of that, protestations about prettiness aside. Another Catholic, who recalls his mother and sisters veiling before Vatican II, writes that all the women I know doing this now are rabid tradcaths with a holier than thou attitude. Some women, aware of such sentiments, worry that their veiling will send a message of moral superiority. My main concern was that people would think that I was trying to be holier-than-thou, Moore told me, referring to her early days of veiling. Kengor said it was part of her hesitation too. And one of the frequently asked questions on the Veils by Lily website is: Shouldnt I avoid drawing attention to myself at Mass? Kengor was concerned that she would be perceived as holier-than-thou for wearing a veil. She explained that the practice has both scriptural and aesthetic meaning. Patel said that while she regrets being misunderstood, in some cases, the characterization may be partly true. Bernadette explains that she got really into the TLM during the pandemic, but she noticed a tendency among some TLM Catholics to think they were better than those who attend the modern Mass. Though she disagrees with Pope Franciss restrictions on the TLM, which she finds beautiful, she understands why the Pontiff is concerned about a splintering of the church. Likewise, Madeline Wiseman, a 19-year-old Columbia student who grew up veiling, has become aware since starting college in New York, that many women at Mass feel like theyre being personally judged by veil wearers. While she would still love to wear a veil, she refrains from doing so to be more approachable to less traditional or even non-Catholic students who might be attending Mass. Shes not the only woman who feels conflicted about wearing the veil. I spoke to another, who didnt want to be named, who said she was forced to wear a mantilla growing up, which she says left her with a little bit of a sour taste in my mouth. Her family were part of a sect of hyper-traditionalist Catholics, the Society of St. Pius V, which questions the legitimacy of postVatican II popes. Now 26, she attends the modern Mass in a Virginia parish where there is no pressure to veil. She still does from time to time, but is still trying to decide for myself how she feels about the practice. She wants to dig into the 2,000-year history and beautiful scriptural meanings that are associated with it. Im trying to rediscover my true devotion for veiling, she says. Adherents note that veiling resonates with the gothic and baroque architecture of many Catholic churches. In Corinthians, men are instructed not to cover their heads. Scholars debate the passages precise meaning, but one theological explanation for the asymmetry lies in Christian symbolism: Women represent the church, the submissive bride to Christ, while men represent Christ, the self-sacrificing groom. Among progressives, the veil, representing distinct gender roles, is sometimes interpreted as a sign of female subservience. One op-ed writer for the National Catholic Reporter argues that it is backward, if not downright repressive. But the women I spoke to rejected comparisons to the hijab, arguing that the mantilla is not mandatory. The decision to wear one is and ought to be freely made. They also note that the veil is not worn in all public places, but simply in church, to signify a difference between sacred and non-sacred spaces. People dress beautifully to go see the King or Queen, says Nicole LeBlanc, 25, from Michiganso it should be with the Lord. Kathleen Stenlund, 34, a doctor and mother of five whos also based in Michigan, thought veiling was demeaning at first. She changed her mind after reading the late Belgian American philosopher and theologian Alice von Hildebrand, who criticized feminists for considering mantillas a sign of [womens] inferiority. My goodness, the theologian wrote, how they have lost the sense of the supernatural. When I realized it was biblical, Amanda Kengor said, I was like, Oh, well, there you go. Thats my reasoning. Von Hildebrand argues whatever is sacred calls for veiling, which includes the female body with its unique capacity to bear life. Reading her work, Stenlund came to believe that veiling signaled the glory of femininityand adopted the practice. The last God created was woman, she says, almost as if woman was his crowning creation. All the women I spoke to felt that the veil dignified them, and many say it helps them express their love for the Lord. Nicole Moore, from New York, put it best. For her, the veil has become a comforting accessory to prayer, and helps her connect to God. Its like feeling Im under a blanket, she told me. I can kind of shut other things out. This article originally appeared in The Free Press. BENNINGTON A Bennington judge has released a defendant on a $100 bail with 10% down in a violation of conditions charge stemming from an assault and robbery with injury and stolen property case dating back to February. Since her initial arrest back in February, the defendant has been the subject of two arrest warrants for failing to show up at her court hearings and is accused of violating conditions of release six different times. Chawncy Phillips, 26, was charged with two counts assault and robbery with injury and possessing stolen property, both felonies back in February 2024. She pleaded not guilty at her arraignment, was entered into a diversion program, and given conditions of release, including a nighttime curfew at her residence in Cambridge, NY. Since then, Phillips has been booted out of the diversion program and violated those curfew conditions at least six different times since April. The latest violation came July 31 when Phillips was spotted inside a vehicle after a routine traffic stop in Bennington. She was cited and scheduled to appear at the Bennington courthouse on August 26th but never appeared. An arrest warrant was issued after she failed to appear and she was arrested. Phillips was also charged with cocaine possession and giving false information to a law enforcement officer in April. Phillips didnt show up for her arraignment in that case, and an arrest warrant was issued, ordering law enforcement officers to issue a citation and release her when found. At her arraignment Wednesday, Judge Kerry McDonald-Cady again released Phillips, this time on a $100 bail with a required 10% down, allowing Phillips to post $10 and then leave. She was also given conditions that she come to court when told to and complete an inpatient drug treatment program. Deputy States Attorney Jared Bianchi has requested a $1000 bail, citing a new statute that lifts the former $200 bail amount cap that took effect recently in Vermont. That law targeted individuals who continue to commit crimes while on conditions of release. While the law allowed judges to release repeat defendants on higher bail amounts, it did not require them to do so, allowing judges to still use their discretion in setting bail. I cant speak directly on this case, but, in general, I would say a $100 bond with 10% down makes a mockery of the system, said Bennington States Attorney Erica Marthage after Phillips's arraignment. With the extremely high backlog in this state, it is inconceivable to me to allow individuals that are already on conditions of release to continue to miss court and simultaneously commit more crimes and create more victims. Parenthetically, individuals in the throes of severe addiction are a danger to themselves. That danger should be considered as part of the bail determination. According to an affidavit in the initial assault and robbery case back in February, on the morning of January 22, 2024, police responded to 116 Main Street in Bennington for a report of a stolen vehicle. Police were informed by the victims that they had lent their vehicle to a family friend, Nicole Maccioli, a week earlier. The friend returned the vehicle on January 21 and told the victims that she was going to wait for a ride home. When they woke up the following day, the vehicle was gone. The victims contacted Maccioli over the phone the next day and were informed, according to the affidavit, that her brother and Chawncy had assaulted her and stolen the car from her. It should be noted that Macciolis brother is Joseph Maccioli. Maccioli was himself the victim of a shooting at a known drug location on Twitchell Hill Road in Shaftsbury. Police later identified Chawncy as Chawncy Phillips through previous law enforcement encounters. At approximately 2 p.m. that same day, police were dispatched to Park Lawn Cemetery on Route 7 for a report of two individuals sleeping in a car matching the stolen vehicle's description. The two occupants, Joseph Maccioli and Chawncy Phillips, were arrested on charges of possessing stolen property. While processing Phillips at the Bennington Police Department, an officer observed that Phillips right hand was swollen and stained reddish-brown. According to the affidavit, Phillips told police she punched a bitch in the face. Phillips is facing a possible 11 years on the assault and robbery and possessing stolen property charges if she is found guilty. She also faces an additional six months for each one of the six separate violation of conditions charges. No further court dates are set. The recording is among the pieces of discovery prosecutors has shared with the Boston College Innocence Program in its appeal on behalf of Caius Veiovis, who is seeking a new trial. In the past two months, I've been on the phone with a lot of housing experts. The world of housing affordable or not is complex and nuanced and imbued with centuries of history. I am wading through it all for the first time; they've been doing it for years. Which made me think, why not ask them to share their years of accumulated knowledge? Not just with me, but with readers of The Eagle. In the coming weeks, I'll continue this discussion with different local housing experts. Some will be lawyers. Others will be contractors. Some may be activists. I'll be asking them the same set of questions, but something you learn quickly in the housing world is that people agree on a lot and disagree on a whole lot more. This week I sat down with Eileen Peltier, the CEO of regional housing nonprofit Hearthway. Keep reading for her thoughts on the housing challenges facing Berkshire County residents and what tools we have to solve them. THE EAGLE: Can you share a little about yourself and your housing story? PELTIER: My name is Eileen Peltier and I fondly say that I grew up an Irish Catholic Kennedy liberal from Massachusetts, with a real sense of social mission and purpose and that one person can change the world. My family, for the most part, work in some [service] field, whether theyre teachers or nonprofit leaders, so its always been a big part of who I was. But then I went to business school, which is a strange turn of events if youre thinking of the save-the-world sector. But that was the way I thought I could make a difference. I think Ive always been in the place of using my business acumen to make a positive difference for our neighbors and the people of our community. So that work has brought me through health care [and] HIV/AIDS for many years, and then I found the world of affordable housing about 17 years ago, and that has been my passion ever since. The relationship between health with a capital H health care and the idea of health and well being, meaning physical, mental, social, financial, all those aspects of it and how that relates to having a place to call home has been my passion for many years. THE EAGLE: What challenges do residents of Berkshire County face in finding housing that is affordable? PELTIER: I think that the Berkshires, like most places across this country, are struggling today with housing affordability and housing availability. What is different about the Berkshires is the rural nature of many of our communities. [People] need to have transportation to get anywhere, to be employed. That lack of transportation infrastructure, the lack of services close to home those are some of the core challenges that rural communities have. And then, of course, in the Berkshires, as in much of New England, we have this challenge of an aging housing stock. So housing quality is a really big challenge. And when were in this kind of emergent situation of housing affordability and availability being a huge problem, I think we tend to pay less attention to housing quality. I struggle with that, I think we all struggle with that, but it sort of becomes the third priority. You heard me mention earlier how I believe that health and home are deeply connected. If the home is not physically a healthy place to be, that can cause all kinds of challenges to our physical and mental health. So I do worry about that for the Berkshires. THE EAGLE: How do those challenges fit within the nationwide housing crisis? PELTIER: This country has had a long history of being in what we often term as a housing crisis. Housing affordability [and] housing availability have been issues in this country for a very, very long time for certain populations. What I think is a little different about the current crisis is that it is not just driven by your inability to afford [housing] because people at higher incomes also cant afford it. So I think the whole crisis is getting a little more attention. The housing crisis in this country is deeply rooted in many different factors. Something as simple as the size of the family unit, right? Our supply doesnt match our need. If a third of the adults in the country live alone and theyre in a three bedroom house, were losing stock and capacity. But [its] also very much related to issues around zoning. For certain populations, of course, there was all kinds of redlining and discrimination against people of color. Our housing history isnt the best, probably going all the way back to our roots. And that idea of owning our own piece of earth and having our own home the American dream has a lot of nuance to it, that in some degree has created the situation were in today. THE EAGLE: What is needed to address barriers to accessing affordable housing and what tools are currently in the toolbox to do so? PELTIER: I think looking at the components of the Affordable Homes Act is a great way to answer that question. There's a few different things that happen in that Affordable Homes Act. One being money, lots of money to help develop and subsidize housing. Thats necessary. Theres also a lot of policy change. Theres many things on the policy side, whether its zoning or accessory dwelling units to increase housing availability and affordability. Theres a lot of policy that can be a barrier to housing affordability and housing availability. And then the last piece of the Affordable Home Act is that there are places where the governor or the president can issue executive orders that can immediately address some of these challenges. So I think its a combination of all of those things that put what we need in the toolbox. And then to operationalize it, we need committed community members to do that work. I work for a nonprofit that does a lot of things on housing, but I dont do it in a vacuum. I need municipal leaders and volunteers and community members to be part of the solution and to welcome housing and affordable housing as a solution. THE EAGLE: How is Hearthway helping organizations navigate the county's housing crisis and access housing that is affordable to them? PELTIER: Our mission statement is that through collaboration and innovation, Hearthway will find solutions to housing for all people across the counties of the Berkshires. Were good neighbors, great navigators and allies to all. So thats our mission statement. But in practical terms, essentially what we do is we operate in several different areas. First and foremost, we are providers of information for anyone at any income level with any type of housing question to crisis. And thats through whats called our Housing Consumer Education Center. Thats a big part of what we do. So thats step one. That were that front door for anyone who has an issue. We then also operate a rental assistance program that is for emergent need. So when an individual is in a crisis financially or in a legal situation with a landlord, we are able to work with them. We provide financial assistance through the state for those types of emergencies and we provide the technical support around other types of emergencies that arent financial. Then in addition to that, we are operators or landlords of about 1,000 apartments across the Berkshires. We also have some commercial spaces. Within those apartments, not only are we trying to address the housing crisis by actually adding apartments to the portfolio in the Berkshires, but were operating them in a way that very much speaks to our mission and ties back to how I was describing my own personal aspirations. Our apartments are not only four walls and a roof, but they are a home, they are a community, theyre a place for individuals to thrive. So we not only focus on the affordability and ensuring that people can pay their bills and not make difficult choices between paying the rent and buying the food for the week, we also are trying to help connect residents with each other and with their community because we believe in the power of community. And then lastly, probably the most upstream thing that we do is we are actually working with municipalities in various communities for new opportunities to develop housing. So an example of that might be Eagle Mill in the town of Lee. [It was] looking for a developer for many years, and we stepped in and were able to do that. WINDSOR It isnt every day that a culvert grows up to be a bridge, but itll happen sometime within the next several months across a stream on Cheshire Road. John Denno, Windsor highway superintendent, said hes pretty excited about the $400,000 grant Windsor landed on Friday to help pay for that new bridge. Windsor hit the jackpot among the 17 towns that won money in a round of Culvert Replacement Municipal Assistance Grants from the Department of Fish and Games Division of Ecological Restoration, which focuses on restoring and protecting rivers, wetlands and watersheds in Massachusetts for the benefit of people and the environment. Grants in this program, totaling $2.1 million, were announced Friday. Two other winners were in Berkshire County: Savoy received $62,000 to collect data, design and engineer the replacement of an undersized culvert on Old Main Road over Phelps Brook. Stockbridge got $51,500 to collect data for a partially crushed and perched culvert on Rattlesnake Mountain Road over Marsh Brook, where flooding has been an issue. Windsor's $400,000 wont pay for the entire construction cost of the new bridge, so Denno is counting on the towns Chapter 90 allotment to pay for the rest. For now, the road above that old boiler tube culvert is being held up by steel road plates. Failing stone walls are being held up by concrete blocks after the retaining wall and culvert failed and the road washed out in 2022. At that time, Windsors entire highway crew of four spent three days repairing the wall with 2-by-5-foot concrete blocks and one smaller cube of concrete. They also installed road plates to hold up the road. Materials cost several thousand dollars in materials, but he said that was a temporary solution. As Denno was showing a visitor the culvert, Cheshire Road resident Paul Kozik stopped by in his white pickup truck, asking when the work would be done. Hopefully, spring, Denno told Kozik. Next spring. Really, Kozik said. I thought you were going to have it done this year. I was hoping. But, no, next spring, Denno told him. At a cost of $118,000 paid for with Chapter 90 highway money, Gill Engineering prepared designs for the new bridge. Denno is awaiting final design approval from the state Department of Transportation prior to soliciting bids from contractors. Culverts, it turns out, arent very hospitable to brook trout or the humbly named slimy sculpin. Its hard to jump up from a stream into a pipe if youre a fish. And it may not be very comfortable to swim through or fall out of them heading downstream either. Imagine the unanticipated flight at the end of the tunnel. Apparently, even some mammals find it hard to navigate through culverts. Berkshire Environmental Action Team has been studying culverts for years and their impact on wildlife. At one stream crossing on Churchill Road in Pittsfield, a Berkshire Environmental Action Team staffer noticed a deers rib cage next to the road. After the tube-shaped culvert was replaced with a three-sided box culvert (think square arch), someone caught video of a doe and fawn using it as a crossing, said Jane Winn, executive director at Berkshire Environmental Action Team. Winn explained why bridges are preferable to culverts when it comes to wildlife. Our goal is so that the water will flow over a natural stream bottom and if you were a fish going up there you wouldnt know that anything changed other than a shadow passed over you as you went up, Winn said. And then theres climate change. With heavier rains and more flooding today than in the past, culverts tend to clog with storm debris, get damaged or just plain fail, Winn said. Bridges, with their wider openings, can tolerate more water and more debris. On Friday, DER also awarded the Housatonic Valley Association $248,000 on behalf of Berkshires Clean, Cold, Connected Partnership, a consortium of environmental groups that work to protect the Hoosic, Housatonic and Farmington river watersheds. It was one of three partnerships across the state to win funding. Timothy Abbott, conservation director of Housatonic Valley Association, said the grant provides a boost to the work of the partnership. It will allow us and our partners and communities in the Berkshires to accomplish two really important things, Abbott said. First, to understand which bridges and culverts that pass under the roadways in our communities need to be upgraded in response to a change in climate and the kinds of increased waterflow that we can expect. And second, which of these can also be applied to allow wildlife to move freely, both within the streams and alongside them. GREAT BARRINGTON Housatonic Water Works Co. was served a correction order last week that will impose heavy fines for violations. The Berkshire County Sheriffs Department confirmed with the town that the company had been served, said Town Health Agent Rebecca Jurczyk on Thursday. Jurczyk had waited until the waterworks was served before releasing the order to the public and the press. The Board of Health finalized the order on Aug. 22 after two previous public hearings that strove to strengthen the legal language to make the requirements in the health order stick. The order would force the company to deliver 5-gallon jugs of water daily to the companys customers of which there are more than 750. It would also force the company to pay for additional independent testing at locations and times of the boards choosing. Fines for noncompliance would run up to $1,000 per violation per day. Currently the waterworks is on its regular, state-mandated testing schedule and regulated by the state Department of Environmental Protection. The DEP says the water is safe to drink, but health officials want their own evidence that it does not present a health risk. The order stems from spells of yellow-to-brown tap water that bedevils residents and stains laundry and fixtures. While this is considered a harmless nuisance by the DEP, and typically occurs in the warmer months, the Board of Health wants to make sure that the manganese that is causing the discoloration is at safe levels in the water. The panel also wants to get its own results of testing for haloacetic acids, compounds linked to cancer that are byproducts of disinfection with chlorine. The order requires a company representative to attend the boards next meeting on Sept. 5, to discuss a timeline for implementing the testing and water delivery. Attorneys and consultants dont think any of this will happen without a fight. A consultant to the board who is an attorney, as well as the towns counsel, advised the board that the waterworks would likely file in Berkshire Superior Court to block the order. An appeal could take months, said Town Counsel David Doneski of KP Law. Previously the water companys attorney, Robert Cox, told the panel that it is exceeding its authority by issuing the order. Water systems are federally regulated through the states DEP, he said. Waterworks co-owner and Treasurer James Mercer has declined to comment on the order. Dalton Delan can be reached at berkshireeaglereels@gmail.com and @UnspinRoom on X. His Eagle Reels conversations can be found on YouTube . Stewart Edelstein, a Stockbridge resident, is author of several books, including Dubious Doublets: A Delightful Compendium of Unlikely Word Pairs of Common Origin, from Aardvark/Porcelain to Zodiac/Whiskey, The Covid-19 Zeitgeist: Fifty Essays, and An Alphabetical Romp Through the Flora of Berkshire Botanical Garden from Agave to Zinnia. Taoiseach Simon Harris continues to insist the Government will serve its full term to March 2025, despite persistent rumours of a November general election. Speaking about the next general election during an appearance at the Kennedy Summer School in New Ross, Co Wexford, the Taoiseach paused before putting particular emphasis on a "March general election". Advertisement The comment was met by applause and laughter by the 300 people in attendance at St Michael's Theatre. In response, Mr Harris smiled and continued speaking. A decent performance by the coalition parties in the recent local and European elections, coupled with an underwhelming performance by Sinn Fein, prompted speculation that an autumn general election is the most likely decision from the Government leaders. If they choose to go the full term to March 2025, they will face five byelections, while Sinn Fein will also have a chance to regain momentum. In an interview with BreakingNews.ie, former minister for agriculture Ivan Yates suggested Friday, November 15th is the most likely date. Advertisement While Mr Harris and Tanaiste Micheal Martin continue to insist the election will be in March, any announcement of an earlier date will not come until after the October 1st Budget at the earliest. Speaking at the event on Friday, Mr Harris said: "If the next election is a contest as to who can most eloquently define a problem, where does that get us? "We have a beautiful democracy, don't like us? Vote us out, that's how it works, but you still need good people to contest elections. "That's how you have elections that are about ideas, about community, and about solutions." Advertisement Without mentioning the opposition leader, he also seemed to get in a reference to Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, who was criticised for not having figures on hand during a recent RTE interview about the party's migration policy. "We have to move beyond people saying 'sure don't be asking me those figures, I didn't know I was meant to bring them with me'. "Come on, we have to have mature political debate around the issues that matter in Ireland." He made the comment about the March election when discussing his travels around the country over the summer. Advertisement Mr Harris said he found Irish people are fundamentally decent, and rejected the assertion that anger has become a defining feature of the country. Ireland 'Ireland is not a country of hate or racism': Taoi... Read More "I travelled around this country extensively, as you may have noticed, over the summer months... for the March election. "In doing so, I've met thousands of people, and not people specially selected to meet me... people in all sorts of scenarios. "Some people will never vote for me in a month of Sundays, some people think we're doing a great old job and will vote for us, others are in the middle. My fundamental takeaway from this is decency. "I'm not allowing colourful characters from other jurisdictions, or the amplification on social media, to suggest that all of a sudden we've lost that sense of meitheal, lost that sense of community, decency and respect. I don't think that is reflective of the overwhelming majority of people in Ireland." Taoiseach Simon Harris has insisted Ireland is "not a country of hate or racism" as he said far-right agitators must be separated from people with concerns about migration policy. The Taoiseach was speaking at the Kennedy Summer School in New Ross, Co Wexford, on Friday where he was interviewed by former Twitter Ireland managing director and global vice-president for public policy Sinead McSweeney. Advertisement Speaking about his leadership style, he highlighted the importance of fighting against the idea of "hopelessness". "I think one of the biggest risks to solving the challenges we all face is a sense of hopelessness. If we believe that something is so endemic that it can never be made better, what does that do? It allows extremism, it allows a sense of fatalism, and it also makes citizens think, 'why bother'? "One example is climate change. Of course, we all want to save our planet, to hand on our community, our earth, in a better place to our children. But sometimes people will think 'the scale of it is so big, how can we do anything to make a difference?' We have to push back against that. "Our human condition likes to know there is hope. There will be people in the audience who think 'that's political wiffle-waffle'. Advertisement "But the way you lead, you have to give people hope, because what's the alternative? The alternative is to tell people things are terrible, and they'll always be terrible. That's not leadership at all." Moving on to the migration issue, Mr Harris said it was important for Government to face it head on, because the alternative "creates a vacuum and leaves it to extremists". He also criticised far-right agitators who have inflamed tensions at anti-migration protests across the country. This is not a country of hate or racism. Advertisement "Migration is probably the most topical example of that at the moment. If we believe a debate about migration is owned by the far-right or the far-left, therefore we kind of stay away, all that happens is the only time people see it being covered is by voices of the extreme, and that can distort our national identity. "This is not a country of hate or racism. There are so many people who left our shores in the hope of a better future for them and their children. The idea that a small number of unelected people would now try to suggest that we would begrudge others seeking to do the exact same thing... that makes no sense. "That's not who we are. I do think we have to start speaking out and speaking up." Moving back to migration policy, he acknowledged there were a lot of issues to solve, adding that it is something being dealt with in "real-time". Advertisement "That's not to say there aren't real issues about how Government addresses what is a migration policy? How do you process people? That's all valid political debate, scrutiny and accountability. Let's not let a small number of people hijack who we are as a people by political cowardice, or saying 'leave them at it, there's no votes in that'." Mr Harris also stressed that there should be a distinction between those intent on disruption, violence and anti-immigrant sentiment, and people with legitimate concerns. 'Hijackers of the flag' "I can clearly de-couple those two issues in my mind. There are people who I believe to be distortionists, the hijackers of the flag, the people who aren't representative of Ireland. These people are loud, but not large in number. "That is separate and distinct to people saying 'migration is a new public policy challenge and opportunity in Ireland, show me how you, the Government, intend to address the issue'." Advertisement He added: "Being honest with the Irish people, this is something we're addressing in real-time. We're creating systems and structures in rapid time, to respond to something that wasn't a policy issue in Ireland. "The next general election will probably be the first time I'll ever be asked about migration. I don't ever remember knocking on a door in Co Wicklow, and I've been running in elections since 2009, being asked about migration. "It's perfectly appropriate and healthy in a democracy for people to say 'Hang on Simon, show me the plan, the population is growing, how are you going to move beyond the emergency to the sustainable?' "That's all fine, but that's not the other issue, and we should engage wholeheartedly and enthusiastically with the people saying 'show me, talk to me, engage with me'." Mr Harris said he admires "people in communities who have had concerns and questions, and when they saw the far-right trying to get within an inch of it, they ran them out". China and the Philippines have accused each other of causing a collision between two vessels in the latest flare-up over disputed waters and maritime features in the South China Sea. Chinese coast guard spokesperson Liu Dejun was quoted as saying that a Philippine ship manoeuvred and deliberately collided with a Chinese coast guard ship in an unprofessional and dangerous manner. Advertisement Philippine officials in Manila said it was their coast guard ship, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, that was rammed three times by the Chinese coast guard without any provocation, causing damage to the Philippine vessel. The incident is the second confrontation in days near Sabina Shoal, about 85 miles west of the Philippine province of Palawan, in the internationally recognised exclusive economic zone of the Philippines. The U.S. condemns the multiple dangerous violations of international law by the PRC, including today's intentional ramming of the BRP Teresa Magbanua while it was conducting lawful operations within the EEZ. We stand with the Philippines in upholding international law. https://t.co/RRJKUdP5ge Advertisement Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson (@USAmbPH) August 31, 2024 The Philippine ship, the Magbanua, has been anchored in Sabina since mid-April after Manila suspected that China may construct a structure to seize the uninhabited atoll. Advertisement China harboured the same suspicions and recently filed a diplomatic protest against the Philippines due to the ships prolonged presence at the shoal. Beijing is rapidly expanding its military and has become increasingly assertive in pursuing its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, which is crucial to international trade. The tensions have led to more frequent confrontations, primarily with the Philippines, and could drag in with the United States, which is bound by a treaty to defend the Philippines. The long-time territorial disputes also involve other claimants including Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei. Advertisement The US is obliged to defend the Philippines if it comes under attack (Philippine Coast Guard via AP) China has rejected a ruling by a UN-backed arbitration panel that negated almost all of its historically based claims in the South China Sea. Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine coast guard said in Manila that the Magbanua had dropped its anchor again and would not withdraw from Sabina Shoal despite the harassment, bullying activities and escalatory action of the Chinese coast guard. Advertisement Video released by the Philippine coast guard appeared to show the Magbanua being rammed by a Chinese coast guard ship. The US condemned the multiple dangerous violations of international law by the PRC (Peoples Republic of China), including todays intentional ramming of the BRP Teresa Magbanua while it was conducting lawful operations within the Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone. We stand with the Philippines in upholding international law, US ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson said on X. The US has condemned the incident (Philippine Coast Guard via AP) The US has repeatedly warned that it is obligated to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces come under an armed attack in the South China Sea. On Tuesday, Adm Samuel Paparo, the head of US Indo-Pacific Command, said the US military is open to consultations about escorting Philippine ships in the disputed waters. Chinas coast guard, navy and accompanying 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 the confrontations become increasingly hostile, resulting in injuries to Filipino sailors and damage to their ships, the Philippine government has faced questions about invoking the treaty alliance with Washington. Sabina Shoal is near Second Thomas Shoal, another flashpoint where China has hampered the resupply of Philippine forces. Both countries reached an agreement last month to prevent further confrontations at the shoal. Also on Saturday, Japan lodged a formal protest via Chinas embassy against what it called an incursion by a Chinese survey ship into its territorial waters. The latest such incident fuelled unease among Japanese defence officials, already concerned about the growing military cooperation between the Chinese and Russian air forces. On Monday, Tokyo also protested after a Chinese military aircraft briefly entering Japans south-western airspace. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday his country had no intention to violate any countrys airspace. Social media influencers, reality stars and TV personalities were among the guests as the Norwegian kings eldest child, Princess Martha Louise, married an American self-professed shaman in a wedding ceremony following three days of festivities. The 52-year-old Martha Louise and Durek Verret, who claims to be a sixth-generation shaman from California, tied the knot in the picturesque town of Geiranger, one of Norways major tourist attractions located on a fjord. Advertisement Following festivities that started on Thursday, the actual wedding ceremony took place in a large white tent set up on a lush lawn. Senior Norwegian royals including King Harald and Queen Sonja attended (NTB via AP) The couple has sold the wedding photo rights to British celebrity magazine Hello! and the film rights to Netflix. Advertisement The deals prompted protests from Norwegian media, which say it goes against local practices. The couple has often lashed out against the press while promoting themselves on social media. The 87-year-old King Harald, who has been in fragile health the past few years, attended his daughters wedding together with Queen Sonja and other member of the Norwegian royal house. Margie Plus and Harald Austad attended the event (NTB via AP) Advertisement Crown Princess Victoria and her husband Prince Daniel represented the Swedish royal house together with her brother, Prince Carl Philip and his wife Princess Sofia. No other European royals took part in the wedding. The wedding comes amid widespread criticism of the couples actions and waning support for the Norwegian royals, who have also been plagued by negative reports about an unruly family member who faces preliminary domestic violence charges. Martha Louise and Verret, 49, have attracted headlines with their alternative beliefs. She is fourth in line to the Norwegian throne but said in 2022 that she will no longer officially represent the Norwegian royal house. Norways Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit (NTB via AP) Advertisement The princess she has retained the title has said she can talk with angels, while Verret claims that he communicates with a broad range of spirits and has a medallion which helps ward off spells and cures diseases. They became engaged in 2022. Following their marriage, Verret will not have a royal title or official duties. In a 2019 deal, Martha Louise and Verret agreed not to use her connection to the royal house or her title for commercial purposes. Advertisement The princess has three daughters from a previous marriage (NTB via AP) But earlier this year Martha Louise labelled bottles of gin with her title and launched the brand in time for the wedding, defying King Haralds directive that she should not profit from her royal status. The label was eventually changed. Martha Louise has three children from her previous marriage with Ari Behn, whom she divorced in 2017 after 14 years of marriage. A campaign to inoculate children in Gaza against polio and prevent the spread of the virus began on Saturday, as Palestinians in both the Hamas-governed coastal enclave and in the occupied West Bank reeled from Israels ongoing campaigns in both regions. Children in Gaza began receiving vaccines on Saturday, the Strips health ministry announced in a news conference, a day before the large-scale rollout and planned pause in fighting agreed to by Israel and the United Nations World Health Organisation. Advertisement Associated Press reporters saw roughly ten infants receiving doses of vaccine in the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis on Saturday. Hours earlier, Gazas health ministry said hospitals received 89 dead on Saturday, including 26 who died in an overnight Israeli bombardment, and 205 wounded, one of the highest daily tallies in months. The #polio vaccination teams must be protected and allowed to conduct the upcoming campaigns in #Gaza safely. We urge all parties to ensure their protection, and that of health facilities and children. Humanitarian pauses are welcome, but ultimately, the only solution to pic.twitter.com/B8ftmJn22A Advertisement Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) August 30, 2024 Meanwhile, parts of the West Bank remained on edge on Saturday as Israels military continued its largescale military campaign, the deadliest since the Israel-Hamas war began, and two car bombings by Palestinian militants near Israeli settlements left three soldiers injured. Advertisement Two car bombs exploded early on Saturday in Gush Etzion, a bloc of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Israels military killed both Palestinian attackers after the bombs exploded in a compound in Karmei Zur and at a petrol station, Israels military said. Three Israeli soldiers sustained minor injuries. Palestinian health officials said Israel was holding the bodies of the attackers, naming the men as Muhammad Marqa and Zoodhi Afifeh. Hamas did not claim the men as its fighters but called the attack a heroic operation and a new slap to the occupations security system in a statement early on Saturday. Advertisement Palestinians next to Israeli armoured vehicles during a military operation in the West Bank Jenin refugee camp on Saturday (Majdi Mohammed/AP) The Palestinian militant group said earlier this month after a bombing attack in Tel Aviv that it would continue such attacks. The bombings took place as Israel continued its largescale raid, which includes destruction of infrastructure, airstrikes and gunbattles, into urban refugee camps in the cities of Jenin and Tulkarem, in the north of the volatile West Bank. Advertisement About 20 Palestinians have been killed since Israels incursion started on Tuesday, causing alarm among the international community that the war might widen beyond the Gaza Strip. Israel has described the operation as a strategy to prevent attacks on Israeli civilians, which since the start of the war have increased in the West Bank, including near settlements that the international community largely considers illegal. In return, the Palestinian health ministry noted a surge in Palestinian deaths by Israeli forces, with 663 killed in the West Bank in the nearly 11 months since the war began. In central Gaza, Israeli airstrikes hit a multi-storey building housing displaced people in and around Nuseirat, a built-up refugee camp in central Gaza, further south in Khan Younis and northward in Gaza City, officials at hospitals in the three areas said on Saturday. Smoke rises after an explosion during an Israeli military operation in the West Bank Jenin refugee camp on Saturday (Majdi Mohammed/AP) Among the dead were a physician and his family and a child whose right leg had been previously amputated, according to an initial list of casualties from the hospital and footage released on Saturday by civil defence officials who operated under Gazas Hamas-run government. Israel is expected to pause some of its operations in Gaza on Sunday to allow health workers to roll out their campaign to administer polio vaccines to some 650,000 Palestinian children, the UN World Health Organisation said earlier this week. Officials said the pause would last at least nine hours and is a by-product of an agreement with WHO, and unrelated to ongoing ceasefire negotiations between Israel, Hamas and regional mediators. The vaccination campaign comes after a case was discovered earlier this month for the first time in 25 years, after doctors concluded a 10-month-old had been partially paralysed by a mutated strain of the polio virus after not being vaccinated because of the fighting between Israel and Hamas. Healthcare workers in Gaza have been warning of the potential for a polio outbreak for months, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has deepened throughout the war, which broke out after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and abducting around 250. Israels retaliatory offensive has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gazas health ministry, which does not say how many were militants. 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. Pujiang Innovation Forum to be held in Shanghai Xinhua) 10:32, August 31, 2024 BEIJING, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- The 2024 Pujiang Innovation Forum will be held in Shanghai from Sept. 7 to 10, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) announced at a press conference in Beijing on Friday. More than 300 experts and scholars from over 40 countries and regions will attend the forum, during which a series of research achievements will be released. Foreign guests will account for nearly 40 percent of attendees. The forum, which carries the theme "Sharing Innovation and Shaping the Future: Towards an Open Environment for Scientific and Technological Innovation" this year, will focus on fields such as cutting-edge sci-tech and industrial development, innovative ecology and innovative talents. Topics for discussion will include life sciences, future materials and industrial integration. The 2024 Pujiang Innovation Forum will be co-hosted by the MOST and the municipal government of Shanghai. Hungary was invited as the guest of honor this year. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Hongyu) Russian shelling in the town of Chasiv Yar has killed five people, as Moscows troops pushed ahead in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region. The attack struck a high-rise building and a private home, said regional governor Vadym Filaskhin, who said the victims were men aged 24 to 38. Advertisement He urged the last remaining residents to leave the front-line town, which had a pre-war population of 12,000. Mr Filaskhin wrote on social media: Normal life has been impossible in Chasiv Yar for more than two years. Do not become a Russian target evacuate. An attack on the city of Belgorod (Belgorod Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkovs Telegram channel via AP) Advertisement A further two people were killed by Russian shelling in the Kharkiv region. One victim was pulled from the rubble of a house in the village of Cherkaska Lozova, said governor Oleh Syniehubov, while a second woman died of her injuries while being transported to a hospital. Meanwhile, Russias ministry of defence said its forces had captured the town of Pivnichne, also in Ukraines Donetsk region. The Associated Press could not independently verify the claim. Russian forces have been driving deeper into the partly occupied eastern region, the total capture of which 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. Advertisement Several more people have died in Russian raids (AP) The move is partly an effort to force Russia to draw troops away from the Donetsk front. Elsewhere, the number of wounded following a Russian attack on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Friday continued to rise. Advertisement Six people were killed, including a 14-year-old girl, when glide bombs struck five locations across the city, said regional governor Oleh Syniehubov. Writing on social media on Saturday, he said that the number of injured had risen from 47 to 96. Mr Syniehubov also confirmed that the 12-storey apartment block that was hit by one bomb strike, setting the building ablaze and trapping at least one person on an upper floor, would be partly demolished. Ukrainian officials have previously pointed to the Kharkiv strikes as further evidence that Western partners should scrap restrictions on what the Ukrainian military can target with donated weapons. In an interview with CNN on Friday, Ukrainian defence minister Rustem Umerov said that Kyiv had presented Washington with a list of potential long-range targets within Russia for its approval. Advertisement Rescue operations continue in Kharkiv at the sites struck by Russian bombs. Tragically, there are fatalities, including a childa girl named Sofia, who would have turned 15 this fall. My deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. Many others are injured. Aid is being pic.twitter.com/ZU9flEw0Pd Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) August 30, 2024 I hope we were heard, he said. He also denied speculation that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys decision to dismiss the commander of the countrys air force on Friday was directly linked to the destruction of an F-16 warplane that Ukraine received from its Western partners four days earlier. The order to dismiss Lt Gen Mykola Oleshchuk was published on the presidential website minutes before an address which saw Mr Zelensky stress the need to take care of all our soldiers. This is two separate issues, said Mr Umerov. At this stage, I would not connect them. The number of injured also continued to rise in the Russian border region of Belgorod, where five people were killed on Friday by Ukrainian shelling, said governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. He said 46 people had been injured, of whom 37 were in the hospital, including seven children. Writing on social media, Mr Gladkov also said that two others had been injured in Ukrainian shelling across the region. Jeremy Camp - "Deeper Waters" | Shore Fire Media Today, GRAMMY nominated recording artist, Jeremy Camp releases an extended edition of his chart-topping album, Deeper Waters via Capitol CMG. The deluxe album includes three new tracks including live versions of No Survivors and the No. 1 single, These Days. To celebrate the release, Camp is also debuting a live video of No Survivors. Watch it here. 'Deeper Waters' is a pop-infused reflection on Jeremy Camp's journey over the past two decades, blending his experiences in the spotlight with a deep appreciation for the present moment. Having postponed some of his tour dates for emergency heart surgery earlier this year, Camp has gained a profound understanding of the importance of savoring each moment. Listen to Deeper Waters (Extended) Here Last week, Camp revealed the second leg of his Deeper Waters Tour. The additional 11 dates will include stops in Richmond, Hagerstown, Lima and more. This show will feature performances of songs from his album Deeper Waters, as well as many of his familiar hits that have garnered him multiple artist of the year nods and even an artist of the decade top contender spot. Andrew Ripp and Rachael Lampa are opening this leg of the Deeper Waters Tour. Tickets more information can be found at jeremycamp.com. Deeper Waters Tour Dates: Thurs., Sept 5 | Concord, NC Fri., Sept 6 | New Haven, KY Sat., Sept 7 | Eden Prairie, MN Sun., Sept 8 | Waite Park, MN Fri., Sept 13 | Oklahoma City, OK Sat., Sept 14 | Midland, TX Sun., Sept 15 | Dallas, TX Weds., Sept 18 | Colorado Springs, CO Thurs., Sept. 19 | Albuquerque, NM Fri., Sept 20 | Phoenix, AZ Sat., Sept 21 | Los Angeles, CA Sun., Sept 22 | Fresno, CA Tues., Sept 24 | Bakersfield, CA Thurs., Sept 26 | Stockton, CA Sat., Sept 28 | San Diego, CA Sun., Sept 29 | Riverside, CA Thurs., Oct 3 | Redding, CA Fri., Oct 4 | Portland, OR Sat., Oct 5 | Coeur DAlene, ID Weds., Oct 30 |New Philadelphia, OH Sat., Nov 2 |Madison, WI Sun., Nov 3 | Omaha, NE Thurs., Nov 7 | Peoria, IL Fri., Nov 8 | Elkhart, IN Sat., Nov 9 | Lima, OH Sun., Nov 10 | Holland, MI Thurs., Nov 14 | Salisbury, MD Fri., Nov 15 - Charleston, WV Sat., Nov 16 | Richmond, VA Sun., Nov 17 | Hagerstown, MD All Jeremy Camp Tour Dates: Thurs., Sept 5 | MRO- Bump and Run - 5K | Concord, NC Sun., Sept 8 | Celebrate Minnesota | Waite Park, MN Tues., Sept 24 | Kern County Fair | Bakersfield, CA Uche Agu and Revival Today Worship - When We Praise | DREAM Label Group Los Angeles, CA (August 30th, 2024) Today, Dream Gospel artist, Uche Agu and Revival Today Worship release When We Praise, their eighth single from their upcoming album Celebrate The King album. Available on all digital retail and streaming service providers, the song was recorded and produced live at Revival Today Church in Pittsburgh, PA by Uche Agu, Danny Duncan and Brandon Tolbert Jones and co-written by Uche Agu, Daniel Johnson, Brandon Tolbert Jones The story behind this song was that it actually written a long time ago. I had the chorus done but none of the verses. I had kept it on my music shelf for a while but when we started to prepare for the upcoming album, I felt it was time to finish the song. So, Danny and Brandon and I sat in a studio in Tennessee and they helped me finish this masterpiece. I cant wait for you to hear it. - Uche Agu Listen or Buy When We Praise here When van der Nagel played Smiths home-made Coca-Cola video to students last week, some said they suspected they were being trolled. [Smith] is really having a moment; in class we were watching her TikTok and the video was met with very confused looks by students, van der Nagel said. They raised critiques in terms of whos paying for this they were just thinking, This doesnt represent any of my life at all. In the [research] literature, theres this whole angle around the tradwife emphasising femininity over feminism, and suggesting freedom is to be found in submission and essentially in a dominant, patriarchal kind of vibe. Dinis, an Australian self-proclaimed tradwife, triggered global headlines for an Instagram post stating she was raising her daughter, now in pre-school, to serve her future family and depend financially on her husband, rather than focusing on study and work. Loading In February, Dinis again attracted attention by posting that real men dont want women with successful careers; they want one who can bring value into the home by the work of her hands. Dinis did not respond to approaches by this masthead to her on Instagram and on her website, but she is one of many whose philosophies on womens roles are consistent with a stated religious faith. Some researchers suggest far-right or standard conservative political influences underpin parts of what many high-profile tradwives refer to as a movement, and their popularity represents a backlash against gender equality and womens reproductive rights. Dr Kristy Campion, of Charles Sturt University, said although there were tradwives on the left and in the organics movement, the emphasis on female submission among conservative tradwives risked leaving women vulnerable if divorced. Women who say they have been left with precarious security including American Jennie Gage and Australian former tradwife Meredyth Willits have been speaking publicly about the risks to womens long-term economic security. There are people leaving the movement, typically its because of divorce and theyre left with nothing, said Campion, who has researched far-right influence in parts of tradwifery. Its pretty horrible, but its not surprising; theyre part of a worldview where they are valued for their compliance and if they stop complying, theres lots of resistance. Campion believes part of the popularity of the lifestyles being promoted is that they offer an idea of refuge in tough times. Im sure what these tradwife influencers are doing is trying to give a sense of comfort in a deeply troubling and very volatile political time; if your feed is full of hospital bombings [in Gaza] and all kind of atrocities, its such escapism, she said. Psychologist Sahra ODoherty says women who adopt a mindset of servitude risk subjugation. Credit: Edwina Pickles Sometimes this rush back to so-called traditional values, but actually just patriarchal values, represents a flight to comfort. Psychologist Sahra ODoherty said while women who chose to stay at home with children usually do so as a career break and because it was the most feasible financial option for a household, those who chose to identify as tradwives were more likely to be adopting a mindset of servitude and deprioritisation of yourself, even a subjugation. Consumers of tradwife content were realising there were strong contradictions between portraying a serene, simple life, while needing to incessantly document it for income and, in some cases, relying on family wealth, she said. But without family wealth the lifestyle would be impossible, she said. Loading The tradwife trend has absolutely romanticised this notion of staying at home, baking bread and looking after kids as though this is an easier option, and for some people, sure it might be when you have the means, the privilege, said ODoherty, who is president of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc. A lot of these tradwives are making tens of thousands of dollars per video: theyre saying theyre advocating for this stay-at-home tradwife life, when actually theyre getting paid for advertising this life that isnt realistic for the majority of people. It feels like a reaction to the overwhelming pressure of having to work, and, coming out of the COVID pandemic, feeling like you want to get back to an idealistic dream of a simple lifestyle, when this time didnt actually ever exist it wasnt pleasant in the reality for women living in the 40s, 50s and 60s. Culture commentators such as Associate Professor Lauren Rosewarne, of the University of Melbourne, said online tradwives were unlikely to have large-scale, real-world influence despite some huge followings. Loading To me, it looks like a zillion other very gendered movements, where a niche in the market is found and exploited for personal profit, Rosewarne said. A group of women have discovered that there is a market for their very conservative, as related to gender roles and sometimes also politics, content they have found a way to make money. Like a lot of trends on social media, we get an oversized sense of the importance of things like tradwives based on the number of clicks that individual videos get and the extent of fame/infamy that certain creators get. Four years to the day after Andrew Wright Stephens was killed in his home, a man has been found guilty of his manslaughter. But Michael Bradley Small was found not guilty of murdering his partners friend on August 30, 2020. Police attended Stephens Taringa home to carry out a welfare check after he failed to respond to calls from his mother. The decomposed body of 48-year-old Stephens was found at his Taringa home, in inner Brisbane, on September 3 that year. During the two-week Brisbane Supreme Court trial, prosecutors said Stephens torture and murder was a fairytale ending for Small after eight months of growing hostility. Today we celebrate Fathers Day, so it is fitting to celebrate the ultimate Father, the lord of the universe: God. It has taken me decades as a Christian to develop a deeper appreciation of what it means that God calls himself our Father, to understand that it is not just a glib locution. Christians speak of God as father in several ways, the most important being that he is their creator and redeemer, their protector and guide. The Bible teaches that because of what Jesus Christ accomplished in saving his people, they are adopted as sons and daughters of God. Christians speak of God as father in several ways. Credit: Illustration by Jenny Bowman Thus, the Apostle Paul says in his second letter to the people in Corinth: For us there is one God, the Father, from whom all things are and for whom we exist. He tells the Galatian Christians: Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying Abba, Father! The first letter of John says: See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. Gleeson said she accepted that the authority has the right to appoint any business operator it sees fit to run tours as part of the expression of interest process. But when its the authority themselves thats another story, she said. The Split Point Lighthouse is a popular tourism destination. Credit: Joe Armao The clause in the Split Point Lighthouse expression of interest says the coastal authority is licensed under an agreement with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority to also conduct tours at the facility. While it has no plans to do so, it reserves that right in the future. The coastal authority, which took over management of the lighthouse at Aireys Inlet in May, said there was a temporary tenure arrangement in place at the time that needed to be updated. In a statement, the authority insisted the tours clause was a standard measure to ensure it could step in and continue the service if a tour operator ceased operations. The Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority is responsible for the coastline from Torquay to Warrnambool. Credit: tsvibrav Conducting business on Crown land reserve is a special privilege, and the authority is committed to upholding proper procedures in awarding this sub-license, the authority said. But Gleeson said the authority now ran the Cape Otway Lightstation and two caravan parks in the area, and she was worried she could lose her business. She said the expression of interest process to run lighthouse tours required handing over extensive commercial information and intellectual property, which her business had developed over years, and she feared this would be relinquished if the authority rejected her bid for a contract extension. Credit: Matt Golding In 2021, the Anglesea Motor Yacht Club completed an extensive upgrade after raising more than $1.1 million to complete the work, immediate past commodore Wes Smith said. At no stage were we supported by any government loans or grants, he said. Smith said his volunteer-run club was assured it would receive a 21-year lease by the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee, the predecessor to the authority. But when the authority took over, it sought to implement a one-year lease before finally agreeing to 10 years after protracted negotiations, Smith said. Its been incredibly stressful, he said. The authority insisted the 10-year lease was appropriate and said it would review the agreement after completing a coastal adaptation plan that would consider erosion mitigation measures for Anglesea. It denied that it or the government had ever approved a 21-year lease. The authority also raised concerns of its own about the community stunning many residents. In August, it released a statement calling on Great Ocean Road communities to show respect in response to unwarranted, unruly and disrespectful behaviour. Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authoritys chief executive Jodie Sizer. Credit: Joe Armao In the public statement, chief executive Jodie Sizer said not all of the authoritys decisions would be popular, but there was no excuse for abuse. It has become all too easy for individuals to hurl hurtful, harmful words, often without considering the real pain inflicted on real people, she said. Enough is enough. The authority did not provide examples of specific incidents of abuse when asked by The Sunday Age. Sizer insisted her organisation had been doing important work and that fragmented management had been reduced at coastal reserves, ports and public land previously overseen by different agencies. The authority is also under financial pressure. In the 2022-23 financial year, its comprehensive result was a $1.475 million loss. It did not respond to questions about whether it hoped to become profitable by taking over businesses at lighthouses. Loading But it did say it had received additional government funding to enhance visitor facilities, beach accessibility and coastal protection. The authority insisted that all revenue raised on its sites was invested back into the Great Ocean Road coastline and parks. Yet, some residents along the road fear its takeover of public sites has eroded community involvement. This year, the authority assumed management of the Princetown Recreation Reserve, which included a caravan park that had been run by a local committee of management on behalf of the Department of Environment. Butler said the aged-care package should include a mechanism to ensure the care targets were reached. But she countered claims from providers that they could not reach the targets because they could not find enough nurses. Unless theres a consequence for not meeting those standards, its not going to happen, she said. Loading Butler said her response was to ask providers why they did not offer nurses higher salaries to match those paid in hospitals, or offer more incentives to hire and retain them. The federation, which estimates that 40 per cent of nurses were born overseas and 20 per cent were educated overseas, is in favour of streamlining the process to bring in more workers and says Australia needs more investment in local training. The shortage has forced some aged-care providers to search for nurses from nearby employers while also losing existing staff to hospitals, with every new hire creating a gap somewhere else. Theres a knife fight for staff in the regions, with aged care and hospitals scrapping for the same staff, said Duncan McKimm, the chief executive of Clarence Village in Grafton, in northern NSW. The combination of staff constraints and care minute targets make building new aged-care facilities largely unfeasible. The government knows there arent enough registered nurses to meet the targets. We need to design and fund an aged-care system based on the forecasts rather than pretend thousands of registered nurses and carers are going to materialise. Labor promised to improve aged care when it took power at the last election, saying it would act on the royal commission that exposed the neglect of older Australians, and has mandated 24/7 onsite clinical care as well as the minimum amount of nursing care that residents should receive each day. Without enough staff to meet the mandate, some providers have dropped plans to add more beds despite the demand from older Australians who need to move from home or retirement villages into aged care. Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation secretary Annie Butler at a jobs and skills summit at Parliament House in 2022. Credit: James Brickwood A government aged-care taskforce warned last year that the sector needed more staff and investment to support older Australians, but Labor and the Coalition are yet to reach a deal in parliament on the reforms. Taskforce member Grant Corderoy, of accounting firm StewartBrown, has estimated providers will close 21,200 beds in net terms over the six years to 2030 unless changes are made to attract investment. Workforce reforms are critical and should be addressed by a separate reform agenda, not tied to the taskforce funding reforms, Corderoy said. Loading Aged and Community Care Providers Association chief executive Tom Symondson said only about 40 per cent of all residential providers were currently meeting targets. While weve seen some improvement over the last year from the absolute worst point, weve only seen that because we havent been able to find enough workforce to deliver on the minutes targets, he said. If 100 per cent [of providers] were meeting the targets, those losses would skyrocket. Federal authorities are likely to take the nurse shortage into account when looking at whether providers have met the mandate on daily care minutes, as long as there is no risk to residents and the providers are doing what they can to meet the targets. Federal Aged Care Minister Anika Wells said the government had put $11.3 billion towards a wage rise for aged-care workers and was tackling the labour shortages as a major issue. This significantly improved pay for 250,000 workers and was the biggest pay rise for the sector, ever, Wells said. This years federal budget included $88.4 million over three years to develop the aged-care workforce, while state governments are also offering incentives to nurses, such as waiving their university fees. UnitingCare national director Claerwen Little welcomed the federal pledge on aged-care wages but said the federal government needed a long-term workforce plan. Aged Care Minister Anika Wells. Credit: James Brickwood We are acutely aware of chronic workforce shortages, particularly in regional and remote services, she said. Our services are often forced to engage contract staff through recruitment agencies at an exorbitant cost to fill critical workforce shortages. While the nursing federation backs the federal mandate on daily care minutes, Catholic Health Australia said it was a factor in the pressure to find staff. Catholic Health Australia director of aged-care policy Laura Haylen estimated the nurse shortage was far greater than some of the official figures showed, saying the sector had 60,000 care and nursing vacancies. Philippines and China Trade Blame After High-Stakes Collision Near Disputed Shoal in South China Sea (Photo: Philippine Coast Guard / Public domain) The Philippines and China have traded accusations over a collision involving their coast guard vessels in the disputed South China Sea. The latest incident occurred near the Sabina Shoal, a contentious area claimed by both nations, further inflaming an already volatile situation. The confrontation on Saturday marks the fifth maritime clash between the two countries in just a month. According to Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela, a Chinese coast guard vessel deliberately rammed the Philippine cutter Teresa Magbanua, causing significant damage but no injuries. "China Coast Guard vessel 5205 directly and intentionally rammed the Philippine vessel without provocation," Tarriela asserted at a press conference. China, however, has a different narrative. Liu Dejun, a spokesperson for China's coast guard, claimed that a Philippine vessel, which was "illegally stranded" at the shoal, deliberately collided with a Chinese ship. Liu warned that the Philippines must withdraw or face "resolute" measures from China. "The Chinese coast guard will take the measures required to resolutely thwart all acts of provocation, nuisance, and infringement," Liu said. The Sabina Shoal, located approximately 75 nautical miles from the Philippine province of Palawan and 630 nautical miles from China, is part of the larger South China Sea area that Beijing claims almost in its entirety. This region is critical due to its substantial oil and natural gas deposits, rich fishing grounds, and its role as a major global shipping route through which $3 trillion worth of trade passes annually. The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in 2016 that China's expansive claims have no legal basis, a decision Beijing has consistently rejected. The ongoing disputes have led to numerous maritime skirmishes and diplomatic confrontations. Following the latest clash, the U.S. has voiced strong support for the Philippines. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson condemned the incident, asserting that China's actions constitute "dangerous violations of international law." In a statement on the social media platform X, Carlson emphasized that the U.S. stands with the Philippines in upholding international law and condemns the "intentional ramming" of the Philippine vessel. The Philippines' Coast Guard has stated that it will not withdraw its vessel despite the aggressive actions of the Chinese coast guard. "We will not move our ship despite the harassment, the bullying activities, and escalatory actions of the Chinese coast guard," Tarriela declared. This latest incident adds to a series of recent confrontations. In April, the Philippines deployed a ship to the Sabina Shoal amid accusations that China was constructing an artificial island. The Philippine maritime council has also reported unsafe maneuvers by Chinese aircraft against civilian patrols over other disputed areas, including the Scarborough Shoal and Subi Reef. Further complicating the situation, the Philippines has accused China of blocking a routine resupply mission for Filipino fishermen, using water cannons and ramming a vessel transporting essential supplies. These actions reflect the high stakes and escalating nature of the South China Sea dispute. Both nations have sought to mitigate immediate conflicts through recent diplomatic efforts. Last month, an agreement was reached allowing the Philippines to restock its outpost at the Second Thomas Shoal, which has thus far proceeded without reported clashes. However, ongoing friction and mutual accusations continue to strain relations between the two countries. Goldman Sachs is preparing to lay off between 3 and 4 per cent of its workforceamounting to about 1,300 to 1,800 employeesas part of its routine annual review process, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. The layoffs, which have already commenced, are expected to impact various divisions within the bank, the report said. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp A spokesperson for Goldman Sachs, Tony Fratto, described the process as normal, standard, and customary, emphasising that the annual talent reviews are a regular part of the banks operations. Despite these reductions, Fratto noted that the banks overall headcount is projected to increase by the end of the year compared to 2023. The report also highlighted that similar workforce adjustments are common across major banks, which routinely trim underperforming staff to manage costs in a challenging economic environment. In the first quarter of this year, the largest US banks collectively cut over 5,000 jobs, with Citigroup leading the reductions by eliminating 2,000 positions. Historically, Goldman Sachs annual review process has led to workforce reductions ranging from 2 to 7 per cent, depending on the banks financial performance and market conditions. Last year, the bank implemented a 6 per cent reduction in January, followed by additional cuts in May and the autumn. In a related development, Goldman Sachs recently lowered its probability of a US recession from 25 per cent to 20 per cent, citing positive retail sales figures and improving unemployment claims data. The bank's economists suggest that a strong jobs report, expected on September 6, could further reduce the recession risk to 15 per cent, where it had been prior to a recent revision He said that the Rs 680 crore Rajiv Gandhi Start-up Scheme is in operation in the state to motivate the youth. The Himachal Pradesh government and a Dubai-based firm on Saturday signed a Memorandum of Understanding for overseas placements of the youths of the state in the presence of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. The MoU was signed by Deputy Director (Employment) Sandeep Thakur on behalf of the government and EFS Facilities Services Group Limited CEO Tariq Chauhan. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp The CM on the occasion offered appointment letters to Una's Rajat Kumar, Sunil Kumar, Jaspreet Singh, and Abhinav Sharma, and Hamirpur district's Dinesh. The Visa process of all five candidates is under process and they are expected to go to Saudi Arabia in September this year, where they will work on the NEOM city project. Sukhu said that the MoU would pave the way for better employment opportunities for Himachali youths. The CM also directed the Labour and Employment Department to evolve a mechanism to track the well-being of the candidates working abroad and suggested the use of Mukhya Mantri Sewa Sankalp Helpline 1100 for the purpose. According to a statement, EFS plans to meet 15-20 per cent of its hiring needs from the state, up to 1,000 candidates per year, for jobs in such sectors as hospitality, technical services, housekeeping, food and beverage, and office support. "The State Government is committed to providing employment and self-employment opportunities to the youth of the State and over 31,000 posts have been created by the present State Government in the government sector alone in a short span of about 20 months," the statement quoted Sukhu as saying. He said that the Rs 680 crore Rajiv Gandhi Start-up Scheme is in operation in the state to motivate the youth to become self-employed. Chauhan said, "No recruitment fees would be charged from the candidates and complete protection from exploitation would be provided by intermediaries. The Signing Ceremony was hosted in Colombo by the Government of Sri Lanka. Image: X@IndiainS India on Friday signed the Charter and memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the establishment of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) Secretariat along with Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Mauritius. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, along with representatives from Maldives, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka, signed a charter and memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) Secretariat, according to the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp The Signing Ceremony was hosted in Colombo by the Government of Sri Lanka. The signing event marked a significant step in regional security collaboration among India, Maldives, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka. High Commission of India in Sri Lanka shared some photos of X and stated, "NSA Mr Ajit Doval KC joined reps from Maldives, Mauritius & Sri Lanka in signing the Charter & MoU for the establishment of Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) Secretariat today. A key platform to enhance regional security cooperation, the signing marks a milestone in the CSC roadmap." According to MEA, "The Member States of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) signed the Charter and the MoU for the Establishment of the CSC Secretariat on 30 August 2024. The Signing Ceremony was hosted in Colombo by the Government of Sri Lanka." Ajit Doval KC, National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister of India; Ibrahim Latheef, DC (Retd.), Lt. Col (Retd.), National Security Advisor of Maldives; Haymandoyal Dillum, High Commissioner of the Republic of Mauritius to Sri Lanka and Sagala Ratnayake, National Security Advisor to the President of Sri Lanka signed the documents on behalf of the respective Member States. "The CSC's core objective is to promote regional security by addressing transnational threats and challenges of common concern to the Member States," the statement added. There are five pillars of cooperation under the CSC namely Maritime Safety and Security; Countering Terrorism and Radicalisation; Combating Trafficking and Transnational Organised Crime; Cyber Security and Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Technology; and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief. The event concluded with a discussion among heads of delegation on the next steps and the future activities of the Conclave. From Brunei, Modi is slated to visit Singapore on September 4-5. (Photo: PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Brunei on September 3-4, seeking to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation in all existing sectors, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday. This will be the first bilateral visit of an Indian prime minister to Brunei, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his media briefing. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp The visit will also mark 40 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Brunei, he said. From Brunei, Modi is slated to visit Singapore on September 4-5 at the invitation of his Singaporean counterpart, the MEA said. Later, in a statement, the MEA said the prime minister is scheduled to visit Brunei Darussalam on September 3-4 at the invitation of Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. Brunei is an important partner in India's "Act East" policy and its vision of Indo-Pacific. The visit will further strengthen India's cooperation with Brunei in all existing sectors, including defence cooperation, trade and investment, energy, space technology, health cooperation, capacity building, culture as well as people-to-people exchanges, and explore avenues for cooperation in newer sectors, the ministry said. Modi will thereafter visit Singapore at the invitation of Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. "The leaders will review the progress of the India-?Singapore Strategic Partnership and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest," the MEA said. During his visit, the prime Minister will call on Singapore's President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and interact with the Singaporean leadership. He will also meet business leaders from Singapore. These visits will further strengthen India's cooperation with Brunei and Singapore both bilaterally and within the regional and multilateral frameworks, the MEA said. Jaiswal, during the briefing, also spoke about the India Singapore ministerial roundtable, first held in 2022 and then in 2024, in which four Indian ministers participated. The ties between India and Singapore are deep, and after the roundtable, they have "deepened and strengthened", and the prime minister's visit seeks to further strengthen the relationship, the MEA spokesperson said. The initiative will help to collaborate with startups, MSMEs, and the rural economy. | Photo: Stalin's X account Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin visited the offices of Apple, Google and Microsoft and discussed opportunities for investment and partnerships with them. Day 2 of his US visit led to the signing of a pact to skill two million youngsters in the state in AI under the 'Naan Mudhalvan' scheme, in partnership with Google. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp The Chief Minister, currently on a visit to the USA to attract investments to Tamil Nadu, on Saturday described the visit to the offices of Apple, Google and Microsoft as awe-inspiring." Discussed various opportunities and exciting partnerships. Determined to strengthen these partnerships and make Tamil Nadu one of the foremost growth engines of Asia! @TRBRajaa @Guidance_TN @TNIndMin #InvestInTN #ThriveInTN #LeadWithTN #DravidianModel, Stalin said in a post on the social media platform X. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in the presence of the Chief Minister, with Google for setting up Tamil Nadu AI (Artificial Intelligence) labs in Tamil Nadu. The initiative will help to collaborate with startups, MSMEs, and the rural economy besides making the youth a future-ready force. The signing of the pact was the outcome of a discussion initiated by the CM with officials at Google on August 30, a government release here said. The Chief Minister met top officials of Google at Mountain View campus and discussed the further expansion of production of Pixel 8 phones manufactured in Tamil Nadu and the launch of other Google products and technology facilities in Tamil Nadu, the release said. Stalin also spoke about boosting growth through AI innovations in start-ups, industrial ecosystem mobility and capacity for the future. The Chief Minister visited the office of Apple Inc, which manufactures and markets smartphones, personal computers, portable computers and wearable electronic products and accessories such as smart watches, headphones, Airpods and various related services. It is headquartered in Cupertino, California, and is one of the Fortune 500 companies operating in 27 countries with 530 global outlets. Stalin thanked the company officials for ensuring Tamil Nadu a place in the global electronics manufacturing map. He outlined the various initiatives of the Tamil Nadu government to improve the manufacturing environment of the state and highlighted that Tamil Nadu is a leading state in terms of industry, housing and transport logistics facilities, as well as the education and skills development of youth and women. The state will be further strengthened and transformed into the manufacturing hub of Asia, the Chief Minister said and invited Apple to invest in Tamil Nadu. Industries Minister T R B Rajaa and other officials were present. The Chief Minister and Minister expressed their appreciation for Apple's contributions and listed various government initiatives designed to enhance the state's manufacturing ecosystem. Discussions also highlighted ongoing efforts in women empowerment and improvements in industrial housing and logistics, further solidifying Tamil Nadu's position as a manufacturing hub in Asia. At Microsoft, the delegation met with Ryan Roslansky, CEO of LinkedIn, and the senior leadership team. The discussions explored several key opportunities, including the expansion of data centre infrastructure in Tamil Nadu and the establishment of a Global Capability Centre. Additionally, collaborative efforts on AI skilling initiatives were examined to develop a future-ready workforce. This landmark visit and the signing of the MoU with Google highlights Tamil Nadu's commitment to leveraging strategic partnerships with global tech leaders to drive growth and innovation. The state remains determined to capitalise on these opportunities, reinforcing its position as a leading hub for technology and manufacturing in Asia and is determined to become AI leader of the country, the release added. Farooq Abdullah said people of Jammu and Kashmir must also respect and protect the people of every religion. India is known for unity in diversity and governments must protect every religion, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah said here on Saturday, a day after the Assam Assembly scrapped a two-hour 'namaz' break provided to Muslim legislators on Fridays. Abdullah said nothing is permanent and things will change when the time comes. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said on Friday that the state assembly would discontinue the two-hour break provided on Fridays to facilitate Muslim legislators to offer 'namaz'. The rule will be implemented from the next session. "This country is known for unity in diversity. We have every religion and every language, be it Tamil Nadu, Kashmir, Bengal or Maharashtra,? any state, every state has a different culture and that is why India is a federal structure and we have to protect every religion. "When the time comes, it will change. Nothing is permanent. Good things will prevail again. We will tell them, let our government come, not to indulge in such activities," Abdullah said. He said the people of Jammu and Kashmir must also respect and protect the people of every religion. "We have to take care of people from every religion. When our approach towards them is good, then it will be good across the country," he added. On PDP president Mehbooba Mufti describing as "regrettable" NC vice president Omar Abdullah's remarks that the banned outfit Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) once considered elections "haram (forbidden)" but now they have become "halal (permissible)", the NC president said nothing will be achieved by pointing fingers at each other. "I will not say anything about her. May God bless her. May she tread her own path, but think about protecting the country. Nothing will come out of pointing fingers at each other. She must shun this way," he said. He also congratulated the former members of the banned JeI for contesting the assembly elections. Abdullah paid obeisance at the Sufi shrine of Sheikh Hamza Makhdoomi. He said he prayed for the end of "chaos in the country" and strengthening of brotherhood between different communities. By Zoe Tillman Donald Trump is preparing fresh attacks against the 2020 election interference case in Washington and wants the next round of courtroom showdowns to wait until after the November presidential contest. In a court filing Friday night with dueling proposals, Special Counsel Jack Smiths office disagreed with Trumps approach and said it was prepared to move forward as quickly as possible, but didnt propose a specific timeline. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp US District Judge Tanya Chutkan has set a hearing for Sept. 5 to decide how the case should proceed. Trumps lawyers previewed arguments theyll raise as part of a renewed push to get the indictment dismissed. They contend the case still contains allegations related to Trumps official duties as president, actions which the Supreme Court held this summer carry at least some immunity from prosecution. Trump is charged with conspiring to overturn the 2020 election results. Smith this week announced a revised indictment that removed claims related to Trumps communications with the Justice Department and executive branch officials, but left intact much of the original case. Trumps lawyers signaled they would especially focus on Smiths decision to leave in allegations related to Trumps efforts to pressure Vice President Mike Pence to intervene on his behalf. The former presidents lawyers will also argue that Smiths appointment and funding violate the US Constitution, hoping to build off their recent success in the special counsels other case against Trump in Florida. Citing the appointment issue, US District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the Florida indictment charging Trump with willfully holding onto classified documents after he left the White House and obstructing government efforts to get the records back. Smith has appealed Cannons decision to the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals, where a three-judge panel isnt expected to rule before the Nov. 5 election, based on its schedule. Trumps lawyers want Chutkan to address the appointment issue before the immunity fight, proposing a hearing in early December followed by arguments on the immunity issue in late January. They said they would need more time to look for new evidence relevant to immunity and would want an opportunity to question Smiths witnesses and possibly call their own. Schedule Clash The Trump teams proposed schedule could stretch into fall 2025. Smiths office disagreed, writing that Trumps arguments for why the case should be dismissed should be briefed at the same time, and then Chutkan could decide when to rule. Prosecutors wrote they were prepared to file an opening brief on the immunity question promptly at any time the Court deems appropriate. Before Chutkan rejected Trumps immunity claim in December, the former presidents lawyers had raised other legal challenges, including related to counts charging him with obstructing an official proceeding that the Supreme Court narrowed in a different case this year. Trumps lawyers are preparing to argue that the high courts ruling means the obstruction counts should fall. The federal election obstruction case is one of four criminal cases filed against Trump since he left office in 2021. A state indictment in Georgia related to the 2020 election has been mired in a controversy over the conduct of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and wont reach a trial before November. In New York, a jury found Trump guilty this year of falsifying business records to conceal a hush-money payment to a porn star. He is due to be sentenced Sept. 18 but is seeking to postpone that until after the election. His lawyers argue that the US Supreme Courts immunity ruling applies to the Manhattan prosecution. Two new murder cases have been filed against Bangladesh's deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Two new murder cases have been filed against Bangladesh's deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her former cabinet ministers for the killing of three people, including two BNP activists, during the quota reform protests in the country, according to media reports. The cases, filed in Dhaka courts on Friday, were the latest in the slew of cases filed against the 76-year-old leader after her resignation and fleeing to India on August 5 following a massive protest by students against a quota system in government jobs. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp With this, the tally of cases filed against Hasina has risen to 84, including 70 on murder charges, eight on allegations of crimes against humanity and genocide, three for alleged abduction, and three on other charges, The Daily Star newspaper reported. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) activist Matiur Rahman filed the case in Kishoreganj over the killings of fellow party workers Zulkar Hossain, 38, and Anjana, 28, on August 4. According to the case statement, a procession of the student movement and BNP activists were attacked by Awami League leaders with firearms, batons and sharp weapons. Some BNP workers took shelter in the house of a district Awami League leader in the nearby Khormaptri area, where they were confined by activists of the Hasina-led party and then set on fire, killing Hossain and Anjana. As many as 88 people, including Hasina, former road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader, were named as accused in the case. In Munshiganj, a case was filed over the death of a 22-year-old man, who was shot dead during the student-led movement in the town's Supermarket area on August 4. As many as 313 people, including Hasina, Quader, other Awami League leaders, and activists of its student wing, Chhatra League, were accused in the case. "No one has been arrested in this case yet," the report quoted Thander Khairul Hasan, additional superintendent of police at Munshiganj Sadar Circle, as saying. Separately in Gazipur, 57 people, including Hasina, were accused in a case over the loss of eyesight of an 18-year-old college student. The victim was shot in the right eye during an attack on protesters at the orders of Hasina and others, according to the court document. Over 230 people were killed in Bangladesh in the incidents of violence that erupted across the country following the fall of the Hasina government, taking the death toll to more than 600 since the massive protest by students against a controversial quota system in government jobs first started in mid-July. The Hasina-led government was replaced by an interim government, and 84-year-old Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was named its Chief Adviser. Thursday, August 29, 2024 at 10:36PM Embed from Getty Images As messaging app Telegram faced increased scrutiny for its use by far-right extremists and terrorist groups, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was arrested over the past weekend in France. A warrant for his arrest was issued concerning his messaging app's lack of moderation. Durov was detained Saturday at Paris's Bourget Airport on charges including allegations that Telegram was complicit in aiding money launderers, drug traffickers, fraudsters, and those spreading child sexual exploitation content. French prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a statement on Monday that Durov is also accused of refusing to communicate "information or documents" related to the investigation. According to French prosecutors, Durov had been placed under formal investigation on Wednesday and wouldn't be allowed to leave France. It doesn't imply guilt in France's legal system, but it is the next stage in the official investigation into the allegations. His arrest has sparked debates about freedom of speech and who should be held liable for illicit content made online. Russian lawmaker Maria Butinawho was convicted in the US over spying charges and deported to Russia in 2019called the CEO a "political prisoner." However, French President Emmanuel Macron refutes this statement, saying Durov's arrest was "in no way a political decision." His arrest is "part of an ongoing judicial investigation." Paris prosecutor's office said on Monday that his arrest was part of a broad investigation into various criminal activities on Telegram dating back to July 8. There are a total of 12 separate charges. But Telegram counters that it abides by EU law and Durov has "nothing to hide." Telegram is an encrypted messaging service Durov and his brother Nikolai launched in 2013. According to a post from Durov, it now has over 950 million users, making it one of the most-used messaging platforms in the world. It's been vital for its users given you can do everything from chats to sending photos and documents to disseminating government messages. Since it's encrypted, law enforcement and Telegram itself have minimal oversight over what users share. In countries where freedom of speech is curtailed, it's become an essential tool. In Ukraine, it has helped share with its users news about the war and warnings about air raids. On the flip side, these protections were also being taken advantage of by criminals and terrorists. Telegram allows as many as 200,000 users to join an individual chat group, making it easy to reach a larger audience and potentially disseminate false claims. Source The Cherokee Nations Cherokee Language Master/Apprentice Program graduated eight students Thursday, Aug. 22, during a special commencement ceremony at the Durbin Feeling Language Center. L-R: CLMAP graduate Stand Paden, CLMAP graduate Jaice Bush, CLMAP graduate Darrell McCoy, Special Envoy for International Affairs and Language Preservation Joe Byrd, CLMAP graduate Erlinda Soap, Deputy Secretary of State Canaan Duncan, Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., CLMAP graduate Kendra Mouse, District 2 Councilor Candessa Tehee, CLMAP Program Manager Ryan Mackey, District 3 Councilor Lisa Robison Hall, CLMAP graduate Jarren Fourkiller, Council Speaker Mike Shambaugh, CLMAP graduate Joe Fourkiller, Executive Director of Language Howard Paden, CLMAP graduate Jesse Gray and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner. If youre looking for a sweet addition to your family, perhaps Cosmo might fit the bill. Hes a 7-year-old Pitbull mix located in the Eastern panhandle area of West Virginia, and hes looking for a new family after his mom had to go into a nursing home. A year ago, Amanda Stronzas mom adopted Cosmo and welcomed him into her home. He was one of those dogs at the local shelter that everyone happened to overlook. Sadly, Amanda and Cosmos mom suffered from a fall, and she is left needing long-term care, which means she can no longer live at home with Cosmo or keep him. I know he is missing my mom. He waits in her house each day. He is waiting for her to return, Amanda wrote on a GoFundMe page created to help raise funds for Cosmos future family. I keep telling him she loves him endlessly, but she wont be returning home. I keep promising him its ok, hes ok, and he will land in a new home, in new love. I know its a big deal to adopt a senior Pitbull, especially one who prefers to be an only dog. Its a lot. Several people have said they would love to take him if they could afford to care for him. Amanda says that Cosmo can actually get along just fine with cats and dogs, but he prefers to be an only child. Any time you say his name, his whole body wiggles with joy, and he gives you a smile! If you pet him, he cant hide how happy he is. Cosmo is a really loving guy, and Amanda says he will adore you for the rest of his life, and she will, too, if you can give him a perfect home. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. Home News Aurora mayor blames bad Biden border policies for Venezuelan gang problem Mayor Mike Coffman of Aurora, Colorado, said the Biden-Harris border policies are to blame for the criminal gang problem that has shone a negative spotlight on his largely safe community. Although Coffman stressed that the criminal element affiliated with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua in Aurora is largely isolated to specific apartment complexes and the problem doesn't affect the vast majority of the city's over 400,000 residents, he blames the federal government, in conjunction with nonprofit organizations, that decided to house a large number of Venezuelan migrants in low-income apartments in his city. "The city of Aurora took a position early on that we were not going to participate in the migrant crisis. We were not going to provide taxpayer support, and we were not even going to be a conduit for federal dollars to come in to provide assistance," Coffman said in an interview with Fox31 Denver on Thursday. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe "This is not our problem; this is a problem created by the federal government at the border with bad policy. So, the federal government needs to solve this problem, not the city of Aurora. These people did not go there on their own; somebody put them there." Despite the criminal gang takeover of at least three apartment complexes making national and international headlines, Coffman stressed Aurora is a safe place to live. In a video update posted on X early Saturday morning, Aurora Police Department Interim Chief Heather Morris said officers were speaking with residents at one apartment complex and claimed that "gang members have not taken over" based on what residents have told them. Morris acknowledged that there was some gang activity in the complex, and officers asked residents if they were being ordered to pay the gang members. She said officers were on hand to assure residents they were going to "investigate" and "address" criminal activity at the complex. In his interview with Fox31 Denver, Coffman said his hope is that authorities can remove the gang members from the three apartment complexes without having to force all of the residents to leave. As a Marine who served in Iraq, Coffman said: "You have an enemy that is inside a population that is intimidated by them. And so, the challenge is getting people to cooperate to identify them" and using film footage to identify them and "get them out." "Venezuela, unfortunately, is a failed state under a socialist dictator, and people are leaving. I think about one-third of the population has left," he continued. "Unlike immigration we've had in the past, in our Venezuelan community that has been here, where they had sponsors, where they had family members, they had resources, and they were educated," the city is now getting people who "poured over the border." "Typically, you walk across illegally, you get arrested, you declare political asylum, you're given humanitarian parole until your case can be adjudicated, which can take months, years," Coffman explained. "It's a broader problem than the gangs that you have people who are here without resources that can't apply for a work permit until they are here for six months." Despite confirmation from the mayor, police reports and video showing members of the Venezuelan gang brandishing guns and harassing residents in at least one apartment complex, Colorado's Democrat Gov. Jared Polis said this week that such claims are fiction. Polis pushed back on statements made by Coffman and Aurora City Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky, who said the apartments are being taken over by a criminal element. "The governor has already let the mayor know that the state is ready to support the local police department with assistance from state troopers and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation if needed," spokesperson Shelby Wieman told the New York Post. "But, according to police intelligence, this purported invasion is largely a feature of Danielle Jurinsky's imagination." Aurora resident Cindy Romero, who claimed to live in one of the apartment buildings housing the Venezuelan migrants, credited Jurinsky for getting her out of the apartment complex where she felt unsafe due to gang activity. In response to the governor's claims that the criminal activity was the makings of the councilwoman's "imagination," Romero told Fox News host John Robert: "Polis wouldn't last five minutes on that property." Wieman added that the governor's office is "ready to assist" police in securing the apartment complexes if criminal gangs have taken over. Late Friday night, the city of Aurora released a statement on its social media accounts blasting local and national media for reporting what it described as "misleading information" about residents' safety in the city. The city reiterated the mayor's Thursday statement stressing that Aurora is a "safe community." "Media have conflated and considerably exaggerated incidents that are isolated to a handful of problem properties alone. Yes, we are concerned that there is a small Tren de Aragua (TdA) presence in Aurora and we have been taking it seriously." The statement continued: "We have responded. We have made arrests. We will continue to make arrests. We will continue to address the problems that the absentee, out-of-state owners of these properties have allowed to fester unchecked. Aurora will aggressively pursue all actions available under city code and criminal statute." Home News MorningStar Ministries accused of cover-up in lawsuit detailing rampant abuse of boys by ex-volunteer A lawsuit filed against MorningStar Ministries earlier this month accuses founder Rick Joyner, along with several top officials of the organization and multiple other staff members, of gross negligence for allegedly engaging in the cover-up of multiple incidences of sexual abuse in the ministry. A copy of the 40-page lawsuit, shared by The Roys Report, names as defendants: Joyner, MorningStar Fellowship Church, Joyner's second in command David Yarns; the former volunteer, Erickson Douglas Lee; the volunteer's father and MorningStar Fellowship Church's head of security, Douglas Lee; Erickson Douglas Lee's assistant, Chase Portello; along with unidentified defendants James Smith 1-10 (any other agents and/or employees of the ministry associated with the complaint). "The negligent, grossly negligent, reckless, willful, or wanton acts, omissions, and liability of Defendants includes that of their agents, principals, employees, and/or servants, both directly and vicariously, pursuant to principals of non-delegable duty, corporate liability, apparent authority, agency, ostensible agency, and/or respondent superior," the lawsuit filed on behalf of one of the minor victims, John Doe #1 and his parents listed as James Roe #1 and Jane Roe #1 charges. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Joyner responded to the lawsuit in a statement shared on X this week after MorningStar Ministries leader Chris Reed abruptly resigned Monday, citing, among other things, the sexual abuse of the minors. Joyner insisted that the church wasn't negligent in their handling of the situation, saying many "outrageous things" were alleged in the lawsuit that are "not true." Reed initially presented his decision to resign as an act in support of the victims, but he would later reveal that he, too, preyed upon a younger woman in the ministry. He told The Roys Report that he sexually pursued the woman in 2021, kissed her and sent her "terrible" sexual texts while he was the senior pastor of MorningStar Fellowship Church. The matter was reportedly handled quietly by the church, and he was promoted to become the leader of MorningStar Ministries about a year ago. In his statement this week, Joyner revealed that the family of one of four teenage boys alleging the former volunteer sexually abused them had filed the lawsuit against the church. He said MorningStar Ministries is defending itself in court because "we are confident we can prove our innocence." A release from the York County Sheriff's Office in South Carolina said they arrested 25-year-old Erickson Douglas Lee after he turned himself in to detectives on May 2, 2023. He was charged with dissemination of obscene material to a person younger than 18, assault and battery first degree, and criminal sexual conduct with a minor second and third degree. Warrants connected to Lee's arrest cited by WSOC-TV said between December 2020 and June 2022, Lee allegedly committed a sex act with a victim younger than 16 as many as 30 times over 1.5 years. Investigators allege that around July 22, 2022, Lee, who served as a 17-year-old victim's 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 other victims younger than 18 at his home from August 2021 through January 2023. In the lawsuit filed on behalf of John Doe #1, who is now an adult, his attorneys argue that he will likely need psychological care for the rest of his life because of the abuse he suffered. "Plaintiff John Doe #1 has suffered immeasurable harm and will likely have to undergo psychiatric/psychological care for the remainder of his life due to actions or inactions of the Defendants. Defendants acted in dereliction of their duties to Plaintiffs by failing to prevent the foreseeable harm perpetrated by Erickson Lee onto Plaintiff John Doe #1," the lawsuit argues. The lawsuit alleges a pattern of coverup by MorningStar Fellowship Church leaders, citing the sexual assault of two women by a MorningStar employee sometime in the 2000s. "Both of these incidents of sexual abuse and assault were covered up by the church. In both instances, the victims were encouraged not to report these instances to law enforcement," the lawsuit alleges, pointing to a separate alleged sexual assault of a minor by a MorningStar University volunteer. "Upon information and belief, Joyner, Yarns, and Doug Lee knew of these assaults and helped orchestrate the victims not reporting the criminal incidents to law enforcement. The actions by MorningStar, Joyner, Yarns and Doug Lee in the investigation and actions of them after each assault incident involved neutral principles of law," the lawsuit argues. The lawsuit alleges that before Erickson Douglas Lee's sexual assault of John Doe #1 and the other minor boys, MorningStar Fellowship Church swept other sexual abuse and exploitation cases under the rug and never reported them to law enforcement. Still, the leaders allowed Erickson Douglas Lee to lead a program called "Young Special Forces" that allowed him to spend significant time alone with "young minor males with no oversight." The program was presented to parents and families as an opportunity for their sons to grow "physically, mentally, spiritually" by going on trips where they would be taught life skills. "It was at this time, that the parents and Doe #1 were told that Doug Lee's son Erickson Lee would run the YSF program. The parents and Doe #1 were told that Erickson Lee was a [M]arine, was going to be a law enforcement officer and had a passion to raise up the next generation of young men," the lawsuit says. When he was just 12, in November 2018, John Doe #1 went on his first trip with Erickson Lee leading the program. In August 2019, when he was 13, he attended another event called "overcoming fear weekend." During the first year of getting to know Erickson Lee, the volunteer took Doe #1 to the movies with another child and played video games with him. He also took John Doe #1 and another minor to his parents' house and gave them alcohol. After a number times giving alcohol and vapes to Doe #1 and the other minor, Erickson Lee also allegedly showed them pornography. In December 2019, Doe #1 was invited to the overnight program Hike in Gaston County, North Carolina, along with several YSF minor members. "In less than a year, Erickson Lee had taken complete control of this YSF program with little to no training, monitoring or supervision by other church leaders and was turning it into his own private fiefdom for his own perverse enjoyment," the lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit cites another adult male from the church, Ryan Shuster, who also attended the trip and brought alcohol with him. After this trip, one of the boys told his father about the provision of alcohol and vapes by Erickson Lee, and his father pulled him from the program, according to the lawsuit. It was still unclear at this point who at the church was told about what Erickson Lee did and what action was taken by church leadership. The following year, in September 2020, Erickson Lee took some minor boys to Camp Lejeune in Onslow County, North Carolina, but only "2nd year" students were invited to this trip. The group stayed at beach cabins which had two floors each. Erickson Lee slept in the bedroom on the main floor with one of the minors while the other boys slept in the loft upstairs. According to the lawsuit, Erickson Lee and the minor staying in his room came up to the upstairs loft late at night and were drunk. They were also looking at porn on their phones and showing the other boys. After Erickson Lee and the minor returned downstairs, Doe #1 and another minor from the loft heard a noise, and they went downstairs to see what was happening. Erickson Lee was in the kitchen and "obviously drunk" and "was being touchy and perverted towards the boys." When they inquired about the minor who was sharing his room, Erickson Lee told them he was sleeping. "The bedroom door was open, and they went in and saw that the minor child was completely naked and passed out on the bed," the lawsuit says. "Erickson Lee then gave Doe #1 and another minor hard liquor and drank with them. Later on in this trip, Erickson Lee then forced the boys to get naked in front of him and then take a shower together. He was being very forceful, and the minor aged boys didn't feel like they had a choice or could stand up to Erickson Lee," it adds. Two months later, in October 2020, according to the lawsuit, Doe #1 got suspended from the program after he was caught with alcohol. His parents had to sit through meetings with church officials, including Erickson Lee and his father, Doug Lee, who lectured them about the church's code of conduct. The parents had no idea at this point what was happening to their son. In Gaston County in November 2020, Erickson Lee allegedly gave alcohol, vapes and pornography to multiple children and sexually assaulted Doe #1 when he was 14. In York County on December 31, 2020, to January 1, 2021, he allegedly did the same thing on MorningStar property and sexually assaulted Doe #1 again while he was 14. Doe #1 was sexually assaulted further several other times after that. Doe #1 would continue getting in trouble for drinking and then forced to sit through lectures with Erickson Lee and other program leaders about his code of conduct. In April, Doe #1 was allowed to go on another trip despite his hand being in a cast from a biking accident. According to the lawsuit, his parents were told "that Doe #1 would still be with the group and be looked out for in his condition." That never happened, as Doe #1 was subjected to more of Erickson Lee's perversion. "Erickson Lee took Doe #1 off by himself and kept Doe #1 with him alone, overnight. The parents were not made aware of this sleeping arrangement. Erickson Lee sexually assaulted Doe #1 while under the influence of alcohol," the lawsuit says. "There were multiple occasions over the next year where Erickson Lee provided alcohol to minor boys and then sexually assaulted and abused them (including Doe #1)." In September 2022, Doe #1 was at the home of Erickson Lee's father with his parents where they left him overnight. "Doug Lee saw his son Erickson Lee giving Doe #1, a minor, alcohol at this time. Doug Lee's only response to his son Erickson Lee was 'Be Careful,'" the lawsuit says. "Doug Lee did not report this behavior to anyone." Erickson Lee would sexually assault Doe #1 at his father's house that night. "If Doug Lee had done anything with his knowledge ... Erickson Lee's episodes of depravity with minors could have ended," the lawsuit alleges. "Instead, Doug Lee did nothing." Home News Over 16,000 Christians killed in 4 years as violence in Nigeria continues unabated: observatory More than 16,000 Christians were killed in Nigeria in four years between 2019 and 2023 as more followers of Christ were victims of violence than adherents of other religions, according to data collected by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa. ORFA released a four-year data project Thursday documenting 55,910 fatalities from 9,970 attacks, including both civilians and combatants, across Nigeria. Of those killed, 30,880 were civilians. Christian victims totaled 16,769, significantly outnumbering the 6,235 Muslim fatalities the ratio of Christian to Muslim deaths being 6.5:1. Radicalized Muslim Fulani herdsmen were responsible for 55% of the Christian deaths. "For over a decade atrocities against civilians in Nigeria have been downplayed or minimized. This has proved a major obstacle for those seeking to understand the violence," the researchers wrote in the 136-page report shared with The Christian Post. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe "Misleading euphemisms, such as 'armed herdsmen' and 'cattle grazers' are used to describe continual waves of invasion, torture and killing in rural communities. Descriptions of attacks as 'ethnic clashes,' 'farmers-herders clashes' or retaliatory attacks are seriously misleading." Another frequent term used to describe militias that carry out mass kidnappings and enforce "serfdom" on communities is "bandits," the report warns, adding that "a policy of concealing the religious identity of victims" is distorting the reality of the situation. "Fulani Ethnic Militia are targeting Christian populations, while Muslims also suffer severely at their hands," notes Rev. Gideon Para-Mallam, an observatory partner and analyst, said in a statement. "Millions of people are left undefended," Frans Vierhout, senior analyst at the Observatory of Religious Freedom in Africa, added. "For years, we've heard of calls for help being ignored, as terrorists attack vulnerable communities. Now the data tells its own story." Across Nigeria, over 21,621 people were abducted in 2,705 attacks, with some incidents overlapping. The observatory recorded 11,610 distinct attacks where individuals were killed or abducted. Of these, 8,905 involved only killings, 1,065 included both killings and abductions and 1,640 involved only abductions. Of the 21,532 civilians abducted, 11,185 were Christians, and 7,899 were Muslims, according to ORFA. Researchers stated the religious identity of victims significantly influenced their treatment by captors, with Christian captives often facing harsher conditions and higher risks of execution compared to their Muslim counterparts. On average, eight attacks involving killings or abductions occurred daily over a four-year period in Nigeria. Fear of violence has gotten so bad there were reports of children sleeping in trees to avoid nighttime attacks. The data showed a large geographic spread of violence, with 65 different Local Government Areas affected. The majority of civilian fatalities occurred during attacks on communities, particularly during the farming season's peak months between April and June. The North West, North Central and North East regions were identified as epicenters of such attacks. People were most vulnerable in their homes, with the majority of civilians 25,312 killed and 16,761 abducted suffering attacks in their communities, according to the report. This contrasts with other locations where 5,568 civilians were killed and 4,771 abducted. The report pointed to the Fulani Ethnic Militia and other less-known groups as primary aggressors. Armed Fulani herdsmen, part of FEM, and various terrorist groups were responsible for most killings and abductions, overshadowing the more internationally recognized threats from Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province. For instance, armed Fulani herdsmen were responsible for the deaths of 11,948 civilians, while other terror groups were responsible for 12,039 deaths. Armed Fulani were responsible for over 6,000 civilian abductions, while other groups were responsible for 13,000. Armed Fulani were responsible for 9,153 Christian deaths during that timespan; Other terrorist groups accounted for 29% or 4,895 deaths. Combined, Boko Haram and ISWAP were responsible for 8% of the Christian deaths, which amounts to 1,268 fatalities. The report criticized the Nigerian government's focus away from these areas, suggesting that the lack of adequate security response has allowed these groups to operate with near impunity. "The Nigerian government should wake up to its responsibility of securing the lives and properties of Nigerians. Impunity has allowed targeted attacks against innocent people to continue unabatedly," the report concludes. "The government has [a] responsibility to maintain law and order, therefore, providing protection for lives and properties will reassure citizens and endear trust in the government. If the people cannot trust the government to deliver justice, more militant groups and sub state actors could rise up to the State against its citizens." The observatory urges the Nigerian government to prioritize peace and coexistence, reevaluate its security strategies and enhance support for affected communities. Key suggestions include reorienting national values towards justice and reconciliation, enhancing security measures to protect civilians and promoting interfaith dialogue to mitigate religious biases and tensions. The report called for a concerted effort also from international bodies to address the violence in Nigeria. The European Union member states, along with the United States and United Kingdom governments, should allocate more aid resources to Nigeria's North Central Zone and Southern Kaduna, which are experiencing a displacement crisis, the report said, explaining that in areas where internally displaced persons can return to their home communities, they often find their houses and communities in ruins. ORFA added that the U.S. and U.K. governments should use their positions on the United Nations Security Council to pursue a resolution aimed at enhancing the security of communities in Nigeria that are vulnerable to attacks. The U.S. government continues to face pressure from advocates and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom to again label Nigeria as a country of particular concern for international religious freedom after it was removed from the list during the first year of the Biden administration. Home News Billy Grahams granddaughter voting for Biden, says Trump trying 'to hijack our faith for votes' A granddaughter of the Rev. Billy Graham, Jerushah Duford, said she is voting for Joe Biden this upcoming election despite her pro-life views and accused President Donald Trump of trying to hijack our faith for votes. I spent the better part of my life watching my grandfather look to the example of Jesus to how to conduct himself how to treat people, Duford, whose mother Gigi Graham is the eldest child of Billy and Ruth Graham, said in a recent interview. Scripture talks about doing justly, loving mercy, walking humbly, and these are tenants of our faith that I do not believe our president demonstrates in any way. Duford, who recently joined the Lincoln Projects women coalition to advocate against President Trumps reelection, stressed that shes not looking for a savior We have a savior, she said nor does she believe the president has to share her faith. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe However, [Trumps] attempt to hijack our faith for votes and the evangelical leaders silence on his actions and behavior has presented a picture of what our faith looks like that is so erroneous, it's done significant damage to the way people view Jesus. Duford also condemned what she sees as silence from some church and evangelical leaders regarding Trump's treatment of the marginalized communities and his objectifying of women. This silence, she said, has done enormous, enormous damage to the way people view our faith. She claimed that over the last few months, thousands of people have asked her how a church that adheres to the teachings of Jesus can support Trump. I want the world to know personally that the Jesus we serve promotes kindness, dignity, humility, and this president doesnt represent our faith, Duford said. What we see in the White House is not what Jesus looks like and is not our faith. Duford told The New York Times she believes her grandfather would be discouraged by the current state of politics. I think he would be sad. I think his greatest desire had nothing to do with policies but to introduce people to a loving Jesus, and the division this administration has caused I believe has hurt this effort, she explained. When it comes to the issue of abortion, Duford said she genuinely wishes the Democratic Party would have a greater value for life inside the womb, but also wishes the Republican Party would place a greater value on life outside the womb. You cannot choose just one and define yourself as pro-life, she said. Dufords opinions starkly contrast those of her cousin, Cissie Graham Lynch, the daughter of the outspoken conservative Franklin Graham. During a speech delivered at the Republican National Convention, the 34-year-old warned that the Biden-Harris vision for America of leaves no room for people of faith and urged people of faith to support the Trump administration. They will force the choice between being obedient to God or to Caesar, Lynch said, because the radical lefts God is government power. So in the words of my grandfather Billy Graham, let us stand for political freedom, moral freedom, religious freedom, and the rights of all Americans, and lets never give in to those who would attempt to take it from us. Lynch asserted that after Trumps election, people of faith had a fierce advocate in the White House who appointed judges who respect the First Amendment. She also noted how the Trump administration has supported Christians facing legal discrimination challenges related to their religious beliefs on sexuality and marriage in court. She said the Trump administration has ensured religious ministries would not be forced to violate their beliefs. Lynch also praised Trump for talking about the importance of religious freedom at the United Nations last year. In America, we have not faced physical persecution, even though the left has tried to silence us, she said. Even during the pandemic, we saw how quickly life can change. Some Democratic leaders tried to ban church services while marijuana shops and abortion clinics were declared essential. But do you know what truly is essential? Our right to worship freely and live our faith in every aspect of life. Other members of the Graham family have also publicly backed Trump, including evangelists Franklin Graham and Anne Graham Lotz. While some polls have shown the presidents support slipping with white evangelicals, a poll from Pew Research Center taken last month showed that 82% of white evangelicals planned to vote for Trump. 'Deep sadness' over death of vicar and wife killed in horror collision The Diocese of Coventry has expressed its "deep sadness" over the deaths of a vicar and his wife who were killed in a collision in Anglesey on Wednesday. Rev Stephen Burch and his wife, Kathy, both 65, were walking near a pier in the Welsh town of Beaumaris when they were hit by a car. The 81-year-old driver of a grey Audi A8 involved in the crash died at the scene. The Diocese of Coventry said news of their deaths was a "shock" as Rev Burch had only retired at the end of last year after serving in the diocese for over 35 years. His last role before his retirement was as vicar of St James, Fletchamstead, a post he held for 19 years. "Steve was a popular member of our diocese and well known for his good humour and unwavering faith and many will also know Kathy well from her work with CPAS (Church Pastoral Aid Society) and worship ministry," a spokesperson said. "As [a] couple they were still very active in retirement this year, running an Alpha course leading to baptism and confirmations. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Steve and Kathy's family at this time especially their children, David, Jonathan and Sarah as they come to terms with this devastating, unexpected loss." Details of the funeral have not yet been made public. The family have thanked people for their prayers and asked for privacy as they come to terms with their loss. The Diocese of Coventry has published a special prayer. Dear Lord, as Jesus followers asked him to help their friends, so we ask you today to help our friends struggling in the darkness of grief. May they know moments of peace in their pain, moments of joy in their memories, and moments of hope in your love. Amen. Top crime author Lee Child says a Bible story inspired him Lee Child, one of the world's biggest-selling crime novelists, has revealed that a Bible picture book had a major impact on his writing and that his popular fictional hero Jack Reacher is based on Goliath. Child who has sold more than 100 million books worldwide told a radio interviewer that he came across the Old Testament story of David and Goliath in a children's scripture book when he was around four years old. Speaking to the BBC's John Wilson, British-born Child described the deep impact on him of 'The Shepherd Boy of Bethlehem,' one of a series produced by UK publisher Ladybird Books in the 1950s. Child recalled: "I loved the pictures and I read the story. But Goliath was my favourite. I would read the book over and over again, daily, hoping that one day Goliath would win! "Afterwards I realised, I liked the big guy rather than the little guy. I don't like the underdog apparently. In my head, Goliath would win though he never did on the page, and the story never changed." Child admitted "Jack Reacher is Goliath. My whole premise for the Reacher books is 'Can Goliath be the good guy and can we find a way of making readers worried about him.'" Reacher, a fictional hero in Child's books, is a former military policeman, strong and tall, and fearless as a fighter. Child's revelation is further evidence of the major impact of the Ladybird Books, published between the 1950s and 1970s and read in their millions by children around the world. The book read by Child has been confirmed as 'The Shepherd Boy of Bethlehem,' published in 1953, with illustrations by Kenneth Inns, and written by Lucy Diamond. That slim volume now stands revealed as having a major influence on popular crime fiction in the 21st century. Religious titles were among the wide range of books published by Ladybird that were popular with children and their families, and widely used in primary schools and churches. Some can still be found in church libraries today, with many older readers maintaining a deep affection for the books that first introduced them to Bible stories. Helen Day, curator of 'The Wonderful World of the Ladybird Artists' exhibition, is a keen collector and historian of the books, and has taken her exhibition to a series of UK cities. She explained, "The heyday of Ladybird is usually said to be the 'golden years' between 1950 and the early 1970s. "They were hugely influential in children's lives especially in the 1960s and 70s when Ladybird was well established as a publisher for children and the market was less competitive. Right from the start, the combination of the small size, hard cover, abundant full-colour illustrations, consistent format and high quality made them appealing both to children and adults." Day added, "Religious books were among the earlier titles to be published beginning in 1952. They must have sold in vast numbers judging by the number of existing copies. "It's extremely common to find a bookplate in the front of the religious books, explaining the title in question had been a prize for school attendance or success." The first title in the Scripture series was published in 1952. 'The Child in the Temple', a retelling of the Bible story of Samuel, was written by Lucy Diamond with illustrations by Kenneth Inns. Sadly, although much is known about the illustrators of the religious titles, there is little information about the writers, whose words introduced a generation to Bible stories and the life of Jesus. Rev Peter Crumpler is a Church of England minister in St Albans, Herts, UK, a former communications director with the CofE and a collector of Ladybird Books religious titles. A worker prepares packages at an Amazon same-day delivery fulfillment center on Prime Day in the Bronx borough of New York, US, on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. Amazon.com Inc.'s Prime Day sales rose about 13% in the first six hours of the event compared with the same period last year, according to Momentum Commerce, which manages 50 brands in a variety of product categories. Photographer: Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg via Getty Images Amazon's checkout function encountered technical issues on Friday, keeping customers from completing purchases. The e-commerce site displayed error messages with photos of dogs during the outage as people posted about it on social media. To run its website, Amazon relies on its own data center infrastructure. But the company's Amazon Web Services division was not reporting any technical issues while the checkout feature wasn't working. AWS downtime can lead to problems across the internet because so many companies rely on the market-leading public cloud. An Amazon spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the run-up to the long weekend in the U.S., Amazon has started promoting discounts on products as part of a Labor Day sale. But people weren't able to purchase discounted products because of the glitch, as some people pointed out on the X social network. The Amazon Help account on X replied with a recommendation to contact the company. Amazon has warned investors that technical incidents can lead to lower sales and a worse perception of the company's products and services. Sales are healthy at almost $148 billion in the second quarter. WATCH: Evercore ISI's Mark Mahaney on his new top internet stock picks: Amazon, Doordash, Uber NASA administrators speak during a news conference to discuss plans to return two astronauts who remain stranded at the International Space Station, at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, on August 24, 2024. NASA said on Friday it will replace two crew members for an upcoming SpaceX flight to accommodate the two astronauts aboard the International Space Station who had arrived on Boeing 's faulty Starliner capsule. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, both former military test pilots who launched aboard the Starliner spacecraft in June, will replace Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson on the SpaceX mission. Last week, NASA officials deemed issues with Starliner's propulsion system too risky to bring its first crew home as planned, dealing a major blow to Boeing's struggling space program. SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft, initially set to launch four astronauts to the ISS on Aug. 18, has had its mission, dubbed Crew-9, rescheduled by NASA to "no earlier than" Sept. 24. Cardman, initially selected as the mission's commander, and Wilson, the mission specialist, remain eligible for reassignment to future missions, NASA said in a release. Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will continue as part of the crew and fly back with Wilmore and Williams in February 2025. Hague, originally designated as the pilot, will now take over as commander, while Gorbunov will retain his role as mission specialist, the space agency said. NASA's decision to enlist Boeing's chief space rival, SpaceX, to return the astronauts marks another setback for the embattled U.S. planemaker and represents one of NASA's most consequential decisions in years. Boeing had pinned its space hopes on the success of the Starliner test mission, hoping it would redeem the troubled program after years of development challenges. China Coast Guard ships (background L and R) are seen past the Philippine Coast Guard ship BRP Cape Engano (C), as photographed from the BRP Cabra during a supply mission to Sabina Shoal in disputed waters of the South China Sea on Aug. 26, 2024. China and the Philippines accused each other of ramming their ships in a disputed area of the South China Sea on Saturday, the latest in an escalating series of clashes in the vital waterway. China's coast guard said a Philippine ship, "illegally stranded" at the Sabina Shoal, had lifted anchor and "deliberately rammed" a Chinese vessel, while the Philippine coast guard said a Chinese vessel had "intentionally rammed" one of Manila's ships. Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. Portions of the waterway, where $3 trillion worth of trade passes annually, are believed to be rich in oil and natural gas deposits, as well as fish stocks. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 found China's sweeping claims had no legal basis, a ruling Beijing rejects. Liu Dejun, a spokesperson for China's coast guard, called on the Philippines in a statement to withdraw immediately from the shoal. China's slow post-Covid recovery could be a lasting headwind for its stock market. With the mainland's two largest indexes the Shanghai Composite and the Shenzhen Composite each negative so far in 2024, KraneShares Chief Investment Officer Brendan Ahern thinks government stimulus is necessary to kick-start the country's stock market performance. "Investors, particularly in mainland China [are] looking for much, much stronger fiscal support from the government," he told CNBC's "ETF Edge" this week. "Thus far, we've been left waiting." Ahern, whose firm runs the KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (KWEB) , added that Chinese households are still reluctant to spend at pre-pandemic levels. The most recent read from the country's National Bureau of Statistics showed consumer goods retail sales contracting slightly in June. "That scar tissue, as well as a real estate crisis in China, has really weighed on the balance sheet of the household," he said. This week's post-earnings plunge in PDD Holdings is emblematic of China's consumer pullback, according to Ahern. He suggests the Temu parent company has focused too heavily on growth amid a broader spending slump and stiff e-commerce competition. "It's a bit of a crowded long, and I think it's paying for that at the moment," he said. "The company's hypergrowth and that slight miss lead to a big, big drop." Ahern returned to the idea that a top-down economic recovery might be necessary to stimulate China's tech sector in particular. "I think you need to see policy amplification, and then you'll see investors come back into this space," he added. DisclaimerURGENT: This morning, a group of migrants tried to board a @JamulDulzuraUSD School Bus on the way to school, and yesterday, had to avoid a similar situation. Border Patrol, CHP, and the Sheriff's Office are investigating. Official email sent to parents: pic.twitter.com/W3D8BcoQsZ
Amy Reichert (@amyforsandiego) August 28, 2024